3bob

Pearls are one thing... and bread is another. There is that saying of, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days". additional consideration on the subject: T.T.C. 13. "Welcome disgrace as a pleasant surprise. Prize calamities as your own body." Why should we "welcome disgrace as a pleasant surprise"? Because a lowly state is a boon: Getting it is a pleasant surprise, And so is losing it! That is why we should "welcome disgrace as a pleasant surprise." Why should we "prize calamities as our own body"? Because our body is the very source of our calamities. If we have no body, what calamities can we have? Hence, only he who is willing to give his body for the sake of the world is fit to be entrusted with the world. Only he who can do it with love is worthy of being the steward of the world.

please add your pictures of peace and recognition...

The following quote is not in exactly in context with this string but I feel its shows a radical attitude of giving thanks for difficult tests that "power" will unfailingly supply and which must be met sooner or later, in some form or another as part of the process. "Meditation in Affliction - Gyalwa Longchenpa - Assailed by afflictions, we discover Dharma And find the way to liberation. Thank you, evil forces! When sorrows invade the mind, we discover Dharma And find lasting happiness. Thank you, sorrows! Through harm caused by spirits we discover Dharma And find fearlessness. Thank you, ghosts and demons! Through people's hate we discover Dharma And find benefits and happiness. Thank you, those who hate us! Through cruel adversity, we discover Dharma And find the unchanging way. Thank you, adversity! 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". Om

Hello Mal p.s. I don't know how to insert larger pictures, could someone tell me the steps to do so? Thanks, Bob

Fine posts people, thanks for sharing. Here is an electrical parallel (so to speak) about how the power of purity takes care of itself... (in electrical terms it's called inductive reactance, btw I happen to work at a powerplant) Om

is humility up next...?

"Old people mean nothing..." now that is a bummer and a bad-egg way to start a sentence stinky.

none-the-less one hand is clapping

The old Zen story goes something like this: The Zen master and a student were walking in the woods, when they noticed ducks flying overhead. "What do you see," the Zen master asked the student. "Ducks," the student answered. "Where did they go," asked the Zen master. "They flew away," replied the student. The Zen master grabbed the student's nose and twisted it, and as the student cried out in pain, ...the Zen master said, "When have ducks ever flown away?"

It takes will to surrender will. and realitive will and the ability to not be driven about by all of the various influences is being practiced.

Hello Mark, Good question. Which is partly why I mentioned that the source of the quote was from, "The Pocket Buddha Reader", edited by Anne Bancroft, Shambhala publications 2001...and she did not include a bibliography in that edition; perhaps she did in another edition? Oops I was just now looking at the back of the book and found the following additional information: Originally published as Buddha speaks, 2000, by Anne Bancroft, which includes a bibliography. Maybe someone here has a copy of that book and will look it up for us? Good day, Bob

glad you related to the quote CowTao

Hello MH, "The truly wise man considers both sides of the question without partiality and sees them both in the light of Tao. This is called the principle of following two courses at once". which has some parallels for me in the example below although the quote above is what might be called generic based: "Monism is the doctrine that reality is a one whole or existence without independent parts. Theism is the belief that God exists as a real, conscious, personal Supreme Being. Monistic theism is the dipolar doctrine, also called panentheism, that embraces both monism and theism, two perspectives ordinarily considered contradictory or mutually exclusive, since theism implies dualism". Om

As others here have pointed out, before getting much into mantra or anything else there is always yama and niyama practice in yoga. Yama and Niyama, the misunderstood yoga (quoted excerpt from Bruce Boyd for anyone interested) "I think nothing about yoga could be more sadly misunderstood than the principles of Yama and Niyama. As you may already know, according to an ancient and widely accepted system set down by the yogi Pantanjali, there are 8 "limbs" (astanga) of yoga, which are arranged in an order suggesting that they might be steps towards the ultimate goal of union with God. Considering that the translation of the sanskrit word "yoga" is "union", that assumption seems reasonable. Problems arise however in the assumption that the beginning limbs/steps of yoga are more easily understood. They are certainly the most familiar concepts to us: the first limb being moral restrictions and the last limb being complete merger with God. The entire list is: Yama (moral restrictions; "don'ts") Niyama (encouraged daily behaviors; "dos") Asanas (special yogic physical exercises) Pranayama (yogic breathing exercises) Pratyahara (withdrawal of the mind from the 5 senses) Dhahran (concentration exercises) Dhyana (contemplation of God) Samadhi (union with God) Surprisingly, to me the order suggests levels of *decreasing* likelihood of misunderstanding what the limb is all about, but for the moment let me focus on Yama and Niyama for a couple of reasons: A. Practicing them is absolutely crucial to making any progress in yoga B. A proper understanding of how they work can alleviate a lot of unnecessary fear about them Yama yoga consists of 5 things that a yogi should not do if he wants to get anywhere with his yoga. 1. Don't hurt anyone (includes thoughts and words as well as physical actions) 2. Don't lie for personal gain (also includes thoughts) 3. Don't take property that belongs to others (also includes thoughts and words) 4. Don't hoard unneeded things (also includes thoughts and words) 5. Don't seek personal pleasure from the world (also includes thoughts and words) Niyama yoga consists of 5 things that a yogi SHOULD do if he wants to get enlightened 1. Do keep your body, mind and environment clean (includes thoughts and words) 2. Do maintain a peaceful/cheerful mental state (obviously includes thoughts and words) 3. Do study spiritual books (ideally involves thoughts, words and action) 4. Do make personal sacrifices for the welfare of others (includes thoughts and words) 5. Do make God the purpose of your life (obviously involves thoughts, words, and action) There are already plenty of books going into great detail on these points. My purpose is only to point out something about these "rules" that I feel has been sadly overlooked, and that is the tremendously liberating effect they can have. My guru often said "a yogis is a practical man," and all the limbs of yoga are part of a scientific system designed to bring great joy to the practitioner, not frustration and guilt. Yama and Niyama are not a set of rules set up to make life more convenient for parents, teachers and heads of state. They are a direct tool for the liberation of true intellect. And most amazing of all is that the effects are immediate; assuming you really "get" the principles and practice them in your life. One of the areas where most religion has failed us is giving us the notion that if we behave properly now, we will reap the benefits somewhere way down the road. To paraphrase: good behavior now will give us only frustration in this life and we are left to hope that a reward will come in the afterlife. Some people find comfort in that; most folks, however, are looking for more from life than that way of thinking can offer us, resulting in the completely unnecessary lack of popularity of religion these days. Back in the 60s and 70s when Eastern religion became very popular in the West, young people got all excited by the more practical possibility of enlightenment, but unfortunately threw the baby out with the bath-water and rushed briskly past moral principles, so they could quickly get on with the veg diet, fasting, yoga asanas and meditation. In my mind, this was a major mistake and possibly the very reason the whole Eastern religion boom fizzled out leaving us with nothing more than commercial yoga schools on every corner. It just doesn't work like that, and I find it very sadly unnecessary. Back in those days I told a friend that my take on the various limbs of yoga was that "meditation is what really gets us to the goal and the other stuff just makes the journey more comfortable". His response surprised me. He said he always felt that "Asanas are the practice that gets one to enlightenment and meditation only gives us a glimpse of the goal." Well.... nowadays I think a strong case can be made for yama and niyama being the practices that actually get us to enlightenment and the other limbs only serve to flesh out the basic structure set down in yama and niyama. What more could there be to spiritual life than Yama and Niyama? Of course the other limbs of yoga are very important. They are the nuts and bolts, the "how to" of the various points of Yama and Niyama. Similarly, within each of these other limbs (asanas, pranayama etc) there is an ocean of knowledge which must be acquired from a competent teacher. So, Yama and Niyama are an indispensable base; furthermore an integral part and starting point of yoga, but in those roles they needn't be seen as an unfortunate impediment to juicing the joy out of yoga. If you check the list of exercise classes at any local gym you will certainly find an asana class, but I doubt you will find a class on Yama and Niyama. You won't even find one at your neighborhood yoga school, and that is kind of sad to me, because there is so much joy hidden in Yama and Niyama..." Om (a safe mantra)

Insightful post rails. I also appreciate the following saying from the T.T.C. #8 "The highest form of goodness is like water. Water knows how to benefit all things without striving with them. It stays in places loathed by all men. Therefore, it comes near the Tao. In choosing your dwelling, know how to keep to the ground. In cultivating your mind, know how to dive in the hidden deeps. In dealing with others, know how to be gentle and kind. In speaking, know how to keep your words. In governing, know how to maintain order. In transacting business, know how to be efficient. In making a move, know how to choose the right moment. If you do not strive with others, You will be free from blame". Om

Are you using a lot of coffee and sugar? Do you have a lot of inputs going on at once like cell phone, pc, ipod, TV, radio, etc. that can be greatly reduced; and friends or associates and yourself assuming that all of you will keep pace with certain college activities and behaviour or be labeled as a dud? Om

there are lots of Dharmas (teachings and laws) related to interacting with the world and everyone and everything going on... such are to help not hinder. Consider that all the big things can be met if all the very small things are met correctly, thus also enjoy the so-called small things and moments and the natural order and wonder that is unfolding without trying speed up or force such unfoldings.

Great post glooper... good to hear that!

to get or not to get is problematic... at some point it not that we really have the power or choose it per-se... it is that it chooses us, which turns the getting type of motive on its head. Om

ida and pingala are two major currents used in Hinduism/yoga and they can be heard and tuned or balanced (so to speak) left and right or synchronized together to attain central sound of high pitch and light... Om

because only Spirit can truly satisfy Spirit

Hello Marblehead, Putting things into time lines has it uses or purposes...and we do relate to such in practical 2d & 3d ways. But there is no pretense to me when it comes to the -One- that includes ALL OF TIME and ALL OF SPACE that all beings exist within, and which can not be fully related to or objectified with only 2d or 3d type maps of perception, or as is often translated into only the so called "normal" human objective viewpoints. (of the past that is gone and a future that is not yet come) Om

neato... Om

who we "think" we are is in not what we more essentially are...and that was at the beginning of the cosmos and knew it.