Simple_Jack

Actually, I've mainly used Mahamudra as part of my practice. I've just plagiarized Thusness's words, because I like the way he describes each phase of insight. Also, because it is a more modern way of describing the different insights into experience. While there are those (with the right karmic conditions,) who can progress quickly towards insight into the nature of experience without having to gradually cultivate all the advanced states of meditation (that is if you believe it is even a possibility;) I do not separate the direct and gradual path to buddhahood. The Surangama Sutra deals with advanced stages of cultivation on the path to buddhahood. Though it might be possible for an individual to gain direct insight into the Dharma without having to go through a gradual process: There is still a need for the individual to progress on the gradual path, such as laid out in the Surangama Sutra in order to achieve the three buddha-bodies. Though, I don't focus on describing the transformations of the body on the path in my posts (I focus only on prajna wisdom in my posts here): I myself am working toward the attainment of both the sambhogakaya (bliss-body gained through the purification/transformation of the 5 elements of the body) and nirmanakaya or perfect rupakaya. Though, how about we make a deal, lol: If I do manage to achieve what I've said above, I'll show up in your dreams or send a transformation body or I'll fly or teleport to your house or some shit. Deal?

No, problem. Though you should know by now: That if I really thought that this person was a fraud then I would've definitely have said so. I also would've condemned his works as something not to be read a long time ago on this forum.

Yeah man, there are times in your life where you will have to make you some sacrifices in order to achieve what you want. Especially when it comes to the spiritual path. If you are serious about your goal, you should cultivate dhyana (Otherwise known as samadhi; jhana in Pali) along with your Taoist practices. In any case: You should read the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in order to learn about what and how to cultivate dhyana. If you're interested you should also look into learning about cultivating dhyana/jhana and insight from Theravada Buddhism. It should be no surprise due to my indoctrination, but...In Theravada for an Arahant (Arhat in Sanskrit) Nirvana Without Remainder is when they leave their physical body [i've read that when they are going to pass away: To display their mastery over the five elements of the body, they fly up into the air with one half of their body as water and the other half as fire; where they then completely incinerate their body's in flames....There are instances of Arahants leaving behind "relics" for others to keep] to go into parinibbana in order to not be reborn in cyclical existence/samsara (My link.) If this is something that you want to achieve yourself one day, then you should also be cultivating jhana along with insight.

I personally think that anyone (regardless of what they believe in) can extend their lives for a very long time through their cultivation efforts....That is if they actually get far enough in their cultivation to be able to do so. I think that it not something that one particular school or certain region of people came up with and can accomplish. According to the Surangama Sutra, though it may not have been actually expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha in person; nonetheless it (according to a wiki entry on this sutra My link) originated in India: "History and Translation According to traditional records, the Śūraṅgama Sūtra was translated in 705 CE by Śramaṇa Pāramiti from Central India, who came to China and translated the text in the province of Guangzhou. The text was then polished and edited by Empress Wu Zetian's former minister, court regulator, and state censor Fang Yong of Qingho. The translation was reviewed by Śramaṇa Meghaśikha from Oḍḍiyāna, and certified by Śramaṇa Huaidi of Nanlou Monastery (南樓寺) on Mount Luofu (羅浮山). A number of scholars have associated the Śūraṅgama Sūtra with the Buddhist tradition at Nālandā. Epstein also notes that the general doctrinal position of the sūtra does indeed correspond to what is known about the Buddhist teachings at Nālandā during this period." In any case, in this sutra "immortals" or those using certain cultivation methods to extent their lives for a very long time, are given their own section in this sutra. Of course in Buddhism they are still subject to ignorance/samsara and are practitioners of an outside path that does not lead to nirvana. I like this particular translation from Bill Bodri's "How To Measure And Deepen Your Spiritual Realization" (Thank you Taiji_Bum for posting about this e-book!) There are people who do not cultivate samadhi correctly, but cultivate in some special way that is based on strongly holding onto false thoughts [his way of talking about the cultivation of Shen.] As a result, they can perpetuate their physical bodies and roam in the mountains, forests, and in other places where people do not go. There are ten kinds of such immortals. Some of these practitioners with unflagging resolution cultivate through eating special foods and perfecting the diet of what they eat. When they have perfected this method of cultivation, they are known as earth-bound immortals. Some of these practitioners with unflagging resolution ingest grasses and medicinal herbs to preserve their bodies and live a long life. When they have perfected this method of cultivation, they are known as flying immortals. Some of these practitioners with unflagging resolution ingest special minerals and stones [such as calcium and mercury] to preserve their bodies and live long lives. When they have perfected this method of cultivation, they are known as roaming immortals. Some of these practitioners with their unflagging resolution cultivate themselves by mastering their breathing [pranayama.] When they have perfected their chi and jing, they are known as immaterial [space] immortals. Some of these practitioners with unflagging resolution cultivate their saliva [the pituitary hormones which descend from the brain known as the "sweet dew" "or "nectar of immortality"] and perfect the way of internal lubrication. When they have perfected this method, they are known as heavenly immortals. Some of these practitioners with unflagging resolution make themselves strong by absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. When they have perfected the inhalation of this purity, they are known as [unimpeded] penetrating immortals. Some of these practitioners with unflagging resolution use mantras and special dharma techniques to preserve their bodies. When they have perfected this means of cultivation, they are known as immortals of the lesser way. Some of these practitioners with unflagging resolution master mental concentration and perfect the way of meditation to preserve their bodies. When they have perfected their method of mental concentration, they are known as illuminating immortals. Some of these practitioners with unflagging resolution cultivate through sexual union to preserve their bodies and live a long life. When they have perfected this method of cultivation to achieve harmonization, they are known as jing [sexual energy] immortals. Some of these practitioners with unflagging resolution cultivate the understanding of heavenly and earthly transformations which they apply to their bodies. When they have perfected their spiritual cultivation, they are known as immortals of the highest order [absolute immortals.] These people all regulate their minds, but do not cultivate the right bodhi [the enlightenment mind.] They cultivate some special principle of life and can live for thousands, or tens of thousands of years. They retire deep into the mountains, or live on deserted islands in the sea and cut themselves off from the human realm. However, their states of attainment still belong to the realm of false thinking rather than to genuine samadhi. When the longevity of life which is their reward is finished, they are condemned to return again to lower planes of existence

That's not true. Chan master Yu-an after reading this passage from the Surangama Sutra: "Understanding and perceiving rely on knowing, this is originally ignorance. Understanding and perceiving without perception, this is nirvana." He reinterpreted that passage like this: "Understanding and perceiving rely. Knowing, this is originally ignorance. Understanding and perceiving without meaning (are not.) Perception, this is nirvana." Where he then had a "great awakening." There aren't just examples of people in Chan of being enlightened after getting their foot slammed by a door or getting their finger chopped off...There are many cases of people hearing passages of a sutra or hearing a masters words where they gained insight immediately. One of these cases being the 6th patriarch Hui-neng, who who couldn't read or write (once when coming across someone lecturing on the Diamond Sutra and when he actually achieved enlightenment when the 5th patriarch read him some passages from the Diamond Sutra. This was after he had written his famous poem on the monastery wall in the middle of the night.) As for Nan Huai Chin: Bill Bodri also mentions in one of his books of the verfication of his enlightenment by some masters in the Zen sect and by some when he went to Tibet. EDIT: Spelling

The above text is from a wiki page (My link) about him. From reading a published book of one of his lectures Diamond Sutra Explained (translated by Pia Giammasi;) where the translator (who studied under him for a period) also describes the same events from the wiki article. The translation of "Kunga" differs though where it is translated as Gonka Rinpoche (who is the guy who gave him the title of "master of Esoteric Buddhism.") This is from Dharmawheel My link: "Nan Huaijin is actually one of the most important and well-respected masters in Chinese Buddhism, and has quite a reputation in other fields as well. Earlier in his life he was a military commander and led a retaliation against the Japanese during the Sino-Japanese War. After this, he ended his military career and had a Chan awakening, and then went to live as a hermit in the Emei mountains for several years verifying his enlightenment against the Chinese Buddhist canon. He also lived in Tibet for some time, and became an acarya in the Kagyu line. When the Communist revolution came, he left for Taiwan with a very large number of ancient Daoist and Buddhist texts, to preserve them in case they were wiped out in mainland China. In Taiwan he became well known as a scholar and university professor, always teaching Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, and generally acting as a paragon for traditional Chinese culture. His books on Confucianism are now used as standard textbooks on the subject in Taiwan, and dozens of books have been published in his name. I use the phrase "published in his name" because they were basically transcripts of his lectures. Still, he has sold millions of copies and is counted as a well-known Chinese author. Later Nan Huaijin moved to Hong Kong, and then finally to China in Jiangsu province near Suzhou, where he built a massive education center focusing on meditation and spiritual development, as well as an international school. Apart from all this, he is also a high-level spiritual advisor to Chinese officials, and even arranged secret talks between China and Taiwan. In other words, he's a Buddhist master in high places. As for his books, for my part, I have never read any material from any modern works that match his in depth and comprehensiveness. Good examples of this are Working Toward Enlightenment and To Realize Enlightenment. But of course nobody understands their English translations due to the basic content, so he is virtually unknown in this part of the world. At the beginning of Working Toward Enlightenment, he says something like "The texts we will be drawing upon in these lectures are ...", and then proceeds to list over a dozen sutras and sastras including some major long works such as the Yogacarabhumi Sastra. The vast majority of his audience is monastic and is assumed to have some degree of expertise in the Buddhist texts and doctrines already. Although I am trying to convey his teaching style and context, this still does not amount to a good description." _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I personally own and have read all his lectures he gave on retreats translated into English: Personally, for me it is not a question of if he is enlightened or not. Especially from reading his Diamond Sutra Explained: For me personally, it is quite clear his level of realization...Reading his books in general, (from the depth and way they are presented) it is obvious for me that this guy knows what he is talking about. Obviously, I agree with what Thomas Cleary said: "There is no question that Master Nan's work is a cut above anything else available from modern authors, either academic or sectarian, and I would like to see his work gain its rightful place in the English speaking world. ... [His] studies contain broad learning in all three main traditions of Chinese thought, Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist. Although this comprehensive purview was common to the greatest minds of China since the T'ang dynasty, it is rare among scholars today."

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