Songtsan

It is a matter of degree. Sometimes I am unified, sometimes not. When you are enlightened, you are enlightened, when you are not, your not. There was a time when Buddha was taking a nap during the day, because he wasn't feeling well. One of his fellow monks complained. His response was real excusatory. I don't remember exactly what it was, but maybe one of the boards Buddhaphiles might...I would personally not have even been moved by another's judgment, now that's being unified! A wrathful deity just is, and don't make excuses. That's what non-separation is, when others' judgments no longer pull at your heart strings. Being true to ones own nature. Even being pulled in two directions is being true to ones own natures. Being two, or three, or more, is equally valid. I am what I say I am, if not, why would I say I am? I am what you say I am, if not, why would you say I am? There are always, and will forever be, multiple versions of each of us in the minds if humans and animals and plants and things. This one cannot be known.

No, I would show you me, but I have to find exactly the right image....that one is close though...

I will soon be living on 40 acres of land in Macedon, NY, as long as my PO approves, and it has wetlands, beehives, maples, black walnuts, so the potential for me to create my own such place is ripe. I invited Vanir there to come live out there too, maybe he will find his way out there at some point....I definitely need to nurture and fix some small part of the Earth before I leave....my reparation for all the damage I have caused her...I will be hitting you guys up in the future for tips and advice on things....

Oh yeah, even the deluded are Buddhas. 'Deluded Buddha' - I like the sound of that! Maybe I'll brew a new type of beer and name it such.

Wrathful deities are just as divine. I liken myself to a wrathful deity in my inner nature. You can be fully conscious- superconscious- and also a wrathful deity, wrapped in bliss and righteous wrath, a full Mahasiddha, shaking people out of their illusions like one shaking a tree full of mad monkeys! Come back to the Earth, you deluded ones! Its all a Divine Play, and we are all Buddhas in a Buddhaverse....

I've been homeless on the streets, and in homeless shelters for a few months, and of course in prison for two years. In prison, you were allowed to own 2 pairs of pants, 3 t-shirts, 3 underwear, 3 pairs of socks, a jacket and sweatshirt. Everyone was equal in that, it was fine. The food was the worse food you could eat...homeless shelter food was much better. For years of my life, I have walked around with less than 10 dollars in my wallet at any time. I've also owned two businesses, a juice bar and a massage/personal training business, made over $30,000 a year. I honestly don't think I felt all that much safe/secure in either extreme! You won't ever starve here in America, unless your parents aren't taking care of you, you know gross negligence....what I most want out of things, if I'm to be attached, is the best nutritional health money can buy....I don't care if I'm dirty, tired, and smelly. I want the best food, preferentially. Still I will settle for less....

I like insanity to a great extent, even if it be somewhat painful, as long as it is constructive and tastefully done...

I didn't mean to imply I was going to start walking around naked eating out of garbage cans, just that I'd be letting go of ownership ideas and going into full on selflessness... The art of letting go, while wearing ordinary clothes so to speak....definitely, paring down as you mention has been a lifelong pursuit of mine. I always feel 'safest' having as little as possible, paradoxically. However, it is the mindset itself, of being done with selfish attitudes, which is so freeing.

Yep, been there, done that.

I don't know if its a true phenomenon... Just heard stories of people burned to cinders, while the chair they were sitting on is unmarred.

I'm not ready to divest myself of all things, merely give up ownership. Doesn't mean I can't hold on to them. There just won't be sense of ownership or entitlement. The empty hand grasping the hoe handle.

Even Buddhas can be fools. Like the time he was lecturing on the 'grossness' of the body to some monks, only to come back at a later date to find that many of the monks he had lectured to regarding that meditation had killed themselves. So who was the swine in that case? And were those pearls then that he had cast? There truly are no perfected beings. Never have been.

@BD - buy my Djembe from me! and my dumbek! @Woodcarver - I don't pay for internet... I use my landlords WiFi.....

When I don't care about the body, etc is when the spirit friends take over....so I wouldn't know how to disown them...its Kriya yoga basically...

That's a good article, but one-sided in that some people, like me, practice martial arts in their head. I ripped a term from Mind-form boxing, or is it form-mind boxing, coupled with the Stages of Change model, and it has born fruit...some people are just in contemplation and planning phases, and this is nothing to sneer at. You can go around judging how you are better than 'those below you' who aren't in some actualization phase, but this reality really is happening in your head regardless if you are practicing in your body or your mind anyways. I may seem to be drive less because I am not out there training every day, but I've been there before and will be there again...I could still beat up half the guys I see without even practicing because I have the will and intent, coupled with fearlessness, to 'go to the burger' - doesn't make me special or not-special. Its the intent behind the form that makes one who they are. Function can trump form any day....in this vain I would say I am a higher level being posting on the internet, as there is always someone 'below you' in this world of duality, in any arena, and always someone above you. I am satisfied with the higher level posters that are above me here, and learning lots....I always just speak what's on my mind, regardless of how silly it is, and if people answer me, knowing that it is silly, well that's silly too. Whether you are pitching or catching, its all the same game. You could just be like Deci Belle and not even acknowledge such a low-brow post, if that's what higher level beings do. But like I said, whether you are pitching or catching....

What is your interpretation of this phrase?

Thanks! I have a huge binder of notes, and somewhere in them was a quote mentioning the phrase and it always stuck in my head...

How can something just always have been here? Where did it come from? Even if it be a sea of unformed energy, or space, where the hell, or how the hell did it happen?

Tell me about them.

Whether I be in mind, in video game, in TDB, in my body, in my memories, in the Earth, I am still always within Mind, and always here right now...its impossible to escape the present.its all that really exists!

Silly in one persons mind may be serious in another. Who are we to judge what happens in a world of action/reaction events? Do you think that there was a person behind the poster? What if there was no one there at all? Then you would have to ask yourself, 'Who is talking if no one is there?' Anatta or atta, Bearded Dragon? Anyways, you speak of avoiding thoughts of higher or lower, while at the same time criticizing the post as silly. Speak without contradictions and hypocrisy, and you will be 'higher level,' I say!

I'll see if I can find where I got the phrase from....

Wow. Fascinating, in a sad way...well, I wanted to add that I have a pet corn snake, my girlfriends actually, named Shakti....I'll take a picture sometime...

Holy shit! When you put that quote into action it brings you right into the reflexive center....what's it called? Nei wan?

I love that quote by Fong Ha in your Sig Gendao...that just rang a bell in my head