3bob

The true desire for meaning, understanding, fulfillment and an end to various types of hurt is basic and not to be shut off... and just because it manifests as or through normal human forms or sometimes get lost in far less healthy forms that does not mean that its truth doesn't exist underneath them. Thus in a sense we all are working with the desire for quintessential meaning through various means. Also, the dharmas or spiritual laws point out general and proven ways and means to handle various desires related to our multiple needs as complex, multi-faceted beings. Good fortune to you

"...Then the Blessed One, having understood Brahma's invitation, out of compassion for beings, surveyed the world with the eye of an Awakened One. As he did so, he saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace and danger in the other world. Just as in a pond of blue or red or white lotuses, some lotuses — born and growing in the water — might flourish while immersed in the water, without rising up from the water; some might stand at an even level with the water; while some might rise up from the water and stand without being smeared by the water — so too, surveying the world with the eye of an Awakened One, the Blessed One saw beings with little dust in their eyes and those with much, those with keen faculties and those with dull, those with good attributes and those with bad, those easy to teach and those hard, some of them seeing disgrace and danger in the other world. Having seen this, he answered Brahma Sahampati in verse: Open are the doors to the Deathless to those with ears. Let them show their conviction. Perceiving trouble, O Brahma, I did not tell people the refined, sublime Dhamma. Then Brahma Sahampati, thinking, "The Blessed One has given his consent to teach the Dhamma," bowed down to the Blessed One and, circling him on the right, disappeared right there" Apparently "Buddhists" would have unending thanks and respect for this "God"? Om

"Disinformation"... is an understatement! (my meaning is in general for this "world", thus and not exactly or only at this website) There is an all out war of spiritual forces going on and it will come to a head -someday- on this planet. In the end She is unbroken and Golden purity prevails! Om

Kenny Loggins http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=first+there+is+a+mountain&mid=B093DD537FB40381977DB093DD537FB40381977D&view=detail&FORM=VIRE3 oops, this may not return to TTB after it palys?

Going off on another tangent... (of music) I'll have to edit the title string while I'm at it. Winwood and Clapton:

Top of the morning to you MH and anyone else checking here, Yep that song had some magic in itself (those guys had so much energy in the video that they were bouncing all over ) Btw, thanks for the interesting tid-bits on Doc Watson.

Alright Mal! Next up: Old hippies doing a little quasi-country and semi-honky tonk. (Donovon and buds)

Hi MH, Alright. Well Donovan's version is more Donovanish or prehaps Zenish. I didn't know that about Chuck Wills; do you know which song of his it is on and are you saying Donovan borrowed the words? Btw, do you like Doc Watson? (Blue grass) Later...

Reality? Life and death as commonly known are connected at the hip. Yet when death dies so do the limits of any life that is connected to it. Thus true "life" does not die, that is the core reality and It is happy. Om

Hello Steve, I see you like Mr. J.K.. I think he gave us many fine gems of wisdom. But I also see him as dropping the ball after a certain point with his anti-guru guru complex. I think such is partially revealed in the following words, "He recognized that he can't possibly be your guru", this tells me that he does not understand or know the true meaning of the word and being of (Sat) guru. For a "true guru" is not really a separate personality choosing other personalities, the true guru is the freedom of Spirit working through a human vessel, a vessel that has zero resistance to Spirits workings, thus not only is it possible for that Spirit to help human beings reslove karmas through its power but that is its natural purpose, a purpose which is and amounts to more than only pointing the way conceptually since it is the way made manifest which is Spirit unto Spirit. (although I agree that the pointing of the way and our cultivation are key for transformation, which btw. can not be forced and are never forced by any true guru) Anyway, have positions or names related to "guru" ever been misused like Mr. J.K. speaks of or alludes to (?) yes and a great many times, yet true gurus still exist. Om

Commentary quoted from the Divine Life Society: Excerpt form the Chhandogya Upanishad by Swami Krishnananda "...True Being is not unconscious. It is not a cause, nor is it the subtle manifest condition. It is not also a physical body. It is supreme luminosity, param jyoti. It is the Light of all lights. It is not a light like the light of the sun, but it is self-luminous Being. It is a Light which does not need illumination from something else other than itself. It is self-luminous in the sense that it illumines itself. This does not mean that it is ignorant of the existence of others. It is the Self of all beings. It is not the self of one person or two persons, of one individual or a group of individuals. The word 'self' is an abused term; so is the term 'Atman' due to the limitations of language. We are always accustomed to use the term 'self' in respect of individuals as 'myself', 'yourself', 'himself', 'herself', 'itself', etc. It is not in this sense that the word 'self' is used here. It is not this self or that self we are referring to. It is the Selfhood which is the true Being of everything that is. So, Self-luminosity does not mean the luminosity of any particular self in the sense of a body, because we have already made it clear that the Self is not a body. To bring it once again in association with a body for the purpose of the interpretation of the meaning of the Self would be a travesty of affairs. Self-luminosity is Universal luminosity. It is not luminosity of an individual. Why is it Universal luminosity? Because, it is the Self of everything in the universe. It is the Selfhood of everything that is anywhere. So it is a comprehensive luminosity of universal Selfhood. "O Indra, such is your true Being into which you seek initiation. This is the true serenity and composure of the Self. You have to stand by your own right. You have to assume your real status. This is freedom, this is called atma-svarajya, the freedom of the Self," said Prajapati..." I posted this for consideration that the terms, "Self" or "Atman" are often abused by certain parties in a multitude of ways. Besides, intellect being limited by pov's can at best can only consider such and not really circumscribe same, whether in agreement or disagreement as to what is being attempted to point towards in this quote - or for that matter counter quotes. Om

Thnak you Dwai The point comes where the mind of argument ends. Om

There are monks but there are also nuns: Sister Glenda http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wXjT5uGEv4

Great post Seth. That was said in such a way as to not be heavy handed.

That would be fair but not to you since the only fair thing to you is endlessly insisting on your pov., regardless of your co-opting "Buddhism" as an excuse to do so.

VJ, I'll make you a deal - you stay out of strings I start and I will stay out of yours, or ones that you take over by various means. Thus and obviously it's your right to carry on all you want at your d.o. strings (or whatever) with your birds of a feather. As for here, I don't want to hear your take anymore, I've heard it a hundred times before. Btw, I think those that want to hear your take can readily find you on your own strings or those of your birds of a feather! If that is asking to much of you or anyone else here then, "goodnight to all and to all a good-night". Om

An interesting quote Forestofemptiness Thanks for sharing.

I have buttons to, anyway I hope you don't mind me saying that it sounds like you've re-grouped (so to speak) to a greater space. And its not so easy to do that: "...Through being impelled to by others, we discover Dharma And find the essential meaning. Thank you, all who drive us on! We dedicate our merit to you all, to repay your kindness". - Gyalwa Longchenpa

Thanks Seth, Not a bad idea of having a get together although logistics could be tough.

the only ruler in hell is a lie, (that takes all it can steal in the process)

Wow Seth, maybe you are not such a lovable, self described "lady magnet" type of guy?

Xabir said, "and you never see me shoving emptiness into people unless they are truly interested or are inquiring into it" Hmm... Yet when the dharma of "Right Speech" is so often broken and crapped all over at this place by your fellow birds of a feather you remain silent? Thus for my two cents worth those like yourself are also breaking a Buddhist dharma through a form of omission, thus-ness and obviously lowering the level of integrity of what you profess. Btw, and if you will, going 'beyond' the light is not profound or subtle (it just seems that way to mind) along with all such encumbering connotations and or misuse of doctrines, for it is plain as day, simple and happy. "Amen"

oh hell, "the ducks never flew away" (not an exact quote, any way I gotta go wash the dishes they have not flown away either, later)

oh hell, "the ducks never flew away"