林愛偉

I'm very sure Patriarch Lu Dong Bin didn't have to pay a dime to learn what his teacher taught him. Asking for money is the norm in modern society. Capitalism is all over the world. The actual OFFERING of finances, or treasured possessions, in Daoist and Buddhist schools was to show your genuine intentions. If you had a lot of money and were willing to give it up to help people, a family member, friend, etc...that is considered good merit. Some people haven't much money, and so give what they can, even though they are poor. That merit is even greater. So, the giving of possessions, money, wasn't a charge, but an offering with the funciton of getting the intended result realized. People, of course, will be people and create a superstition around it in order to impose fear in people's minds, and or create a market. Thus the outcome of give much, get great quality, give little, not much received. Its quite a shameful act. The function of offerings is simply to confirm one's word to the intended outcome. Shows sincerity, humility and compassion. This is good merit, and an offering made with this mind is far from superstitious; so the method of making offerings was simply to show sincerity, not arrogance. And cultivators and monks of all faiths created a marketing scam for it. Not all, but many. It was thus that in the old days a highly cultivated master, a good and wise knowing adviser, would simply offer their abilities, and knowledge to those who were capable of cultivating it with sincerity. An offering by the student was made if he had money, out of respect, but it was more of a motion of acknowledgment, not a required mannerism. Peace, Lin

I began gong fu training as a child. It was for concentration development, mindfulness, health and spiritual awareness. At age 19 it became more apparent that it was certainly for concentration power, and the fighting was an inevitable outcome. Began with Buddhist and Daoist cultivation to Qigong to Shengong, to full on Wing Chun Gong Fu to Taiji Quan and to Bagua Zhang. Some weapons training involved; Wudang Jian, Liu Dian Ban Gun Fa (Wing Chun), and Short sticks. Peace and Blessings, Lin

When conditions have enough momentum, the energy of the function begins to kick in. Fun Stuff. Peace, Lin

It is said in the Buddhist School, that having a long tongue signifies many lifetimes of not lying. Peace, Lin

All of the advice here is wonderful! A golden guideline to expounding wholesome education. What a blessing!!! Peace and Blessings, Lin

Hey There Present things for the method only. When speaking the Dharma one should be able to see the conditions of the beings they are teaching. Thus, expounding the Dharma would be without marks. Peace and Blessings, Lin

No cultivation in this life, but of course in the past there was..lol Things of this sort just don't "happen" just for the sake of it. It is all influenced. haha Peace and Blessings, Lin

Well, my Taiji Quan Sifu actually has long arms, and his finger tips come right to the top of his knee. He does cultivate, but specifically Qigong/Neigong. He was born with that physique though. Peace, Lin

The 32 Marks of a Buddha: 1 Well-supported feet. Firm undertaking 2 Wheels arise beneath the sole of the feet. Great retinues 3 The heels are projecting. Long life 4 The fingers and toes are long. Long life 5 The hands and feet are soft and tender. Well-united with people 6 The hands and feet are net-like. Well-united with people 7 The ankles are raised like conch shells. Becomes the best 8 The lower part of the leg is like an antelope's. Gets the best things quickly 9 He can touch and rub around his knees with both palms, while tanding, and without bending. Great wealth 10 The part which should be concealed by garments, is covered by a bag. Many sons 11 The skin shines like gold. Get finest furnishings and garments 12 Subtle skin: dirt and sweat do not stick to his body. Great wisdom 13 Single hairs arise, one to each pore. Well-respected 14 The hair pointing upwards; dark, black in colour, turning in rings to the right. Becomes the best 15 The frame is straight like Brahma. Long life 16 There are seven outflows on his hands, on his feet, at the tips of the shoulders, and at the top of the back. Obtains excellent foods 17 The upper part of the body is lion-like. No loss 18 The hollow between his shoulders is filled. No loss 19 The body is proportionate: the body is as long as the span of the arms. Great wealth 20 The shoulders are evenly rounded . No loss 21 He releases the highest of tastes. Very healthy 22 The jaw is lion-like. He cannot be overthrown. 23 There are forty teeth. The assemblies cannot be divided. 24 The teeth are even. Pure retinues 25 The teeth are undivided. The assemblies cannot be divided. 26 The visible teeth are very white. Pure retinues 27 A mighty tongue. His words are heeded. 28 The voice of Brahma and also resembles the song of a karavika bird. His words are heeded. 29 The eyes are very blue. Attractive look 30 The Eyelashes are like those of a cow. Attractive look 31 The filament between the eyebrows is white like soft cotton. Well-respected 32 The head is turban-crowned. Many followers These can be manifest from cultivation yes. Ears can change, head, face, body, everything can change to fit a higher level of consciousness, wisdom. Peace and Blessings, Lin

Actually cultivation of the Buddha Dharma will result in a change of physique. Ears get thicker, longer, head becomes different...very apparent, also the face changes shape as well. It is like this with Daoism too. Just that one has to cultivate that which results in Pure wisdom, and compassion. Some other cultivations lead one to begin resembling the being who teaches such methods, or even the reality in which the teachings come from. Peace, Lin

Depends on what is considered magick I don't mean the throwing of energy balls from the hands, or the burning of clothes, and such. Simply using the word magick as a metaphor for skill- in - means. Peace, Lin

What kind of Magick of the Fine Arts of Daoist Cultivation are you looking for? It would require loads of practice every day, diet change, mind change, behavior, etc. Name your goal... Peace, Lin

Everyone's wisdom on this is great. In meditation the whole body becomes less active, as does the mind. As a result, less maintanence needed, therefore breathing wouldn't be needed. If modern science's "idea" that breathing less results in more carbon in the body, then these great masters in Yoga, Buddha and Daoist schools must be totally crazy, and wrong. I'll stick to those great masters and leave modern science in the closet...lol Peace, Lin

I just cultivate Buddhism. If it is called Chan, so be it, Secret school, Pure Land, etc, it is still Buddhism. I don't advocate the making of different schools in Buddhism, yet I don't disown those methods either. It is of the same education, why bother separating them? Chan cultivation of Mind to Mind transmission came directly from Shakyamuni Buddha. There is no Mahayana Chan. There is only Chan, or Dhyana. It is unfortunate that in history people have caused separations in the expedients. Labels take away from it, and hold expectations upon it. This is what causes the "authoritative" views on which is proper; Mahayana, or Hinayana. Mahayana cultivation is part of Buddhism, so is Hinayana. To deny either one as the Buddha Dharma would not be the cultivation of Proper Dharma. I don't know why people break things up into schools, but it is all Buddhism at the origin. I understand what you are saying, because this debate is in the Buddhist School. It shouldn't be a debate. What I can tell you is that Faith in Buddhism, without investigating the Buddha Dharma is against the Proper teachings of the Buddha. This talk of Mahayana not being an "authority" is simply to divert the cultivators from the Buddha Dharma. The only "authority" on the Dharma, is the Dharma itself. I wouldn't use my time wondering between schools of thought and their issues. I would simply investigate the Dharma. Both Mahayana and Hinayana are of Buddhism. They should both be investigate equally, and if not, then investigated according to one's mind. But debates about its "authority" only cause more false thinking. More so, Mahayana teachings have been tools for great masters both in India, China, Korea, Japan and America. There must be something "right" with the Sutras. The masters who cultivated Mahayana expedients were many, and proved beyond a reasonable doubt that these Sutras are Proper Buddha Dharma. I wouldn't get into a debate about it, yet I must say that I do not hold to faith without investigating. To do otherwise, is to be blinded by false thinking (blind-faith), and blind-faith is not the Buddha Dharma. On my "criticism" of Tibetan methods it is through experience of being in their presence. It doesn't suit me to take refuge in a teacher as well as the Triple Jewel. not to say that Tibetan Buddhism and its cultivations of the Vajra family, directly in and of the Vajra family, are wrong. The Vajra family would be the Medicine Buddha and the two Bodhisattvas at his side; Sunlight and Moonlight Bodhisattva. Their cultivation is something in and of itself...really wonderful, but things get added in certain cultures. The Dharma has a function. Realize the function and cultivate. With Patience, Compassion and Wisdom as the foundation, what is not the Proper Dharma? Thanks for your wishes brother. Peace and Blessings, Lin

"Not enlightened, you are human. Enlightened you still are human." An indirect quote from Ven. Master Xuan Hua. Peace, Lin

When I saw him on a t.v. special, it just seemed... abit...errrr I'll stick to Daoists when researching, not KGB

Really... he was in camouflage? hahaha Yeah, I would stick to other things also

http://www.tao.org/ I heard good things about this place, but have never been there, so can not say more.

Zhong Xu, I hope to see you out here in China before I head back to NY. Peace and Blessings, Lin (Daoist name- Shenlong)

I understand what you're saying about ceremony and the arts of Daoism... I know that in Hawaii, there is Heavenly Master Chang Yi Xiang (Lilly Siu) of the Zheng Yi Pai of Long Hu Shan, who performs religious ceremonies, and teaches the 6 Daoist Arts at the Tai Xuan Foundation. http://www.acupuncture-hi.com/history.shtml On U.S. Mainland, I know in Boston, Massachusetts, there is a Daoist organization, I just can't remember the name. Was going up there this time around in the U.S. , but no time. I would research upstate NY. I heard there were working temples up there, they are just not very LOUD in the temple - advertising world.... I hope, truly, that what I was told is true. So its all theory about the temples upstate..haha I haven't been there, so I can't say anything as much as..." Thus I was told" haha I was really surprised I was told that info any way, because I haven't heard of any other working Daoist temple/organization on the U.S. mainland. Peace and Blessings, Lin Daozhen Daoyou, Thank you

Hi Rex, I just cultivate Buddhism. Though there are many different schools of Buddhism, it is all of the same source. I don't view them in schools, but methods. The Sutras I read have been spoken by the Buddha, like all Sutras. They all hold the Porper Dharma, it is only the interpretations of them in commentaries which may not be 100%, and or the manner in which one lives ith the teachings; culture, habits. They were recorded by the Buddha's disciples after his extinction, but were spoken by the Buddha. They were written all beginning with "Thus I have heard" so as to point the focus to the Buddha and not the disciple. Meaning, when the Buddha's cousin, Ananda, began speaking the Sutras the Buddha spoke, he began with "Thus I have heard" to signify that it was the Buddha who spoke it and Ananda being the hearer of what was spoken. I study and cultivate from: The Shurangama Sutra/Mantra, The 6th Patriarch's Diamond Platform Sutra (Spoken by Hui Neng), The Diamond Sutra, The Dharani of the Great Compassion Sutra, Heart of Prajna Paramita Sutra, Buddha Speaks the Amitabha Sutra. These were, with the exception of Dharani of Great Compassion Sutra, Heart Sutra and Diamond Platform Sutra, All spoken by the Buddha, but recorded by his disciples. As was all of the Sutras. I would recommend the Shurangama Sutra, The Diamond Sutra and 6th Patriarch's Diamond Platform Sutra. One can begin with either one of them. Peace and Blessings, Lin

Dao Zhen Daoyou, You are right in all you say and especially that in finding a real master, one must clear the heart and cultivate true sincerity. Its hard finding a teacher of Guqin though. I have been searching for a year now, and no luck. Peace and Blessings, Lin P.S.- for those who don't know, "Dao You" (the You pronounced like Yo), means 'fellow cultivator of the Way', or 'friend in cultivation of the Way', etc... You get the point.. somewhere along those lines.

English is my first language. I just don't use it like most people do. Peace and Blessings Brother. Lin

There are dual cultivation practices in some schools in Tibetan Buddhism. Because they deal with desires and sensations, it isn't easy to control the mind, for some. The thing with Tibetan Buddhism is that they claim faster enlightenment through their methods, and claim all other methods to be a waste of time. So this leads to egotistical views from a large amount of Tibetan Buddhists of the Secret school, and they usually end up looking power hungry, and disregarding other people. It ends up looking like a cult in the long run. I have met a handful here, and they aren't right in the head you know. Not all of them, but a large amount. Just remember, the Buddha never taught sexual cultivation as a means to gain enlightenment, and I have never heard of sexual practices in any of the Sutras. If someone has one with them, please send me the link, or text, for I would want to see it to believe it. The Dakini would be in the sense of Tibetan Cultural practices, not Buddhism. Remember, when Buddhism moves to another culture, because there is no marks to Buddhism, people end up taking the methods and mixing them into their own culture so as to be able to accept the teachings. What usually happens is that the methods get mixed with cultural practices and what was once proper changes to improper. This is why research into a particular culture of Buddhist education is so very important. If the whole package doesn't reflect the meanings of the Sutras, then its not 100% proper Dharma. Peace, Lin