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Interesting and worthy of contemplation, the subject of 'feelings'. Does (Vajrayana) Buddhism deny the functionality of feelings? From my experience, i would emphatically say no. It all depends on how one views the source of feelings/emotions, and what one does with them, i presume. If they arise from a place of attachment and contain seeds of delusion, leading to grasping and aversion, then there will be misdirection somehow, no matter how subtle, due to cause and effect, or karmic compulsions. However, there are feelings which are positive, organizational, and can help generate and direct selfless intent. Such feelings are responsible for building and also bonding lasting relationships, whether with friends or family, and the community at large. Buddhist practitioners actually place quite a bit of emphasis on this aspect of 'feelings', so to a certain extent, i would wish to disagree with Seth's view, although not totally rejecting the basis from which his assessment was drawn from. Right View comes first and foremost in the Buddhist path. This goes in some way to mean cultivating the 'eye of the heart', which, when decrypted, means reaching a point where one knows how to discern the various types of feelings, those that are organizational and functional, and those that could compound delusory reactive emotions, leading to the formation and propagation of ill intent, subsequently, undesirable habits. We are all quite familiar with how feelings/emotions can often be the basis of distorted analysis, so it would pay to exercise mindful attention without dismissing the fundamental implications of such an important aspect of good mental hygiene. After all, one of the most vital aspect of buddhist training is the uncovering of one's latent pure nature. Naturally so, those who have tasted even one drop of this 'nectar of immortality' can't help but feel gooood... Thereafter, its all about remembering the taste, and generating the same feeling for it over and over, until it becomes evidently present, suffusing all areas of one's life. The great thing about the buddhist path, something which one gets to learn quite early on, is the futility of beating up oneself over the head when things are misperceived to have gone wrong, or some failure to observe certain obvious goings-on. This cannot happen unless there is room to say its ok to feel deeply and yet not become overly punishing, or overly masochistic to one's own redeemable self. My few cents.

wait, that's not wisdom...! not if it smacks you two times knocks you out on third...

From the average point of view, someone who has the good fortune to reach the complete cessation of neurosis does appear 'crazy'. Some rare neuroses-free people have the ability to simply be spontaneous all the time, yet, their actions/speech are always in accord with any situation and people in it. Most times, when they are around, the place feels lighter, permeated by some tangible positive energy, and there is no room for any sort of discomfort or conflict to arise. On the contrary, the serenity increases, or, in the case of a looming conflict-bound situation , its often quickly diffused. These folks often see wider and deeper than us, and because of this, when they speak/act, those who are still ego-bound can often perceive some level of 'threat' or resistance, which, naturally, is par for the course. Some 'crazy wisdom' folks can, in the process of diffusing a situation, hasten the conflict to a head so as to 'burn' the karma asap (sometimes in order to avoid the situation accumulating even more complexity), and this is where it gets tricky from the view of those looking in. Its quite easy for us to judge who is the real deal and who is not, but in actual fact, if you think about it, sometimes its those we perceive as bogus and charlatan-like who are the real crazy-wisdom teachers, for without them, how do we know we are still caught up in deep dualistic notions? Hence, if our wisdom increases, we allow such individuals to lead us to taste greater equanimity, and could be thankful for it. In Vajrayana, for example, practitioners get to work with various protectors and yidams for good reason. These supporting deities are there to help bring our habits and neuroticism to light, and we gradually learn to work with transforming said patterns into wisdom mind, speech and actions. When we begin to taste the fruit of this transformation taking root, yes, we too can reflect a little craziness then. Its obvious, isn't it?

nothing left but love like a butter lamp it glows lighting one lights all...

Many years ago, i was also in a dark place. Very dark. Details are not important. What is, though, is how the situation resolved. Prayer. I am Buddhist by birth. Yet, the turning point for me was walking into a deserted old church one afternoon, not on purpose, i was just passing while out walking, aimlessly that time. At once, the serenity held me, and i found myself kneeling, if anything, just due to mental exhaustion. And boy, did i pray. Tears were streaming down my face, and i was sobbing like never before. Suffice to say, when i emerged from that very transforming (longish) moment, it felt good. Reinvigorated would be the right description. Of course, things were still pretty much the same, but what changed was the space inside of me. A self-induced transformation, one which arose due to a willingness to let in grace which dissolved every last bit of tormenting resistance inside. This has nothing to do with beliefs. Its got everything to do with one's values, not moral values, but selfless ones. Selfless because one's focus can take on greater clarity when one is willing to measure one's intent in light of how one's actions can impact on others, especially one's family, and to a degree, one's friends and so on. I am saying this based on a recent experience where a friend chose to end her life under quite tragic circumstances. I strongly urge you to review your options, OP. There are never dead-ends in life -- only pathways which sometimes only require one to switch on one's inner light to see in the dimness of the moment. Pain and joy are transient. Look for that which lies beyond both. Trust me, that which transcends both is not found in premature ending of one's life. I deeply wish you peace and equanimity, my friend.

next week will do fine weather is meant to improve yellow aubergines..

My cell phone did not ring once today -- does that count?

no other moment its NOW, the baby's coming with the bathwater...

names and forms... winning! in close second, formlessness clutching a toothbrush...

rend the illusion unravel the mystery stir-fry the bean-sprouts..

on a ball of dung he said he is feeling good takes little to laugh!

structure from the clay an inanimate form laughs while galaxies yawn...

mother's asking, "when?!" told her to stop meddling -- "mind your own business".

Thats some excellent mending, NAJA, thanks! thumbs up!

soiled myself too! best to retrace the sequence its gone bumpety...

and see life's homage like sandcastles on the beach staying a lil' while...

Currently reading 5 books. Absorbed by one. The True Dharma Eye, Zen Master Dogen's Three Hundred Koans. (hardcover) Commentary and Verse from John D. Loori brings balance to the palpable 'heaviness' of the other four.

Here, MH, a little deviation which you might enjoy... now, back to biznaz!

lost in our own world like the 'gods' in Hollywood cower from old age...

It appears that you were neither wrong nor right, SB, for are we, each of us, not mere expedience as well, each dependent on root and contributing circumstance, that is, until complete realization is reached? As Thinley Norbu said, mushrooms dont suddenly spring up in meadows. Due to various conditions and seasonal play, they, of course, become mushrooms, so, when we eat mushrooms, we are actually eating the conditions which has come together through space and time. Same goes with hearing and so on. Conditions, all. Fixating on the manifestations by labels and names is where stuckness occur, hence grasping takes shape and form. It is said in The Jewel Treasure of the Dharmadatu: This is called the self-manifestation of enlightened mind. Its unobstructed emanation can occur as anything, With concept and without concept, as the existent phenomena of outer elements and inner beings, Including all varied phenomena. Even as all these arise, they naturally do not exist substantially. There is no such thing - there is not any permanent material nature. Just like the water of a mirage, a dream, an echo, Miraculous emanation, the reflection of form, a town of gandharvas, and the illusion of the eyes. It is simply appearing. While it is appearing, There is no base, there is no substance; just recognize it as only sudden temporary appearances arising from time to time. It must be realized that phenomena are not always, but occasional.

letters for instance seems like food for some members weightless yet chewy...

To comment on these sublime words is meaningless.

_/\_

HH the Sakya Trizin chants it this way.

so drink up your last when morn breaks its time to fast clean body, clean mind..