Protector Posted November 20, 2011 Hey guys, do you have THE GUTS to call yourself a master? I feel confident about me being able to handle whatever life throws at me I have answers to all my questions and my knowledge is almost "solid", you might say I might even call myself a master but I don't feel like life thrown a strong enough challenge I'm self taught, like many people out there, I don't have a constant master I remember somewhere saying that you're a master when someone else calls you a master I need strength and calling myself a master is strength but I don't think I can call myself a master, yet Though, now I'm thinking since calling myself a master is such a big burden that it might be the challenge I need from life and the strength I need is courage Dare I put myself on top and have strength to stay on top? Seems like, being a student is like chasing something and being a master is pushing yourself When you're a student, you need to abandon yourself and let new thing become a part of you When a master, stand your ground become a mountain and push yourself But it's still not black and white It's impossible to be someone else so you can't be better then someone else, your ego makes the judgment either you're better or worse What you can be is yourself and keep improving, then someone looking at you might say you're better then the other guy but that still wont be important Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted November 20, 2011 Hey guys, do you have THE GUTS to call yourself a master? Hell NO!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ATMA Posted November 20, 2011 A master is only a 'master' when a master is 'not' a 'master'. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
templetao Posted November 20, 2011 Hey guys, do you have THE GUTS to call yourself a master? No everyone that trains doesnt become a master even if they train their whole life. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted November 20, 2011 I have the guts to not pretend that I'm modest, and weaken myself where I am not weak. And the guts to take responsibility for my power, and not put other human beings on a pedestal above me. Does that make me a master? Well, I also have the guts to admit when someone is more admirable than myself in one way or another...and that I am totally imperfect and human. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Warrior Body Buddha Mind Posted November 20, 2011 (edited) Yes, and that also depends on your Sifu! No one calls themselves a master its given to the person by their Sifu, this is what its like Chinese martial arts. Once becoming a Sifu you must still practice not just teach, this is a big problem in all styles IMHO! Sifu Garry Edited November 20, 2011 by Warrior Body Buddha Mind 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seth Ananda Posted November 20, 2011 A master of what? There is that saying, that it takes 10,000 hours of practising something to become a master of it. If that is the case, most people are masters of television watching, masters of eating crap food, masters of living in a distracted and Inauthentic fashion... And Mastery has certain observable elements, obviously depending on what ever it is that has been mastered... Here is Isao Machii cutting a bb gun pellet... You can be damn sure he put in his 10,000 hours! My questions are what have you mastered? Why do you want to call your self a master? If you really are a master, does it even matter to you if you get called that or not? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted November 20, 2011 "Do you think you can clear your mind by sitting constantly in silent meditation? This makes your mind narrow, not clear. Integral awareness is fluid and adaptable, present in all places and at all times. That is true meditation. Who can attain clarity and simplicity by avoiding the world? The Tao is clear and simple, and it doesn't avoid the world. Why not simply honor your parents, love your children, help your brothers and sisters, be faithful to your friends, care for your mate with devotion, complete your work cooperatively and joyfully, assume responsibility for problems, practice virtue without first demanding it of others, understand the highest truths yet retain an ordinary manner? That would be true clarity, true simplicity, true mastery." -Huahujing, 52 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seth Ananda Posted November 20, 2011 "Do you think you can clear your mind by sitting constantly in silent meditation? This makes your mind narrow, not clear. Integral awareness is fluid and adaptable, present in all places and at all times. That is true meditation. Who can attain clarity and simplicity by avoiding the world? The Tao is clear and simple, and it doesn't avoid the world. Why not simply honor your parents, love your children, help your brothers and sisters, be faithful to your friends, care for your mate with devotion, complete your work cooperatively and joyfully, assume responsibility for problems, practice virtue without first demanding it of others, understand the highest truths yet retain an ordinary manner? That would be true clarity, true simplicity, true mastery." -Huahujing, 52 Nice quote Scotty! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jetsun Posted November 20, 2011 Some Taoists say that until you have made your body completely conscious and can do things like flex your kidneys and feel minutely the different parts of your liver then you aren't even a proper man yet alone a master. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seth Ananda Posted November 20, 2011 Some Taoists say that until you have made your body completely conscious and can do things like flex your kidneys and feel minutely the different parts of your liver then you aren't even a proper man yet alone a master. Yep, professor Wong here in Melbourne could flex his kidneys and other awesome stuff... It is a great tragedy that he now has dementia... His knowledge of Chinese medicine, Qigong and IMA was vast... Blessings to him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Warrior Body Buddha Mind Posted November 20, 2011 Seth, Unfortunately this is the way chinese martial arts use a system for respect, ive put in close to 30yrs of hard and soft training in Kung Fu, the Title Sifu means Father of the art you teach. Meaning someone that has attained knowledge of what is taught and can teach what was taught to him properly. Yes I agree the master thing is also ego to some but to true kung fu practitioners its something that they hold to there hearts and is family orientated. Like Si Hing, Si Bak, Sifu, Si Mo, master is a english translation for Sifu I think which totally f@cked it up!!! How old was your teacher with dementia? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted November 20, 2011 Yep, professor Wong here in Melbourne could flex his kidneys and other awesome stuff... It is a great tragedy that he now has dementia... His knowledge of Chinese medicine, Qigong and IMA was vast... Blessings to him. That is a sad fact of reality. Yes, Blessings to him! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seth Ananda Posted November 20, 2011 (edited) Seth, How old was your teacher with dementia? Oh no, I never studied with him unfortunately. I only met him a couple of times through a friend and got to see him flex his kidneys once, at my friends request... Impressive. looked like they were 'jumping' under his skin... he could alternate them or do it simultaneously... And he is an old man now... Edited November 20, 2011 by Seth Ananda Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C T Posted November 20, 2011 Feng Kan (circa 800 ce)... "Actually there is not any single thing much less any dust to wipe away. Who can master this does not need to sit there stiff." 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cameron Posted November 20, 2011 Yes and no I will explain. From my limited experience "A Master" well you might as well say "A Buddha" or "A Sage". Do I consider myself a Buddha? Again, yes and no. From my understanding a Buddha would be a being(they probably don't view themselves as such but for the sake of using language we have to use these terms) who displays perfect behavior in any situation. Not just good behavior, but flawless behavior. They use compassion when it is time to use compassion and wisdom when it is time to use wisdom. They are in perfect harmony with the universe etc. Another way I think about it is it is relatively easy to see your true face. Seeing your true face or SELF to use Advaita language is not that terribly difficult. But to get to the point where your actions are in perfect accord with whatever realization is not easy. It's down right challenging. Call it Karma, call it habit energy whatever. In any case, I do love the direct pointing of some of my teachers. Some of whom are atleast close to what I would consider a Master. But I wouldn't dare consider myself a Master. "Potential Master" maybe, I think that's a fair term for anyone Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted November 20, 2011 (edited) Hey guys, do you have THE GUTS to call yourself a master? Rofl, funny question. Who's self? Why would one create something seperate, other than to take on a label and inevitable division? Edited November 20, 2011 by Informer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted November 20, 2011 Calling yourself anything defeats the entire purpose. So if you are calling yourself a master, then you are not a master. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
konchog uma Posted November 20, 2011 Hey guys, do you have THE GUTS to call yourself a master? hahaha funny! you don't act like a master. i think it takes more guts to admit that you're still learning. We're always learning. Like WBBM said, mastery is something that is passed down by lineage, so unless you're a master of delusion, nobody is going to recognize your attainment. many people think when they hear the doctrine of buddha nature that they are buddhas, or think because the essential nature of mind is enlightenment, that they are therefore enlightened, or because they have mastered a couple techniques that they are a sifu. That doesn't make it true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted November 20, 2011 hahaha funny! you don't act like a master. i think it takes more guts to admit that you're still learning. We're always learning. Like WBBM said, mastery is something that is passed down by lineage, so unless you're a master of delusion, nobody is going to recognize your attainment. many people think when they hear the doctrine of buddha nature that they are buddhas, or think because the essential nature of mind is enlightenment, that they are therefore enlightened, or because they have mastered a couple techniques that they are a sifu. That doesn't make it true. Recognition is another dillusion. Dillusion \'di 'lu-zhen\ 1 a : an idea regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is deliberately constructed and professed to be believed in order to delude others, the truth or falsity of which idea is either truthfully or falsely believed to be within one's own control. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Protector Posted November 20, 2011 I've been studying a lot of internal alchemy stuff It's more like studying, you either get it or you don't There's also a big picture you have to see with it and giving a part of it kinda ruins it so teaching is hard, took me years to get it Masters sometimes take a whole bunch of students at the same time I wonder what happens to them after they "graduate" Some of you guys were like that, right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Informer Posted November 20, 2011 (edited) That would depend on your definition of master. The universe in it's entirety is the only thing suitable for me to term as master. I'm hardly graduated. Edited November 20, 2011 by Informer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnC Posted November 20, 2011 "Do you think you can clear your mind by sitting constantly in silent meditation? This makes your mind narrow, not clear. Integral awareness is fluid and adaptable, present in all places and at all times. That is true meditation. Who can attain clarity and simplicity by avoiding the world? The Tao is clear and simple, and it doesn't avoid the world. Why not simply honor your parents, love your children, help your brothers and sisters, be faithful to your friends, care for your mate with devotion, complete your work cooperatively and joyfully, assume responsibility for problems, practice virtue without first demanding it of others, understand the highest truths yet retain an ordinary manner? That would be true clarity, true simplicity, true mastery." -Huahujing, 52 Over 9000 post. Bumped for awesome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Seth Ananda Posted November 20, 2011 I've been studying a lot of internal alchemy stuff Are you saying you a Master of Internal Alchemy? If so, can you flex your kidneys, control how your blood moves, enter embryonic breathing [stop actually breathing for an extended period], emit chi to burn away tumors in people, and come and go from your body at will? Even more amazing to me would be the ability to sit non distracted for an hour...? If you can't do these things yet, what is it you 'Get' about Internal alchemy? And I still don't get what Guts has to do with it? I can happily say "I am a Master" which is not true, but it doesn't really take any guts to say... This is a strange thread... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Protector Posted November 20, 2011 (edited) I think I did the kidney thing once but it freaked me out, I'm doing something else for the massage. I haven't done that breathing thing since the start of my practice journal, don't know how I can last now. Haven't practiced chi transmission in a while since I don't have a use for it. I never try to leave my body and in case that happens again, I have precautions. Longest I went for was half an hour before I had to get back to my things, other times I don't remember what happened. Strange is good oh and the blood thing was one of the first things I figured out Edited November 21, 2011 by Sinfest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
