what do you believe you have to do

[Pranaman]

What do you believe is necessary to transcend? and ascend?

[dao zhen]

This is a wonderful question, and a great topic.

 

I also am sorry, but I do not have the experience to really comment on it.......

 

It seems that from most research I have seen and from my personal experience,

intensive meditation seems to be involved.

 

One thing that has always stuck with me is the Tibet Tradition reference to a "Rainbow Body",

and then during lectures with my guide in Taoist Alchemy and how he spoke of in the final stages,

the body turns into "dust like" particals and there is a "Body of Light", and how this light expands out into the infinite emptiness....... then back..... gaining one with tao.......

 

I do not know much of the Tibet tradition and the Rainbow Body, but it seems to also be a reference to gaining liberation.

 

I personally have wondered these days about one simple point:

 

1. Is liberation something all people can gain in this lifetime through practice

 

or....

 

2. Is liberation something that is only an option for a select few who have the proper karmic conditions, and have done much leg work in previous lives to embody the proper attributes in this life to gain liberation (through practice of a proper method).

 

From lectures with my guide, it seems that in speaking of "becoming an immortal" - (which is liberation from the Taoist perspective)......

 

"Every 6 - 9 generations there will be 1 - 3 beings on the Earth who will have the proper attributes to gain Immortality. Yet even those will have to take the basic first steps with a teacher, receive some instruction, and then practice on their own to gain the liberation and immortal status."

 

It also has come to my attention that in order to gain certain experiences and levels, one must leave society.

 

I personally am finding that while living in society, and having obligations with work and people, that there will only be a certain amount of time each day you can practice seriously.

 

This in the end will lead to a limitation to the states you gain.

 

Simply put you can not have work and responsibility, and suddenly slip off into the emptiness for 3 or more days.....

 

Yet we can not have tempering of the heart, and learn to overcome our negative emotions and desires without having much interations in society.

 

I am starting to see that it is a question of balance and timing.

 

Liberation.......

 

Transendance........

 

Immortality.........

 

I think it is a fine pursuit to dedicate ones life to..........

[Patrick Brown]

I figure you simply have to realise your true nature. There is a way in which we don't exist because our ego is impermanent, in the sense of being ever changing, and our conciousness is nothing but air in a bubble. It is said that when we can see through the ego we experience our true self.

 

Without the ego there would be no perception of conciousness yet ever lessening the ego brings you closer to an experience of bliss and the famous nirvanic bliss of 'being which is non-being'. Once this is experienced your desires for earthly life begin to fall away as you are drawn further and further into the bliss.

 

Now beings that enter Nirvana still have the finest of egos so will eventually reincarnate but this gets rather complex so lets just say it won't be for a very long time, apparently. There is also the ongoing argument about Bodhisattva's being more noble than the Buddha's because they decide not to completely enter nirvana until all sentient beings become enlightened. I chose the Bodhisattva path twenty years ago although I'm not a full initiate as there are still things I've yet to understand and my experiences of nirvanic bliss are probably low on the scale. I'm not in any rush although the modern world greats on me somewhat.

[.broken.]

I do not know much of the Tibet tradition and the Rainbow Body, but it seems to also be a reference to gaining liberation.

 

From my readings, I believe the Rainbow Body is something obtained at the time of death. The body transforms into light and all that is left behind are hair and nails. Namkhai Norbu's uncle is said to have achieved this, and I have a funny feeling Namkhai will too.

 

If you are interested in Dzogchen I cannot recommend his books enough.