Tony Parsons Interview

[Nikolai1]

If, however you ran into someone who doubted their own existence and their own first-hand experience that would be their belief system perhaps ................?

 

The contents of experience can be explained either in terms of existence or non-existence. Either way works. Tony Parsons therefore creates problems when he only ever talks about non-existence. It seems like he has simply swapped viewpoints.

 

Imagine two people sat opposite each other and in between them is a mug of coffee. They are arguing. One of them is saying the mug is for right-handed people and the other is saying it is for left-handed people. The person who is open-minded (and a little self-doubting) gets up and walks round to join the other. Then he says: "Oh you were right. It is for left-handed people."

 

This seems to be what Tony Parsons has done. He has been strong enough to reject the view that 99.99% of people hold, but then falls into the opposite illusion.

[gatito]

The contents of experience can be explained either in terms of existence or non-existence. Either way works. Tony Parsons therefore creates problems when he only ever talks about non-existence. It seems like he has simply swapped viewpoints.

<snip>

 

My own experience is that I don't experience not existing (by definition, it would not be possible so to do - would it?). Therefore, unless you have direct experience of not existing, why believe in it?

[GrandmasterP]

 

 

That much is obvious - and trying is not doing - is it?

......

Quite so, nevertheless it is trying; is it not?

[gatito]

......

Quite so, nevertheless it is trying; is it not?

 

No.

[GrandmasterP]

Now you didn't really mean to say that did you not.

[gatito]

Now you didn't really mean to say that did you not.

 

I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it.

[Apech]

I wonder who is going to have the last word ... er, on the other hand I don't really care

[GrandmasterP]

It's therapeutic I'm sure, or do I mean cathartic?

Bless!

[GrandmasterP]

 

 

My own experience is that I don't experience not existing (by definition, it would not be possible so to do - would it?). Therefore, unless you have direct experience of not existing, why believe in it?

.........

Good point. Only an experiencing subject could experience not existing hence not existing would not actually exist.

Tony seems to be saying that there is Nothing at All. On the other hand it does appear to be Tony who is saying that.

When Tony married Claire the registrar who officiated did not say

"Claire, do you take this nothing to be your lawful wedded nothing"?

Edited November 9, 2012 by GrandmasterP

[Apech]

.........

Good point. Only an experiencing subject could experience not existing hence not existing would not actually exist.

Tony seems to be saying that there is Nothing at All. On the other hand it does appear to be Tony who is saying that.

When Tony married Claire the registrar who officiated did not say

"Claire, do you take this nothing to be your lawful wedded nothing"?

 

Oh I don't know! ... have you met Tony????

[gatito]

Oh I don't know! ... have you met Tony????

 

Now, now Apech - no need to sink to the lowest common denominator.

[Birch]

Typical British humour. Crude and abusive.

 

True. Also true that some of it (not all of it) just highlights some thing in their absolute ridiculousness. I reckon that's the part of GB humor I like. The 'show no mercy on anyone' part. At his heyday Eddie Murphy f*ckin stang like a wasp (didn't die afterwards).

We could do a 'humor' thread and see what TTB's find what funny. 'Can we laugh at everything?' could be an awesome thread. 'Why do we laugh'? Another excellent topic title.

'Laughing yoga' - stupid practice or not?

[gatito]

True. Also true that some of it (not all of it) just highlights some thing in their absolute ridiculousness. I reckon that's the part of GB humor I like. The 'show no mercy on anyone' part. At his heyday Eddie Murphy f*ckin stang like a wasp (didn't die afterwards).

We could do a 'humor' thread and see what TTB's find what funny. 'Can we laugh at everything?' could be an awesome thread. 'Why do we laugh'? Another excellent topic title.

'Laughing yoga' - stupid practice or not?

 

True enough but..................there's a time and a place and you need the right audience.

 

I like the thread idea.

[Birch]

True enough but..................there's a time and a place and you need the right audience.

 

I like the thread idea.

 

Heard that before:-) What time, what place, what audience?

Ur, assuming it's not you on this thread, right now?

[gatito]

Heard that before:-) What time, what place, what audience?

Ur, assuming it's not you on this thread, right now?

 

Try the appropriate time, the appropriate place and the appropriate audience (and don't ask for any help with that - you're going to have to figure that one out for yourself....Ur..... )

 

Yes you're right - it's not me on this thread any longer. :D

[Birch]

Righto:-) Not you:-)

 

Possibly some other people?

[gatito]

Righto:-) Not you:-)

 

Possibly some other people?

 

Nope. There's not-two of me (or more), or at least if there are, I can't find them.

[Tibetan_Ice]

What? I'm quite baffled by this response.

 

1. I insulted you with reason. I laid out clearly why the examples you chose to paint Sadhguru as some sort of murderer, con artist, and mind manipulator were in very poor taste. I refuted each chosen example. You began with all the insulting bullshit and then try to skip out on all the crap you laid out and now your feelings are hurt! Take accountability for your actions!

 

Hi Lucky

Don't get all confused now.. My feelings were not hurt. I have no interest in being insulted. I detected an abusive attitude in your posts/insults. Especially in the PM that you sent me.. remember?

 

You titled it "HEY YOU!"

I demand a reply on the thread on Sadhguru after I've answered every retarded point you just copied and pasted.

 

Come at me bro!

 

I thought there were forum rules about insulting people.. Are you in danger of being banned here? Hey, if I could I'd insult you too! It's fun! It creates energy which, when dissolved by direct attention, produces great bliss.

 

2. I don't care about your history. You do have a tendency to all the time go "bliss bliss bliss." And you admitted it yourself didn't you? So I was just writing on that basis.

 

 

And what a contradiction that is. Did you actually study his teachings? Sadguru is shouting and selling "bliss, bliss, bliss" himself.

Have a look at this video.

 

 

In it, the Sadguru is saying that you have to enhance your perception with bliss from the pineal gland in order to have something more happen. He himself is pushing bliss. So, it is clear you don't understand what he is selling.

This is no doubt, how to add something to you, which is contrary to most teachings, including Dzogchen, which strip off the layers of the onion (or settle them down until they become transparent).

 

And then, after all you've supported the maxim that it is wrong to heal anyone, in this next video, Sadguru is saying that sambhavi will activate the expression of your bliss body and that it will heal all your ailments!

 

But he never tells you how. You have to buy that...

 

 

It's a very bad sign when there is no consistency in the teachings. And, selling sambhavi as a healing tool that performs miracles is quite a sales pitch, isn't it?

 

Note: I have been performing sambhavi during my twice daily meditations for 5 years now. Every day. So I am very familiar with the practice, and the light, and the bliss, and the visions, and the kundalini... First time I hear that it heals all your ailments though..

 

 

3. What are you talking about? I never insulted Max. I love Max. In fact I'm gonna go see him tomorrow!

 

Sorry, didn't you say that Max was breeding a bevy of bliss bunnies with kunlun? Perhaps that's not how you meant it but it appeared to me to discredit Max and his Kunlun.

 

 

4. Every thesis there's an anti thesis! Ha! What? So if you call someone a murderer and this other person proves him innocent, I guess he is now both a murderer and a innocent man? What kind of logic is that? There are baseless claims and evidence, leading to what the actuality is.

 

It's a funny world that we live in. If you kill someone, you go to jail. If you kill someone in war-time, you become a hero. So you see, you can be both at the same time. It's all a matter of perception.

However, if it is true that he kept the death of his wife secret for nearly a year before he told her family, that is borderline psycho.

 

5. Ohhhh you are interested in my personal experience! That's great! Because that thread on Sadhguru was exactly that! On my personal experience with Sadhguru! Until you came up with a very huge copy and paste list of ridiculous accusations against him. Thanks for caring so much about what I experienced!

 

So how much has it cost you to take part in the Isha initiative?

 

You know, you may have spent a few hours writing your abusive responses, but I also spent 3 or 4 hours watching Sadguru's youtube videos. I was happy in the fact that you had found the true guru, that which is inside of everyone. I was not happy to meet Sadguru and his sales pitches, stupid stories and underhanded marketing techniques.

 

But really, who cares? Who cares if you gain bliss from an authentic guru, a charlatan, an avatar or by placebo? Isn't the realization what counts, not the source?

 

 

6. I picked your post on that thread apart for a good reason, so that people don't take all the nonsense you copied and pasted with any sense of seriousness.

 

Fair enough. But your behaviour should have shown the bliss that you had achieved, shoudn't it have?

 

 

7. As for Dzogchen, the base, path, and fruit are one (I can quote this from Chogyal Namkai Norbu's book, but since you like quoting entire books, I'll just give you the name of it "The Crystal and the Way of Light"). Those methods you listed are so that the seeker gets introduced to the natural state. Only when you've been introduced to that state can you be considered a practitioner of Dzogchen. Dzogchen is known to be a non gradual path, where upon all experiences are seen as self liberating. Tony Parsons is much closer to that than whatever concentrative exercise you may be doing. Anyway, I wrote that because you mentioned natural state. Natural state isn't about concentrating, or fixating the mind on stillness...that wouldn't be so natural would it?

 

I bought "The Crystal and the Way of Light" back in Sept, 2011. I'm trying to find "The Crystal Cave" nowadays. "Heart Drops of Dharmakaya" is pretty good too.

 

My point was that you said Dzogchen is not a practice and I am pointing out that it is definately a practice, a series of practices. Once one realizes rigpa, the goal is to remain in it 24/7. That is some practice. It is not "doing nothing" as you said. Nor is it the futility of practice that Tony Parsons says.

 

 

So I went back to the thread to see how it panned out. Well in reply to my original post this is what you wrote after finding problems with Sadhguru's exposition on healing:

 

"I find the Sadhguru's precepts disturbing, and misplaced. He seems to be a good actor and have a handle on how to entertain and influence people. But he lacks the sincerity and respect for other traditions that I would expect from someone in his position."

 

(And here you are all poo poo because you think I insulted you.) To which I replied with a very reasoned response on what Sadhguru means when telling healers not to meddle with life. To which you....

 

Oh, that's right...didn't reply, but put out that stupid list of accusations. To which I again replied with a reasoned criticism of why your sources are absolutely unreliable. To which you...

 

Oh, that's right...didn't reply again. And now you are here saying you were upset because I insulted you. Ha! What nonsense!

 

What's the matter? Can't stand peace or silence? Sometimes it speaks louder than words.

 

 

TI

[gatito]

This thread's become surreal.

[Nikolai1]

Hi 7 strikes

 

No survival needs! Ok. Go about two days without water and see if telling yourself the body is empty quenches your thirst.

 

I said my body had no survival needs, I did not say that I do not drink water or look both ways when I cross the road.

 

Do you understand the difference?

 

When I drink water I drink water. All this talk about doing it in order to survive is a fiction in your own head. It's a story you 100% believe in.

 

You have not seen emptiness yet, although your recognition of good emptiness teachers like Tony Parsons means that you soon will. You know it deep inside but its not fully conscious so you can't yet put it into words. Maybe we can talk some more later.

 

best wishes

[GrandmasterP]

 

 

True. Also true that some of it (not all of it) just highlights some thing in their absolute ridiculousness. I reckon that's the part of GB humor I like. The 'show no mercy on anyone' part. At his heyday Eddie Murphy f*ckin stang like a wasp (didn't die afterwards).

We could do a 'humor' thread and see what TTB's find what funny. 'Can we laugh at everything?' could be an awesome thread. 'Why do we laugh'? Another excellent topic title.

'Laughing yoga' - stupid practice or not?

..........................................

You want serious try DharmaWheel the Buddhist-bore forum.

Humour is cathartic.

[RiverSnake]

He seems like a really genuine guy. Just watching him and his videos sent me into a pretty deep meditative state.

 

-My 2 cents, Peace

[GrandmasterP]

I took a couple of Sadhguru's books down to Tea with Spirit yesterday for the book table. An elderly Indian lady snapped them up ( fifty pence a book or three for a pound we sell old books at for centre funds). I asked her if she knew about him and she replied ...

"He is a very great man".

If the Hindus reckon the guy is kosher then he's kosher.

Edited November 11, 2012 by GrandmasterP

[gatito]

I took a couple of Sadhguru's books down to Tea with Spirit yesterday for the book table. An elderly Indian lady snapped them up ( fifty pence a book or three for a pound we sell old books at for centre funds). I asked her if she knew about him and she replied ...

"He is a very great man".

If the Hindus reckon the guy is kosher then he's kosher.

 

I'd be more inclined to believe that he was kosher if the endorsement had come from a well-respected practicing Jew.

[Nikolai1]

I was working on a similar gag but couldn't quite frame it