Clearing up Buddhism by the thuscomeone

[Marblehead]

I do agree. The ambiguity is unappealing and I find that those that enjoy it are also not clear about what the path is and what liberation actually is. It's like hiding behind a mystery due to fear of clarity, because it takes open honesty to work through to utter clarity.

 

 

You were speaking of Buddhism here, right? Or were you speaking of Christianity?

 

I know for certain you were not speaking of Taoism because you apparently have very little understanding of Taoism, so how could one without an understanding be bold enough to place a value judgement on something they do not understand?

 

You believe it is hidden because you fail to open your eyes in order to see the reality. Yes, so please be openly honest and admit that you have no substantial understanding of Taoism and you remain fixed in your delusion that Buddhism is the only answer where in reality Buddhism answers none of the questions by way of saying, "life is suffering so just get used to it." Or you could pretend that all this suffering (that really does not exist) doesn't exist by becoming liberated (even though you were never a prisoner) from the prison of reality.

 

Now if that ain't confusing I would like to know what it is.

 

On the other hand, you could become a Taoist and realize that you were never imprisoned and need no liberation and there need not be any suffering if you understand what causes suffering and simply avoid those things.

 

Peace & Love!

[Marblehead]

Jesus did what?

Buddha died at 80 years old, wasn't killed. I don't know where you had that strange idea that Buddha was killed.

 

Yes, Jesus pissed a lot of people off. The ruling Jews and Romans in particular. They only wanted him to shut up - he wouldn't shut up so they killed him.

 

From Wikipedia:

The time of his birth and death are uncertain: most early 20th-century historians dated his lifetime as c. 563 BCE to 483 BCE; more recently, however, at a specialist symposium on this question,[2] the majority of those scholars who presented definite opinions gave dates within 20 years either side of 400 BCE for the Buddha's death, with others supporting earlier or later dates.[3]

 

 

Buddha was poisoned. There are hundreds of articles and books regarding this understanding. Many can be found on the internet.

 

Peace & Love!

Edited October 28, 2009 by Marblehead

[C T]

Yes, Jesus pissed a lot of people off. The ruling Jews and Romans in particular. They only wanted him to shut up - he wouldn't shut up so they killed him.

 

From Wikipedia:

The time of his birth and death are uncertain: most early 20th-century historians dated his lifetime as c. 563 BCE to 483 BCE; more recently, however, at a specialist symposium on this question,[2] the majority of those scholars who presented definite opinions gave dates within 20 years either side of 400 BCE for the Buddha's death, with others supporting earlier or later dates.[3]

Buddha was poisoned. There are hundreds of articles and books regarding this understanding. Many can be found on the internet.

 

Peace & Love!

Hello there M how are you today dear friend?

 

There seem to be a slight misunderstanding here, so please forgive me for highlighting it.

 

Yes the Buddha was poisoned, but the general view among Buddhists, which may or may not be right, is that he was not intentionally poisoned. So to say he was killed, i think, may not be totally accurate. Some say he ingested poisonous mushrooms which was the primary cause, while others say that that was a secondary cause, meaning that the same mushrooms would not have killed a younger person with a healthier digestive system.

 

Assuming he was killed, from what you believe, does it in any degree negate the validity of his teachings? I would think not. Perhaps you may have a different angle. Please share if you do.

 

I have been following all your recent postings, and have been appreciating their sensible and insightful contents. Just thought i'd let you know.

 

Bee good!

[Marblehead]

Hello there M how are you today dear friend?

 

There seem to be a slight misunderstanding here, so please forgive me for highlighting it.

 

Yes the Buddha was poisoned, but the general view among Buddhists, which may or may not be right, is that he was not intentionally poisoned. So to say he was killed, i think, may not be totally accurate. Some say he ingested poisonous mushrooms which was the primary cause, while others say that that was a secondary cause, meaning that the same mushrooms would not have killed a younger person with a healthier digestive system.

 

Assuming he was killed, from what you believe, does it in any degree negate the validity of his teachings? I would think not. Perhaps you may have a different angle. Please share if you do.

 

I have been following all your recent postings, and have been appreciating their sensible and insightful contents. Just thought i'd let you know.

 

Bee good!

 

I'm doing great! May you be the same.

 

Yes, Dear CowTao, I am aware of all the opposing arguements. It is just that for me to present the arguements to what I said would have been counter-productive to my purpose. Hehehe.

 

And no, whether he was killed or accidently poisoned does not negate any of his wonderful teachings. Nor does the fact that Jesus was killed negate any of his wonderful teachings.

 

But then we should not negate the wonderful teachings of the founders of Taoism simply because we do not understand them. Isn't it our own fault that we do not understand them if it is possible for others to understand them?

 

You see, I am not arguing against Buddha or Jesus nor even any of their wonderful teachings. What I am arguing against is the close-mindedness of those who say that Taoism is not a valuable philosophy/religion simply because they do not understand it. I am suggesting that it is a flaw of those who do not understand it and not a flaw in the teaching.

 

When we close our eyes we cannot see the beauty of the rose but if we grasp the rose with our closed eyes we will feel the pain of the thorn and nothing else.

 

So it is a fact that we almost always see only what we are looking for. If we look for the rose we will see the rose - if we look only for weeds that is pretty much all we will see.

 

And I really appreciate your post as it has allowed me to follow through with my intended purpose in this thread.

 

Peace & Love!

Edited October 28, 2009 by Marblehead

[xabir2005]

No Buddhist as far as I know have come to the conclusion that Buddha was killed. The food delivered to him was by a faithful disciple. He was very sad when he found out his food (whether it was poisoned mushrooms or poisoned pork or simply an underlying illness he already had which was triggered) was the cause of Buddha's sickness, but the Buddha consoled him and said that it is actually great merits because he was the cause for his entering the final great nirvana. If you think he was intentionally killed, you're the first person who came up with this conspiracy theory.

 

Keeping in line with Buddhist dogma, Buddhas cannot be intentionally killed, only bled. Arhats can be intentionally killed though as what happened to Mogallana and some others.

 

That's why two of the 5 heinous crimes that leads to rebirth in Avici hell for a very very long time are:

 

bleeding buddha,

killing arhat

 

 

You don't see 'killing buddha'.

 

The Buddha survived 4 assasination attempts by his jealous cousin Devadatta who has an evil intention to cause schisms, etc. On his 4th attempt he manage to bleed the Buddha, though failed to kill him. As a result of this act, the ground opened up and he fell straight into Avici hell.

Edited October 28, 2009 by xabir2005

[C T]

I'm doing great! May you be the same.

 

Yes, Dear CowTao, I am aware of all the opposing arguements. It is just that for me to present the arguements to what I said would have been counter-productive to my purpose. Hehehe.

 

And no, whether he was killed or accidently poisoned does not negate any of his wonderful teachings. Nor does the fact that Jesus was killed negate any of his wonderful teachings.

 

But then we should not negate the wonderful teachings of the founders of Taoism simply because we do not understand them. Isn't it our own fault that we do not understand them if it is possible for others to understand them?

 

You see, I am not arguing against Buddha or Jesus nor even any of their wonderful teachings. What I am arguing against is the close-mindedness of those who say that Taoism is not a valuable philosophy/religion simply because they do not understand it. I am suggesting that it is a flaw of those who do not understand it and not a flaw in the teaching.

 

When we close our eyes we cannot see the beauty of the rose but if we grasp the rose with our closed eyes we will feel the pain of the thorn and nothing else.

 

So it is a fact that we almost always see only what we are looking for. If we look for the rose we will see the rose - if we look only for weeds that is pretty much all we will see.

 

And I really appreciate your post as it has allowed me to follow through with my intended purpose in this thread.

 

Peace & Love!

Yes i can see where you are coming from, M, and very much concur with your reasoning. I find there is much to learn from all the great traditions, as well as from the little ones.

 

Often we learn more from those who remain in the background - wisdom abounds here, overlooked by those with all their lofty idealism and spiritual pride. In the Tao, it is said that water seeks the lowliest places. Such a wonderful unfolding of reality in this.

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I for one have utmost regard for the philosophy of the ancients. Maybe because i am biased by my upbringing. Who knows...who cares!

 

Still as empty as ever!

 

Bee good M!

[Marblehead]

No Buddhist as far as I know have come to the conclusion that Buddha was killed. The food delivered to him was by a faithful disciple. He was very sad when he found out his food (whether it was poisoned mushrooms or poisoned pork or simply an underlying illness he already had which was triggered) was the cause of Buddha's sickness, but the Buddha consoled him and said that it is actually great merits because he was the cause for his entering the final great nirvana. If you think he was intentionally killed, you're the first person who came up with this conspiracy theory.

 

Keeping in line with Buddhist dogma, Buddhas cannot be intentionally killed, only bled. Arhats can be intentionally killed though as what happened to Mogallana and some others.

 

That's why two of the 5 heinous crimes that leads to rebirth in Avici hell for a very very long time are:

 

bleeding buddha,

killing arhat

You don't see 'killing buddha'.

 

The Buddha survived 4 assasination attempts by his jealous cousin Devadatta who has an evil intention to cause schisms, etc. On his 4th attempt he manage to bleed the Buddha, though failed to kill him. As a result of this act, the ground opened up and he fell straight into Avici hell.

 

Hi my dear Buddhist friend. I have no intention of carrying this any further. I personally do not "believe" anything regarding the Buddha's death. It really doesn't matter at all to me.

 

As noted above, I admire the good intentions of the Buddha of trying to teach the people a way of life that they could reflect against the horrible conditions they had to live in.

 

If I offended anyone I apologize but I followed my train of thought according to how I was inspired to do so in order to bring what I was going to say in conclusion to the attention of the readers of this thread.

 

It really doesn't matter how the Buddha died. It is his teachings that are of importance.

 

And it really isn't important whether Lao Tzu actually existed or not but it is the teachings in the Tao Te Ching that are of importance.

 

And so, the discussions between the Buddhists and Taoists will continue but it is important to stay with the teachings of the two belief systems and not try to suggest that one way is better than another simply because we do not understand the one we are arguing against (or arguing for the one we are in favor of).

 

Hey! Who knows for absolute truth that the Christian system is not the absolute truth?

 

Peace & Love!

[Mark Foote]

so teachers just sit on a throne all the time and don't mingle with people? LOL. you have a funny view of things, completely incomprehensible. all the teachers that I highly respect deal with people all the time, in fact they travel so damn much from country to country teaching students. they have no time to go on a forum and argue with people, they see that as fruitless and pointless.

 

when you find the right teacher, you aren't surrendering to an external being who is just as deluded as you, you are surrendering to Buddha, pure wisdom, your true nature, whatever name you want to give it. the teacher is just a symbol.

 

like, nowhere in the Dao De Jing is the Dao ever posited to be a self existing thing, and in the right context you could say Dharmakaya is the source of all Things. it's all about context. so I sort of give up on trying to interpret Taoist philosophy; i don't know classical Chinese and Chinese is so contextual, especially Classical. its very different than modern. so we don't have enough information to conclude what these sages were really saying. its too cryptic for me, i like the concreteness of Buddhist philosophy so I stick with that. but in terms of comparison its just impossible IMO

 

Hi, Mikaelz,

 

I would agree that teachers I have met are mostly trying to repay a debt to their teachers, and they live difficult lives. Although I acknowledge that the presence of a teacher is a gift, and can show us something about living that we may have never been exposed to before, I also wonder if the traditional methods of transmission of Eastern religions cannot be combined with a better exposition of the groundwork through the methods of Western science. I'm a pragmatist, when it comes to the end of suffering, and I thoroughly believe it's right there happening in all of our lives constantly and we just overlook it.

 

Not that I believe life is suffering. I believe that the four truths and the rest of the Gautamid's teachings apply when suffering exists, and otherwise they are just the sound of the wind through the trees.

 

I agree with you that the translations from the Chinese can make all the difference in the world. There have been several excellent translations on this website, that's one of the amazing things about it!

 

yours,

Mark

[TzuJanLi]

Greetings..

 

I have little regard for 'isms' or rituals.. i find myself attracted to Taoist Philosophy only because it so closely approximates my own direct experiences.. Taoism, as a codified ritual or religiion, has no interest for me, but.. the core philosophy of Tao seems instinctively consistent with the 'Way' things are..

 

Differences between Taoism, Buddhism, Confucism, etc.. are of much less interest than their commonalities.. it seems that there are some core principles that are consistent between the major belief systems, i am interested in this commonality..

 

Be well..

[Marblehead]

 

... than their commonalities.. it seems that there are some core principles that are consistent between the major belief systems, i am interested in this commonality..

 

Be well..

 

There is a thread concerning that subject and it had some nice posts made to it.

 

Peace & Love!

[Vajrahridaya]

You were speaking of Buddhism here, right? Or were you speaking of Christianity?

 

I know for certain you were not speaking of Taoism

 

 

 

I was speaking of Taoism.

 

It doesn't bother me that you are offended, as you always get a little restless in your chair when you read such things from me. You should question more deeply the causes of this restlessness

 

You start getting insulting, etc.

Edited October 29, 2009 by Vajrahridaya

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

Pretty snarky retort before you edited out most of it. Why spend so much time here dishing out the Buddhism before an obviously unenlightened and largely unappreciative audience? (Despite what you say, a perusal of your many posts reveals you to be a very pissy Buddhist indeed!)

Edited November 1, 2009 by TheSongsofDistantEarth

[Marblehead]

I was speaking of Taoism.

 

It doesn't bother me that you are offended, as you always get a little restless in your chair when you read such things from me. You should question more deeply the causes of this restlessness

 

You start getting insulting, etc.

 

I guess that just goes to show how delusional you are, my friend.

 

It is, after all, you who is constantly aggressive and then you become defensive and claim others are picking on you when they wish to defend their belief.

 

I think it is you who should eximine your beliefs because if you feel you need to defend them so strongly I think it is you, youself, who feels there are weaknesses in the system you supposedly hold to be the one and only belief system that will lead one away from suffering and toward liberation.

 

But then there are those of us who have never felt bound by suffering because we accept life as it truely is and we enjoy the shit out of it and because of this loving attitude toward life we have never been bound by any illusions or delusions therefore we need no liberation because we are already free.

 

It seems to me that you are still bound by the ties that Buddhism has placed upon you and as long as you remain so blind of true reality you will never be able to remove all the bindings.

 

So you see, V., no matter how hard you try to convince us that you no longer suffer and that you have been liberated and that you have been enlightened and you are able to see into the infinities of all aspects of existence, we, who watch you squirm in you computer chair see someone who is in a prison of his own making.

 

So you go ahead and keep believing that you "know" the "Truth" just as long as you understand that there are some of us here who know you are full of (I'll be nice) confusion.

 

BTW: Have a great day.

 

Peace & Love!

[C T]

I guess that just goes to show how delusional you are, my friend.

 

It is, after all, you who is constantly aggressive and then you become defensive and claim others are picking on you when they wish to defend their belief.

 

I think it is you who should eximine your beliefs because if you feel you need to defend them so strongly I think it is you, youself, who feels there are weaknesses in the system you supposedly hold to be the one and only belief system that will lead one away from suffering and toward liberation.

 

But then there are those of us who have never felt bound by suffering because we accept life as it truely is and we enjoy the shit out of it and because of this loving attitude toward life we have never been bound by any illusions or delusions therefore we need no liberation because we are already free.

 

It seems to me that you are still bound by the ties that Buddhism has placed upon you and as long as you remain so blind of true reality you will never be able to remove all the bindings.

 

So you see, V., no matter how hard you try to convince us that you no longer suffer and that you have been liberated and that you have been enlightened and you are able to see into the infinities of all aspects of existence, we, who watch you squirm in you computer chair see someone who is in a prison of his own making.

 

So you go ahead and keep believing that you "know" the "Truth" just as long as you understand that there are some of us here who know you are full of (I'll be nice) confusion.

 

BTW: Have a great day.

 

Peace & Love!

 

Hello M! Blowing off a bit of steam eh? hehehe

 

Abit of hardness to complement the serenity and *softness* of Tao - is this not the way its taught - harmony? Embracing dark and light leads to contentment, and finding the balance is the key.

 

Perhaps V, at this point of his evolvement, is more *light* than *dark* and thus may have come across as full of confusion, but i dont think he is. Sometimes we have a tendency to misjudge others based on this imbalance, and form all kinds of conclusions based on our own degree or shade of dark/light. I am not implying that you have done that here M, if anything it is more a critique directed at V, which i hope he can take on board.

 

As we practice and go about our daily business we can observe how the shaky balance can tilt and sway, and thus effect our thoughts and actions. Some days there is more light, somedays dark. But thats okay i believe, as long as we are able to embrace this flow (isnt this a Taoist concept?). Conflict/suffering arises when we lose sight of this, yes? Those who are dark-influenced try to will light, while others, light-influenced, try to will dark. I think the concept is also common in Buddhism, although they call it clinging and aversion, the root cause of buddhist suffering. So in a sense, its not that there are no allusions in Taoism to suffering, it may just be understood in differing ways and means.

 

I am sure in Taoism there are all kinds of training to lead one towards a stability in balance, something which also applies to Buddhism. In a way, we are like high-wire trick cyclists dont you think so? Some of us have very long balancing poles(is that what they are called?), derived from years of maturing practice and patience, while some have pretty short ones. The great thing about nature is that those with the short poles dont have to *perform* too high up (if you know what i mean here!) - i guess this is how life looks after itself.

 

Please correct me if i am mistaken here M. I am still learning, and may have concluded incorrectly, so peace okay?

 

(I was going to delete this post actually, since its really none of my business. But i got bold, so here it is hehehe...)

 

Bee well my friend.

Edited October 29, 2009 by CowTao

[Vajrahridaya]

Eh, I know when someone is covering up.

[C T]

Eh, I know when someone is covering up.

Peace brother!

[TzuJanLi]

Greetings..

 

Occasionally, i ask myself: Why do people that profess themselves as Taoists, spend so much time and effort with the concerns of other belief systems?.. it's an unusual relationship..

 

My brother is a Christian Minister, one of his qualities that i admire greatly, is.. he prefers little talk of scripture or faith, he says "i teach with the Life i live".. most of his sermons are stories that demonstrate the application of Christian principles.. as i contemplate the Taoist's application of principles, i find no cause to scrutinize the beliefs of others.. those beliefs are no less Tao than Tao itself.. i do scrutinize the application of peoples' beliefs, i sense that 'deeds are the signature of the soul' (no, i have no specific understanding of a 'soul' as an existent condition, the phrase conveys the message)..

 

Be well..

[Vajrahridaya]

Greetings..

 

Occasionally, i ask myself: Why do people that profess themselves as Taoists, spend so much time and effort with the concerns of other belief systems?.. it's an unusual relationship..

 

My brother is a Christian Minister, one of his qualities that i admire greatly, is.. he prefers little talk of scripture or faith, he says "i teach with the Life i live".. most of his sermons are stories that demonstrate the application of Christian principles.. as i contemplate the Taoist's application of principles, i find no cause to scrutinize the beliefs of others.. those beliefs are no less Tao than Tao itself.. i do scrutinize the application of peoples' beliefs, i sense that 'deeds are the signature of the soul' (no, i have no specific understanding of a 'soul' as an existent condition, the phrase conveys the message)..

 

Be well..

 

I understand what you mean by soul here... I was just thinking about this overall message too... just now in fact before I saw this post. Interesting. Thank you!

[Marblehead]

Hi CowTao,

 

Yes, my friend, Taoism teaches harmony. We first achieve inner harmony then we try to maintain harmony with all externals.

 

Yes, in the mind of man dualities exist. That is the way our brain works. Light vs. dark. An example:

 

I have a fish pond. I must replace the water lost due to leakage and evaporation. Electric pumps circulate and aerate the water as well as send the water to filtration tanks. The electricity is normally supplied by solar panels. On sunny days I have free electricity; on cloudy (rainy) days I have free water. I cannot have both because the two are opposites of a duality. But I do have harmony because I have a win-win situation.

 

I don't use the word 'balance' much as it implies a stagnant condition. Nature is not in balance - there is always something changing - a star explodes but then a new star is formed maybe even with planets rotating 'round. Winds do not blow continuously day and night - there is the time for blowing and there is the time for the barely noticeable gentle breeze.

 

Remaining constantly balanced would be a very boring life. I love the changes going on all around me. I love the experience of achieving harmony with what is going on around me. I love the challenges life presents to me so that I can exercise my flexibility. Did I mention I love life?

 

I really get rather upset when people tell someone who is suffering that they are supposed to be suffering because physical life is suffering. That is not true therefore a 'not true' is the same as a lie. Life is beautiful, it is wonderful! Life is to be experienced and enjoyed to the maximum. If we are, for whatever the reason, suffering I fell it is necessary to find a way to end this suffering that we have, all on our own, manifested and attain a condition where we can once again enjoy the beauties of life and living.

 

I think that to pretend that you don't exist is just a really silly concept. We do exist! We should enjoy our existence while we have it. If you are going to pretend that you don't exist and that nothing matters it is my opinion that you might as well just run off and hide in some mountain cave and die.

 

I have no real problem with any member of this forum. What I have a problem with is anyone who holds a nihilistic view of life. It is my opinion that we here should be trying to help a person to realize that life is for living and enjoying and that we should be presenting ideas that will inspire others to see the beauty of life and that life can be lived without suffering even though we will indeed encounter pain now and then.

 

Taoism teaches that this Manifest experience is just as important as any other aspect of Tao. We should never refuse or deny one in order to elevate the other. Yes, a spiritual life is important; but no more or less important than the other.

 

Did I say anything?

 

Peace & Love!

[C T]

Greetings..

 

Occasionally, i ask myself: Why do people that profess themselves as Taoists, spend so much time and effort with the concerns of other belief systems?.. it's an unusual relationship..

 

My brother is a Christian Minister, one of his qualities that i admire greatly, is.. he prefers little talk of scripture or faith, he says "i teach with the Life i live".. most of his sermons are stories that demonstrate the application of Christian principles.. as i contemplate the Taoist's application of principles, i find no cause to scrutinize the beliefs of others.. those beliefs are no less Tao than Tao itself.. i do scrutinize the application of peoples' beliefs, i sense that 'deeds are the signature of the soul' (no, i have no specific understanding of a 'soul' as an existent condition, the phrase conveys the message)..

 

Be well..

Very well observed, TJL. Salutations!

 

The Buddha said, "This is the path. Use your own life experience and do what I have done, and you too will find the way to liberation".

 

Thank you.

[Vajrahridaya]

I really get rather upset when people tell someone who is suffering that they are supposed to be suffering because physical life is suffering. That is not true therefore a 'not true' is the same as a lie. Life is beautiful, it is wonderful! Life is to be experienced and enjoyed to the maximum. If we are, for whatever the reason, suffering I fell it is necessary to find a way to end this suffering that we have, all on our own, manifested and attain a condition where we can once again enjoy the beauties of life and living.

 

I think that to pretend that you don't exist is just a really silly concept. We do exist! We should enjoy our existence while we have it. If you are going to pretend that you don't exist and that nothing matters it is my opinion that you might as well just run off and hide in some mountain cave and die.

 

I have no real problem with any member of this forum. What I have a problem with is anyone who holds a nihilistic view of life. It is my opinion that we here should be trying to help a person to realize that life is for living and enjoying and that we should be presenting ideas that will inspire others to see the beauty of life and that life can be lived without suffering even though we will indeed encounter pain now and then.

 

Taoism teaches that this Manifest experience is just as important as any other aspect of Tao. We should never refuse or deny one in order to elevate the other. Yes, a spiritual life is important; but no more or less important than the other.

 

Did I say anything?

 

 

No one is saying any of these presumptions. The Axiom of "life is suffering" in Buddhism refers to the fact that even while you enjoy "life and beauty", if you have not awakened to your own infinitude, you have no idea what's coming around the bend and if you are ignorant to what will happen to you after you die, then this is considered a subtle form of suffering deep inside the unconscious mind of the being who has not illumined the unconscious.

 

It's a very deep understanding, not that one should not enjoy life, in fact... just the opposite, but not be ignorant of the inevitable and what's really going on behind the visible, and actually to make the invisible visible is the way to totally eradicate all levels of suffering because one is ignorant no more.

[C T]

No one is saying any of these presumptions. The Axiom of "life is suffering" in Buddhism refers to the fact that even while you enjoy "life and beauty", if you have not awakened to your own infinitude, you have no idea what's coming around the bend and if you are ignorant to what will happen to you after you die, then this is considered a subtle form of suffering deep inside the unconscious mind of the being who has not illumined the unconscious.

 

It's a very deep understanding, not that one should not enjoy life, in fact... just the opposite, but not be ignorant of the inevitable and what's really going on behind the visible, and actually to make the invisible visible is the way to totally eradicate all levels of suffering because one is ignorant no more.

"Its the simple and serene things in life that is invisible to one who is not mindful. For example, drinking tea with mindfulness unfolds the beauty of this simple act, so joy and contentment becomes visible in this way. How often this is ignored, and before we know it, another day, another life, is gone. This is how ignorance perpetuates, in the overlooking of simple things".

 

It does not really have to be that deep, V.

[Marblehead]

No one is saying any of these presumptions. The Axiom of "life is suffering" in Buddhism refers to the fact that even while you enjoy "life and beauty", if you have not awakened to your own infinitude, you have no idea what's coming around the bend and if you are ignorant to what will happen to you after you die, then this is considered a subtle form of suffering deep inside the unconscious mind of the being who has not illumined the unconscious.

 

It's a very deep understanding, not that one should not enjoy life, in fact... just the opposite, but not be ignorant of the inevitable and what's really going on behind the visible, and actually to make the invisible visible is the way to totally eradicate all levels of suffering because one is ignorant no more.

 

Okay. So you have found your way of eliminating suffering and have become liberated and I have found my own way of eliminating suffering and become liberated. Where's the freaking problem?

 

Is it because I have done so without the aid of Buddhist doctrine?

 

So you believe that there is something specific awaiting you upon your physical death and I believe that it doesn't matter what is awaiting me as long as I live my life according to the processes of nature. Where's the problem?

 

Is it because I don't believe the way you do? What gives you the right to suggest that I have to believe the way you do? I suggest that you do not have this right and I will continue to express my belief as often as you suggest that your way is the only right way.

 

Besides, you may be totally wrong.

 

Peace & Love!

 

 

"Its the simple and serene things in life that is invisible to one who is not mindful. For example, drinking tea with mindfulness unfolds the beauty of this simple act, so joy and contentment becomes visible in this way. How often this is ignored, and before we know it, another day, another life, is gone. This is how ignorance perpetuates, in the overlooking of simple things".

 

It does not really have to be that deep, V.

 

Personally, I enjoy being attached to my drinking of my tea. To smell the aroma, to feel the warmth, to taste the flavor, to feel the mixing of the tea with my inner essence. All this is good. All this is experiencing the fullness of living!

 

Manifest life is wonderful if we just let it be!!!!!

 

Peace & Love!

[C T]

Yes M, all the conflicts of this world can be resolved if every single person learn to be totally mindful of the art of making tea, and how it can translate to all other areas of living life to the fullest! Excellent!

 

Bee well!

[Marblehead]

Yes M, all the conflicts of this world can be resolved if every single person learn to be totally mindful of the art of making tea, and how it can translate to all other areas of living life to the fullest! Excellent!

 

Bee well!

 

Yeah. Hehehe.

 

I will need to mellow out again soon. You know, the harmony thing.

 

Peace & Love!