liminal_luke Posted December 18, 2011 Had the thought the other day that maybe what people think of as "enlightenment" or the non-experience of non-duality is really the same thing as the end point of taoist alchemy. What do people think? When yin and yang are "cooked" by putting various fiery essences under a big pot of yin essence is the steam that emerges the same "thing" as non-duality? Are "merging with the tao" and the recognition of "self" as pure awareness just different ways of talking about the same thing? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChiDragon Posted December 18, 2011 What is WuJi and non-duality.....??? How do you define WuJi...??? Isn't the counterpart of WuJi is TaiJi. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted December 18, 2011 Are "merging with the tao" and the recognition of "self" as pure awareness just different ways of talking about the same thing? Yes, but it's meant to be lived as an experience, not something to conceptualize and religiousize. I don't think it's the end of Taoist alchemy...rather, it's just the beginning. It's related to upper dantien practices, as chapter one in the book "Taoist Yoga" describes. Just my view. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taomeow Posted December 19, 2011 Had the thought the other day that maybe what people think of as "enlightenment" or the non-experience of non-duality is really the same thing as the end point of taoist alchemy. What do people think? When yin and yang are "cooked" by putting various fiery essences under a big pot of yin essence is the steam that emerges the same "thing" as non-duality? Are "merging with the tao" and the recognition of "self" as pure awareness just different ways of talking about the same thing? Well, the vapor is a side effect (to watch out for though, as any cook knows, for if too much of it escapes, you burn what you've been cooking, and if too little, you may end up with a dish that's too watery... did you know, e.g., that boiled potatoes need to be "de-vaporized" when ready or else you will never know what a superior potato tastes like? -- an ancient trick ). It's not the vapor that you are trying to produce (unlike in all those anti-matter modalities bent on insubstantial pursuits), it's the Pill. The Pill contains the roaring tigress and the soaring dragon. It contains a passionate embrace of yin by yang. It contains a scale in perfect balance, holding eternity in exquisite equilibrium, and a spark to throw it off. It contains the beauty of order and the power of disorder. It contains non-duality within duality, and vice versa. Darkness within darkness, as Laozi put it, without making a peep about the light of "enlightenment," a non-taoist pursuit. The inside of the Pill is dark. The outside shines. Taoists don't have a problem with duality until they mingle with Buddhists who have mingled with the Hindu Advaita gang. That's because wuji is not a destination, it's a gas station where tao refills her tank before zipping off on her magnificent way of power. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan Posted December 21, 2011 hm probably irrelevant, especially considering the topic (mini self- ) but do you mean 'Wu Wei', woo way? Funny thing about it i thought the time it took to walk here from the college, if it is the effortless approach, then perhaps my path of least resistence might even be to be full of resistence, but as long as the effort put into struggling is in fact effortless by comparison to any alternative, then that is, in fact, wu wei. no? Food for thought (fish is brain food). On another related note, i was reading the Tao of Pooh. The tao of who? Pooh. The how of Pooh? Exactly. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eternalnoob Posted December 21, 2011 relax, if, in your heart, you really must try, dont try so hard Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eternalnoob Posted December 21, 2011 (edited) relax, if, in your heart, you really must try, dont try so hard if you can rip off the government in some way shape or form because they know everything is infinite they just try to mess with people, its a think for yourself campaign, even though they should just be open to begin with and save us all the trouble and stress.. now at least someone's admitted it question everything, then laugh at the ridiculousness of your conclusions and know nothing they just want to test you to see if you are CONSCIOUS, like living in an enlightened way, then they return the same vibe refuse to work and only sleep and meditate be truly still and look at things your think are beautiful becoming one with nature which you always are and see what happens the incredible peacekeeping power of now Edited December 21, 2011 by eternalnoob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan Posted December 21, 2011 just as long as you arent putting an effort into it! lol As long as it is effortless (even if it is a constant struggle) it doesnt matter what you do, or dont do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Birch Posted December 23, 2011 I dunno. I don't think you enter Wuji though. It's more like the other way around and you don't enter. Sorry, I just mean you're part of it already. But that's my current personal bias and I might be wrong. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doc benway Posted December 24, 2011 Had the thought the other day that maybe what people think of as "enlightenment" or the non-experience of non-duality is really the same thing as the end point of taoist alchemy. What do people think? When yin and yang are "cooked" by putting various fiery essences under a big pot of yin essence is the steam that emerges the same "thing" as non-duality? Are "merging with the tao" and the recognition of "self" as pure awareness just different ways of talking about the same thing? I think you are on the right track. By definition, let me make the radical statement that reality exists (we can get sidetracked by debate on this point but I simply want to use it as a starting point). Then the mind creates ways in which to try and capture that reality, understand it, explain it, reduce it to a precise and rational definition. Because if the mind can capture it in words or images, it feels more secure - in control. Then it can move on to other things. But the mind can never capture it because it is beyond mental constructs. It is from whence mental constructs arise but it transcends those constructs. it is no-thing, it is meaning-less, it is beyond thought. And every culture has developed their own unique way of approaching this problem of what is reality and how can I define and understand it? And these approaches reflect the cultural, social, and geographical characteristics of their origins. And they are all different "colored" fingers pointing at the moon. And it's extremely entertaining to me to watch them argue with each other. It's like the image of 5 blind people standing around an elephant and feeling different parts and fighting over whether it's a snake or a tree or horn or smelly mud! Keep investigating those ideas of yours - you probably understand more deeply than many folks who will answer your questions. Including me! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wayfarer Posted January 6, 2012 Hi, I hope this answer helps: Firstly Wuji cannot be entered as such because what it is trying to describe is nonduality. For one to 'enter' something there must be 'other'. Hope you don't think I'm picking at words. Yin and Yang does not exist - it might help to view the black and white symbol as something to remind us that what we consider to be black and white or light and shade are a single whole (i.e. the circle). This I feel is the true teaching of the symbol - not that light contains dark but that light is suchness expressed as light and dark is suchness expressed as dark; where is there difference. To 'Awaken' or 'merge with the Tao' is to notice something before our eyes that we mostly overlook - what is inside is what is outside. Buddha noticed it while glancing at Venus, Moses saw its presence alight in the bush, Bodhidharma in the cave wall and so on. Hope this helps a little! Heath Had the thought the other day that maybe what people think of as "enlightenment" or the non-experience of non-duality is really the same thing as the end point of taoist alchemy. What do people think? When yin and yang are "cooked" by putting various fiery essences under a big pot of yin essence is the steam that emerges the same "thing" as non-duality? Are "merging with the tao" and the recognition of "self" as pure awareness just different ways of talking about the same thing? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
exorcist_1699 Posted November 11, 2021 (edited) On 2011/12/19 at 3:42 AM, liminal_luke said: Had the thought the other day that maybe what people think of as "enlightenment" or the non-experience of non-duality is really the same thing as the end point of taoist alchemy. What do people think? Buddhist type of "enlightenment" or the non-experience of non-duality is hardly anything the end point of Daoist alchemy because in most cases, those people achieved it are in fact , just nourishing a yin-type of mind . A yin-type mind , although having some supernatural abilities and looks powerful , is still entangled by aging and death ; that means, it is incapable of grasping its destiny in its own hands . And, without having refined with jing and qi , it is said to be a yin-shen . Unable to stop leakages of jing and shen are the main causes of it . To be fair , some Zen masters , by solely doing some emptied Mind stuff, do get very healthy bodies or some teeth reborn ,yet it is not enough . In fact, a mind that explores emptiness is like digging well for water , it is only after your having reached certain depth that water /jing ( of course talking about its pre-heavenly form) oozes out . So , from Daoist perspective , one of the most important criteria to judge whether your cultivation of emptiness does well or not , depends on how thorough it changes the physical body . Edited November 11, 2021 by exorcist_1699 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Master Logray Posted November 11, 2021 1 hour ago, exorcist_1699 said: To be fair , some Zen masters , by solely doing some emptied Mind stuff, do get very healthy bodies or some teeth reborn ,yet it is not enough . Many Zen masters and monks practice Niedan. These results could be from Niedan, and Buddhist pranayama practices, or a combination of different methods. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites