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There is no grace in the operation of karma, just as there is no grace in the operation of gravity. The only way to stop the evolution of reactive patterns is to change our relationship with those patterns. ~ Ken McLeod, writing on "Forgiveness is not Buddhist". In Vajrayana, there is a strong emphasis on purification. In the same article, McLeod wrote:

No, my comment was not made with that reference in mind. You said your relatives are not your problem because you have not spoken with them in decades, yet you mentioned them in this thread, which made me think, and thats when I decided to post the comment. I dont know why it caused such a reaction in a high level being like yourself, especially useless words coming from nobodies like me.

what makes you think i was offering help? This is a general section of the forum -- in case you were looking, its the PPF where you can rant without fear of comments that displeases your sensitive side.

The ancient Buddhas taught the Dharma Not for its own sake but to assist us. If we really knew ourselves We would not have to rely on old teachers. The wise go right to the core And leap beyond appearances; The foolish cleave to details And get ensnared by words and letters. Such people envy the accomplishments of others And work feverishly to attain the same things. Cling to truth and it becomes falsehood; Understand falsehood and it becomes truth. Truth and falsehood are two sides of a coin: Neither accept nor reject either one. Don't waste your precious time fruitlessly Trying to gauge the depths of life's ups and downs. ~ Ryokan ~

Thank you for clarifying, BES. Its nice to see you have some energy today to spend some time here. I think it'll be presumptuous of me to assume an answer - I really cannot speak for your teacher, nor understand his position in relation to the advice he offered. However, I can say for certain that what we consider as 'negative' experiences or those where we get a lingering sense of having been victimised has no grounding in the common albeit mistaken belief that somehow we have been victimisers in the past, and as a kind of retributory outflow, we become victims in this life. I could be wrong, but I believe this idea or notion does not accord with the Buddhist view on what karma is and how it actually works. I'm assuming that you would like to find an answer to this - if one is not culpable, why the need to forgive oneself for the perversive actions of a third party? Im afraid its one that I will not be able to offer any rational answer because personally I do not subscribe to the concept of forgiveness as a workable solution with which to tame and pacify mental afflictions/unhelpful emotions related to past experiences.

Hi BES - Would you please confirm what the Q is, just so it can be reflected upon accurately. Are you comfortable speaking about this in the open? Its good if you are.

Mind has no boundaries - time and distance have no bearing on the stirrings of disturbing emotions.

"Looking back, it is strange to have a lot of my early years out there on the internet, I feel so different from that young girl who once was. But my evolution has been born from those experiences. I think something we have to contend with as humans is integrating our past rather than resist what it holds. Sometimes what it holds is painful or uncomfortable, but holding that discomfort with compassion allows us to move freely in ourselves and deepens our power. I am grateful for the lessons I have been gifted. And will forever have that seeking spirit." ~ Josje - friend who embodies the Dakini principle to the fullest ~

What works conclusively (for me) is to listen attentively to what the body tells me, and it does unfailingly. In my view, all potential issues to do with your concerns can be avoided simply by keenly listening to what your body tells you. There are no hard and fast rules - balance and frugality is always the best way to go, no matter the season. And remember, moderation cannot be emphasised enough. Eat little, more often. Take care to avoid what looks like food (like all processed stuff) - it affects the subtle body in very destabilising ways. Fried foods are generally not encouraged. For one thing, im sure you are aware how high temp robs nutrients. Steaming, flash-frying and slow-cooking are my preferred choices, regardless of season. Im a real sucker for BBQs, so thats one bad prepping style that i am not willing to put down yet. As for sexual activity, i always tell my friends to check their habits - what works for me is to alternate between active and passive every 3 or 4 weeks.

Luminosity The word "Osalwa", often translated as luminous, is related to the word light in that it expresses some kind of brightness or clarity. However, the real meaning of this is not a light that is visible to the eye. Luminosity refers more to the capacity to know.… Hearing that mind is emptiness may lead us to believe that there is no mind. It sounds like we are a mindless piece of matter, which we are not. We are able to experience. Our natural cognizance is available at any moment. That is luminosity, which is not made out of anything whatsoever. ~ Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche ~

Not forgetting he also mentioned that each must seek his/her own salvation guided by what is true and aligned to one's personal experience.

Its from personal experience, Idquest. As with all things, moderation is key. Another confession now... even though I started with small quantities, this going back maybe 30 years, I am still eating raw in moderation mostly, and a bit more extravagant with cooked garlic - tending to saturate pastas and curries with many cloves of this wonderful bulb. For those who like to experiment, try making a simple condiment of coarsely chopped garlic, diced cucumber (smallish), sliced green chillies and topped with a good quality soy sauce. This goes very well with any soft meat that's been boiled in soups or stews. Sometimes i'd add balsamic vinegar and reduce the quantity of soya sauce. Yumz Just did a quick browse and found this - https://www.earthclinic.com/toothache/garlic.html

Another pronounced benefit of including small amounts of raw garlic in the diet is the cure/prevention of mouth ulcers and other common gum diseases. I confess im a long-term user of raw/cooked garlic, and for years now have never had any oral infections, not even a sore throat.

some links for references for the history buffs - https://ocbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/authenticity.pdf https://www.academia.edu/9209369/The_Historical_Authenticity_of_Early_Buddhist_Literature_A_Critical_Evaluation http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/features/the-1000-year-old-manuscript-and-the-stories-it-tells As an aside, I think how the narratives are basically derived and presented would depend on which camp one belongs to - either one of religious sceptics, or the other, of austere traditionalists. Anyway, this is not a subject i find particularly fascinating cos history has never piqued my interest even as a young student.

The Chinese peasant folks are some of the healthiest and hardiest people in the world. Typically, their day starts before dawn, finishes around 8pm, and they're in bed by 9. Their breakfasts are rather simple.. usually a hot bowl of congee with lean pork simmered slowly over low heat for a few hours. Accompanied by a cup or two of Chinese tea. Then they start their work on the farms. Lunch is always rice, 1 veg and 1 meat dish. Sometimes an extra egg thrown in as a bonus if so happens their harvest sold well. Occasionally they might swap rice with noodles, but rarely. Dinner's the same almost all the time - rice, 1 veg, 1 meat, and a really nutritious soup, usually made with the addition of meat, carrots, barley, and some dried roots and herbs. It is quite common for the menfolk to sip a small amount of rice wine with their dinner. Most of the phyto-nutrients that help sustain their subtle energetic demands come from the soup. Thats about all they rely on as far as auxiliary health support is concerned. Once or twice a week they might include some sort of fermented dish to their meal - it might be fermented veg, tofu, beans, or fish. Sleeping and rising early rejuvenates their jing and shen, increases the chi field, which they then transfer to their daily chores. They live an extremely frugal lifestyle, and have no aversion to routine. Away from it most of these folks feel uneasy. Traditions and mutual support are highly revered, and filial piety strictly observed.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/healthy-living/use-your-noodle-the-real-chinese-diet-is-so-healthy-it-could-solve-the-wests-obesity-crisis-873651.html

Goldisheavy, Encephalon, Rigdzin Trinley, L7Strikes, Ilumairen, Harmonious Emptiness, Brian, XieJia... and a few others whose presence and absence left a subtle print behind... most of all, my good buddy Vajrahridaya. RIP brother.

Anyone tried adding lotus root to soups? Super super nutritious! Its a versatile root too - can be used many different ways. Salads, stir-fries, chippy crisps... https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/lotus-root.html My fav is still adding it to a nice pot of soup consisting of pork ribs, pork eye bones, peanuts, sun-dried chinese dates, carrots, and some goji berries. Grill the bones first for enhanced flavours. something like this:

The bodhisattva Dharmavikurvana declared, "Noble sir, production and destruction are two, but what is not produced and does not occur cannot be destroyed. Thus the attainment of the tolerance of the birthlessness of things is the entrance into nonduality." The bodhisattva Srigandha declared, " 'I' and 'mine' are two. If there is no presumption of a self, there will be no possessiveness. Thus, the absence of presumption is the entrance into nonduality." The bodhisattva Srikuta declared, " 'Defilement' and 'purification' are two. When there is thorough knowledge of defilement, there will be no conceit about purification. The path leading to the complete conquest of all conceit is the entrance into nonduality." The bodhisattva Bhadrajyotis declared, " 'Distraction' and 'attention' are two. When there is no distraction, there will be no attention, no mentation, and no mental intensity. Thus, the absence of mental intensity is the entrance into nonduality." The bodhisattva Subahu declared, " 'Bodhisattva-spirit' and 'disciple-spirit' are two. When both are seen to resemble an illusory spirit, there is no bodhisattva-spirit, nor any disciple-spirit. Thus, the sameness of natures of spirits is the entrance into nonduality." The bodhisattva Animisa declared, " 'Grasping' and 'nongrasping' are two. What is not grasped is not perceived, and what is not perceived is neither presumed nor repudiated. Thus, the inaction and noninvolvement of all things is the entrance into nonduality." The bodhisattva Sunetra declared, " 'Uniqueness' and 'characterlessness' are two. Not to presume or construct something is neither to establish its uniqueness nor to establish its characterlessness. To penetrate the equality of these two is to enter nonduality." ~ Vimalakirti Sutra ~

Being wise, compassionate and extremely ingenious, a buddha teaches in a manner that is practical for people to understand, which means he teaches in a gradual way. Very few of us are able to grasp the nature of things instantaneously. Therefore, Buddha Shakyamuni turned the Wheel of the Dharma in three consecutive ways. The first set of teachings focused on the Four Noble Truths, and the second set concentrated on the Absence of Characteristics — a synonym for emptiness. His third Dharma Wheel fully reveals the nature of things, and is therefore known as the Total Uncovering. The first set of teachings is clear, the second very clear and the third extremely clear! Simply put, the Buddha’s message in the first turning of the Wheel of Dharma is that anyone with a dualistic frame of mind suffers. The dualistic mind entertains selfish emotions, creates karma, has worries, hope, fear and pain. Dualistic mind seems to have built-in suffering. There is an immense variety of suffering, but all of these can be included within three types: the suffering of change, the double suffering of unpleasantness piled on unpleasantness, and the all-pervasive suffering of being conditioned. This is not a matter of mere philosophy; it is very real. We can and do experience suffering, discomfort, distress, and worry throughout our lives. Dualistic mind is always ready to be upset, to feel uneasy. An input from the senses, a memory or anticipation that is either a little pleasant or a little unpleasant always has the power to disturb us. In addition, there is one suffering which we can never ultimately sidestep: death. ~ Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche ~

Saying the body was an irrelevant issue during the time of the Buddha is incorrect. Gerard: A healthy body that can cope with the demands of pure still meditation where the mind solely matters. This is basically what Shakyamuni proposed, which matches whats been outlined above. At the time of initial illumination, he found asceticism and other forms of physical mortification not conducive to meditation.

Very sad indeed. She was a close personal friend i have known since 93.

thanks for all the interesting contributions. Im bowing out, so as to stop myself from making further assumptions.

Lol instead of offering a valid and understandable explanation to my query about the vagueness of what was written, you assume that i'm confused. You make further assumptions about authentic yidam practice by almost ridiculing its efficacy, alluding to it being a mere exercise in mental fixation. I assure you that you are absolutely mistaken, and i would question the depth of your understanding wrt authentic yidam practice with such a response.