Vajrahridaya

Yes, I understand that it's not easy to answer. But that doesn't mean he doesn't see. It's not easy to answer because a persons experience of Rigpa is personally nuanced. We are complex beings. As far as hidden masters go. Indeed... I do agree that some Masters hide very well. But, these beings manifesting the Rainbow body are generally in Tibet, and they are not walking around all that many people, as I've heard most of these occurrences are happening in low populated areas? I'm sure if you met one, and you looked into his eyes or did practice with that person, you would get an intuition of this persons level of inspiration and calm peace? I think so at least. Most of these people were solitary practitioners... no? In Tibet, it's generally only monks who do group practice, not the lay Dzogchen practitioners who mostly do solitary practice? I'm sure there are anomalies as there are in every situation. Yes, I can agree. You can't know definitely without being fully liberated. One doesn't really know anything definitely unless one is a complete Buddha anyway. I do think ChNNR's supernatural cognitive skills are quite open though.

I almost visited the lower one when I lived in NYC. He did come to me and filled me with incredible bliss though and I had some interesting visions just laying in bed wishing I was there. I don't think he has Chinese connections at all. I find him to be very deep and compassionate. He is also endorsed by the Dalai Lama. So, that's enough for me. I think maybe the 16th Karmapa just split his mind stream in two and emanated as both. Both their intentions seem to be for benefit, so why not? Yes, I avoid the controversy. Sereneblue, I also agree with apepch7. If you go to the Karma Kagyu, you'll get some great and wonderful teachings! As well as methods for overcoming suffering. Because he has done nothing but attack me. I'm not talking about some psychic power here. Also, I don't think it's very hard for Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche to know this psychically. That's not my experience at all. But, I suppose it depends on how open one is to him directly. p.s. But if your talking about how many people just get an intellectual flutter from hearing a talk from ChNNR. That's easy when you see how people just don't connect on a deep level. You can also hear in the way they talk, there's no inspiration. You can also see how people are deeply connected to him, and you can read it in their gestures, the way they talk, their faces and their energy. You can see that they are truly inspired on an experiential level by ChNNR!

When you meditate deeply, you see things directly. I don't think about this stuff, it's just information in my files. I more just do my job and work on staying in a state of peace and meditative equipoise. But, if you focus on one point deeply enough, it leads to every other point spontaneously. You have immense insight come to you faster than the speed of thought. You might like to release your rigid projections a bit. There are many great masters in Vajrayana Buddhism, and your only seeing the surface. The metaphysics are a result of direct experience on a level that transcends, "sitting around and thinking about things, making up stories". As you seem to think. Your deluding your view and distracting your presence. Understanding karma and how it works, understanding non-origin and beginningless-ness is part of the realization. This level of information comes to one in a flash, like a book downloaded into your mind faster than the speed of light. Enlightenment does involve leaving no stone unturned. You read that the Buddha didn't answer this question from that person or this person. But if you read in other Suttas, he does answer the question to this or that other person. It's also not that he didn't know, it's that he knew when to disseminate the information and to who. So... you relax and get some meditative experience, and study more, before you start telling people who have given intense and long hours of discipline to the cushion, what they are on about. Because you don't really know. Start off with your vipassana and get some mastery over it. Get some Jhana experience under your belt. Travel into other realms... do things that you think are just fantasy, and then you'll see a deeper reality unravel.

Lama Surya Das is a rich American Anglo who has political ties. He's nice enough. But, he's not who I would recommend to learn from. I suppose you could go just to be in a group? Find out which Karmapa? or...

That's good... then listen to him. You should do the training course. I have not felt an iota of your compassion or experience of Rigpa. Namkhai Norbu has sooooo many people that come to listen to him, but don't experience a flutter of anything other than an intellectual spark. All I've seen is you trying to make me fit inside your box.

Ok... ok. Oh of course, the science of symbols as an attempt to describe an object, experience or concept. It's still subtly subjective to a certain degree though, especially when getting into the spiritual. Which is why dependent origination is so clear and deep. Especially when venturing into the abstract. I'll say the word "tree" and your subconscious reference is glancing through faster than conscious thought memory regarding that word symbol, and your conscious mind will bring up a context that fits, hopefully... in a way that I can relate. That relation is based upon popular context though and not your personal context. So both originate dependently on different, co-relating but separate paradigms. What is nice about Mathmatics is it's formula has very specific results. (Which is what Vajrayana and Taoism for that matter attempts to do with it's very specific and detailed inner alchemy practices.) But, this physical math won't lead to liberation from Samsaric vision. Only direct experience of limitless nature will through inner alchemy (which can be joined with math and science) and because of no limits, it can be expressed through endless limits. It's difficult to express this to beings who are without direct meditative experience, even through symbols that are specifically defined. In spiritual conversation we are pointing beyond our seeming selves into the realm of the abstract. Math does this too but it's pinpointing finites within an infinite regress so will never find an end through such dualistic means. Only direct experience through awareness of consciousness will one subtlify enough to get some meat off the bone of life, or out of math and science as well. Not through constant outpouring into symbols and configurations of them.... only. One reads the words of previous Masters and follows a Master of a lineage that goes all the way back to the Buddha. Well... in Buddhism there is no soul, unless used as a metaphor. Even the soul is broken down into it's dependent parts. Well... I'm generally not talking to those that don't have direct experience beyond the physical. But... I will be in school a heck of a lot more. Only those without remembered experience of the other side of the physical think such things. Of course it's much subtler than that, as subjectivity goes very deep into non-physical realms of course and it get's abstract here. Like words for demons are in every culture, words for angels are in every culture. It's really all dependently originated and sourced in the mind, but that does not make immaterial experience illusion as there are cross cultural correlatives. As material is merely an assumption of the 5 senses as matter itself is not material. But, once the perception of it is gone from the 6 sense or the tools of the 5 senses, it's considered, "gone". There is a subtler sight that can see past this though and esoterica explains this. Yet it can get mighty subjective in this realm, I agree. Which is why Vajrayana is very specific as well teaching detachment from the subtle arisings that happen as seeming insights into what is beyond the senses as fruit of the practice. Science is already doing a good job of deluding itself. It's just physically verifiable delusion that is shared with the similarly deluded. The Earth is NOT solid. Imagine the Chinese soldier who walked in on a Dzogchen master who was busy with the attainment of the Rainbow body or Jalus and freaked out! Only to later become a follower of Vajrayana. This happened more than a few times during the Chinese take over of Tibet in regards to soldiers discovering that there is more to the mind than meets the brain/body organism in their meetings of these Tibetan Masters of mind and body. Of course not. But not a vision... as in an idea. I mean literal seeing beyond the 5 senses. Drop the science and start meditating deeply, under the guidance of a real master of the mind. But... yes, everyone has their process and must have their answers through whatever means they crave, until the energy propelling that craving ceases in some way, and another method presents itself in a make sense fashion. "Eureka!! But wow... that was there the entire time, but my desire to see it this way through this method was blocking the obvious!" I can kind of agree. Though, meditation is better than science and we as a humanity could live quite well without physical science and more meditation. But of course, this realm is about adventure, creating and making mistakes, all out of the error correction error assumption that something is wrong and needs to be corrected, and it can be done through tools... instead of a change of perception? Duh! "Wait... there's no error... it was just my head!" Yes, I long for it. I hope only one more year!! Yes I know... that's her work and her good efforts coming to fruition. Thanks for the compliments by the way, that's very rare here. For me at least... I mostly find a barrage of insults. Keeps me on my toes of "praise and blame, it's all the same"... not only that but how to better communicate. No really... I love science and maths. I don't really think we need to go back to the stone ages to be a happy civilization. We'd be too busy trying to survive to be happy! I think we can have a symbiosis between science and spirituality, as well as technology and Earth if we can get past greed a bit more and think less parochially or provincially. She was a good Momma, but sadly monetarily disadvantaged and always working, thus not always the influencer of my mind. But yes... there's only a partial sob story to be spoken of here. All for the strength of me... "Come on baby light my fire!!" Thank you for your support. Ok, so you do act your age. Thank goodness!! My plan exactly!

It's just what's called, Prakriti in Samkhya. As in the material nature. It's the darkness of the material source, the black source of material nature. Light is spiritual nature, or nature of consciousness, the power of illumination, known as Purusha in Samkhya. It's a helpful duality in explanation. Not the ultimate truth, but it's experiential and explains part of the relativity of the cosmos. Thanks for sharing Scotty!

The above crown chakra is connected to the infinite lotus, or infinite chakra chakra of the crown chakra. It opens infinite dimension. It's just that heat rises from the top of the head so you can be aware of that heat and energy above the head. Sometimes I see a light above peoples heads. I figure that means they are not closed off to higher influence and that there is an opening in their crown. I've only seen this with people who do spiritual practice. Other people I see a black ceiling right above the head like a deeply dimensional line cutting them off to higher influence. I see this a lot with street people, or thuggish people. Not that every street person is this way, but many times...

I rub you wrong... don't I? Your soo effected Ralis. The impetus for a Dinosaurs evolution is based upon past lives, the propulsion of karmas from past universes even. There is no beginning, nor a point of origin. I wonder how much time you've given to studying your own mind through internalizing of awareness, i.e. meditation? It's pointless to talk with you Ralis. I will NOT think like you... that'd be going backwards for me, meaning literally linearly devolving. Don't you have some money to win by being slick and sly and knowing how to lie? Mr. Poker? Don't be so hard on yourself, let the judgement go! Be light hearted about the whole affair! You have endless time!! Let it play and learn how to play happily! Ralis, Ralis, Ralis, I'm not using non-linear within the mathematical schematic. That's not my context at all. Do you read objectively? The meaning is found through context. I mean non-linear as in... a,b,c,d,e...z. As in, you can find z through any letter anywhere in the alphabet. Show me d and I'll show you how it connects to u as well as i. Every point of experience originates based upon every other point of experience. Can you handle that? Or is that too loooooost in spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace?? Ahhhh, the endless sphere! I mean non-linear as in, the primary condition of a possible experience may be enlodged in the subconscious of any being, but until the secondary condition arises in the environment, that experience will not happen, so thus another experience will happen who's causes may be newer from a linear standpoint. This also goes for past or future lives. It's actually all explained quite well by the Buddha in the Pali Canon. Thus spiritual progress is always non-linear as we are way too complex for that. Though the Buddhas delineation of the process is genius, he also shows by contradicting himself many times that he is not subjecting everyone to a linear presumption of the space/time continuum. Each point is based on every other point, thus infinite reference of infinite finites. So, there is still unique points, each referencing infinitude differently through it's seeming finitude. Different people need different teachings at different times, or at the same time, or the same people at different times.

You need to watch your negaception (negative perception coloring). I was saying that when your mind get's quiet, your awareness will drop into your heart center at times and spread out from there, instead of your head. It's generally considered the place of the dark meditative void or the causal body, where not time, or thing can enter. It's a space beyond the energy body, or astral body. So no, I'm saying your going forward!! LOL!! Your too hard on yourself.

You presume? I'm a Vajrayana practitioner and thinker. Popularly known as a Tibetan Buddhist. I'm not a Theravadin. I don't think or experience as you do. I'm fine with that. I feel that your perception is stuck in the mud of limited experience and identification with it as a reality is a big hoax that draws more popular support than Television. You make assumptions based upon limitations and project that anyone outside of that box must be, "in the clouds". My whole life this materialist perception has been bombarded with a deeper vision. It is answered by Mahayana and Tantric Vajrayana, and especially Dzogchen. Not by your stuck in 5 sense perception. That's my life of experience. I've always had a vision beyond the senses. I only speak how I know to those that can know it. I will not speak like you as I don't know how to and don't have your mind nor experience. Thank goodness. My critical thinking see's into areas beyond your verification but not beyond other peoples. So... I'll just go ahead and be one of those silly cloud dwellers... ok? You can go ahead and have your feet firmly planted on Earth for as long as your life lasts. The teachings attributed to the original Buddha are filled with so called, "magical beings" and "magical occurrences". These are explained through the science of Jhana. The spiritual experience of the Buddhas words are what leads to Mahayana and Vajrayana. Mine are verifyable in Buddhist teachings and the teachings or autobriographies of various Buddhist masters. I know that materialist based Buddhism is a hot topic right now. But, I ain't interested. School hardly makes anyone a master in spirituality. You have too much attachment to the materialist world of physical science. You're still trapped in body consciousness and the limits of this identification. Why should I go there? I'm not interested in your Western minded recommendations. I like those crazy far out Eastern Mystics... YAH MAN!! Don't presume to know anything because you're getting a Masters. Stay humble and open to deeper and subtler perceptions that hard liner body dwellers are just not going to get. That will challenge your ego more. Of course if you want to apply Buddhism to social philanthropy, then you have to express in a way that's popularly acceptable through a majorities limitations in perception. But the teachings on Chakras and subtle practices are secret for a reason. Because ya'll just ain't ready fa dat. How ya like ma broken English? Do dat make me stoopid? My Mom has a PHD in Womens Art's and Spirituality, does that help?

The mind is seated in the heart chakra.

Love is open and receptive. I find a statement truer if it can be supported by historical Buddhas or teachers, thus it show's more authentic objectivity and not just subjective coloring. I've spoken endlessly from personal experience and write poetry as well. It's interesting. You think I speak too much from the support of historical Buddhas and others think I speak too much from my own subjective coloring. Others enjoy what I say. Ah.... the endless realm of subjectivity! Samsara.

Either that or maybe the Buddha stepped on you? Karmic or energetic influences... eh? If a being is constantly in a state of offering blessing, then even the killing of a bug will be a blessing for that bug. It's really just energy. It's really just causation. It's quite logical. Yes, I understand. People can't help but speak from their own experience or understanding though. They won't all measure up to your subjective view I'm afraid. It's great that you have found Vipassana though and have some peace of mind from spirituality in general. That does show a massive accumulation of merits! It's just energy, previous intention baring fruit... Karma is just elementary particle* consciousness. *Elementary particle; a particle of which larger particles are composed. That's your view and understanding. That doesn't mean it's true and correct, or insight into what the Buddha means. I'm sorry that your thinking is going into nihilism. All the Buddha is saying is that events have endless causes and each cause is itself an effect of endless causes. It's meant to break a person out of linear thought processessing where you see in multiple or eventually infinite directions at once in your thinking and perceiving. It should also give a person a sense of urgency in the practice, not hopelessness, but hope! There's a story I'd like to share. Two students came to a great teacher. One of the students asked the teacher, "Oh great master, I have been meditating for many decades now, how long will it take for me to attain enlightenment?" The teacher looked at him and said, "You will attain enlightenment in two lifetimes." The student looked at his teacher with disdain and walked away cursing his practice for being so slow in it's ability to bare fruit. The other student then asked the teacher, "Oh great teacher, how long before I attain liberation?" The teacher looked at the student intently and said... "Well, you my dear will have as many lives as this tree has leaves before you attain liberation." The student said with incredible glee!! "REALLY? MY PRACTICE WILL BARE FRUIT? I WILL ATTAIN LIBERATION?" The teacher said, "Of course your practice will bare fruit, as all actions bare fruit, both physical and mental." The student was so inspired by these words that he/she doubled her/his efforts and swiftly attained liberation in this very lifetime. Don't psychoanalyze. Just do the practice and go deeper within. What arises for you will happen naturally and freely. You'll see your mind illumine aspects and details in a very natural and easy way. I agree! That's the right perspective. But, there are many perspectives and each one should be handled with care. This information market has it's pro's and con's. We come into contact with information so quickly and easily, sometimes it can be a hindrance or beneficial. But ultimately, it's not the informations fault, it's really up to us personally. Insight just happens while meditating, or walking spontaneously something aligns with the mind of deep meaning and one see's connectivity on a very subtle and fast level that transcends the amount of time it takes to talk about it or write it out. The mind is faster than anything, it's faster than the speed of light, it's faster than scientific measurement. Just practice, I agree! You sound like your thinking like the first person in my story. Try to change your perspective to the second person in my story? Wouldn't you benefit more? Karma is non-linear, but is definite in it's fruit. It's non-linear, so thus it can appear linear and because it is abstract it can be clear. It's just seeing causation and it's complexities through meditative insight. It will happen spontaneously through practice.

You? NO WAY! Hitler? Stalin? ... well... Really... the Buddhists say that one should practice like your hair is on fire. Because it's true, we never know what's in our personal karmic history until we really start meditating deeply. One of the blessings of getting a guide, or connecting to a matrix of enlightened lineage is that these beings will usher you after death. If you really connect on an experiential level and not just say, "hi".

Concerning your friends dog, It's not as aware of the experience of joy and it doesn't have nearly as much power of blissful awareness in it as the human capacity. It's more of a pleasure for the dog. As far as being an animal or a bug, it's very hard to go beyond that stage, unless one just slips into it for a short period of time from a more intelligent and more self aware life form. Karma is deeply complex and non-linear. The Buddha explains this in the Pali Suttas. How one can have a next life that had nothing at all to do with being the outcome of this life. Which is why he said it's extremely important to unravel your karmic baggage while you have a human (or self aware) incarnation. This is correct actually. It has to do with karmic influence. This is also why in Dzogchen ceremonies (Ganapujas) we actually partake in eating meat with the sincere consciousness that we are effecting the animal karma of these beings. We chant mantras that ask that these animal offerings into our own karmic (energetic) stream grant that the animals may take human birth as our disciples once we ourselves attain complete Buddhahood. One can think of this as merely a way to expand compassion, or also a sincere way to help liberate those that are trapped in lower density consciousness packages (body/mind forms). I opt for both. Take care.

If you understood emptiness directly. You would have a different conclusion. It doesn't matter if your 49 or 16. Do you really have experiential understanding of dependent origination? Do you know that emptiness means non-self-abiding entity? How much time have you given to sincere meditative practice? How much of the Buddha canon have you studied? If one is constantly aware of emptiness which means dependent origination, then nothing binds at all anymore. There is no more learning in that sense, only constant re-ornimentation on a tree that is always rooted in the ground of complete realization. This is what Sammasambuddha means. Carson Zi obviously is not that well studied in Mahayana. Buddhahood means constantly awake, everything illumined, no more shadows. It doesn't mean partially awake, or awake only sometimes. This is all from... http://www.beyondthenet.net/buddha/qualities.html The Dalai Lama does not speak English Carson. Of course he's going to need translators and editors. The flow is not inherently perfect, only the realization of the flow from a Buddha is. Of course... because I'm on ignore... Carson may never read this.

LOL! That is true. I'm sorry that you've met some pretty far out new agers in reference to this topic. My past life memories consist of animal lives, even a dinosaur life. I have been a monk more than once in different traditions. I've done questionable things in my past lives as well which I don't really want to divulge, but they have to do with some of the negativities that I've had to face in this life. I've even been a stork. I do remember other more far out type of stuff, but... I don't use these experiences as excuses to solidify identity and ego. They should do the opposite in fact.

No. Carson Zi is partially right, but not fully correct. There is the constant realization that transcends process, but process still happens, even though one is realized beyond the process. If you are constantly in the state of recognizing the empty and interdependent nature of everything? The endless process is constantly and spontaneously self liberating in every spherical moment for someone in that realization. Thus, one is fully and totally enlightened.

In Buddhism, psychological suffering is considered to originate from the ignorant perception of the world. In Buddhism, the right apprehension of Samsara or the world is Nirvana or heaven, it's not an ideal outside of the world. It's a realization of true potential while in the world. For the most part you won't through the physical senses. It's a thing more akin to meditative intuition and insight.

I only partially agree with you.