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Yeah, towards the end, Rinpoche also mentioned, with great emphasis, not to degrade the Theravadin and Mahayana foundations, which, you, Alwayson, have a tendency to do. But, anyway, sincere thanks for posting that link. Its very appropriate. -------------------- What is asked in sincerity is not breaking samaya. What is received, with sincerity and gratefulness, is also not breaking samaya. What is given, sincerely and with good intention, is also not breaking samaya. ------------------- There are obviously many philosophical aspects of Dzogchen and Mahamudra which can be discussed openly. If not, sites like Berzin archives and many other authentic Tibetan schools would not themselves propagate them openly. What's not to be discussed is clearly mentioned by Rinpoche.

Yes perhaps you could teach a new form of Dharma, but there is only one Buddhism, that brought to life by the Buddha Shakyamuni, whose teachings Alwayson couldn't give a shite about, which is a shame, and a little stupid, considering he poses as a most high-level practitioner. As for the rest of your reply, i dont know for sure where you want to head with it. Moreover, augmenting the Nazis into the equation seems to deflate the vitality of your assertions a little. Hence, its time for me to say 'i surrender' to your most interesting arguments. Ciao! and Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Perhaps its not the practice itself, but your own mental view about practices in general, which needs to be tweaked so that a more neutral approach could be assumed. Then the practice would not carry any problematic outcomes -- when it does not get you 'high', then, naturally, the cause for 'crashing' is negated altogether? Just a thought.

You need not have to assume anything -- the choice, obviously, is up to your good self. Your speculations are interesting, nonetheless. A transformation is a transformation. Its legitimacy is in the eye of the beholder. If the mind does not intervene, then this particular doubt will not arise. When doubts do not arise, or even if they do, but there is no clinging, then there is a sense of reflectiveness, contemplative exercises, where things are seen but not grasped. Non-grasping, things come and go, in their own space and time, according to the causes and conditions which brings about their appearances and passing. Higher, average and lower are also pertinent to all the different levels of people's mental capacities, specifically in regard to being given teachings. A tulku, for example, though he may be incarnated as the highest lineage holder of a particular tradition, still has to undergo novice training covering the teachings of the lesser vehicles during his/her formative years. This can only be helpful, and is recommended for every student of Buddhism. Its natural, its safe and its assured. As a matter of fact, there are many teachers who encourage students not to neglect the Ngondro practices even if they have ascended to the more profound aspects of the Dharma. Returning to the basics again and again, one remains grounded and secure in the wisdom of patient humility. Its much better and easier to generate faith and to find an affinity with the preparatory stages of the path. Sure footedness here would ensure an easier transition over into the more esoteric and metaphysical aspects of the 'greater' vehicles. Jetsun has explained his position very clearly, and has a very mature approach set up. I think he will make very good progress in time.

Thank you, Jeff. This here is a very detailed link (with commentary) on the Lanka - take your time to digest the contents, for its very profound, very clear. I would recommend it to anyone who has an affinity with the teachings of the Tathagata. I trust that it will lead you further along the way. http://lirs.ru/do/lanka_eng/lanka-nondiacritical.htm

Should there be a poll to see who trolls for thee? On second thoughts, maybe not.

If you think that there is only mind, You will not grant existence to the outer world. And dwelling in the perfect observation of the ultimate, You will indeed transcend the mind itself. Now, when this mind you thus transcend, You go beyond the absence of perception. Yogis who abide within such nonappearance Behold indeed the Mahayana. Spontaneous are their actions then, and they find peace. And through their aspirations they see everything as pure. For them there is the highest wisdom; Where the self is not observed, They do not see a blank vacuity. (Lankavatara-sutra)

curious... why do you say it worries you, friend?

Couple of weeks ago, we went to a pub which served great carvery lunches. Happen to sit next to woman who was dining on her own. Her food arrived just as we began to order ours. I was watching, being always professionally curious as to what people love eating. There was a glass of red wine, a glass of water, and a basket of bread rolls. Soup started her off. Then an egg mayo salad. Cleaned the two. She ate with zeal. Main course, fish and chips. Large plate. Sour cream or blue cheese dip on the side. Cleaned the plate. Dessert followed... chocolate brownie and ice-cream. By this time, there was a second glass of wine on the table. Finished with a pot of coffee. And another glass of wine... She looked as if she could eat more if she wanted to. But there was a glazed look on her face, as like someone who just had a fix. In a way, she did. I was/am not being mean in my observation. Actually felt a bit sad. Its as if she was seeking comfort from some deep hurt somewhere, or attempting to compensate for some lack. This encounter heightened an awareness of my own eating pattern and attitude towards food. I thanked her silently for the lesson. Back on topic. I have a fairly rudimentary approach when it comes to food, personally. Simple works best for me, even though i chef in a professional capacity. Steaming and slow-cooking is my thing. Tend to avoid foods which need lots of chewing. I like meat which is so soft that it melts in the mouth - this way, there is no pressure on the digestive system. To keep it remembering to function optimally, i eat plenty of organic greens. Chinese vegetables are delicious. I love seafood, especially crab, prawns and scallops. Soup noodles with seafood, tofu and seaweed, topped with loads of coriander or thai basil, is, mmmm... yumm!! A fav way to prep prawns and crabmeat for me is to blend them finely with plenty of coriander, kaffir lime leaves, ginger and lemongrass, work them into a patty with a bit of sesame seeds, fish sauce, white pepper, corn flour and egg-yolk, and then shallow-frying for a couple of minutes. Serve with a cucumber, pineapple and chili salad. Works very well. Sometimes i mash the blend with a block of organic tofu (for shallow frying, same method) which is so so delectable. For me, the best way to celebrate life is thru the enjoyment of food, and having friends around to share in this joyous affair is so gratifying. Work-wise, very broad acceptance towards all kinds of food, loves tasting bits here and there, and i enjoy combining different ingredients, herbs and spices just to keep trying to get 'new' ideas for the kitchen. Used to love alcoholic beverages in my younger days. Not now though. The body loss the need naturally over the years. I still have the odd beer, glass of wine, or a shot of coffee liqueur once in a blue moon (maybe 3 times a year, something like that). Last time i had a glass (which is half a pint) of Guinness was the 12th of December last year, at a staff Christmas party. It was so nice, the drink, and the awareness that that was the one and only glass for me that night made every sip divinely sweet. My next one-glass adventure could be in April, or not. We shall see...

When i was 24 (back in the 80s), i had already amassed a quarter of a million dollars profit from investing in the stock market (thanks to some shrewd advice from those in the know, of course). This gave me a certain amount of confidence in life. I needed a job to occupy my time then, and despite the fact that i was less qualified than the other candidates (no college degree!) who applied for a plump job as Marketing Manager in an exclusive country club, i was picked, and because i knew what to do with money, in a positive way, it gave me the leverage to do very well in this position. In return, the rewards, financial and otherwise, simply kept multiplying. I knew from a very young age that its not difficult to capsize and drown when too much is given too soon. Affinity is crucial. Without it, everything becomes a bitter lesson. With it, harmony follows like a shadow that can never depart.

thats why you are 24.

Good point! That's exactly what it is.. a tool. A working state of being. Crave it, and its usefulness diminishes. Shun it, and the opportunity to progress deeper gets lost. Any spiritual work, to an extent, can only be undertaken by oneself, for oneself (first of all). Without setting the mind ready for renunciation, this passage will be made all the more arduous. Renunciation has a scary ring for many. They think of monks and hermits who physically renounce worldly concerns to enter into the religious call. But truthfully, every sincere spiritual traveller will have made either a conscious or unconscious decision to renounce some aspect of themselves which they have seen to be unsatisfactory, and having garnered this enlightening insight, a willful choice to transcend is effected. Such a task need not be undertaken outside of one's present surrounds. One can still withdraw from the world, yet remain engaged in the world. Its not a prerequisite that to gain emancipation one has to leave all and head to the mountains. The stronger ones, those who have conquered their minds, can touch freedom wherever they lay their hat. Liberation has no set rules. In fact, any rule or extreme measure which one believes need strict adherence in order to attain liberation is the very chain which binds one tighter to bondage. Renunciation is the prelude to the discovery of joyous abandonment. Joyous abandonment brings forth ease. With ease, solitude arises effortlessly.

Does not make sense to have the pot below the fire. Evidently this is the way conditions are in the human world at this age. Trickling down into other levels of existence too. Soon there will be torrential floods. Is your 'ark' in good shape?

Solitude works better when it is first cultivated in the mind. Then the body follows. Otherwise different resistances will keep surfacing and re-surfacing. Then, all the hours/days/months/years spent in supposed quietude will be in vain -- the turmoil ensures this. Solitude can be viewed also as an inner mental sanctum which anyone with practice can create for themselves to retreat to at anytime, to find renewal, replenishment, or simply rest. Forcing anything will only create undesirable causes for undesirable results.

Same same here, Lin. And, im quite a distance from China.

Prof Kurtis Schaeffer is the man to contact if you are serious about learning this in-depth. He wrote an excellent article 'The attainment of immortality: From Naathas in India to Buddhists in Tibet' which you might be able to source on the web somewhere. A book which could shed a bit of light on this subject -- "Yoga Powers: Extraordinary Capacities Attained through Meditation and Concentration" -- preview here: http://books.google.ie/books?id=rHXQsZiz7PoC&pg=PA331&lpg=PA331&dq=amrtasiddhi&source=bl&ots=DHnExJQXcT&sig=FtuI6DfbQtkY2rTFs_by3IeNg2U&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ren_UPXgFNKwhAeVh4GIAw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=amrtasiddhi&f=false Another book worth checking out "The Alchemical Body" by David Gordon White. http://www.amazon.com/Alchemical-Body-Siddha-Traditions-Medieval/dp/0226894991 May your search be fruitful.

Why did you put emphasis on 'REAL'? Is it real because you personally know this yogi, or that you have absolute faith in your shaman that he is incapable of spoofin a scoop? Interesting story, nonetheless. Btw, i think your interpretation of the Dalai Lama's position wrt the shugden fiasco is rather shallow and indicates your refusal to see the bigger pic. I can't tell you what this pic is simply because you wont believe my version anyway, but i am quite certain there is a lot more to it than what the public thinks they know. If you were really interested to dig further and deeper, you may uncover the almost unsavory behavior of one head honcho of a dissident group who have made it his life purpose to destroy the DL's credibility, and this is woven deeply into the fabric which underlies all the half-truths, semi-lies and ignorance which abound in this current upheaval. (scoop as in 'an exclusive piece of news' story. Spoofing as in deceiving).

Illness can be a good time to lessen fixations of ego, according to some teachers. For example, instead of directing the focus on the desire to get well, use this phase to practice sending healing to those who are also ill, with the intent that you alone should bear the pains and discomfort on their behalf, that they may then enjoy the causes of good health without limitations. This goes against the grain of ego fixations, and is a great practice to expand the heart. If one can practice in this way, then conventions, boundaries and contractive fears can all be dissolved. By gaining familiarity with this state, eventually the body no longer feels the need to get ill. It (the body) may get old in time, but this aging becomes a process of joyous refinement and appreciation, rather than compounded neuroticism which breeds loathing and fears. Not saying to get ill on purpose. By all means, do the necessary to get well, but in the interim, can do the above as a practice. The ego will scream and kick at first, "NOOOOO, this is wrong...", but who is the master?

Compassion. Knowing the exact direction where arising thoughts and actions would lead and end result of such, whether it involves only oneself or others. It can be challenging when one tries to think and act (for self/for others) with diminished clarity. Isn't the lack of knowing the cause of much ignorance? Much is threatened when/where ignorance abounds. For someone to want to act with the intention of reaching the best possible outcomes requires education. Not the academic type, but an education of the heart (not the physical one). The heart instinctively and intuitively knows the right way always. All the good we have in life is directed from heart. All the right decisions (in the end) one could have made but did not, is also those that first arose from heart. Hence, the ignoring of heart advice can be detriment to letting compassion develop in oneself. I think they go together, each nurturing the other, balancing each other... listening to heart, and yielding to compassionate motives. Compass ion.

carpe diem, sir?

Finally, a response hinting of normality, instead of the usual condescending nonsense. Bravo! If you can take the hint, and build on this, your 'message' will have a wider audience, Vmarco. I guarantee you.

they're just noise, Apech. clang, clang, clang... dinning... incessantly. Used to play vinyls on my dad's gramophone. You might have been too young to remember when . Loved Johnny Horton, and Patsy Cline. Fascinating experience, watching the image of the dog, with one ear to the speaker, goin round and round, 'his master's voice, his master's voice', round and round it goes. Used to put on the record just to get mesmerized, on a rainy day. Once in a while, one of 'em would get stuck, and the static noise would go, klich, zeeok, klich, zeeok.. somehow, this dinning in Vm's posts brought back some of those memories. I'd still rather listen to ol' JH and PC than Vm, must say. Something is heard alright, mostly static tho. Sorry for the nostalgic trippin'. (spoiler alert)

Erh, how so there's no quasi-mod warning to Vmarco for ad-homineming.. calling names and such, eh? NOT to mention derailing yet another thread with his soundless views. Humility this, bodhisattva that... blehhhhh you ought to think about giving yourself a warning, perhaps even suspend yourself from posting and modding, for obvious non-obvious shows of favor.

No worries TI. May it bring you immense benefit. And do keep us up to par with your realizations!

It may not be that inferior since it was Milarepa's main practice, and the numero uno in Naropa's Doctrine of the Six Yogas. When the mind has become luminous, the body too must follow this luminosity. And Tummo is very effective to bring the two into harmonic fusion, using sound (mantra) as the wind in the bellow. Body, speech and mind synchronistically working towards lasting transformation. "The sun shines by day, the moon shines by night, the warrior shines in his armor, the Brahmin by his meditation. But the Buddha shines radiant, both day and night." According to Lama Govinda: "The 'Yoga of Inner Fire' is therefore not concerned with the production of inner bodily heat - though this and a number of other extraordinary qualities may be created as a by-product. It is an often repeated misunderstanding to imagine that these practices were intended to enable the sadhaka to survive in the icy mountain solitudes of Tibet. Those who advance this theory forget that this yoga originated in the hot plains of India, where people would give anything to keep cool. The purpose of this yoga is therefore purely spiritual, aiming at a state of perfect inner unity and completeness in which all dormant forces and qualities of our being are concentrated and integrated like the rays of the sun in the focus of a lens."