Harmonious Emptiness
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Everything posted by Harmonious Emptiness
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How to "want" to do something
Harmonious Emptiness replied to Everything's topic in General Discussion
Sloth is a vice. It may require you to be a bit more aggressive than you're normally comfortable with in order to conquer it. There is a passage in The Old Testament that says "a lazy man turns back and forth in bed. He is a door on a hinge." A door on a hinge moves back and forth doing the same thing, not getting anywhere, so you've got to force yourself to break free of the vice, the hinge, the inertia.. Be prepared for people comfortable in their comfort zone to feel threatened by your initiative, as you may have to walk through their calm waters in the process... How do you build a foundation without breaking ground? -
Here is a topic from a while back, trying to determine what Shen is. There were some very good and helpful contributions. I like Jetsun's descriptions here too.. the "uncarved block" so to speak.
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I know people don't walk around terrified all the time.. but the proof is in the pudding.. there are things you just don't read about, talk about, or waste your time thinking about.. freedoms are tied up very tight, and this has a trickle down effect on the humanity of the population... not everyone of course, don't get me wrong, but harshness breeds more harshness and the CCP is HARSH on whatever they decide to be "offenders." This excuses the same attitudes in the population.. That's just the nature of power, politics, and morale anywhere you go. I realize there are more freedoms in other respects, like 24 hour markets, but the undertow of history and present day policies are obvious to some outsiders. How would I run a country the size of China? More people=more corruption.. Even the US would be impossible to clean up the air in politics.. no idea....
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It's difficult to have love and compassion in a "civilization" that doesn't show any.. people out to get theirs all the time.. but unloading our burden of selfishness and allowing ourselves to not be so self-focused.. freedom from self.. takes a "real man" and a "real woman" to be able to give without fear.. and it is a far more certain way to happiness than only seeing what WE need.. that would be a very lonely and defeated way to live, with a huge burden of craving and worry. Giving up the self, having love and compassion even for a-holes, is deceptively rewarding for those who manage to.
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Monks and Priests have the easiest life on Earth?
Harmonious Emptiness replied to tulku's topic in General Discussion
I'll say the potential is there, since the purpose is to be one with everything all the time, and the conditions are made to have only as many obstacles as necessary. There needs to be some difficulty to have ease. Excessive ease also is difficult in itself. Anything fulfilling is easy if you work hard at it . -
When people are coerced to not think for themselves and to tow the party line, it would be difficult to then say "yeah, so we want you to deny your own humanity, and we'll act inhumanely if you don't, but really we want you to help other people (as long as we approve of the help, first)." That's not going to have much effect. The top down effect of attitudes is really obvious in companies especially, where the shitty attitude of employees reflects the shitty attitude of the employer. The same goes with rulers. Look at the decline of honest business practices in the US when Bush and Cheney were in power. Everyone just said "oh, ok, George doesn't care, so we don't have to care." It was a clown show of corporate and systemic corruption. If the CCP wants people to change, they have to show some change themselves. Especially after they've already terrified everyone to "toe the line, no matter where the CCP decides it is, including ratting out your family members for their political their opinions even though we will turn them into slaves indefinitely for thinking the wrong thing." An attitude like that is nihilistic -- life is nothing but a means to the collective end. This is where communism, and every dictatorship, fails "the people" inexcusably.
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Different ways of describing Emptiness
Harmonious Emptiness replied to Seth Ananda's topic in Buddhist Discussion
I guess there differences in the semantic use of Emptiness.. Like there is a line at the end of form, maybe light/vibration or chi, and then there is Emptiness. So the void is, imho, essentially the line, where one can perceive Emptiness and form at the same time. As you said, seeing the lack of substantial existence in things helps to not waste our time with things that would waste our time. I've found it much easier for things that I don't like.. In thinking about it now, I see that I should be more aware of the reality of some of the things that I like too much.. This may prove more difficult than the former, but freedom from desire is a bliss of itself, not to mention how life in general becomes more enjoyable when we only need our Buddha Mind to appreciate everything. nice vid CT.. -
Different ways of describing Emptiness
Harmonious Emptiness replied to Seth Ananda's topic in Buddhist Discussion
bump. Seth, how about yourself? How would you (attempt to) describe Emptiness? -
Just don't poison me! My ancestor's New Years Eve! Habits drop... dead leaves.
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It's not so strange for a Buddhist to endorse killing
Harmonious Emptiness replied to wingzero's topic in General Discussion
Well, the similarities between many of the teachings of Chuang Tzu and Buddha or Nagarjuna are unmistakeable, in regards to self and percieving "suchness." If you missed in TTB Chuang Tzu subsection "A Finger is Not a Horse." So the writings of some Taoism and Buddhism are mutually beneficial to understanding the view of the other in regards to self and "suchness." For most people, that is challenge enough. Buddhists also came from Hindu culture which had Ayurvedic medicine and Alchemy already, so Buddha didn't need to re-invent the wheel for elemental science (did I just invent that word? ), longevity, exercise, et all, but he taught a fast root to a/the most important fundamental of the others. Surely, Taoist and Bon culture became the replacement background, once again of similar understandings, and Buddhism also has its interesting things, like Siddhis. To argue one over the other misses the point of both, too, imo, so, like.. whatever... -
Popping Fingers/Cracking Joints
Harmonious Emptiness replied to Tatsumaru's topic in General Discussion
Wearing down your joints results in arthritis so I could see how doing this could increase some of the wear. I've felt some arthritis from guitar playing and typing, and it seems to not show up when I take Lecithin capsules. Lecithin is a pretty fascinating mineral... basically the substance that surrounds the joints and makes up every cell in the body including brain cells. Be sure to get organic since most is made with gm soy. Ordering sunflower lecithin is worth it. -
Can someone please answer this question?
Harmonious Emptiness replied to fatguyslim's topic in General Discussion
I guess you probably found this: Hui-Ming Ching and Its Commentaries By Liu Hua-Yang Seems to be different people -
Heard this the other night and was like wtf? really??
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It's not so strange for a Buddhist to endorse killing
Harmonious Emptiness replied to wingzero's topic in General Discussion
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Ah jeez... Are there safe practices for a pregnant woman?
Harmonious Emptiness replied to GreytoWhite's topic in General Discussion
From what I've heard, there are yoga classes designed specifically for pregnant women which is supposed to make the birth easier, help post-partum weight, just balance the body in various ways for an all 'round positive experience and safely maintain mobility. I haven't heard anything about Qi Gong for pregnancy, but I wouldn't try it without a really good teacher since the energetic movement in different areas needs to be very correct. There's a lot of herbs and things that she needs to avoid as well, so it's important to get that list. Natural abdominal breathing to increase oxygene and help to be in a calm, tranquil, positive emotion. This is the healthiest way to be for the mother and the child . Sounds beautiful Blessings to her -
Sequential Energy Center Activation, Balancing, & Dimensional Expansion
Harmonious Emptiness replied to Ya Mu's topic in General Discussion
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This, to me, is why meditation is so beneficial for anyone and everyone: it clears all those pre-judgements and and present judgements so that they can see for themselves. I was thinking the other day how thoughts and ideas affect people the same as illnesses. We catch colds from people who sneeze on us, but when we are around ideas about people and life for a long time, they can infect us just the same if we don't have a strong immunity to them. Meditation is the anti-virus that cleans our senses, sort of cleans the mess or the coloured tinge off the windshield, readjusts the mirrors, and allows us to make our own assessments or to to not make any assessment at all, and allows us sometimes not to need an assessment, just to experience.. whatever it is
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This to me is a great illustration of meditation-mind. Thought does not perceive, and so thought does not know. Thought only thinks; it doesn't know.
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Confidence practice instead of Well-being practice
Harmonious Emptiness replied to Everything's topic in General Discussion
There is a saying about a herb used in tea by European mid-wives and herbalists: "Borage for courage." It sort of rinses the kidneys and stimulates the adrenals a bit (and has toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids, so be cautious. The kidneys are associated with courage and the water element. When you face something frightening [boo!] (uahhahahhhh..h.h..), being rigid and tense makes one less responsive and adaptive. Something in motion responds faster. Loosening up helps the feeling of responsiveness. Naturally, exercise regimens help people feel confident as they feel responsive rather than inert, and their immune system is better able to adapt to changes in the environment. Slow systems like Qi Gong help people to adapt to the vast and expansive... -
Suggestions for Music to Meditate to.
Harmonious Emptiness replied to Nihro's topic in Daoist Discussion
I'd have to agree that music is generally counter-productive for meditation, however, to just create a more meditative atmosphere when doing other things, any GuQin/Guzheng music is great. Wu Jinglue is highly recommended, or Gong Yi if you can find some. -
Taoism: remedy for a world in crisis?
Harmonious Emptiness replied to Stigweard's topic in Daoist Discussion
Personally, if I could hand a Taoist book to a powerful politician who would read it, I'd choose the Wen-Tzu. It's a bit more direct on "the ways of the world", a bit more detailed than the Tao Te Ching, though it's sayings are mostly attributed Lao Tzu as well. Any thoughts about that too? -
Reminds me of Buddhist term "Suchness." "When appearances and names are put away and all discrimination ceases, that which remains is the true and essential nature of things and, as nothing can be predicated as to the nature of essence, it is called the "Suchness" of Reality. This universal, undifferentiated, inscrutable, "Suchness" is the only Reality but it is variously characterised as Truth, Mind-essence, Transcendental Intelligence, Noble Wisdom, etc. " - Lankavatara Sutra 3 or 4 in the morning, determining one as this and the other as that, is not seeing "as it is." At least, that's what this chapter seems to be pointing at (with it's nonfingerness.. right..).
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Coming from section 2 A, this reminds me of Nagarjuna's teachings about Emptiness. Chuang Tzu asks: you have all these parts, they are dependent and independent, yet there must be one ruler of them all. Just be open rather than suffer the delusion of this or that. Everything is connected so why struggle with ordering each operation when obviously it all works best without all the meddling to confuse them..
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Not that it's radically different from other interpretations here, but the impression I'm getting, coming right from the previous chapters, is that Chuang Tzu is describing the "Perfect man, with no thought of self" and "Spirit man, with no thought of deed." They just act from their root. Their will is the wind and they let it play them. Who controls their will? By being empty of thoughts of self they are open, and so they can be filled with heavenly music.
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I haven't read The Magus of Java, but Mo Pai is no less intriguing by what I have read on TTB. My questions are: Since the goals of Mo Pai make it somewhat of an "Enlightenment practice," is there a philosophical foundation of Mo Pai which helps to bring students towards a supreme understanding of Reality? Are there scriptures or texts in particular, Taoist, Buddhist, or others, that help to reach this goal, or are philosophies of Mo Pai all learned directly from a master, and through one's perseverence in the practices Mo Pai?
