JustARandomPanda
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Everything posted by JustARandomPanda
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'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
Yes, it does seem he's explaining it in a very Tao-ish way. Harmonious...you may be a Closet Taoist in Buddhist clothing. -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
I agree. I don't think he's lightweight either. He is quite direct, clear in his explanations, doesn't rely on experiences which I haven't experienced and thus can't relate to. I'm not saying the things GiH, VH, Xabir, Vmarco, Informer, CowTao, et. al don't have informative POVs. It's just that the things they debate are so far removed from what I experience in my own normal, everyday life that I can not relate to them easily without 'getting into their waters' - which usually means in order to evaluate what they're debating I'd have to dive into high level jhanas/samadhis/dhyana states and read tons of suttas/sutras. They debate stuff that is quite dependent upon realizations attained in high contemplative, mindful awareness and meditative states. This is not the world I live in. Marblehead's world is my world if you get my drift. Which is why I said he is in my Division. We are playing on the same level. I know someone is not going to try to pull a "Trump Card" of such and such highly Realized Contemplative Truth on me in a discussion about my POVs and experiences. -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
This is not something the (dependently-originated) you believe? That may well be true but since I experience all things from the POV of a "Master Me" that's not yet proven as a Truth. In fact...I'm pretty suspicious it is true. Enough so that that's why I'm trying to get to the Cessation of Thought stage. I'm still utterly plagued with monkey-mind. According to Master Nan if one can not get to quieting down monkey-mind then talking about anything else is a moot point. But I realize quieting monkey-mind is only a means to an end. It's trying to create the "breathing room" so the REAL work can begin. I agree. It's one reason why I also let go of hurt feelings quickly in order to reflect on what someone's message is. I'm not always successful. Sometimes I do post when I'm still angry but most of the time I get up, walk around, go read a book, go paint (insert shameless plug for my Deviant Art page) , etc...do something else to cool down. And it works! Unfortunately such a tactic doesn't really address the problem of having Hot Buttons to begin with (which is why I'm cultivating so it's solved, not just suppressed or ignored). I think most people on this site - even high level meditators with attainments in all the Jhanas and Samadhis - still have Hot Buttons. I've seen VH have his Hot Buttons pressed (and thus get defensive and reactionary) on this site by SongsofDistantEarth for example. It just may be that we all vary in which particular hot buttons we have. I will say this. Having people press my Hot Buttons is a treasure! Without them I would not have the chance to be aware of said Buttons and thus no chance to try to work on them. I really do believe they are neccessary for me. -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
I agree! It is hard to find Taoist works. I tried to find a translation of the Spring and Fall Annals but came up only with a historical commentary on them. Not the translation itself. I think maybe few Taoist texts are translated because Publishers don't think they would sell. Who knows...they may be right. -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
Thank you for sharing your POV. -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
I am already engaging in Anapana. I haven't reached the stage of Contemplation yet unlike you or others on this site. Until I reach the stage of cessation of thought "Healthy Contemplation" isn't even an option. It has to do with the fact that I am not capable of 'debate' or 'discussing' my views with any sort of standard of intelligence and logic which I feel this site has aquired over time. The moment I post my views or understanding of Buddhist sutra somebody somewhere is going to A ) come in and tell me how I'm either interpreting wrong due to experiential ignorance and clinging or B ) show how my view is inherently illogical or contradictory. High level and I do mean VERY high level debates due to high level cultivation attainments go on at this site all the time now - you yourself being one of the most prominant reasons it's such a high level. I am a simple person with simple views. I have not reached the stage of Contemplation of my views that you are saying is neccessary and healthy (a view I agree with). I do not have the ability to debate endlessly what's oh-so wrong with my POV. Which is what almost all of these high level debates have become. To put it down in simple terms I feel like the playing field is more level if I were to debate my POVs with someone like Marblehead than you. You don't match a Division AAA team with a Division A. -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
*heavy sigh* TzuJanLi you will be missed. I may not know much about Taoism other than Lao Tzu and Lieh Tzu but it is always delightful to read the insights of the many Taoists such as yourself who post here. I depend on such posts to teach me Taoism. It's a rather odd situation as it's much easier to find extensive literature and translated Buddhist texts than it is on Taoist texts. Perhaps as China starts to become a Superpower more Taoist texts will be translated. I don't know if this will help but there is also the possibility of putting people on your ignore list. If not, I hope someday you will feel welcomed back. *mumbles* I dunno.... I *might* share what little I know of Buddhism as I experience it and live it out in my daily life - because for me that's what Buddhism means. Maybe that means I'm a Pragmatical Wanna-Be-Buddhist? I like to read the handful of Buddhist texts I own then sit there and try to figure out how to apply what I've read in my everyday life. Some of it has to do with assorted suggested meditational practices, others have to do with figuring out how to apply the 5 Precepts or the Noble 8 Fold Path in my daily life. Personally...if I could wave a magic wand that is how I would prefer to see Buddhism discussed on this board. The Buddhist discussions and debates on this board have been about things I consider *very* high-level. In other words...stuff that applies only to a tiny segment of people who've been practicing meditation, yantra yoga and other assorted stuff of a specific tradition for many, many years. That doesn't apply to anyone at this forum (including me) except for the tiny handful of people who like arguing with each other. It might even be more generally tolerated among Taobummers if such criticisms and references to high-level practices stuck mostly to threads dedicated to Buddhist subjects and POV specifically. The bigger problem is when it spills over into Taoist threads or Qi Gong or Inner Alchemy threads. I admit I don't know what to do about that other than to suggest putting people you find wearisome on your ignore list. -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
I don't think you did. Nor did Lucky. I mentioned it however because it relates directly to what Luckystrikes implied having seen - that Thusness advised you to spread the Dharma. I brought merit-making up because that's one form of what spreading the Dharma is (or takes). It's laying down surrounding "conditions" for other beings having the chance to ripen into full Buddhahood. The only reason I am aware of some of the teachings on Merit-Making and how they relate to Boddhisattva-hood and Buddhahood is that Master Nan Huai-Chin talks about this. Yes. Bill Bodri and Master Nan both talk about this. As does Master Hsuan Hua. As well as the neccessity of making and keeping Vows. My reply was the reply of a sentient being whom is neither A ) spiritually realized nor B ) has many merits accumulated. In fact I have a ton of demerits accumulated from this lifetime I must find a way to atone for. My reply was the way it was precisely to prevent what I've seen happen at this forum - too many people at Taobums now think VERY poorly about Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha and Buddhists in general because of the *way* some debates and pontification of views are presented here. There are times when they come across with outright ATTACKS and PUT-DOWNS in addition to whatever criticism may be put forward. I can not help but think that someone who has taken the Boddhisattva vows would not A ) notice this Taobums backlash and B ) try to figure out how to get their Dharma message across without engendering such a backlash. No, not everybody who hears is going to be interested. But I've seen people at Taobums whom otherwise might have been naturally curious and interested now turn away in disgust. I myself would be happy to share what little I now know of the Dharma here at Taobums except I fear I would be shouted down about how spiritually unrealized I am and thus don't know what I'm talking about. -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
*scratches chin* Yes, I've encountered this specific teaching too. That is, by spreading the Dharma one acquires Great Merit - which then - if said "teacher" REALLY wants to be a True Boddhisattva - does not keep said Great Merit for him/herself but rather "deposits ALL of that Great Merit" into other Sentient Beings "buddha-nature bank accounts" (my own phrase). I've long silently disagreed with some of the ways some Buddhists preach the Dharma. It doesn't help the spiritual evolution of sentient Beings to speak Dharma in such a way that it engenders angry reactionary defensiveness in others. For every person such a Buddhist can point to that they "skillfully" helped there are many others whom they "unskillfully" hindered in the process. This is the problem with using open forums like Taobums to "spread the word". As such I sometimes question how much good overall does it really do to come onto forums like this and start shooting bullets through other people's religion and/or philosophies. If I were a Greatly Realized Spiritual Being (which I obviously am not) I would rather try to invoke people's own natural curiosity to get them interested in the Dharma. Only after they'd clearly and repeatedly demonstrated their own curiosity and willingness to investigate their beliefs and/or views would I then begin to point them to A ) Sutras/Suttas, B ) actual practices they can try so they can actually "test out" for themselves what the texts are saying, C ) point them to another realized being than myself the moment it is apparent that is the most beneficial thing for that person and/or I'm hindering, not helping them and D ) giving ample time for each person to "lie fallow" and live out better the Dharma they've already understood and realized instead of keep harping endlessly at them to always "go deeper". I am not so sure there is such a thing as "sustainable Self-Inquiry" in any case. At some point we all need to make some breathing room in our lives for simply getting better at mastering what we've already come to realize. But yes...that was a longwinded way of saying I agree with you. It is indeed taught that by spreading the Dharma Great Merit is acrued. IMO there is a helpful way to do so...and a not-so-helpful way to do so. -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
LOL. Remember what I said in another thread? First rule of Internet Posting: Anything you say can and will be used against you. But just so you know...thanks for sharing your experiences even though it exposes your experiences and POV to criticism. But Marble...what about those of us who know they don't know but also don't speak? -
It is in reference to the Lotus Sutra I was thinking about that long thread of how to determine someone's level of Enlightenment. Just reading over the Buddha's (to me) extremely high standard of just what it takes to A ) be a Buddha and B ) to know if someone else is a Buddha too I kept thinking the whole exercise of that thread was moot. I mean...only Boddhisattva's and disciples who've fulfilled the following requirements - A ) ceased all outflows (ie no longer subject to karma ) , B ) reside in their final body and C ) have "faith" - might know if someone is a Buddha.
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*scratches chin* I've been reading this lately: From the Lotus Sutra I didn't know what a Pratyeka Buddha was so I looked it up. From Wikipedia: Anyway....to go on...I further pondered what the Buddha is saying here:
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'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
Fascinating. So -K-, I take it you've directly experienced this "no-self" realization Xabir is talking about? -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
Xabir, have you realized/attained Buddhahood via D.O and Shunyata? *is curious* -
'No self' my experience so far...
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
Fascinating. I once used this same line explaining how I have intellectually come to understand some Buddhist teachings but GiH corrected me saying this line of thinking is wrong. In order for thinking to exist, he said it must reflect off Mind. Without Mind there would be no seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, etc. In order for these things to arise they must reflect off Mind like one's image reflects off a mirror. Or at least I think that's what he said. I confess I still do not know how to reconcile what he said with Buddhist teachings. Of course I later found out that GiH no longer agrees with many Buddhist teachings so it may be this is one of those things where he thinks Buddhism (or at least some Buddhists) gets it wrong? In this line of thinking at least it sounded to me like GiH inclined a bit more toward agreeing with some Hindu-ish explanations. -
Is realizing the Undivided Light the same as being Enlightened?
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Three Kinds of Spiritual Teachings.
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
Yogiraj Gurunath specifically says we are the "Lightless Light". I've been wondering wth he means by that. I bet most people on this forum can't explain this particular phrase either. http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Rrw7bE_a4NY -
Three Kinds of Spiritual Teachings.
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
Hmm... This does make sense. In that regard, if wisdom and knowledge are not the same thing then I kind of agree with Ralis when he says Heartmind [or insert other esoterica] is non-verbal. As in...all these bazillion threads on TB arguing Who's Truth is the Real Truth is the opposite of actual realization of Real Truth. So...if people are spinning castles in the air at TB...why do we do it instead of going off somewhere to use that same time to practice more when it's the actual practice - and not the arguing on message boards - which will "deliver the goods"? To me that just reads as addiction to mentation. Which I confess I am heavily prone to doing...which is why I'm here I suppose instead sitting on my cushion right this minute (*looks guiltily at meditation cushion*) and practicing Anapana 8 hours a day. I'm addicted to a message board but does it help me realize Truth (ok...other than realizing the Truth that I've realized is that I've realized no Truth )? I'd say no it does not. And I bet these threads help people a lot less than if they were using that same time in actual practice. Why do we all do it - get verbal - instead of practicing more? Damn...maybe I'm arguing myself into spending less time on these boards and more time on the cushion...*is starting to feel real guilty* -
Three Kinds of Spiritual Teachings.
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
Wow. For some reason this paragraph hit me hard. I guess because I identify with it so much. I am not aware of even one Truth. Oh wait. I am aware of ONE. The fact that I am Baffled by all these varying claims of "truth" in assorted TB threads! I guess that is the one simple thing I'm aware of - that I simply do not know what to think of everyone's competing "interpretations of reality". I sat and thought about this for a while. And I admit I do hold the bias that there is such a thing as Truth. I also hold the biased opinion that this Truth can be knowable and furthermore that meditation can be one way (along with Science) of determining what this Truth is. I guess in a way I kind of think that's what the Buddha and perhaps Lao Tzu woke to - the Truth of Everything. Sort of like a Grand Unified Theory of Truth and that's what Enlightenment or Seeing the Tao is. The really hard part is that because I have no direct experience with even one Truth (well other than Bafflement) it makes it difficult to assess someone elses "wisdom" level. That huge thread about how to assess someone's level of Enlightenment? Man...it went on for so long with soooo many people arguing about what constitutes Enlightenment and how to detect it. And the whole time I'm sitting there vaguely recalling a Sutra (Sutta? - Maybe the Lotus Sutra?) wherein it's stated that only a Buddha can truly and with complete accuracy know whether someone else is a Buddha or not. Not even Boddhisattvas are awake to this "thing" which only Buddhas know (which makes sense - otherwise there'd be no reason to make a distinction between a Buddha and a Bodhisattva). Speaking for myself about the above quote, I get suspicious that perhaps I am interpreting someone's post or experiences incorrectly simply due to biases introduced by one or or some of my 5 senses. Since I have no everyday experiences of having awareness as it is NOT related to one of these 5 senses it leaves me baffled as to what the alternative might reveal. Another example - I read somewhere (forget exactly where) about how Awareness is something separate from Conceptions. The latter belongs to a Skanda. This one completely and utterly baffles me. I can't even begin to imagine what Awareness minus Conceptions must be like! Not even a little bit. Maybe if I actually could I might have a chance at learning a Truth and be able to better assess other people's posts or where they're at on the "spiritual ladder" so to speak. -
I have wondered this myself. Exactly HOW deep does egoic attachment really go? For example, in reading my 8 volume set of the Shurangama I was struck over and over and over with the Buddha stating that such-and-such highly spiritually realized person - who have, I gathered, even broken through and seen the "falsity" of all the Skandas and attained ridiculously high meditative states even to all the formless - can STILL not understand something right, come to a wrong conclusion and eventually fall from said high realization. Even to the point that (metaphorically speaking) it will send said realized being "right back to the primordial pond" from which he/she has to re-evolve all over again. It's as if all those Eons of effort didn't have any lasting effect whatsoever. If even ridiculously highly attained masters can potentially "blow it" my god...what prayer do I have of seeing through my own egoic seeds?
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Speaking of "I think, therefore I am" Ken Wilber had something interesting to say about this Ken Wilber on Descarte: Reviving the West's Greatest Modern Vedantist
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Graham Hancock is one of the best researchers
JustARandomPanda replied to Immortal4life's topic in General Discussion
Agree this is an interesting thread. Looks like I'm going to have to check out some Hancock books from the library. As an aside another researcher who was (and I think maybe still is) dismissed by archeologists is R.A. Swaller de Lubicz. Subtitled: -
Three Kinds of Spiritual Teachings.
JustARandomPanda replied to Seth Ananda's topic in General Discussion
I have pondered this recently. I read somwhere in the Shurangama Sutra (can't recall exactly where) the Buddha talks to a king. I'm a bit unclear about this as my memory is sketchy (I really should go get that book I suppose and look it up). Anyway...the Buddha asks the king if he experiences (I think that was it) the river the same as he (meaning the king) did as a little boy. The king says yes, despite his old age that has not changed. The Buddha says that's right. That there is something about the king that has not changed even though he has aged and changed with the passing of time. Anyway...I came away from that story wondering what exactly it is that the Buddha was getting at in that story. -
Why the Shaman needs Constant Virtue (Heng Te)
JustARandomPanda replied to Stigweard's topic in General Discussion
So...is Laotzu saying that as the mind quiets true Virtue will begin to manifest spontaneously? -
Fascinating post Vmarco. Apologies since it's veering off-topic but the subject of the Self-Esteem Movement and by extention the cultural bias toward Therapy as the solution to egoic problems has long interested me. Christina Hoff Sommers wrote a book about some of the problems that sprang from these memes. See here: One Nation Under Therapy: How the Helping Culture is Eroding Self-Reliance I also found the following on the web when I did a search on the Self Esteem Movement. Food for thought...