juju

Oh ralis, oh vaj,

I love it. It really, really makes my day to see you boxing hard and harder. It is a marvelous thread to study male behaviour

And ok, I have to admit that ralis makes me laugh far more.

Sorry Vaj.

But Ralis seems to be far more easily annoyed (I could not find a translation for my favourite word) and is so nicely predictable (well, the two of you are - like two spanish bulls; one a little bit more spanish may be, the other one a little more north-european).

Thanks for making me constantly laugh. Great thread - go on. I really do not know what I would do without it

(PS: And yes - there are as well some very interesting points of view and discussion themes inside. Thanks for that as well!)

Thanks a lot for sharing. It feels like your post will be quite helpful soon.

It is very good to know that one can and will continue to tidy up the underneath stuff, even when realizing more the non-existing-self.

The Buddhist dogma presented here is nothing but mental masturbation. Cerebral arguments obtain nothing but more cerebral arguments, which are dogmatic and doctrinal. The heart mind is what addresses conditioned belief systems, cultural baggage and helps one discover one's real nature.

 

I wonder how large of a mountain of texts have accumulated over 2500 yrs. all of which are commentaries and speculation as to what the Buddha taught. What he taught was directly from the heart mind and has nothing to do with mountains of nuanced cerebral minutia.

In my opinion and personal experience: A belief system helps. It surely is nothing than a system. But as we are not yet able to look beyond the system (at least I am not), we need it. It is kind of a ladder which helps to go on the top of a house. Once we are on the roof, we can drop it.

And regarding the topic: I think this topic is very funny. I personally think VJ puts things very much to the point. I do not see him as fanatic. He writes his opinion, his experiences. Which mostly for me are very interesting.

Maybe - to make this more clear, and thus the ideas in his posts more easy to digest - he (and everybody else) could post every single time: in my personal, very very humble, tiny opinion

But writing personal opinions is anyway what everybody in here does. That is what a forum is for. And really: I personally feel VJ far less fanatic than some others.

Have a beautiful day

Well, your story is not completely consistent on this.

sure I start to be tired of writing and thinking so much in English

Have a great day!

That's a terrible wish on your part. If you truly want to help me, then wish me this,

 

"May you realize perfect wisdom and freedom immediately!"

"May you become liberation on sight phenomenon!"

"May your Buddha-field be brimming with enlightened beings!"

 

Now this will be an effective wish. Don't wish me any useless delays or disempowering thoughts. I am a lot stronger than you can understand. I eat demons at night. I mean this literally. There is not much that can scare me or disturb me because I've been scared and disturbed to my core already, so I know what it is and I am not afraid. I am ready to die immediately, as in, right now. I am also equally ready to live, even live in your face, if necessary. Just think this over and don't be wishing me any kind of a useless ball and a chain.

Of course I wish you all those things like immediate wisdom and freedom. No doubt about that. I like those wishes!

If you find the way to go there in an instant - I am very very very happy for you!!!

Maybe you are far stronger than I can understand. But I have the impression you fight. You need to underline your strength. Which in my tiny opinion is the opposite of being free.

I just wished you something which in my experience is very helpful. As it opens, as it gives a different strength. I basically just wished you that you might be able to stop fighting and to be completely, absolutely happy and free. Which is what you asked me for.

The rest is nothing than one possibility to arrive there - and it comes on its own, whatever is suited for you at this point.

But: As you argue so much, and with such an intensity against all "authorities", against teachers and of course even more about Gurus - I have this slight idea that this is what you are looking for. Deep inside. Somewhere.

And if it might be so - then I wish you might find it. If this is not your way... ok.

Is practice your end goal? If yes, then you should stay where you are. If not, then join the community I support and protect. But don't answer this too quickly. Give yourself time to think. Do you want to practice forever? What are you practicing for?

I answer quickly No, practice can not be the final goal. It just leads to what is called enlightenment. And I hope it will lead there the soon as possibile

For sure it leads every day to more easiness, bliss, non-attachment, less anger and so on.

 

If I do not have this trust, it will not help.

 

How do you know it will not? Who told you this? Where did you learn this?

Easy example: If I do not trust my doctor, it will be hard for him to help me. Maybe I follow some of his advices - but I always will search for an easy way out. Only eat vegetables every second day, instead of every day as he might have told me.... It can help - but not as much as when I do trust him.

This is why you have friends. You don't need to enter into a dom/sub relationship to get some help. If the only way your Guru will work with you is to have you in a dom/sub relationship, your Guru is an exploiter and an abuser. Any true Guru has enough humility to help from the position of a friend without planting one's ass on a fancy throne (literally or metaphorically).

I do not say anything against friends. And a Guru is not my dom, neither am I his sub. He is as well a friend. And we were quite often sitting together when he is not sitting on a throne - neither literally nor metaphorically. He is more humble than most of the people I do know.

That's not true. Buddha has left many teachings behind. Those teachings are his testament. They are reliable and worthy and they are so powerful, than nothing whatsoever needs to be added on top to make them effective. I speak from personal experience here. Buddha is with us right now. I see it thus very clearly.

Yes, he left many teaching, many advice and sure he is with us. But he still is a being who does not have a human, touchable body.

 

Are authoritarianism and submission required for love?

no.

But I do not see this conflict with authority you see. And I do not feel submissive.

Because I am only one person the short answer is no. Even if I am very wise and very strong, I can't necessarily handle everything to your liking. If your liking is not an issue, then I can handle it all, yes. But luckily I am not alone. There are many friends you can find here who are very skillful.

 

And one more time -- it is authoritarianism and secret exclusivity that I protest. Not love. Not the act of teaching.

Then we agree. As a guru is nothing else than a teacher. And I can have a drink and a laugh with my teacher.

Anyway: My liking cannot be the issue. If it was my liking, then nobody could teach me. Because I do not like to get rid of my ignorance, my stuck emotions. It hurts. But once I passed through - all this bullshit is just gone.

But yet I do not think that you could be the one who is able to lead me through this. Maybe I am wrong and you really know so many things - but as I do not believe that, there is not a real chance for you to help me.

So you decided that your teacher is realized. Can you please tell me how you have come to this conclusion?

Yes. By simply watching him, seeing how he behaves, how he is in his everyday-life, how he handles all those situations coming up. Maybe he is not. This is alright with me. But as I do trust him, this helps me to help myself.

And I see how many people change, simply by using his techniques, simply by trusting him. For me, this is enough.

You just described trust and not devotion. And if your teacher doesn't mind making you some tea, then it's OK.

I am thinking if he ever made some tea for me. Possible. He did many things for me. Like I did many things for him. Everything in the right moment.

And complete love and trust is nothing else than devotion

I guess your idea of devotion is, just to take away every self-responsibility. But it is not! It just makes you stronger and smoother in the same moment.

Ask your teacher this question, "When do you think I will be fine learning and practicing on my own?" He'll probably give you a reasonable and finite timeline, something measured in a number of years. Hold him to it! Put it down on paper so you don't forget the promise.

 

If he says you have to be his student indefinitely and nothing less will do, that's not a good sign. It means he either has no plans on getting you up on your own two feet, or lacks the necessary know-how or courage (and that's just the best case scenario).

His goal surely is not to hold me there for the next 50 lifes

As I said his goal is to take away every attachment towards him. And to all those other subtle and less subtle attachments. And bring me (and as many people as possible) to Buddhahood.

As everything? That's not healthy! Danger Will Robinson! Danger!

 

Remember, this isn't about me. I don't want to be your Guru. I only promise to be your friend. If you think I want to replace your guru with myself, then you utterly don't understand what I am trying to accomplish here.

 

You can trust in the community of like-minded individuals. No one person alone can be your teacher, but together with you, we can do a good job teaching you everything you want to know.

Dear Goldishead, I never thought you wanted to be my Guru And I accept the friendship happily.

I knew you would stumble about the word everything and yes, it sounds like danger, if you do it blindly.

But I guess, I answered those things in my last post.

I really wish you will find your teacher. I know you do not want it right now. But I have a feeling you will. We well see

Goldisheavy,

I try another approach - not to convince, but trying to explain what is the purpose of guru-yoga in my experience:

(see - you are a teacher of mine now. I need to clear my ideas more and more )

1) what is devotion? it is not simply saying: hey you, boss! this is kind of blind. But devotion is not intended to be blind. You can be devoted to many things. And e.g. when I am devoted to what I do, I like doing it. If am devoted to my teacher/master/guru (give him / her the name you want), then it is far easier for me, to do my daily practice. Which means as well I trust that this method/practice will help me. If I do not have this trust, it will not help. As I continuosly will struggle with it.

I could devote simply to the Buddha-nature in me. And I do. But it is really hard to see and stay in it, when I still do not really realize it.

I could simply trust and devote to Buddha. But he is just a mere idea, I do not know him. I cannot talk to him. I cannot listen to his advice, because yet I am able to see him.

Here enters the Guru. He is there. Visible. Touchable. I can argue with him. I can feel his love, he can guide me etc etc etc. And his job is not to guide me into depending on him - but the opposite. He has to take away things from me. Things I quite often do not like to give away. All my attachments (as well towards him), all my ignorance, all those "nice" things I want to keep. Like as well my sadness, my anger and all the other stuff I am stuck in.

2) Love: The first time I met my later teacher, in one moment I saw so much love and light in his eyes, as I never had seen before. This was the moment I started to trust him, to love him. I wanted more of this pure and complete love, of being finally accepted exactly as I am. This moment for me was incredible. I worked with this love for one year. And then finally came back to go deeper, to accept him as my teacher.

Guru Yoga is about love (and trust and devotion and letting go). To love somebody with daily less expectations is incredibly strong. To allow somebody to love me completely, is changing me in an extreme way. It hurts often. Because the more I allow myself to feel his love, the more my personal bullshit comes to the top. The more I love him, the more I have to deal with my expectations.

And yes. You can be, you are my teacher as well. But could you really handle all of my (and others) bullshit coming up? Could you really give me a hand passing through it?

I know, I can not. I can handle many things - but not all. Many things touch my personal emotional knots - and then it gets complicated. And this is, why it is so beautiful to have a realized being as a teacher/master/guru. Until now he never ever got stuck in my stuff. I never saw him get stuck in anything. And yet he is able to offer a vast clearness and "nearness" (sorry, if my english words do not always fit).

I use my teacher - he is not using me. I take all my bullshit on top of him. I give him the face of my fears, my blocks, my emotions. And as I do trust him, I can accept his hand, his help. (A hand which does not have to be the real physical hand). Just by trusting and loving, I can go nearer to my bullshit. I can face it, leave it. And see that behind all this, there is something very different than all this struggling. That there is clearness, silence.

If there is one person I can show really nakedly who I am - this is incredibly strong. And this is Guru Yoga, this is devotion. And this is what is leading towards your own inner master, to the complete realization of emptiness. This is where you find real freedom. And then you are as well free of your master.

I know the feeling. That's exactly what happened with me. It's no reason to give up. When going gets tough, the tough get going.

of course not. why give up?

That's the function of the whole world and of what you consider to be yourself.

 

This is true. As I said, I consider the whole world, everything my teacher.

We all can do this. Remember, we don't have to be on our own. I never said let's all become solitary hermits. We can help each other. I am here for you, but not as someone who will dominate you (although I can be firm in my expressions at times), but as a friend who may sometimes challenge you, but who is ultimately just a friend, your equal.

Perfect. I am here for you as well. This is why we are in here. At least one reason why I am in here

But I still trust more in my guru than in you And I feel him as a friend. As a teacher. As a guru. As everything.

He is equal - because we are all Buddhas. But I still am more stuck inside whatsoever. And there he helps me. That's it.

He is normal, he is nothing and nobody special. He does not even try to be. And exactly this is one difference: I surely try to be someone special

All I am saying is: Having found a (for me) reliable master, is one of the absolute best things that happened in my life. One day I will have to let go as well this attachment towards him - but still I need him.

I just noticed how it changed me. I am more in bliss than ever before. I have less fear. I am stronger. And softer. I love myself more. And the rest of the world.

I will not convince you that this is for you - and you will not convince me that he is bad for me as he uses his traditon :-)

You are not? How do you know you are not?

I am pure bliss and happiness.... But quite often I still fall into misery, into self-pity, anger, ignorance.... Better said?

Teachers don't have to be authoritarians. They don't have to wear crowns or sit on thrones.

no. they can wear training jackets as well.

But a throne helps when you have a bigger audience. You see them, they see you.

And decoration sometimes makes it easier to see the value.

Imagine: I give you the most beautiful present, which for me is worth so very much - and hand it over to you in ugly paper with dirt and oil on it. Or I give it to you packed with love, in nice paper....

Will you give it the same value?

What is an "anti-authoritarian" environment?

Here in Germany we strongly had the anti-authoritarian movement. Kind of: children had no more rules. Which was directed as opposition to authorities, to blind following police, military, Hitler... in World War II.

What sometimes results in those things is that children do decide whatever a family does. They are the authorities.

I am neither a fan of this authority-system where I just can say "Yes, Sir" - nor one of the opposite.

Thank heavens the scientific community doesn't work like that, or I wouldn't be using this computer now.

Goldisheavy - even scientific community does work like this. Only when the right two people meet and share the right thoughts they will have the sudden insight which might lead to your new computer. If if was not like this, computers would exist since eternal times.

Until which point? There is no limit.

exactly. but I would run away from this vast emptiness without the help of my teacher. He holds the mirror in his hands so I can see me, I can correct my direction when I am lost, and he shows me my Buddha-nature. Which without him I would not be able to face.

If you are able to do all this on your own, without getting lost - perfect. I am really really happy for you!!!

This means you are in complete bliss and complete emptiness, in awareness of everything. Great! This is the best notice to hear!

But I am not. And this is why I am happy to have somebody to guide me.

Keep this in mind: The discussion here is one or few authoritarian teachers who are dominant and who require your submission vs learning from teachers in a non-dominating atmosphere. These teachers prefer not to call themselves "teachers." They are friends.

I do not feel like dominated. And by the way: I see even my friends as my teachers. And you as well. Everything teaches me something. The word teacher is nothing bad. And Guru Yoga does not mean I am small and he is big. It does not mean he takes away my responsibility. I have more self-responsibility than ever before

And yes: My teacher calls himself teacher. Which I appreciate. But it is a word. Nothing else. The rest comes automatically.

Children don't do well in authoritarian and structured environments. It's a well known fact. They grow up angry and full of resentment because everything they were taught was authoritatively beaten and jammed down their throats. Child learning environments don't have to be like that at all. There are many successful schools that don't teach in an authoritarian fashion.

But children neither do well in anti-authoritarian environments. And neither should I be a friend of my child allowing him everything - just because I want him/her to love me. This leads to those strange situations where children (and later adults) do not respect anybody. not even themselves.

But I am neither (absolutely not) for being harsh or too authoritarian with children. I think you have to stimulate a child, love him, care for him - and sometimes put clear directions.

Most people just have a bunch of impressions and more subtle impressions clouding their consciousness, which is why people are not fully conscious and have to sleep. Enlightened beings don't loose awareness in bed, they are aware lucidly 24/7 because there are no more partitions between conscious, subconscious and unconscious states of mind, they are fully illumined. But, the vast majority of people are not, they have secrets within that they are not aware of, and it takes guidance to sift through this junk.

Because without guidance at least I have no chance to clean all my subtle and less subtle stuff - I would get stuck in there.

I know there are people who do not need this outer teachings - as they had so many great teachings in their last lives. I know I am not one of those

To do away with all Guru's is B.S. simply due to bitterness of having had a negative experience with one or two? Or reading about false ones in the paper? Generally, really good Guru's aren't going to be in the paper, because the paper generally makes more money off bad news than good news, sadly.

I was really afraid of and not into all this Guru-stuff as well. Until I met mine. Somehow everything changed - and I just wanted to be able to learn from him. Which took me one more year

I believe that Gurus come in the right moment. And in the right way. Sometimes it just takes more time. And they do not really have a chance to work with you, if you are not opening at least a bit. Like a math-teacher - if I do not respect him (and he does not respect me) than we do not have a big chance that I will love math.

I hope you do not mind if I mix in, even if you did not adress me...

This is pure bullshit. You're trying to tell people that they can't depend on themselves. People have the capacity to learn from their own mistakes. It doesn't mean they don't make mistakes, nor does it mean that evidence of the mistakes is evidence of how the inner teacher lies.

Sure we have the capacity to learn from our inner teacher. But: Until which point? If I want to learn a language or math, I will rely on a teacher as well. Sure I can learn by my own logic. But to be honest - to understand Einstein oder quantum theory just waiting for my inner teacher... Neither would I tell a child to learn by trial and error and trust the inner teacher.

The inner master is the goal in Guru Yoga. But before you are capable of being your own master you need to work through quite some stuff. And on this trip an outer master is more then helpful. I only can repeat: Guru Yoga opens the heart & the navel. It is such a great base for other practices. And in Vajrayana I think it is absolutely essential. I would not have been able to face certain experiences without my Guru, without trusting him.

Which does not mean that everybody needs a Guru. I just say: It is the most incredible and helpful experience I ever made. And I'd wish everybody could have one - because to me this gives every day a bigger chance to go on my path, to face my fears, my emotions, my bullshit and to not run away any longer.

Jack,

 

Laugh if you want, but it's true. I try to be open to other ideas, but in the same way I don't care to be told I'm wrong, you don't seem to care for that either. I don't care to have my experiences trivialized, you don't either. Since we began talking about a month ago I have a read more on Buddhism, Mahayana and Theravada than I have in the entire time I've studied Eastern Religions. I may be obstinate, but I try very hard to humble myself, to remind myself that I don't know everything. As Vaj commented earlier, I was saying the exact same thing you've been saying, except I wasn't saying it the same way. The more I learn about Buddhism, the more I understand that my beliefs aren't so far off from what Buddha taught.

 

I understand that my experiences have only touched the surface, that I have further to go, but my point is that when we share our experiences as ultimates, as the final truths, sometimes we cut people off from understanding. I think we could all use a dose of humility. I am finding humility on a daily basis. I had to sell my car in order to pay rent. I took out a loan that I can't pay back, just to try and make ends meet. I have no job and I am having to earn money each day just to eat. This state has made me appreciate those things I took for granted, but it's also reminded me of suffering in very real way. I would love to have an end to suffering, but I have yet to see any real proof that what Buddhism has to offer in the end will really free me from it, rather I think it will only allow me to understand it in a greater way. Regardless I am practicing Zen and trying to remember that it is only this moment that's important, that if I lose everything, my cats, my family, and my home, that it's not the end, that those things do not define who I am as a person.

 

My cup is not empty, but it's not full. I want to be open to new things. I think the worst thing a man can do is shut himself off to possibilities, because when he does that, he no longer has hope. I am finding an immense degree of peace knowing that it is more than just survival, that I am not the center of the universe, that I am not God, omniscient, that there is more to everything than I can ever dream of.

 

I don't hate Buddhism, or Buddha, but I do hate ignorance, or at least the inability to accept that things aren't perfect. Even if Buddha's teachings were perfect, that doesn't mean that those who practice them today are. That doesn't mean that there isn't more than just Buddha's teachings, that someone else doesn't have something else to teach us.

 

I love Vedanta, but I realize that it isn't the entirety of truth, that there is more. Buddha obviously did too. I loved Christianity, but I understand that it isn't the entirety of truth. My point is that I want to be open so I don't miss out on something that might come along and help me to understand who I am more clearly. I never want to get to the point where I say, "this is enough, I don't need anymore."

 

I should have been more open to your Buddhist ideas, but I am forty one years old and I'm just not willing to spend the next twenty years practicing Buddhism alone under the pretense that it may be right. I just don't have the time for that. I have an immense respect for the religion and I honestly think that if all people practiced the eightfold path, that the world would be a much better place.

 

These days I break that path down into one simple phrase, "treat all things as compassionately as possible." Will I always do this? No. I'm human and fallible, but if I commit to doing this, go into it with the idea that I will not try, but I will do, then I'm confident that I can make the world better for those around me, and that's what's really important, not easing my suffering but easing the suffering of others.

 

So I apologize to you and to Cowtao for not being patient and not explaining my misgivings as I should have. I would not discourage you from practicing Buddhism, it's a beautiful religion. I would only say don't close your heart to other things. Be open to possibilities so that if one does come along you don't miss it.

 

Aaron

Beautiful post, Aaron.

Thank you for being so open, vulnerable, clear and firm.

Open without belittling oneself. Firm without closing to others, without putting the personal little truth higher than the truth of others.

Thanks for this post and some others of the last hours. I really do appreciate and learn from how you deal with quite some intense behavior.

I understand about Rigpa and am not certain what you mean by a direction.

As I still do not have so much idea about Rigpa - I just ask myself if your practice is about that.

Hello Juju,

 

The idea is that you are as compassionate as possible in every action. You do not insult or belittle others to prove a point, but rather state your point. In all things show compassion, even when you are correcting your child. I used to believe in corporal punishment, but recently I've changed my opinion. I don't think there is any incident that justifies striking a child or screaming at a child, even if they run out in traffic. There are ways to discipline that teach without humiliating or harming the child.

 

Now in my non-Buddhist opinion, compassion is not always black and white, in fact compassion is intricately linked to cruelty. Because of this it is easy for us to interpret acts of cruelty as being acts of compassion.

 

I've said this before and I'll say it again, hold nothing sacred and nothing can be profane. Don't call yourself one thing or another and you will not be held to any standards. If you choose to call yourself a Buddhist, then don't be upset if someone points out that you are not following the tenants of your religion.

 

Aaron

Dear Aaron,

I do not recall Buddhism a religion. It rather is a philosophy, which offers a vast amount of techniques to reach at certain points. I do practice some of them. And I do trust and belief in the ideas behind that. Which makes me, in your idea, a Buddhist :-)

I can understand what you mean, but please try to step one step out of yourself - and read your posts like if they were addressed to you.

I at least find there somebody preaching, saying how others have to behave, knowing everything better. I do not know what you do believe in - but I imagine that you cannot hold all of the ideas in there. Are you never ever angry? Are you always loving your neighbour as yourself?

I get this feeling that you do not like Buddhists, for which reason ever. That you expect us to be always aware of everything. And that you think you know how we have to behave. Which is weird. I do not say everybody in this forum behaves well. LIke in all forums and in real world. But honestly said, I think you are somewhere over the top as well.

I do not think I insulted anybody. If I did - I am sorry. I just have my way to talk - and it might come across sometimes not just caring and loving. Exactly like yours is quite heavy as well.

Just think how easy it is to feel insulted, when actually nobody ever did it.

Me for example - I could feel a little insulted by your first post. You do not even say what I did "wrong", you just say we all do not follow the right path. I actually do not think you really wanted to insult me - but with you're preaching and knowing all better-attitude you did put your finger on some point.

Ok - what now?

Never ever speak again with anybody until we are all enlightened? Or accept that we all are people who struggle, who fight (mainly without reason), who do stupid things out of fear, out of ego - and who learn everyday something more.

Direction Rigpa?

see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigpa

It is exactly like that. I soften the gaze and withdraw my focus slightly behind my eyes. The jaw is relaxed and the tongue is suspended in the space of the mouth. The visual focus is at a point neither external or internal. Actually both at once is correct. I would say it is like the vastness of space inside and outside i.e, no separation, the universe passes through me, a feeling as if the physical body will dissolve, are vain attempts to describe a non verbal experience. Very difficult to quantify.

 

That practice can be used with physical objects as well.

sounds quite interesting. Little like direction Rigpa. Or am I wrong?

You're not the only one that's doing this, but I often scan a topic in reverse and caught this one first. I have noticed Juju and others as well. I would suggest that before anyone continues their claims of being a Buddhist they actually review the eightfold path. If you can't follow the very basic teachings, then do not presume to teach what comes after.

Hello Twinner,

so many beautiful concepts around :-)

I hope mine are at least as beautiful as all the others.

And I love yours: "Buddhist have to behave like this or that." Do not forget to use exactly the words which are written down in the catalogue of right speech. Be full of compassion (read: always nice to everybody, maybe a little submissive). And do not forget to smile! Or something like this.

Funny. Compassion is not only to be nice, lovely, kind, smiling.... It sometimes can look like the opposite. Or shall I smile at my kid when it runs onto the street? Shall I accept whatever anybody does to me? Shall I not stop somebody when I do know he is going to kill 10 people? No chance to say no?

Interesting concept - which in my very very humble opinion does not lead to happiness. Neither yours not mine.

I hope those words were not too harsh.

Have a nice day

Judith

I first studied Tibetan Buddhism when Trungpa's first book came out in the early 80's. Spent years with various teachers here in Santa Fe NM at the Buddhist stupa. However, all the exotic cultural trappings and a segregated environment from any of the teachers, was absurd! However there was an exception. Lama Rinchen Phuntsok was honest in regards to all the spiritual trips; he said "it is all a game". That was a liberating experience from religious trappings for me. Namkhai Norbu basically said the same thing as well as Keith Dowman.

 

These are my experiences and may not be applicable to others.

 

For me, life, spending time in nature and the cosmos are the great teachers.

 

Now I start to understand all your questions :-)))

Yes, this is quite interesting how easy it can be to fall in trappings - to change one concept for another, only in tibetan clothes. I guess this is not my problems: I have concepts, of course, and many. But for which reason ever I am not the kind of person to want to have more of them or fall in a sect. Too many experiences in my youth, which make me run whenever one claims to know THE TRUTH. whenever I feel less space than before...

Or maybe I am in a sect without knowing? Or everything is a sect... Or call it, as you do: a game.

Nature is a great teacher. I wish I would spend more time in the middle of nowhere. With all this space around, this loneliness.

And: This is a really beautiful foto and spot!

You are over reacting to my question. I am not attacking and am only asking for clear explanations especially when generalized statements are made. As in this case you claim your teacher is more realized than you are. Very subjective statement on your part.

 

Are you in a certain state of bliss when you are around this teacher?

 

Does the state diminish over time when you are no longer in the teachers presence?

 

Is your teacher more like a parent to you?

Of course it is subjective that I claim him to be more realized than me. So many things are subjective. Basically I do not know one thing which is not subjective, which can not be turned around by somebody quite convincing. Even science changes their objective ideas every now and then.

Or can you tell me a method how to surely prove this? Except seeing him levitating and showing you a foto

Are you sure I am not a realized being just tempting you? Can I be sure you are not completely aware and clear and realized and putting me on the spot?

Whenever I am together with people I love, I feel more bliss. Whenever I am sad, I am far less in bliss.

Whenever I am around people with good energy, it is easier for me to be happy.

Whenever I do make my practice well, I feel more bliss. The longer I practice (I do not only mean 1 hour or two - but as well in the total amount of years), the more I am generally in bliss.

Every state changes when I am with someone or with somebody else. Sometimes simply because the weather is changing. And sometimes because one of those bloody freaking thoughts comes up.

My teacher is like him. Not my brother, not my uncle and not my boyfriend

Did those answers help you?

Why do you want to know all this? Did you have bad experiences and want to warn me?

Do you have a teacher yourself?

What are you studying?

Does your practice make you more happy?

Are you afraid a teacher could change your life?

By what criteria are you able to reach that conclusion with? Who are you studying with?

You like the clear and conceptual catalogue-way, don't you?

A teacher has to

1) always wear yellow trousers

2) speak fluently five languages

3) show signs of realization as reading my thoughts, levitating etc.

.....

Or is it only that you adore attacking? Trying to figure out the weak spot? You give me the feeling of somebody ready to jump onto the next person who exposes himself. It is an interesting feeling and reaction you provoke in me.

Anyway: I study in Tibetan Buddhism, as you might have imagined.

And my criteria are not as clear. I just knew. It was obvious. And I did not know if I wanted it

But yes, if you look well there are quite some criteria, which I actually do not remember well enough to write them down here. And I am not in the mood to search for them now, and even less in English.

Many of them felt for me like common sense, I remember.

Maybe somebody can help out here....

There are no guarantees that one will achieve anything by devotion to another, especially in this context. What is a good guru as opposed to a bad one? Please define.

There are never guarantees for anything :-)

Who is a a good guru and who not, depends for a big part on you. Whoever might be able to teach you, is good. For you, at least.

I basically just wanted to avoid things like: "But there are so many bad people out there, who just want the student's money...."

Well, now I got the opposite

Why place a hierarchal value on "Buddha's"? Which does nothing more than create sects and therefor so called higher and lower teachings. Why not "beings who are realizing"?

If you prefer this words, go for it. There is no higher and lower. Sure not, if you realized everything. But until then I happily accept the the help of somebody who did realize far more then me.

http://www.bluestarprophecy.com/hopi-call-for-prayer-to-restore-balance-in-japan-and-mother-earth-2/

this is a letter from the Hopi - whose elders have foretold this time of great change.

I personally do feel that it is an event which changes many things; which might change the world. Maybe not as easily visible as it seemed in the first moment. But yes, it is an important moment.