Teaching about Buddhism and Taoism

[Gerard]

I had a wonderful experience at work today (yes I do work, unfortunately this monk needs to work to have a place to sleep and food to eat ). I work as a school teacher and did supply work in a different school were I normally work. It happened that these three girls were sitting down on the floor while doing their work instead of their chairs like the rest of the class. This class was in one of the computer rooms. I asked them why were sitting on the floor, one replied: "because we are Buddhists!" They all started laughing. I said, "really? Well I am one as well and don't sit on the floor when I do my work". And from that very moment we ended up talking about Nirvana, anicca (impermanence,) dukkha (suffering), anatta (no self), what really means attaining a Buddha state, rebirth, and so forth.

 

These girls, especially one of them were so touched by the significance of our little discussion that I realised that higher spiritual teachings are better delivered to young people, especially before they fully become teenagers as in this age they mostly care about what society has on offer: love/flirting, cars, appearance, clothing, etc.

 

Wasn't Wang Liping a Taoist who started also at a very young age because his masters were also aware of this.

 

Don't Tibetan Buddists also start at a very young age to get initiated in various tantric initiations?

 

Today I also had a talk with a professional colleague who seemed interested in spiritual practices but unfortunately she was already too attached to her family and for her spirituality was more a kind of a trendy thing to do than anything else. On the contrary, I felt those students experienced something they never felt before, something that was hidden to them because our society is dormant, too Yang, only focuses on external values.

 

I told the students: start practicing yoga now, do just a bit every day until it becomes a routine. Do good and avoid doing any kind of harm even if harm is directed towards you.

 

I enjoy teaching unawakened humans higher spiritual teachings. I wish adults were more open-minded.

 

 

Note: Yesterday I worked with 7 yr old children and I asked two of the girls that seemed to be very curious about me:

 

"Do you know there is a spirit inside of us?" They replied: "Yes, we know."

 

They said it in a such a frank manner that I realised the older humans they get the more they drift apart from their primordial state.

 

 

[minkus]

Thanx for sharing this reallife experience, intresting yeah

[.broken.]

Imo, it all depends on how the information is imparted.

 

One has to be careful not to tell people that this is how it is, but informing them to keep an open mind about all things.

 

There is a fine line between saisfying someone's curiosity and imparting one's own dogma upon others.

 

I know, durkhrod, that you know of these things and I trust that you converse with great care - I just fear that someone might read this and get the wrong end of the stick.

 

Most humble,

James

[Gerard]

Hi James,

 

Thanks for caring but don't worry I don't go around preaching Eastern philosophy (I wish I could do it and not having to go to work ).

 

I wasn't planning to discuss this topic with those students. It just happened.

 

 

minkus, ymw

[Pero]

These girls, especially one of them were so touched by the significance of our little discussion that I realised that higher spiritual teachings are better delivered to young people, especially before they fully become teenagers as in this age they mostly care about what society has on offer: love/flirting, cars, appearance, clothing, etc.

 

Perhaps, because the younger you are the more impressionable you are. But the younger you are, the more difficult it is to stay with one thing. So unless there'd be a constant presence of teachings, it would wear out pretty fast.

 

I enjoy teaching unawakened humans higher spiritual teachings.

 

So you are awakened?

 

Note: Yesterday I worked with 7 yr old children and I asked two of the girls that seemed to be very curious about me:

 

"Do you know there is a spirit inside of us?"

 

And that is not Buddhist teaching.

[Spirit Ape]

durkhrod chogori

 

Great, can i ask why did you become a Buddhist?

 

Spirit Ape

[Andrei]

Can I ask you to explain more about anicca (impermanence,) dukkha (suffering), anatta (no self), what really means attaining a Buddha state, rebirth?

 

Once I had a talk with a 5 year old boy about God. At that time I had a philosophical vision about God more like God=Tao=Universal consciousness. The boy asked me out of nothing: 'Do you know there are two Gods?' 'No, I know about only one, how do you know?' I replied. 'Because I saw them. In my dreams. And they talk to me and they are different' he said. I was petrified and I asked his dad which was my friend if that is what they learn at kindergarten. His dad told me that officially at the kindergarten they never teach kids about religious stuff because of cultural mixing especially here in Canada and they try to keep the education as atheistic as possible not to interfere with the religious education that kids may receive at home. Anyhow my friend never imposed on his kid some religious dogma but was amazed of the spiritual insights of his 5 yo kid. This incident influenced me and made me research deeper into the esoteric literature. What I have found is that for example in some theosophist beliefs there is a Sun God which is kind of an emperor spirit that governs entire solar system, and another spirit of the Earth that is referred to as a lesser God kind of a governor spirit of our planet.

Another possibility is that we as spirits with a human life experience we have assigned two spirits guides - guardian angels as the belief in some esoteric circles not one as in official catholic dogma.

I wonder if there are such teachings in Buddhism or Taoism, and I refer here not to the philosophical version but rather the esoteric version of these teachings.

Edited August 31, 2008 by steam

[Gerard]

Perhaps, because the younger you are the more impressionable you are. But the younger you are, the more difficult it is to stay with one thing. So unless there'd be a constant presence of teachings, it would wear out pretty fast.

 

I enjoy more talking to children than adults about spiritual stuff. Less ego

 

Who did once say about children being the "salt of earth."

 

So you are awakened?

 

Like yourself.

 

 

And that is not Buddhist teaching.

 

Certainly mine is

 

 

 

durkhrod chogori

 

Great, can i ask why did you become a Buddhist?

 

Spirit Ape

 

 

Can I ask you something? In which life?

 

 

Can I ask you to explain more about anicca (impermanence,) dukkha (suffering), anatta (no self), what really means attaining a Buddha state, rebirth?

 

Wow, sorry I feel a bit lazy to write about this. Too long sorry. Maybe some other Buddhist who lurks in this forum can give you a more detailed answer. My apologies for being a lazy writer, which indeed I am.

 

 

Once I had a talk with a 5 year old boy...

 

 

Thanks for sharing your story here. There is so much to learn from children. We should listen to them more often.

 

 

Namo Amitabha.

[Pero]

Like yourself.

 

No, I don't think I am awakened. But I guess that depends what "awakened" means to you.

 

 

Certainly mine is

 

What does that mean? You created your own "Buddhist" teaching?

[Gerard]

No, I don't think I am awakened. But I guess that depends what "awakened" means to you.

 

Being able to see the truth behind the Dharma. Being able to see beyond physical reality.

 

 

What does that mean? You created your own "Buddhist" teaching?

 

Consciousness after death is carried by a medium (spiritual energy) and shaped by karma, hence a new individual is formed. No ego, no individual soul is carried after but the karmic seeds are.

 

Summing up,

 

Spiritual energy = karmic energy.

[Pero]

Consciousness after death is carried by a medium (spiritual energy) and shaped by karma, hence a new individual is formed. No ego, no individual soul is carried after but the karmic seeds are.

 

Summing up,

 

Spiritual energy = karmic energy.

 

Hm, maybe so, but no one will know you mean that if you say there is a spirit inside you.