Michael Winn's Take On Buddhism's Four Noble Truths

[Vajrahridaya]

[Vajrahridaya]

[Vajrahridaya]

[Vajrahridaya]

Why do you personify "Life" and "Cosmos" and "Creation" and "Reality"? Sounds weird to me..just curious. Do you believe that they are beings that make choices? Reality is a thinking being that chose to begin creating? Reality has an intention? Creation has a purpose? I'm very confused......where is this "Real Creating Thing"?

 

Hi Mikaelz!

 

If you think about it... since we are all the co-creators on so many levels. Even before this realm manifested we were unknowingly manifesting it through our thought patterns before it was ready to house our mind-streams. This is back when we were in less dense dimensions tossing our thoughts to the wind. Anyway... so we are all this life, collectively, not as a single entity, but you could say so as well... metaphorically. We as in all us sentient beings and all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Gods, animals, etc. Basically mind streams are the God of this creation. Metaphorically of course, not absolutely in a sense of being "one" in any literal sense.

[Vajrahridaya]

 

 

Speaking of Avalokiteśvara, Kuan Yin is my favorite Goddess. I honor Her and bow to Her beauty.

 

 

I just think there is an element missing as can be seen in my dialogue with Vajra. I think there can be an element to Buddhism that doesn't value our manifest existence, and seeks escape from the gift of Life. See my previous post for elaboration.

 

For me, Buddhism is more about escape from my mis-understanding of life and thus re-emergence into it with fresher and more illumined eyes of insight. "Escape" wouldn't even be the right word, as one has to immerse oneself into the inner causes of ones misunderstanding, and not run from them. Of course, this type of elaboration doesn't really start taking full shape until we get into the stages of Tantra, and more so even in Dzogchen in around the 200's or so B.C.

Edited May 12, 2010 by Vajrahridaya

[Vajrahridaya]

But the funny thing is that at the end of the day, they are not really doing it exclusively for others, because they believe that to truly alleviate one's own suffering and to find happiness, the best way forward is to CREATE THE CAUSES for happiness to arise.

 

This is exactly what the Buddha taught in what is known as the Hinayana and also the Mahayana, both of which he taught at the same time to different people of different capacities.

[C T]

This is exactly what the Buddha taught in what is known as the Hinayana and also the Mahayana, both of which he taught at the same time to different people of different capacities.

Indeed sir! And in some regards, Vajrayana/Dzogchen, especially in the Preliminaries, encompasses both Hina- and Mahayana, hence it could be said that the above (re: the creation of the right causes) lays the foundation for the development of the outer samayas, which then cement the inner and secret ones. Remember the development and completion stages?

[Vajrahridaya]

Indeed sir! And in some regards, Vajrayana/Dzogchen, especially in the Preliminaries, encompasses both Hina- and Mahayana, hence it could be said that the above (re: the creation of the right causes) lays the foundation for the development of the outer samayas, which then cement the inner and secret ones. Remember the development and completion stages?

 

Indeed! You are correctamoondoe!

[RyanO]

CowTao: Your experience with Buddhism is taken to heart. Life as we know is not words on paper, but a lived experience, and your posts reflect that. Thanks.

 

mikaelz: I personify Reality because it is the best way to express my orientation towards it. I have Awareness and Will, given to me by the Real. It is simply in my Nature to move through Life treating it as an Other.

 

As far as my trust in its intention goes, this is a way of saying that I have no anxiety regarding exactly what is Real. Any desire I have comes from the Real and my dedication to the Truth of things supersedes whatever wants my self has.

 

Vajra: Cool stuff! Vajrayana and Dzogchen seem pretty awesome. I like the funkiness and complexity of Tibetan Buddhism. It does indeed seem more complete than the Hinayana approach so I'll give you that. You've defended your view rather well. Haven't converted me yet though

 

Tibetan Buddhism just seems so tangled up in politics and secrecy. What's the deal with all the beings and deities and realms? What's with the deity worship? Are you familiar with the Dorje Shugden controversy? Which side are you on?

 

I like Taoism (generally speaking) because it explains Life and its flow. Yin/Yang, Five Phase Theory, etc. It makes sense and doesn't require a melodramatic imperative for liberation. But of course, what's true is true, not what we want to be true. But that's what rings true for me right now.

 

Thanks for the dialogue, I'm having fun!

[Vajrahridaya]

 

Vajra: Cool stuff! Vajrayana and Dzogchen seem pretty awesome. I like the funkiness and complexity of Tibetan Buddhism. It does indeed seem more complete than the Hinayana approach so I'll give you that. You've defended your view rather well. Haven't converted me yet though

 

Tibetan Buddhism just seems so tangled up in politics and secrecy. What's the deal with all the beings and deities and realms? What's with the deity worship? Are you familiar with the Dorje Shugden controversy? Which side are you on?

 

I like Taoism (generally speaking) because it explains Life and its flow. Yin/Yang, Five Phase Theory, etc. It makes sense and doesn't require a melodramatic imperative for liberation. But of course, what's true is true, not what we want to be true. But that's what rings true for me right now.

 

Thanks for the dialogue, I'm having fun!

 

We don't worship deities as separate forms per say. Though there is that and there are other energies and other realms... we just acknowledge that, it also explains lots of things. Even quantum physics is finding that there are many universes besides this one and also that the mind can manifest a body in another dimension much like you do when you dream.

 

Anyway... the deity worship is really about becoming the deity in later stages of practice, when you complete the mandala and integrate it with the entirety of your waking life, you divinize it you can say... for yourself. It's all about becoming the deity yourself with all it's divine qualities. Not worship in an outer way, but actually invoking that state of mind and sense of presence from within.

 

This is what all that deity worship is about. The mind becomes like that which it focuses upon. Yeah?

 

Dude... I love Taoism and had an avid interest in it for a while! I got into the whole Wang Liping thing... he seems great! I might start practicing martial arts again with a Taoist wizard here in the East Coast of Florida who my friend says is really awesome. I have a few friends that practice Dzogchen as well as Taoist martial arts.

 

On the Dorje Shugden controversy... I'm on the Dalai Lamas side. I do believe through direct experience in other realm beings and their individual powers of influence. They exist, much like we do. For them it's easier for them to see us, because we move so slowly, but they move too fast for us to generally see, so unless trained, or rather de-conditioned and subtlified (de-densified) through practice... we don't see these other worldly beings.