Seeing, Recognising & Maintaining One's Enlightening Potential

[manitou]

I am currently studying 'Christian Science Healing: Its Principles and Practice with Full Explanations for Home Students.'  I can't help but be astounded by the joinder of paths as they approach Realization.  This seems to dovetail synchronistically with some recent thoughts covered here in this thread.  Please take a look at the following excerpt:

 

'Compared to Realization, we regard Faith as containing an element of Doubt, arising from our belief in Time;  that "it takes time for things to happen," and so on.  Faith is appropriate about a result we cannot yet see, such as the work we do for the world by sending out our thoughts proclaiming that Matter and Evil are not real.  This Faith will consecrate our self-training in saying Denials and Affirmations.  We say everything in silence.  We are dealing with Thought, not speech.'

 

(Note:  the Denials and Affirmations were previously discussed in the manual as a means to negate the belief that Matter, Time, Good and Evil are real things at all; Denials and Affirmations are a Practice, a means to an end that we also speak of here.  I also note that Christian Science has nothing to do whatsoever with Jesus Christ - rather, it involves the Christ consciousness used by Jesus, Buddha, any others that fell to Realization.  Indeed, the back end of the book contains a study in the Bhagavad Gita.  This is advanced metaphysics indeed, and for anyone who dabbles in the healing arts a gold mine to be added to other realizations)

 

 

Edited May 20, 2017 by manitou

[Brian]

3 minutes ago, manitou said:

I am currently studying 'Christian Science Healing: Its Principles and Practice with Full Explanations for Home Students.'  I can't help but be astounded by the joinder of paths as they approach Realization.  This seems to dovetail synchronistically with some recent thoughts covered here in this thread:

 

'Compared to Realization, we regard Faith as containing an element of Doubt, arising from our belief in Time;  that "it takes time for things to happen," and so on.  Faith is appropriate about a result we cannot yet see, such as the work we do for the world by sending out our thoughts proclaiming that Matter and Evil are not real.  This Faith will consecrate our self-training in saying Denials and Affirmations.  We say everything in silence.  We are dealing with Thought, not speech.'

 

(Note:  the Denials and Affirmations were previously discussed as a means to negate the belief that Matter, Time, Good and Evil are real things at all; Denials and Affirmations are a Practice, a means to an end that we also speak of here.  I also note that Christian Science has nothing to do whatsoever with Jesus Christ - rather, it involves the Christ consciousness used by Jesus, Buddha, any others that fell to Realization.  Indeed, the back end of the book contains a study in the Bhagavad Gita.  This is advanced metaphysics indeed, and for anyone who dabbles in the healing arts a gold mine to be added to other realizations)

 

 

I would clarify that, to my understanding, Christian Science has much to do with the Nazarene but not in the manner and context of typical modern Christianity.  Much like with the Friends, the basis is personal experiential realization rather than scripture, dogma and "belief." As such, it is quite appropriate for, and likely that, many Bums who have been doing personal exploration and expansion for some time -- regardless of the tradition -- to find strong resonances.

[manitou]

Yes, that is good clarification.  In both the Mary Baker Eddy book I've read (Science and Health, I think) and this  practitioner's manual I'm reading, the mention of the Nazarene are far and few between. Any focus on him has to do with his mindset as to healing - more like 'a guy that knew how to do it'  I don't know about their church structure.  (I did get onto one website of a Christian Science church, and it does seem to have devolved into the more traditional Christian worship thing - that's too bad and taking a step backward, as I see it, at least in that particular case).  I just don't get the sense that was her intent at all.  It's my understanding that MBE triangulated all mention of healing in not only the Bible but apparently also other tomes as well - such as a Bhagavad Gita - and from this triangulation her knowledge of healing was attained and put to use.  I'm currently suffering some painful back problems, and I can attest to the times that I utilize her mindset of 'matter has no power' (in conjunction with her understanding of the illusion of matter and time) I feel a remarkable difference.  But it's a practice, and I remember to do it more often as time goes on.

Edited May 26, 2017 by manitou

[silent thunder]

One of my long time friends was raised in a home where the philosophy of Ms Eddy was studied and honored.  Not in the modern Christian context of going to church and worship, but as you referred to it, very practically... they were taking clues from  'a guy that knew how to do it'.  They treated it without doubt and applied it to their lives simply.  For him the effects were amazing.

 

This guy is not religious in the slightest, yet he embodied the philosophy to great effect in his life. 

 

He and I used to ride with the Quixilver snow boarding team for years out East in Vermont.  They all competed, I just hung out for the fun.  But these guys would push each other and challenge themselves constantly and as with sports of this nature injuries happened... but not with him, never with him, nothing above a niggling pain endured with him... on several occasions I watched him basically recreate his bodily reality in front of my eyes, while laying in the snow after a fall.   After suffering what I consider to be a major injury that would require a skid to get him off the mountain, (based on the sounds of the joints popping and his screams at the initial pain) I watched and he would shift into a very calm and neutral state and simply seem to embody himself as a healthy unit, rather than an injured one and then after a time he'd begin to move slowly, then with more confidence and finally just stand up and be... fine.  Remarkable stuff.  

 

He talked often of these phrases or mantras that came to him in these moments.  He'd recite them to himself and then basically embody their meaning in his flesh.  And it sure seemed to work for him.  What he was able to simply stand up from and walk away from after a few minutes of sitting still, were staggering to me.  Ms. Eddy indeed seemed to have her finger on the pulse when she had her insights and these were presented to him as a young child, so he incorporated them into his paradigm without doubts.

 

One more quick anecdote related to the mind this time.  In school, there was a class he basically blew off the entire course and then as the final test approached, he was freaking out the night before.  Much like the mantras that he'd recite to become whole in body would come to him, another thought occured to him regarding the coming test he said... it was 'the mind that makes the test, takes the test.'  the thought calmed him down and he recited it to himself until he fell asleep just as he did with the injuries he'd encounter.  When he got to the class, he embodied that phrase again and aced the test.  100 out of 100.  Teachers assumed he cheated, but couldn't find anything to grasp onto, in order to prove it.  

 

He is able to tap into something very potent for his life through being exposed to her philosophy early on.  Thanks for sharing that Manitou, timely reminder for me... I've always meant to read up on her. 

 

Be well.  

[manitou]

Thanks for the wonderful post, Silent Thunder.  If you do get around to reading any of that, please PM me - I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

[C T]

the Zen side of Nagarjuna.. 

 

With all its many risks, this life endures
No more than windblown bubbles in a stream.
How marvelous to breathe in and out again,
To fall asleep and then awake refreshed.
 

[C T]

~ Shantideva ~ 

 

Through having to do what I do not want to do or being prevented from doing what I want to do, I develop mental unhappiness, which becomes the fuel that causes anger to grow and destroy me. Therefore, I should never allow this fuel of mental unhappiness that causes anger to grow within my mind, for this enemy of anger has no function other than to harm me.

[C T]

The practice is not one of attainment or achievement in a conceived future, but one of realisation in the here and now—manifestation, rather than creation or cultivation, of the awakened nature of mind. 

 

~ Paramito Ladakh ~ 

[C T]

The wild-eyed yogin aligns with perfect truth through their decisive dismissal of certainty.

 

~ Paramito Ladakh ~ 

[C T]

"Emptiness demolishes all dharmas (concepts) so that the only thing that abides is emptiness (sunyata). After emptiness has demolished all dharmas, emptiness itself should also be set aside. It is because of this that we require the ‘emptiness of emptiness’ (sunyata-sunyata). Whereas emptiness conditions all dharmas, the emptiness of emptiness conditions only emptiness.”

 

~ Nagarjuna ~ 

[C T]

Perceptual experience is entirely subjective, raising the question: Whose version of reality holds precedence?

 

~ Paramito Ladakh ~

[C T]

Seeing emptiness, that very first time, one could not possibly know whether to weep with sadness or with joy.

 

~ Paramito Ladakh ~ 

[C T]

From a Tricycle Interview with

H.H. DILGO KHYENTSE RINPOCHE

 

Tricycle:
Tibetan Buddhism was created for very different conditions from those which exist in the West today. I am interested in your assessment of the future of Buddhism in North America and the main obstacles Westerners may experience in receiving it.

 

Khyentse Rinpoche: 
The teachings of Buddha are not just for an immediate result but for a work that may last for many lives to come. The main obstacle in the East, as well as in the West, is that, if we check our habits that relate to our various negative emotions and positive emotions, we see that we habitually have much stronger negative emotions, and that we get distracted by them. So we hold on to our negative emotions very tightly and, especially in the West, many distractions result from that.

 

We may have some interest and desire to practice but somehow we don’t (in the West) really see the importance of such training and how the teaching would help us progress and find lasting happiness and peace and liberation. But if we have a strong sense of what should be our main aim, and make efforts diligently, we can have a result in this present life. Look at the lives of Milarepa and of the close disciples of Guru Padmasambhava, the great masters of the past. They could put almost 100% of their energy into spiritual training and within their lifetimes they could really see the quality and benefit of such a training unfold. But what happens to us? Even if we are interested and try to practice, it is rare for students to put even 20% of their energy into practice. Their distractions and habits are much stronger than their diligence.

 

This applies not only in the West but also in the East. What happens in the West is that there are many distractions, and even if there is interest, the quality and intensity of practice suffers, and we cannot put all our energy into it. And before even starting practice we already have an idea of the result we are working for—and that also spoils everything. Strong expectation without strong diligence is, it seems to me, a major obstacle, and at the same time a major danger for the Buddha dharma.

 

Of course, the outer teachings from all the traditions will remain more or less available, but the inner and most profound—the direct transmissions—may be virtually lost. We live in a very difficult time, and it will become more difficult to find profound masters and to get in touch with such teachings.

 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other great Tibetan masters have been doing their best—whatever they could—but although the external aspect of the teachings will continue, more or less, because there are many young lamas, the transmission that depends on inner realization will become more problematic and difficult, and may or may not continue.

 

So the main obstacle here, as I see it, is high expectations pursued without sufficient diligence in a setting of many distractions.

Edited July 18, 2017 by C T

[rex]

13 hours ago, C T said:

...  high expectations pursued without sufficient diligence in a setting of many distractions.

Wow! Superb!

[doc benway]

 

When you identify your own basic entity yourself and directly ascertain its meaning continuously and forever in meditative equipoise, then even though acting in the world, you are enlightened. 

 

                                                     ~ His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama ~

Edited July 19, 2017 by steve

[wstein]

On 7/18/2017 at 5:27 PM, C T said:

Perceptual experience is entirely subjective, raising the question: Whose version of reality holds precedence?

 

~ Paramito Ladakh ~

Experience is not reality in the same way the map is not the territory.

Everyone's subjective experience holds precedence for themselves, no one else. No one's reality is the same as any one else's because no one is the same being as any one else. One person's essence does not conflict with another person's essence, even if they they engage in conflict with one another. Each is still a person in and of themselves no matter who/what another is. Same goes for experiences, doesn't matter if they don't match. They both coexist, one does not hold precedence over the other.

[C T]

5 hours ago, wstein said:

Experience is not reality in the same way the map is not the territory.

Everyone's subjective experience holds precedence for themselves, no one else. No one's reality is the same as any one else's because no one is the same being as any one else. One person's essence does not conflict with another person's essence, even if they they engage in conflict with one another. Each is still a person in and of themselves no matter who/what another is. Same goes for experiences, doesn't matter if they don't match. They both coexist, one does not hold precedence over the other.

Perhaps you are right.

[Stosh]

On 7/18/2017 at 6:27 PM, C T said:

Perceptual experience is entirely subjective, raising the question: Whose version of reality holds precedence?

 

~ Paramito Ladakh ~

The one who's perception of reality reflects the truth with the least distortion. ( presuming, " take precedence" means considering A  thing to be, most true)

Edited July 21, 2017 by Stosh
typo

[Stosh]

On Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 10:53 AM, C T said:

The wild-eyed yogin aligns with perfect truth through their decisive dismissal of certainty.

 

~ Paramito Ladakh ~ 

The alignment with perfect truth, is a thing which one can say should hold precedence. Perfect truth is Certain. Yes? But we could also say that our certainty even about our uncertainty because the truth is independent of it , and we just might be right and not know it. No ? 

[manitou]

8 hours ago, Stosh said:

The alignment with perfect truth, is a thing which one can say should hold precedence. Perfect truth is Certain. Yes? But we could also say that our certainty even about our uncertainty because the truth is independent of it , and we just might be right and not know it. No ? 

 

 

Seems to me that the perfect truth is pretty much the absence of everything.

 

Although maybe the principle of love fits in there somehow, or more accurately the law of attraction.

Edited July 21, 2017 by manitou

[Stosh]

1 hour ago, manitou said:

 

 

Seems to me that the perfect truth is pretty much the absence of everything.

 

Although maybe the principle of love fits in there somehow, or more accurately the law of attraction.

I suppose a middle ground is to say 'everything' and 'nothing' equate , so its a matter of view. I think its conventionally/grammatically easier to say that 'everything' does exist , and that love which exists , actually exists unquestionably, whether its generated by humans or the stars.  

 

[manitou]

3 hours ago, Stosh said:

whether its generated by humans or the stars.  

 

 

 

perhaps one and the same..

[doc benway]

The true nature of the dominion of the Dharma Is not a field of practice for words. Those who are deluded cannot understand.

 

The Buddhas of the past, Those who have not yet passed on, And all the Victorious Ones who will come later on Are indivisible from the All Good Vajra, The god of the gods, And they are present as one.

 

For this reason, We do not move from our natural purpose. Everything that appears among the Dharmas of the many things Is divided into an enumeration from the one. The totality of the Dharmas is without divisions. When we know one, We also know them all. When we understand one, We also understand all of them at one time. The totality of them is indivisible. They are the state of the sky.

 

...

 

The Bodhicitta is positionless. Its true nature is indefinite, So it is not present as a unity. It encompasses all things.

 

The Bodhicitta is not something to search for. Its virtues are perfected in itself, So it arises everywhere, Without having a location.

 

There is no practice of the Bodhicitta. Everything is subsumed within it, So it is the spontaneously realized reward That we do not work toward.

 

From the Royal Tantra on the Brilliant Diffusion of Majestic Space

- trans. Wilkinson

[manitou]

Everything and nothing at the same time.

Here and there at the same time.

Here and there in the same place.

Leaves nothing to strive for.

We float, knowing all future remedies have already been disposed of.

Of what use to worry about anything?

It's already been done.

I live in awareness of the oneness of the hear-ness and the there-ness,

the Now-ness and the Then-ness.

I wish I could say it felt like bliss.

More truthful to say it feels like  a mild depression.

Oh well.

I suppose I could go smell a flower.

[Jeff]

On 8/8/2017 at 8:39 PM, steve said:

...

 

The Bodhicitta is positionless. Its true nature is indefinite, So it is not present as a unity. It encompasses all things.

 

The Bodhicitta is not something to search for. Its virtues are perfected in itself, So it arises everywhere, Without having a location.

 

There is no practice of the Bodhicitta. Everything is subsumed within it, So it is the spontaneously realized reward That we do not work toward.

 

From the Royal Tantra on the Brilliant Diffusion of Majestic Space

- trans. Wilkinson

 

So good that I thought it was worth repeating...