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I think one of the chief aspirations of practicing Buddhists is to maintain a reasonable balance between hopefulness and hopelessness, strive to remain in equipoise, and mindful of conduct that is potentially beneficial to others, and whereby such conduct be aligned in such a manner as to promote a conducive environment for further causes of liberation to arise with greater ease.

I distrust those who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires. ~~ Susan B. Anthony

you mean you haven't watched any of these scenes before? you have been missing out

yes, like water and clouds.

something positive and useful for Western students to bear in mind, by Dr. Miles Neale https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/student-teacher-relationships-go-awry-west/

another one... https://www.lionsroar.com/kagyu-thubten-choling-addresses-sangha-about-lama-norhla-rinpoches-sexual-misconduct-with-students/

Its a very complex subject, and rather sensitive too. There are simply too many considerations and factors at play, therefore, to dwell on this matter of whether ends justify means would require a blanket that stretches back lifetimes, and since i am not able to look back that far, I'd rather not make speculations in this area. All I can say from personal experience is that there may be times where it appears to work that way. In following the Buddhist path, it is very clear that all forms of killing should be avoided. But at the same time, Buddhism does not subscribe to the concept of divine retribution and punishment of sins. So, the individual, ultimately, have to answer for his or her motives and subsequent actions, and most importantly, how aware or ignorant an individual is with regards to knowing whether those motives and actions carry any potential for greater harm in future, or perhaps, from the view of awakening, whether those motives and actions contain seeds of personal liberation by way of inducing great regret at some point in his or her life, enough to bring about a complete inner transformation, for example, like Milarepa. There was a little story about two Buddhist monks who came upon a distressed woman at a swollen river who is unable to get to the other side, whereupon one of the monks offered to help her across by indicating that she can be carried on his back. Are you familiar with this tale?

The key point is intent and motivation, more so than the action itself.

This is one of the more reliable learning source, BES. https://studybuddhism.com/en/tibetan-buddhism/path-to-enlightenment/karma-rebirth/buddhist-advice-on-death-and-dying Researching 'Bardo' will also yield much information. Happy reading

What Buddhist adepts have known for a long time, and scientists are only discovering now.. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/mind-works-after-death-consciousness-sam-parnia-nyu-langone-a8007101.html

Members of armed police forces are duty-bound to discharge their weapons when circumstances call for such an action. Shoot to kill is entirely discretionary, but this is also something that has unfortunately been subject to abuse of late. In cases where shoot to kill has become unavoidable, one questions the necessity for armed police personnel discharging their weapons en masse, often at only one perpetrator (at a time). This brings up the question of the degree of clarity maintained during such exchanges. I have personal experience of such situations, and in hindsight, can say that no amount of training can prepare a cop to avoid panic when it gets real. Similar scenario for crew members in a distressed air-born or sea-faring craft. The mind finds it hard to stack up all the variables that is suddenly present in cases of emergencies. (sorry off-topic`0)

"In Buddhism we use the words 'self' and 'no-self,' and so it is important to understand just what this 'no-self,' anatta, is all about, even if it is first just an idea, because the essence of the Buddha's teaching hinges on this concept. And in this teaching Buddhism is unique. No one, no other spiritual teacher, has formulated no-self in just this way. And because it has been formulated by him in this way, there is also the possibility of speaking about it. Much has been written about no-self, but in order to know it, one has to experience it. And that is what the teaching aims at, the experience of no-self. Yet in order to experience no-self, one has first to fully know self. Actually know it. But unless we do know what this self is, this self called 'me,' it is impossible to know what is meant by 'there is no self there.' In order to give something away, we have to first fully have it in hand. We are constantly trying to reaffirm self. Which already shows that this 'self' is a very fragile and rather wispy sort of affair, because if it weren't why would we constantly have to reaffirm it? Why are we constantly afraid of the 'self' being threatened of its being insecure, of its not getting what it needs for survival? If it were such a solid entity as we believe it to be, we would not feel threatened so often. We affirm 'self' again and again through identification. We identify with a certain name, an age, a sex, an ability, an occupation. 'I am a lawyer, I am a doctor. I am an accountant, I am a student.' And we identify with the people we are attached to. 'I am a husband, I am a wife, I am a mother, I am a daughter, I am a son.' Now, in the manner of speech, we have to use 'self' in that way — but it isn't only in speech. We really think that that 'self' is who we are. We really believe it. There is no doubt in our mind that that 'self' is who we are. When any of these factors is threatened, if being a wife is threatened, if being a mother is threatened, if being a lawyer is threatened, if being a teacher is threatened — or if we lose the people who enable us to retain that 'self' — what a tragedy! The self-identification becomes insecure, and 'me' finds it hard to say 'look at me,' 'this is me.' Praise and blame are included. Praise reaffirms 'me.' Blame threatens 'me.' So we like the praise and we dislike the blame. The ego is threatened. Fame and infamy — same thing. Loss and gain. If we gain, the ego gets bigger; if we lose, it gets a bit smaller. So we are constantly in a quandary, and in constant fear. The ego might lose a little bit of its grandeur. It might be made a bit smaller by someone. And it happens to all of us. Somebody is undoubtedly going to blame us for something eventually. Even the Buddha was blamed. Now the blame that is levied at us is not the problem. The problem is our reaction. The problem is that we feel smaller. The ego has a hard time reasserting itself. So what we usually do is we blame back, making the other's ego a bit smaller too. Identification with whatever it is that we do and whatever it is that we have, be it possessions or people, is, so we believe, needed for our survival. 'Self' survival. If we don't identify with this or that, we feel as if we are in limbo. This is the reason why it is difficult to stop thinking in meditation. Because without thinking there would be no identification. If I don't think, what do I identify with? It is difficult to come to a stage in meditation in which there is actually nothing to identify with any more. Happiness, too, may be an identification. 'I am happy.' 'I am unhappy.' Because we are so keen on survival, we have got to keep on identifying. When this identification becomes a matter of the life or death of the ego, which it usually is, then the fear of loss becomes so great that we can be in a constant state of fear. Constantly afraid to lose either the possessions that make us what we are, or the people that make us what we are. If we have no children, or if they all die, we are no longer a mother. So fear is paramount. The same goes for all other identifications. Not a very peaceful state of living and what is it due to? Only one thing: ego, the craving to be. This identification results, of course, in craving for possessing. And this possessing results in attachment. What we have, what we identify with, we are attached to. That attachment, that clinging, makes it extremely difficult to have a free and open viewpoint. This kind of clinging, whatever it may be that we cling to — it may not be clinging to motor cars and houses, it may not even be clinging to people — but we certainly cling to views and opinions. We cling to our world view. We cling to the view of how we are going to be happy. Maybe we cling to a view of who created this universe. Whatever it is we cling to, even how the government should run the country, all of that makes it extremely difficult to see things as they really are. To be open-minded. And it is only an open mind which can take in new ideas and understanding." ~ Sister Ayya Khemma: Meditating on No-Self ~

when every sense is made, life becomes dull and boring. yin and yang are both utterly sensible and amusing at the same time. No need to measure the feet each time prior to slipping into one's favourite pair of loafers.

lol.. there was actually a movie made back in '55 titled 'Two Gun Lady'..

Many women held ruling positions in China. There are at least 16 recorded empress dowagers in her history. Currently the largest matrilineal society is found in Minangkabau, a highland region of West Sumatra.

To fully utilise the idea of growing money, one must first ingest and digest the principle of mutual beneficial exchange. This is vital because whatever you desire in life, you cant get it without someone, or someone in some institution, getting excited about giving you what you desire. Always remember... When someone is clear on what benefits them, they will gladly exchange enough of what benefits you.

Countless beings. Countless dreams. In dreams, there are no falsehoods. In life... no different. The emphasis, therefore, could be on what is real, not what is true. In reality, all experiencing of dreams are valid and therefore true to the experiencer. Since dreams, like thoughts and cognitions, arise from the mind, And in searching, only to find that what is termed mind is essentially without substance, Then, its illogical to conceive that an arising thought, an experience, a sensation, or a phenomena, is therefore absolutely existent and true. But nonetheless, in the instant of arising, wherefore cognition takes effect, A thing is named and assigned meaning, it is briefly true and relatively existent. In that moment, mind is born. Because mind is conceived as a birth, There comes what is known as a lifespan.

Before, I had fallen on evil times: no husband, no children, no relatives, friends, no way to obtain clothing & food. So, taking a staff & bowl in hand, begging for alms from house to house, feverish from the cold & heat, I wandered for seven full years. Then seeing a nun obtaining food & drink, I approached her & said: "Let me go forth into homelessness." She, Patacara, from sympathy, let me go forth; then, exhorting me, urged me on to the highest goal. Hearing her words, I did her bidding. Her exhortation was not in vain. I'm a three-knowledge woman, fermentation-free. ~ Canda, The Beggar ~

Certainty is simply the courage to face the truth of your own wisdom mind. The stronger your doubt and hesitation, the longer it will take and the more methods you will need for doubt and hesitation to be eliminated, abandoned, or purified — which is why the Buddha’s teachings are made up of three main levels. But we could begin very simply: “Buddhanature is inherent within you, and you should truly remain in touch with your fundamental nature at all times.” This should be sufficient. There is no need to go beyond that. Hearing these words or experiencing this in meditation, if you conclude that your fundamental intrinsic nature is primordially enlightened — perfect, no more input is needed. Your only requirement is to always remain inseparable from that. If you can keep this in mind, this is the simplest, most direct way. Generate this as much as possible. Traditionally, this is the way things would be done. The teacher would then send the student away. The student’s challenge would be to try and put the teacher’s words into practice. Those who are able to hold to this realisation for the rest of their lives are called “liberated upon hearing.” For others, the insight may last for a time before fading. Others will have forgotten before putting on their shoes. Even worse, some will listen and hear nothing of what is said. These are the different potentials. ~ Mindroling Khandro Rinpoche ~

every dream the catcher catches, catches her.

"This experience of flipping our consciousness can happen with the simplest method. The method must be immediate. If it is complicated, we may be carried away by what we are trying to resolve before we free ourselves from the entanglement. The radical master Tilopa said, "Inquire into the mind using the mind itself. All concepts will cease and you will see what the nature of mind is." Just like that, the method that Tilopa taught is also central to many of the nondogmatic teachings of the Buddhist Masters. What he is saying is that if you just take a moment to stop the mind from constantly perpetuating habitual patterns, you will enjoy witnessing the highest form of freedom in that moment. Mind's habit stops in that inquiry without anything further to be done. This inquiry has no esoteric meaning. It is a sudden entering into your own nonconceptual awareness. This is a method of flipping the consciousness from the side of confusion to the side of clarity." ~ Anam Thubten Rinpoche ~

This primordial ground is present in the mindstreams of all sentient beings, but it is tightly constricted by dualistic grasping; and it is regarded as external, firm, and solid. This is like water in its natural, fluid state freezing in a cold wind. It is due to dualistic grasping onto subjects and objects that the ground, which is naturally free, becomes frozen into the appearances of things. ~ Dudjom Lingpa ~

Each time we dream we go into the frontiers of 'I dont know' land. Dreams are like induction programs to the real thing. For those who know dreams, they are never bewildered when the real and final 'I dont know' shows up.