3bob

"It's the appearance of superiority, due to being "above" the commoners that I'm talking about. The superficiality of their superiority is meaningless, and this superiority is largely part the "shell" of appearance." by HE Appearance only is one thing but that doesn't mean I'd lump all beings together as being superficial because of appearance only... For instance in chapter 25: "...Man follows the ways of the Earth. The Earth follows the ways of Heaven, Heaven follows the ways of Tao..." (with the realms above all having their share of various and multitudes of Beings)

I'd like to try that "eternal trip" someday....

Not exactly on topic but there is no way that a great deal of what is in written the Bible can be reconciled with itself. (in other words its chalk full of self-contradiction in teachings and actions although that doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit can not use what it can out parts of the Bible)

I see MH, that is a long thread...

Hello Harmonious Emptiness, To me the perishable also includes the One, the Two and the Three... but I like your image of a grain of sand and a beach of time. Who stopping you MH? Go for it.

Hello Stosh, We could call "the One" (etc..) spiritual but then again the One is "born" (T.T.C. 42) although and granted as a different order of Being or being-ness but still born -- along with the fact that mankind or men and women are also born, thus can one really draw a difference here as you have between the so called spiritual and physical? (in using a definition that anything or anyone born is still physical whether in a gross or refined sense... for example as dense matter or heavenly light) As far as approaching different order of Beings I see giving them all their due and earned respect whether in dense or refined form. Further, if nothing is gained and nothing is lost to the "Tao" then of what purpose is countless sacrifice of countless "straw dogs"?

Thanks for the historical info Dawei. "Thus we are all straw dogs" thus does that include "the One, the Two and the Three" along with all beings whether in heaven or on earth... since there is also a "bellows" or transition zone between the Tao and heaven(s)...

Om

"to be or not to be" is only an apparent choice... or even if you don't want to play the game you are still playing.

good point Cat, and there is a tangent saying along the lines of an idle (or bored) mind being the playground of the devil...

a dog is not separate. did the historic Buddha ever recall being in the form of a goat?

if karma is an unbreakable, incorruptible law and one fully accepts that as fact then they would also deeply know that an incorruptible justice will come to pass among all karmically bound parties through a karmic process, perhaps not as they think it should be done but that is where one's true faith (in karma as a universal law) would have to span the gap and help one move away from generating further karmas such as that linked to hatred. (this also ties into the saying of, "not my will..." )

Could or does "God" create something with an equal power to go against or destroy "God"... I'd say no, for only mind forms or things can be created and or destroyed and are of such realms. Thus if one thinks they are only a mind form or thing (so to speak) then an end is coming to them (as that collection of thought) sooner or later regardless if they sin or not.

spiritual darkness is spiritual light twisted up to where it doesn't shine...

off the main subject, but Osho doesn't (didn't) have a leg or a even a clean toenail to stand on when it comes to giving advice or making such comparisons!!! I suggest you do your research on him before quoting him.

no,no,no I suggest people find out for themselves just like another quote said from 2500 or whatever number of years ago it was.

without reading all the posts I'd say the main cause of feeling a dichotomy is because of attachment to duality, for instance heaven and hell seen as being the final reality... but with non-duality, which btw. is big enough to contain relative duality, there is ultimately no separation, either momentarily or eternally. (for all under the One is under the One, thus not a single thing is outside the One, along with the One being under --no--thing--.

I'd say that is a dump instead of bump...

Lots of speculation... which has its place just like the raft of the mind. But that which knows the aggregates for what they are and itself for what it is, is it.

Ecclesiastes 11 King James Version 11 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. 2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. 3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. 5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: 8 but if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. 9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. 10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Rumor has it that Bob Marley had a handed down Solomon ring, if I remember correctly.

In the Bible it mentions "God" cares about sparrows and human beings even more so, but one has to wonder considering our human history? (with us seemingly and largely being left to our own devices with all the drastic results such as war, poverty, repeated suffering, injustice, etc.... )

9th, From your "you" I take it to mean anyone? Well there lots of sectarian issues going on or in effect among all the major and minor (so to speak) religions. I don't get to far into such disputes when they arise but then again I think one should have some background information about such for their own sake...

What is inside the "God" is no greater in essence than what is inside me or you. (with the word "inside" not covering the full meaning)

That is if one wants to accept Buddhist doctrine as the final say, which ime has it's own major problems in meaning.