For those of you still chasing "abilities"

[Sahaj Nath]

just a little food for thought, not that i expect any converts after posting this.

 

The clairvoyant may see forms which are elsewhere, but he cannot see the formless. The telepathic may communicate directly with the mind of another, but he cannot communicate with one who has achieved no-mind. The telekinetic may move an object without touching it, but he cannot move the intangible. Such abilities have meaning only in the realm of duality. Therefore, they are meaningless. Within the Great Oneness, though there is no such thing as clairvoyance, telepathy, or telekinesis, all things are seen, all things understood, all things forever in their proper places.

 

--Hua Hu Ching

[Spirit Ape]

Great words of wisdom!

[Patrick Brown]

just a little food for thought, not that i expect any converts after posting this.

 

The clairvoyant may see forms which are elsewhere, but he cannot see the formless. The telepathic may communicate directly with the mind of another, but he cannot communicate with one who has achieved no-mind. The telekinetic may move an object without touching it, but he cannot move the intangible. Such abilities have meaning only in the realm of duality. Therefore, they are meaningless. Within the Great Oneness, though there is no such thing as clairvoyance, telepathy, or telekinesis, all things are seen, all things understood, all things forever in their proper places.

 

--Hua Hu Ching

Cool.

 

Could also add "the only master is the self and he is the eternal student".

[Son Goku]

just a little food for thought, not that i expect any converts after posting this.

 

The clairvoyant may see forms which are elsewhere, but he cannot see the formless. The telepathic may communicate directly with the mind of another, but he cannot communicate with one who has achieved no-mind. The telekinetic may move an object without touching it, but he cannot move the intangible. Such abilities have meaning only in the realm of duality. Therefore, they are meaningless. Within the Great Oneness, though there is no such thing as clairvoyance, telepathy, or telekinesis, all things are seen, all things understood, all things forever in their proper places.

 

--Hua Hu Ching

 

WOO HOO!!!! me likes

[SiliconValley]

Awesome ....

[.broken.]

Wise words

 

It's strange how my research and practices seem to have come full circle. Back I am with Zen

[Gerard]

It's strange how my research and practices seem to have come full circle. Back I am with Zen

 

You mean Theravada (please let's start a Buddhist school war in here, we need it! ):

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada

 

In that page you'll find the essence of what this whole samsaric existence is about (philosophy section).

 

Btw, for those who send me PMs asking for how to attain siddhis, or testing me, or asking for "fake" help, please abstain from doing this because you are only bringing bad karma to yourselves. Just focus on your mind and practice Vipassana meditation twice a day, if you can:

 

http://www.buddhanet.net/meditation.htm

 

 

Just leave me alone, I will only give advice related to Buddhist teachings and meditation. Nothing else.

 

 

Good luck.

 

 

Namo Amitabha.

 

 

Edit: added new sentence at the beginning.

Edited September 12, 2008 by durkhrod chogori

[Patrick Brown]

It's strange how my research and practices seem to have come full circle. Back I am with Zen

 

You mean Theravada (please let's start a Buddhist school war in here, we need it! ):

 

It's a nice tantrick if you can do it!

[wudangquan]

I like these . . .

 

"Chen the Blank said, "Body and mind unmoving is culling medicine". It does not refer to tiresome exercises in imagination and visualization".

 

and . . .

 

Yu Yuwu said, "When mind is steady, spirit is stable and energy is harmonious; there is natural circulation up and down through the three chambers, and the hundred channels naturally flow freely."

 

and . .

 

If you want to operate yin and yang and the five elements in your own body, do not by any means focus your effort on yin and yang and the five elements. You must concentrate on teh absolute, practicing being unborn; Then yin and yang and five elements will operatre spontaneously and naturally without you having to seek to operate them.

 

I think it's also worth checking out the "9 grades of practices" which is part of the book of balance and harmony.

 

I was really into (esoteric, not the practical beat up your wife and let the Hagwon raise your kids and then pass out drunk on the street with your buddies in matching shiny silver suits deal) Confucianism when I lived in Korea . . .

 

Within the context of Taoism, Chan/Zen/Other variants of Buddhism, Confucianism, etc. - They all use basically similar strategy, but differing tactics at the lower levels, I guess.

 

Like Buddhism wants to destroy illusion. Taoism wants to see the Truth.

 

That's the real value I think in reading some of the stuff like the Master Nan guy, and even though he's not popular on these forums, Li Hongzi, and all that.

 

Those kinds of guys might be saying A LOT of things that people disagree with, but the reason people get results from them is because they are boiling things down to the core issues of non-attachment, stillness, emptyness, etc. which are sort of the pinnacle of the pyramid of cultivation.

 

You can hump like a Hebrew slave around the base or at the corners - trying to get this or that supernatural power, or whatever or you can take the elevator.

 

But, lots of people would rather be able to do the "tricks", and will spend their time doing crazy excercises with wrong intentions, or visualizing pink hearts, yellow moons, green clovers, blue diamonds or whatever and there will always be people ready to serve that market at a price. No loss, no gain.

 

That's a valid part of the ecosystem of cultivation though, I think . . .

 

And as long as they're not getting anything really bad (and I pretty firmly believe that you can get some creepy crawlies from following the bad ju ju) - surely it's better than watching TV 4 hours a night.

[Spectrum]

a still center resides within a circulating tornado

[Patrick Brown]

Great stuff wudangquan, I probably do watch to much TV though!

[Unconditioned]

Hmm got double posted for some reason - oops.

Edited September 12, 2008 by Unconditioned

[Unconditioned]

... and will spend their time doing crazy excercises with wrong intentions, or visualizing pink hearts, yellow moons, green clovers, blue diamonds or whatever and there will always be people ready to serve that market at a price. No loss, no gain.

 

Are you trying to steal my frosted lucky charms????

 

I really appreciate this post. I hope it does inspire some to look past the 'abilities' and find their source. I feel true sympathy for those who spend years if not their lifetimes cultivating these arts but miss the point altogether.

 

I think the only thing that can be done to help others (not just those looking to obtain abilities) is to be an example. Your shear presence of living with/in the Tao will naturally shine to others and at a minimum people will notice you're different, best case they will want to know why.

 

I hope I am not coming across as being antagonistic or a know-it-all, that's very far from my intention!

Edited September 12, 2008 by Unconditioned

[Smile]

"...ever seeking the unique wonder in each blade of grass..."

 

That's even more beautiful...

[三江源]

.

Edited April 9, 2015 by 三江源

[wudangquan]

Maybe some of Y'all are like me, and keep a little notebook or day planner with cool stuff you've read, heard, or thought of that you want to remember later.

 

I have one of those.

 

It's a little telephone and address book.

 

Page 2 and 3 are covered in all of these little types of gems I want to come back to now and then.

 

But, there's just 1 on the first page . . .

 

It says:

 

"THE MAP IS NOT THE TERRITORY"

 

Throughout history, lots of people have been cultivating, and they experience some things, phenomenologically.

 

Now and again, they wrote their experiences down.

 

(I believe) that later people at lower levels, or of lower caliber began focusing to much on the experiential data provided by people who went before them, and started thinking THAT was what it was all about.

 

Remember enter the dragon when bruce does the schtick about it being like a finger pointing to the moon? Focus on the finger and you miss all that heavenly glory. . .

 

This stuff just happens. Or it doesn't.

 

WHether it does or doesn't happen is not a realistic indication of your progress, because a person with low natural ability could reach the middle level of their cultivation and do some stuff, while a person with very high natural ability reaches the low point, but they're still not able to do the spooky ooky.

 

But regardless, the second person is still at a MUCH higher level - they're just at the lower rungs of a much bigger ladder.

 

The map is not the territory.

[ToL]

just a little food for thought, not that i expect any converts after posting this.

 

The clairvoyant may see forms which are elsewhere, but he cannot see the formless. The telepathic may communicate directly with the mind of another, but he cannot communicate with one who has achieved no-mind. The telekinetic may move an object without touching it, but he cannot move the intangible. Such abilities have meaning only in the realm of duality. Therefore, they are meaningless. Within the Great Oneness, though there is no such thing as clairvoyance, telepathy, or telekinesis, all things are seen, all things understood, all things forever in their proper places.

 

--Hua Hu Ching

 

Thank you for posting this, it's beautiful.

[Kundaolinyi]

just a little food for thought, not that i expect any converts after posting this.

 

The clairvoyant may see forms which are elsewhere, but he cannot see the formless. The telepathic may communicate directly with the mind of another, but he cannot communicate with one who has achieved no-mind. The telekinetic may move an object without touching it, but he cannot move the intangible. Such abilities have meaning only in the realm of duality. Therefore, they are meaningless. Within the Great Oneness, though there is no such thing as clairvoyance, telepathy, or telekinesis, all things are seen, all things understood, all things forever in their proper places.

 

--Hua Hu Ching

If Hua Hu Ching is wiser than a telepath who comunicates directly with the mind, then is the illiterate man wiser than Hua Hu Ching who comunicates so skillfully with a pen? Quite an 'ability' he has.

 

"And you wise men don't know how it fee-hee-hee-heals to be thick... as a brick." **flute playes**

 

Smart is dumb and dumb is smart. Or, we're just saying 'sour grapes'. Even I'm not sure which one.

[Unconditioned]

If Hua Hu Ching is wiser than a telepath who comunicates directly with the mind, then is the illiterate man wiser than Hua Hu Ching who comunicates so skillfully with a pen? Quite an 'ability' he has.

 

"And you wise men don't know how it fee-hee-hee-heals to be thick... as a brick." **flute playes**

 

Smart is dumb and dumb is smart. Or, we're just saying 'sour grapes'. Even I'm not sure which one.

 

Where do the thoughts from the pen come from?

[h.uriahr]

Healing is an ability. I'd like to gain that ability...so am I chasing abilities???

[orb]

just a little food for thought, not that i expect any converts after posting this.

 

The clairvoyant may see forms which are elsewhere, but he cannot see the formless. The telepathic may communicate directly with the mind of another, but he cannot communicate with one who has achieved no-mind. The telekinetic may move an object without touching it, but he cannot move the intangible. Such abilities have meaning only in the realm of duality. Therefore, they are meaningless. Within the Great Oneness, though there is no such thing as clairvoyance, telepathy, or telekinesis, all things are seen, all things understood, all things forever in their proper places.

 

--Hua Hu Ching

 

 

 

....So clearly two opposite branches are forming like the republicans and the democrats of the Dao. One branch chasing abilities - and the second branch chasing awakening!

And both sides are firmly convinced that the other party is wrong.

Any independents ?

[Stigweard]

....So clearly two opposite branches are forming like the republicans and the democrats of the Dao. One branch chasing abilities - and the second branch chasing awakening!

And both sides are firmly convinced that the other party is wrong.

Any independents ?

 

 

YES YES ... ME ... VOTE FOR THE STIG!!!

 

Ahem ... sorry 'bout that ... carry on

[mwight]

Abilities are not the "end goal" they are merely mile markers to track your progress. That is the ONLY valid function they serve.

 

If you spend your whole life meditating and being a good person, you will never in a billion life times achieve liberation from this cycle of death and rebirth.

[Patrick Brown]

Abilities are not the "end goal" they are merely mile markers to track your progress. That is the ONLY valid function they serve.

 

If you spend your whole life meditating and being a good person, you will never in a billion life times achieve liberation from this cycle of death and rebirth.

Agree.

 

Yes I've experienced most of the siddhis but didn't get trapped in the phenomenon of them. We are told that in different rounds that we will all have such abilities and therefore they will be the norm and not magical or mysterious. Trying to hold on to such abilities in this world is folly, trying to cultivate them is the road to insanity.

[mantis]

not everyone here wants to awaken

 

i love my ego!