A question for Vaj the Buddhist

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

Hmmm... looked into the mirror lately?

Couldn't resist, could you, young Dzogchenpa master??

By the way, you use that 'mirror' comment all the time. Why do you believe that you see yourself so clearly?

Edited June 25, 2010 by TheSongsofDistantEarth

[Vajrahridaya]

Absurd. A realized person would still have compassion and wouldn't ignore the helpless flailings of people with self-inflicted idiocy.

 

At times it's joyously funny to hear such things emanate from such subjective formats of karmic congruencies, as them. Mostly it doesn't bother me to respond to them. At other times... I have to force myself not to and sometimes I have to contemplate and force myself to respond from a better place than their intentions.

 

It's all food for the fire anyway!

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

At times it's joyously funny to hear such things emanate from such subjective formats of karmic congruencies, as them. Mostly it doesn't bother me to respond to them. At other times... I have to force myself not to and sometimes I have to contemplate and force myself to respond from a better place than their intentions.

 

It's all food for the fire anyway!

Ah, but you parrot so many fine Buddhist words, but true useful understanding eludes you...

 

Realize this: we have been karmically bound together over many lifetimes and will be for many, many, more. I have been your father, and you, my son. I have been your best friend, You have been my Guru. In our last lifetime, you were a cabbie pedaling me around a fine city in a rickshaw...oh, wait....that was this lifetime!!!

 

Actually, if you MUST know, Namkhai Norbu made me promise to be a burr in your soft Tibetan saddle for as long as it takes...

Edited June 25, 2010 by TheSongsofDistantEarth

[Sunya]

To associate my demanding attitude as stupid is not well taken! As part of Vajraji's audience, I have every right to be demanding. Why should I have to reconstruct his grammatical syntax in my mind in order to understand him. For once, I wish he would drop the pretense and think through what he writes. It is as if he is writing for himself and not his audience.

 

Audiences always have the option to get up and leave. Only a fool would keep coming back to the same performance if its a terrible show. Nobody is forcing you to be here.

 

What's the big deal? If you disagree with the content then talk about the content. If your biggest gripe is with grammar, then seriously you need to go for a walk and contemplate why you need to argue with people over the net about such trivialities.

 

I understand Vaj just fine, and I studied philosophy in college (philosophers are the biggest grammar Nazis second to historians). This is a forum not an academic journal. If your issue is with conventionality then you're an idiot. If your issue is truly not understanding then that's another thing, but I can't relate to that since I have no problems understanding him.

 

Either way, there's no reason to respond to every post with snobby and spiteful remarks. You've made your point quite clear.

Edited June 25, 2010 by mikaelz

[goldisheavy]

At least your not calling everyone an idiot anymore.

 

Not on taobums maybe. I still call everyone an idiot on other forums I participate.

[ralis]

At times it's joyously funny to hear such things emanate from such subjective formats of karmic congruencies, as them. Mostly it doesn't bother me to respond to them. At other times... I have to force myself not to and sometimes I have to contemplate and force myself to respond from a better place than their intentions.

 

It's all food for the fire anyway!

 

Your first sentence is a very good example of what I am talking about. "As them" is completely out of place and makes no sense relative to what you wrote. I am supposed to somehow get the gist of this?

 

 

ralis

[ralis]

Audiences always have the option to get up and leave. Only a fool would keep coming back to the same performance if its a terrible show. Nobody is forcing you to be here.

 

What's the big deal? If you disagree with the content then talk about the content. If your biggest gripe is with grammar, then seriously you need to go for a walk and contemplate why you need to argue with people over the net about such trivialities.

 

I understand Vaj just fine, and I studied philosophy in college (philosophers are the biggest grammar Nazis second to historians). This is a forum not an academic journal. If your issue is with conventionality then you're an idiot. If your issue is truly not understanding then that's another thing, but I can't relate to that since I have no problems understanding him.

 

Either way, there's no reason to respond to every post with snobby and spiteful remarks. You've made your point quite clear.

 

I studied math 50 hrs. philosophy, physics, chemistry. So what is your point? Idiot? Hardly! Your name calling is not well taken.

 

All I ask of him is to write in a clear objective manner. Then, I may have a real discussion with him.

 

ralis

[Vajrahridaya]

Actually, if you MUST know, Namkhai Norbu made me promise to be a burr in your soft Tibetan saddle for as long as it takes...

 

You're joking, but this actually makes me laugh very deeply. Thank you for this... it is so. :lol:

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

Audiences always have the option to get up and leave. Only a fool would keep coming back to the same performance if its a terrible show. Nobody is forcing you to be here.

 

What's the big deal? If you disagree with the content then talk about the content. If your biggest gripe is with grammar, then seriously you need to go for a walk and contemplate why you need to argue with people over the net about such trivialities.

 

I understand Vaj just fine, and I studied philosophy in college (philosophers are the biggest grammar Nazis second to historians). This is a forum not an academic journal. If your issue is with conventionality then you're an idiot. If your issue is truly not understanding then that's another thing, but I can't relate to that since I have no problems understanding him.

 

Either way, there's no reason to respond to every post with snobby and spiteful remarks. You've made your point quite clear.

Careful, mikaelz. I once posted that I have an undergraduate degree from a top philosophy program at a major university, and Vaj taunted me about it, saying that it mattered nothing to him. But no, he often, but not always writes unclearly. He certainly has no higher scholastic experiences with teachers of rhetoric that would have taught him how to write. He has potential, but his style is crude and error prone. Again, he obviously doesn't edit his stuff much, either. He does not (yet) have the ability to relate abstract thought to real life, so he would not make a good teacher or author at this point, so he is stuck here, posting like a maniac to a lukewarm bums audience. seems like he might be wearing out his welcome tough. I did notice that during his 'sabbatical', there was zero Buddhist discussion, when he re-appeared here, suddenly he's everywhere and we got too much Buddhism!

Edited June 25, 2010 by TheSongsofDistantEarth

[Vajrahridaya]

Your first sentence is a very good example of what I am talking about. "As them" is completely out of place and makes no sense relative to what you wrote. I am supposed to somehow get the gist of this?

 

 

ralis

 

I wrote this on the fly and posted it. As if you can't understand what I said... unless you have mental issues of attachment to linearity of an absurd degree? As if the mind was not abstract?

Edited June 25, 2010 by Vajrahridaya

[Vajrahridaya]

He certainly has no higher scholastic experiences with teachers of rhetoric that would have taught him how to write.

 

Do you want to fund my scholastic carrier then? If not... then step off and contribute something of context instead of personal attacks.

 

Just accept the fact that I'm a self educated "whatever you want to call me" and leave it be, or actually debate the points. Why not?

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

Grasshopper, you are so reactive! If you read my post closely, you see that I recognize you possess fine potential, and that your writing is not always unpolished. It is true, if this were a Buddhist forum, your abstruseness would matter less, but you turn off more than you enlighten by your difficult style. My post wasn't that critical for a person who admittedly has no higher learning experience, and it often shows. You seem irritable lately.

 

 

Alright, listen: with your life experiences and spiritual path, if you wrote a book and tied your experiences to your spiritual learning and growth, AND got a good editor to make your stuff clearer, it would be outstanding. Damn, I would read it. And so would LOTS of others! I don't hate you, laddie. I just don't understand why you spend so much time and energy tilting at disappearing windmills in cyberspace when you could be doing something more beneficial and get yourself further ahead in life. Hey, we're all not getting younger, and you're getting closer to 40 than not if I recall correctly, so what gives? You've got raw talent, fascinating worldly experiences, unbelievable enthusiasm, and a spiritual desire like a moth ready to immolate himself in the flame of realization. You gonna hang around here and post 25 times a day, annoy people, joust with ralis and me, and let your life go by?

Edited June 25, 2010 by TheSongsofDistantEarth

[ralis]

I wrote this on the fly and posted it. As if you can't understand what I said... unless you have mental issues of attachment to linearity of an absurd degree? As if the mind was not abstract?

 

What are you talking about? Attached to linearity? Therefor, you write in a non linear style? Non linear is somehow abstract in your way of thinking?

 

 

 

ralis

[ralis]

Grasshopper, you are so reactive! If you read my post closely, you see that I recognize you possess fine potential, and that your writing is not always unpolished. It is true, if this were a Buddhist forum, your abstruseness would matter less, but you turn off more than you enlighten by your difficult style. My post wasn't that critical for a person who admittedly has no higher learning experience, and it often shows. You seem irritable lately.

 

 

Alright, listen: with your life experiences and spiritual path, if you wrote a book and tied your experiences to your spiritual learning and growth, AND got a good editor to make you stuff clearer, it would be outstanding. I would read it. And so would many others. I don't hate you, laddie. I just don't understand why you spend so much time and energy tilting at disappearing windmills in cyberspace when you could be doing something more beneficial and Get further ahead in life. hey, we're all not getting younger, and you're getting closer to 40 than not if I recall correctly, so what gives?

 

I agree!

 

 

 

ralis

Edited June 25, 2010 by ralis

[Vajrahridaya]

What are you talking about? Attached to linearity? Therefor, you write in a non linear style? Non linear is somehow abstract in your way of thinking?

 

 

 

ralis

 

Yes, I thought of "Them" at the end of that sentence so applied it there and kept going. I'm not sorry that I'm not here to please your personal conditioning.

 

That's just the way it is... get over it!

[Vajrahridaya]

Grasshopper, you are so reactive! If you read my post closely, you see that I recognize you possess fine potential, and that your writing is not always unpolished. It is true, if this were a Buddhist forum, your abstruseness would matter less, but you turn off more than you enlighten by your difficult style. My post wasn't that critical for a person who admittedly has no higher learning experience, and it often shows. You seem irritable lately.

Irritable... ?

Definitely look in the mirror buddy. Read the inscription on the front page of the site bro...

 

Alright, listen: with your life experiences and spiritual path, if you wrote a book and tied your experiences to your spiritual learning and growth, AND got a good editor to make your stuff clearer, it would be outstanding. Damn, I would read it. And so would LOTS of others! I don't hate you, laddie. I just don't understand why you spend so much time and energy tilting at disappearing windmills in cyberspace when you could be doing something more beneficial and get yourself further ahead in life. Hey, we're all not getting younger, and you're getting closer to 40 than not if I recall correctly, so what gives? You've got raw talent, fascinating worldly experiences, unbelievable enthusiasm, and a spiritual desire like a moth ready to immolate himself in the flame of realization. You gonna hang around here and post 25 times a day, annoy people, joust with ralis and me, and let your life go by?

 

You're right and it pisses me off sometimes that life circumstances don't hand me more cherries, but that's my karma for now, as self created and dependently arisen upon my own historical presence as it may be. Other than that... I definitely appreciate this sentiment and I've thought about the exact same thing so many times I might be insane right now because of it.

[Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that]

 

no answer will ever satisfy the (egoic) mind.

 

 

 

Bearing in mind you're on a forum I would get used to expecting a kind of questions/answers format. I'm not sure you will get very far by simply posting statements, although you never know.

 

 

 

True. If the words are PO instructions from a qualified. But intellectual circular questioning or challenging statements by the questioner, I suspect amounts to sparring without an open mind to learn. So I will likely abandon this thread eventually for fear of being struck by a stray bullet.

 

 

Your suspicions are unfounded, at least, if they refer to me. Perhaps you should stay around a bit before making judgements about peoples intentions so quickly. One day seems a tad too soon.

 

The only stray bullets I have seen, seem to be coming from you Garuda.

[Gerard]

error.

Edited June 25, 2010 by durkhrod chogori

[Gerard]

In Buddhism, enlightenment is not an experience, but rather insight into all experience and how it all works, leaving one free, as a direct experiencing...

 

Basically it is a mental state, which is continuously experienced. You remain neutral and unaffected to all phenomena which really are product of the mind itself interacting with yin and yang pliable forces.

 

I have experienced that state in Vipassana retreat but outside it is a different story, when I returned to society things change altogether; hence many more retreats would be required to attain a constant enlightened mind from the Buddhist perspective.

[Walker]

Quick vocabulary question... How do Buddhists define a "mind stream?" Is it something that is depently originated?

[Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that]

 

Vajrahridaya: 'at least you not calling everyone an idiot anymore'

 

Goldisheavy: Not on taobums maybe. I still call everyone an idiot on other forums I participate.

 

 

ROFL. It's not on topic.....but it's so funny ..... thank you.

[Vajrahridaya]

Quick vocabulary question... How do Buddhists define a "mind stream?" Is it something that is depently originated?

 

Yes, like the trickles of a stream originate dependent upon it's environment.

[styrofoamdog]

Edited June 25, 2010 by styrofoamdog

[garuda]

[Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that]

My comments on this forum are merely reminders for anyone who feels it may be helpful to them. Mostly these are reminders to myself, for I often fail to have my “humble pie” for breakfast. My comments are intended for nobody in particular. I have found that in the past, as well as recently, I become too opinionated in my views and beliefs. So I sometimes post medicine for myself on the forum, while knowing that there must a few others who make the same mistakes in practice as myself.

 

 

Ya, I see, I think I'm also a member of that club too actually Garuda

 

 

But when questioning and seemingly pointless arguing about trivial issues are ratcheted up to such a degree that all participants lose sight of the original question, then I feel compelled to nudge a bit with reminders. I become sad in wondering if such heated contention is helping anyone.

 

 

Fair point. I guess I have just gotten used to it. It happens quite a lot around here. Occasionally though, you may find a gem in the mud. And that's well worth staying around for. But I get your point.

 

 

Ninpo, I mean this in the most compassionate way, but realize that some people who drop hints like “look in the mirror” or other challenging statements – may if fact be offering help by relating wisdom from mistakes they themselves made. I believe that if nobody had ever challenged me in the past, I never would have grown in the small degree that I have. I think the trick is to purify our own minds, and that is not a fun or easy task for the ego. We have all been in some degree of self-deceit for way too many years, or at least I have. I had to recognize and face my hot-buttons and my ugly face with each glance in the mirror. I think it was the Dalai Lama (that guy that wears the silly hats) who said, “Your enemies are your best teachers.” Understand deeply what that means and I believe we will go a long way toward the goal. There was another famous bearded guy that dressed funny and wore sandals who said something like, “Love your enemies”, or “love thy neighbor as thy self”, or some such thing.

 

 

Not that this is exactly related, but the other week I had to go away for a week so my ex came to look after my dog. In any case, when I came back I went into the bathroom and as I looked in the mirror I realized my trip had done me a lot of good, as I looked far more healthy than before, it could even be said my skin had a certain glow to it. It was then I realized my ex had cleaned the mirror.

 

 

 

Actually Ninpo, I think you may have read more into it all than was really there.

 

 

You are probably right. I have been known to be a bit over sensitive on occasions. Which is somewhat ironic as I have on occasions been offensive without knowing it.

 

 

The only possible area that could have been construed as offensive is the “circular questioning” and “challenging statements”

 

 

Well, this was what kind of lead my thinking down that path. I have a problem with this in recent years that I only began to really notice when I first started posting on here. This is due to the fact that I live in a country now where circular logic is actually considered quite normal in some instances. Without my knowledge, I kind of picked up that thought process over a long period of time. It can prove quite difficult in debating with westerners even though I am a westerner myself.

 

So, it can be kind of hard for me to maintain a view that is one thing or another, I tend to go round in circles; I will say though, that at least for me, each time I get a deeper perspective. But I think on occasions it may be highly irritating for others

 

Thanks for your considered response Garuda, and sorry for the mis-understanding on my part. And, by the way, I rather enjoyed your post

 

I think I'm gonna go take a self-imposed time out

 

Edit: ps. and by the way, welcome.

Edited June 25, 2010 by Ninpo-me-this-ninjutsu-me-that