XieJia

I am not in place to speak for the monks; I can however give you a general impression for the practitioners. In Buddhism, two goes side by side. It can't really be separate. Those that practice only Samatha, can see and achieve wondrous things with their mental faculties. However the level of Samadhi to do this is difficult to maintain; since Samatha is about concentration. If the concentration is not directed to a fruitful means then instead of lessening our fetters, we increased it; it is easy to stray of the path by practicing only this. Talking about Vipassana, there are some teachers that emphasize on this for the general public since it deals directly with self-reflection. It helps one to understand oneself and see things as they really are. This helps put people on the Noble Path. What the teachers teaches depends on the path that he/she took, whether from Samatha then to Vipassana or Vipassana and then Samatha. Some teaches Vipassana first; due to if the person have gain clear experience of the Eightfold path. They then encourage the student to cultivate Samatha so that they can help more people, this goes directly to same content as Effilang's posts. One of the concerns for the masters are that, if they start using their samadhi for something such as healing or other things. The public flocked to them in hundreds or thousands asking to for miracles, asking them to bless amulets, to fix that, to fix this and not for the teachings at all. So some choose to remains in the forest, caves, monastery; or just to guise themselves as Vipassana teachers to be able to cultivate and teach Buddhism and not something else. There are two sides to everything, now and then the news will mention some practitioners that performs that or perform this and gets attention of the public.

There are some knowledge/habits that one can only develop over one lifetime and is lost. There are some knowledge/habits that one can develop and carry on over many lifetimes. In Thailand, we have some monks that practiced mainly Vipassana which would classify the Venerable ones you mentioned. It's not an easy chance of meeting ones, it is quite a blessing. Perhaps maybe they are trying to teach you something or two. The Skandas have their own tendency, there are different causes and different conditions that people cultivated; for each the Dao will provides and take accordingly. We also have monks who also practices Samatha meditations, now and then again they sometimes heals people but normally they teaches people to heal themselves. In the end, it depends on what one have cultivated. The thing is if you are enlightened, and see the true nature of life, aging and death; seeing the allotted fruitful or unfruitful causes and conditions people have cultivated. How would you help them?

Hi Leir, Rainbow just pointed out something I think is worth to tell anyone who just got started exploring meditation. If you made the "feel good" factor the grounds for your practices, you will find what you want to find but you will inevitably feel bad as some point when you can't find the same or greater feeling goodness. Don't get discouraged though. You know, the funny thing is that all of us are in one kind of meditative states or another. Do something what your mind can simply do for a long time. Fruitfulness be on your way.

Chocolate In my martial arts class, we do something similar once every week but not everyday. It is not a matter of being weak or strong, that is just a word. This things suppose to teach you how to relax and breath properly. Just ask your teacher politely, I am sure that he/she will glady explain it to you and help you Overcome things. Or just try asking any of your senior student that you felt comfortable with about this concerns. One of the useful thing I found is to have a partner punching you softly and firmly in the area to help you to find the proper relaxation and letting the body learn the proper timing to breath. You can ofcourse do this outside of class. Goodluck and Peace be on your way, It will be nice for you to update us. Take care now.

Make the practice your grounds for knowledge and wisdom, Simply don't just believe or disregard but verify with your very own mind. For the practitioners, It is like they are always learning something anew with their own minds. Until they know for certain of the dharma, and that kind of knowledge need not be based on faith but as the outcomes of their practices. The old sages, prophets and the Buddha(s) walked through this path. Not many people chooses to follow them.

Monks are still human, each have their own beliefs. The Goods ones doesn't seems to have one, or doesn't seems to cling to one. However there are some that worships in addition to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Two additional respects are paid to the parents who give us the body and means. and the teachers who give us knowledge and wisdom. <- The deities are given respect and thought of here.

you should visit the eastern countries when you have time. we have all the flavors; Theistic Buddhists, Atheist Buddhists, Agnostic Buddhists. we also have a Vegan Buddhists, Meat-eating Buddhists, Hindus-Buddhists, Skeptical Buddhist. Buddhism as the Buddha taught is not a belief, it is a way. It doesn't requires that one having to form a belief on anything. Initially one might want to believe in the Buddha's word and that the teachings will lead to liberation. In the end, one will have to experience and confirms the truth for one-selves. Both have their merits, starting from Atheistic background; the individual tends to be more skeptic and hence can help in their practice. Starting from Theistic background, the individual tends to have more faith and that too have merit. They persevere more under stress. No Buddhism isn't a Theistic or Atheistic religion; the modus operandi doesn't requires either. The only thing is that one experiments one-selves and don't believe something because someone or something told you to.

The base of mindfulness have been established in the Stream Enterer; They no longer see selves, an individuals, an objects in anything. They see causes as causes, conditions as conditions and how things arises and ceases. Therefore their minds is firmly established in the Noble Path (Eight into one), there is no longer doubts in their sila, samadhi and wisdom. They know that this will eventually leads to their liberation. Neither there are thoughts "I am this and this therefore I am this." nor "I am not that or that therefore I am not that." Peace to all.

to emphasize in methods, it is called thus and thus. to empahsize on the goals, it is called thus and thus. like the flavours to the different mouths. The Buddha, teaches to some, points out to some. The Tathagatha didn't points in two directions.

The feather does not need to be move, it is already moving. Much same with the wind, the birds and yourself.

Drop by to drop this:

when death comes, it comes; no need wanting it or not wanting it. just do and pay attention to what is infront at the moment. the relevancy or irrelevancy is what is now, it differs on circumstances.

just too many times that the different in beliefs have been used to promote the agendas of few. Religions is not to be blame but the people using it are.

All three are ever present to any sentinient beings at the moment. For each current states, there are forms and its corresponding names. Forms consists of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, tactiles and mental form. Names is what intrepret these form, which includes vedana, memories, mental formation and consciousness. Many traditions would encourage those who begins on the path to contemplate form first, through penetration and understanding the nature of forms, it is much easier to contemplate the formless. the experience is the form and the formless is experiencing. from scriptures, one only needs to develop a degree of samadhi to be born in the formless brahma realm. The Tagatha encourages us to penetrates the nature of desire, form and formless. Peace and Wisdom on your quest, xj

impermanence is the nature continuity is the perception of this nature perceiving is impermanent moutains, rivers and birds are but mental ruler we temproary use to communicate and percieve.

Taking about cats; let me troll abit the cats here at my home can open sliding doors; seems like he feels he is entitled to the sofa and just walked in like it own the place. it spends the noon sleeping on cushions in front of sculptures of Buddhas, and loves napping on the stairs railings. The only downside is that I am allergic to cats.

☷ 坤

Does anyone ever have a feeling of going somewhere anew and feeling "I have come home"? Just to realize that you never really have left?

It is always a delight to read your post David. I have a Buddhist-tinted view, so I read it this way. The 中 (center) means much but yet nothing without a reference ;P.

The Heaven and Earth is not partial, treats ten thousands things as straw dogs. The Sage is not partial, treats the all people as straw dogs. In between Heaven and Earth, what cannot be hold within it? All hollow without any fault, emerges and manifests. All can be say fated to be exhaust, but not so the guarded center. No matter the interpretation, what I think is important about the DDJ is that it should promotes self-inquiry and cultivations. If it didn't makes any different to the world but did improved the person who read it, then I think it is worthwhile. It's the world's treasure. To those who penetrate them, their minds are as vast as Heaven and Earth. Nor partial to ten-thousands things whether theirs or others. Happy Holiday!

lol, we'll see Sree. One ways in which we could change the world; is to change ourselves. To try to change everything without changing oneself is like lifting ones' hand against the skies. Same goes with trying to change something's nature without seeing one's own. It will only bring that one, more suffering. The Dao is already impartial and will always remains that way. Goodluck

Yet, one could; Save the calf, feed the child to the lion. Save the child, feed the calf to the lion. Kill the lion and save the child and the calf. Sacrifice oneself to the lion and save the child and the calf. Like Mr. MH said is there a "right" thing to do? The fact is that eventually; The calf dies, the child dies and the lion dies What dies first or later and what does what is the workings of the Dao.

why is the ways of the world such, one asked? what would one choose? life or death? pleasure or pain? gain or loss? good or bad? happy or sad? One arises, many arises with it. Therefore the ancient sages say; When one is realized, so does the many with it. The world consists of an that of itself, and all in it. As much as you can't claim any parts in your body is more "you" than any others. How can one say that this that or this is out of the world? It is so cause we see it as so... The world has it cycles and so do we; It comes and goes, how can we not be grateful for what is allotted to us? Now please do share with us; if this life is so brutal, what kind of life should be it? What would be ideal (setup) is better than this? If your instinct points out otherwise, then what does your instincts see?

How do one know that the opposite of liberation (suffering) is not make-belief or self-hallucination? If one can prove that indeed Suffering is real then that should answer one's question.

In Buddhist view, the body and universe are the interactions of the four elements. 1) Earth -> All of solids matters 2) Water -> All the fluids 3) Fire -> Warmth, hot and cold 4) Air -> Breath I remembered that the Mahasatipatthana Sutta mentioned them as one of the contemplations; To my understanding, this is the fasting and purifications of the bodily senses. Such is when one don't weigh one feelings over the other. (This is soft, this is hard, this is hot, this is cold), acknowledges them and continue; when the bodily desire and discrimination calms, the body calms. When the body is calm, one goes on to calm the mind. and hence the sights, sounds, smells and taste (these can be internals)