C T

That wasn't clear in your post. You queried if any of the options would make a difference, implying foregone conclusions. And suggesting the futility of pointing fingers.

Dont you think its a worthwhile endeavour to weed out the falsehoods instead of buying into propaganda and spreading it like peanut butter? It wont change the facts, but it'll certainly make a difference separating facts from fallacies. Opens up options so that one is not confined to eating peanut butter every single day. That guy above is saying its either peanut butter or bust. I don't like peanut butter.

the hills are alive down in the valley, they sing the sound of music

If only life was always so clear cut there'd be paradise on earth 2 major theories as decreed by an obscure internet guy got it

Why would anyone want to adopt practices given by someone as shady as this Li fellow? You're just going to suck up the guy's bad karma by doing his gong, no matter how effective it is. You might not see or feel it now because it seeps into your subtle body and lies dormant there until some condition comes together and cause them to ripen. I wouldn't go near this practice at all. There are far better practices available, given by virtuous teachers who would put Li & his dangerous gong to sleep.

Yeah, there's enough of shallow, gullible people out there who'd fall for anything that comes along with a fiddle in one hand and a well-worn hat in the other. They always have a tale or two to tell, don't they? lol

∞ E. CARVALHO ∞ The ancient Masters were profound and subtle Their wisdom was unfathomable There is no way to describe it; all we can describe is their appearance. They were careful as someone crossing an iced-over stream Alert as a warrior in enemy territory Courteous as a guest Fluid as melting ice Shapable as a block of wood Receptive as a valley Clear as a glass of water Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself? The Master doesn’t seek fulfillment Not seeking, not expecting, she is present, and can welcome all things.

Whatever. Been scanning some of your posts on other threads. Dubious at best. Could be wrong (though doubtful I am), but this bs meter I have's gone all a buzzin' about your participation here.

Then you are refusing to be real and woke. It may not be quirky and wonderful to an observer, I agree, but I'm sure there are those who find stuffing one's face with hot dogs and burgers all year round is not quirky and wonderful either. Further comment will be fruitless since your mind's all made up already. FYI, I find eating dogs terribly abhorrent too, but thats just my bias kicking in. I despise any sort of perceived cruelty to dogs with a vengeance as dogs have a special spot in my heart. But I'd be wrong to expect the world to conform to my sympathies. In case you're not aware, PETA culls thousands of dogs each year, so they're not exactly the moral authority on animal cruelty.

Chinese eating quirks have been around for thousands of years. How come its only a problem now? If critique on a particular group's choice of food and source of procurement really matters that much to you, then present an argument citing a wider range of peoples' equally quirky food choices, if only for comparison's sake. Its not difficult - a quick scroll around Youtube and you will have access to thousands of videos showing a wide plethora of weird and wonderful stuff that people all over the world eat. This target on China is nothing other than a warped alt-right blame game to steer focus off orange blob's mother of all bungles in mishandling the worst US crisis in modern history, and you're swallowing it whole (check your procurement source, in other words), instead of using some critical thinking to weigh matters from all perspectives so that you have a chance to remain real.

Correct, and even if someone is given the full explanation/commentary/methods of a particular tantra, say for example, one that leads to fruition of atiyoga, it would be useless, or even counterproductive without also taking on board the whole system of practice. The intricacies within the system are usually what stump a curious practitioner, as opposed to a committed one. People think its possible for authentic Tummo to be a standalone practice, so they say, "Oh! Tummo! That sounds like a fab thing to cultivate", and they try to replicate it from books and stuff. The problem with such an approach is not that there won't see results - its that they will taste some effect - and needless to say, this can often open a whole new can of worms, ranging from injury to the subtle body, to delusion, to psychosis even. They fail to grasp the essentials and therefore have no understanding of the perimeters, the preliminaries, the ritual aspects, precision-like visualizations, the opening, middle and close of the practice, the dedication of merit and so on. Even if these points are stressed in a manual (and the good ones normally do, like one that details the Six Dharmas of Naropa aka Six Yogas of Naropa - the base for Tummo), it will still stump most people with plenty of like WTF moments. Tummo is a completion stage practice, preceded by generation stage practices. Having an in-depth understanding of the system and how to apply it is so important. Tummo on its own without the support of gyulu, osel, milam, bardo & phowa practices will not lead to fruition. It will be like a tree where fruits cannot reach maturity - they fall off before fully ripening.

@silent thunder

∞ TA HUI ∞ From the book Swampland Flowers The letters and lectures of Zen Master Ta Hui Generally, gentlemen who have been overly involved in worldly affairs for a long time have long been stuck like glue in the afflictions of the senses. When unexpectedly it happens that someone instructs them to do some meditation in a quiet place, and they temporarily get a feeling of unconcern, they immediately take this as the ultimate in peace and happiness. They are far from realizing that is like a rock pressing down on the grass. Though for a time they become aware that the scene is cut off, nevertheless the root and branches are still there: when will they experience quiescent extinction to the full? If you want to have real quiescent extinction appear before you, you must make a sudden leap within the fires of birth and death, and leap out without moving a hairsbreadth. Then you’ll turn the rivers into pure ghee and the earth into gold; faced with situations, you’ll be free to release or capture, to kill or bring life; no device to benefit others or benefit yourself will be impossible.

The importance of a teacher in such undertakings cannot be stressed enough. These practices have long been considered 'secret' for good reason. Not that they're secret because of inaccessibility, but because the nuances and layers are many. A teacher with affinity takes on the role of guide, counsellor, revealer of dreams, archaeologist, mentor, protector, chess partner, even a lover at times (if one is so fortunate to form a heart connection with an authentic dakini). The most basic approach to begin buddhatantra is the creation of an idea of a mandala and gradually imbue/adorn it with pure objects of one's practice. Over time, the mandala will take on a 3D effect, complete with buddhas, yidams, dakinis, protectors (both peaceful & wrathful), even gods and demons, all symbolizing one's journey towards the centre of the mandala, the bindu, which is where one's buddha potential enjoins with actualization of that same potential (manifestation of Samantabhadra/Samanthabadri). The ultimate fruition of buddhatantra. Its a long & twisty process to the centre because its not linear, nor is it in any way resembling the sort of new age ascension that some seem to believe in. This is why an authentic teacher, one who has fully embodied and perfected this mandala in himself/herself, is crucial. All the best on your quest.

Your old teacher is correct. Buddhas and dakinis communicate visually, thats why symbolism and ritual play such a vital role in tantrayana.

An excellent chant to master during homestay On a serious note, those practicing mudras will appreciate this clip. The sheer flow of the movements and variety is amazing.

I was in conversation with a senior Tibetan teacher recently, and this subject about difficulties with the Cundi Buddha practice came up. He said its not a common Tibetan Vajrayana practice, and tends to appeal more to Chinese practitioners in parts of Asia. He also mentioned that an empowerment is vital for the practice to proceed with no hindrances. Maybe thats something to look into.

Respect is good, even necessary at times. Its healthy, and nurtures devotion. Idolatry imo is something a bit different. I think it means one has sort of stepped over the boundary of healthy practice by surrendering all accountability to what they deemed to be representations of divine grace, power or whatever they may choose to project onto the idol. I see a difference between surrendering to an image and surrendering to that which the image represents. The former often breeds neuroticism and superstition. Its silly to hold deities responsible for one's life anyway. Thats not devotion, more like bribery. My 2 cts.

Was mumbling something at 5am in the morning. My apologies.

What counts as idolatry? All dualistic views and beliefs are forms of idolatry.

Out of curiosity, Random Panda, would you mind sharing what you think bliss is? As for labels, yeah, they can be quite a burden at times. At other times, its like, "So what?" As Namkhai Norbu said, "The value of any tradition or path lies solely in the inner awakening that an individual can arrive at through it." Identifying oneself as any -ist does not enhance that inner awakening in the least. It won't really diminish it either. I guess it largely depends on the spiritual maturity of the individual who chooses to be identified as such and such. If it supports their practice, well and good. Imo, Anyone who's dedicated to an awakening process and cultivates ethically, consciously and compassionately, in the absolute sense, will eventually be liberated. Just a question of lifetimes really. At some point in the evolution of consciousness, could even happen in this present life, all beings will realise the universal conditions necessary to fully unlock their enlightening potential.

Excellent, detailed article in Tricycle by Patricia Anderson on the Buddhist approach to death and dying, including considerations around the meaning of euthanasia, both from the Buddhist and Western perspectives. https://tricycle.org/magazine/good-death/?fbclid=IwAR24NA--r5pIJGakwKVTBJjfwPd4RGAPnFv-xDL6o6wp1QFi46vzyRAeFa0

In most cases, without such go-betweens its 99% certain one will never gain access to those with real juice, isn't it.

Thailand - sometimes known as the land of a million talismans. They have a talisman for every single affliction known to man. Its big business too. The more one pays, the better access to 'real' talismans imbued with power to do whatever one desires, be it business success, material wealth, relationship success, protection against enemies, both seen and unseen, and works even for those with unethical and/or immoral intentions. The ones who empower these talismans, mostly 'Buddhist' by root, believe that Buddha's blessings are free from bias, and even 'bad' people have the potential to become good, and good people too, can sometimes turn bad. In that sense, there is no judgement, just a commercial deal. I've come into contact with folks who've studied martial arts in Thailand, both internal & external forms (muay thai). The internal artists whom I know... they all have access to esoteric knowledge and magik, means to ends. They channel certain energies, and some act as conduits for supernatural 'powers' to manifest in this realm. They all rely heavily on amulets and talismans. While in trance, their bodies become impervious to pain, and they sometimes perform penance by subjecting themselves to various extreme masochistic acts, usually in the form of fire walking, dipping hands in hot oil, skewering themselves from head to toe with steel rods, having their tongues sliced by sharp swords and pierced by various objects, sitting in meditation on beds of razor sharp nails, free suspension by attaching cords to hooks embedded to various parts of the body, etc. At times these same points are chained to chariots which they pull for some distance during processions. These feats are performed coinciding with certain religious festivals, and is believed to aid cleansing of both the gross and subtle body. These forms of extreme penance is not unique to Thailand. Countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, and Malaysia share similar beliefs and practices, adapted to suit individual cultures.

Isn't it odd that you were called out?? One would think, hmm... if this person is advocating kindness, patience and abstinence from wrongful words and anger etc (which is all good btw), shouldn't the first thing done be to investigate and ask questions to gather a better picture before jumping to the (wrong) conclusion? Im also wondering, how is it he noticed the needle... but not the cockwombling BSMaster haystack? Thats really baffling. For what its worth, Im delighted we have been spared his ridiculous nonsense for the last couple of days. Its apparent not only the atmosphere outdoors has improved.