Stages of the path to Enlightenment

[lightgiver]

Stages of the path to Enlightenment,the 21 Meditations.

Our Precious human Life,

Meditation 1,from Joyful Path Of good fortune

Making the Most of Our Human Life

When we meditate on the great value and rarity of this precious human life we are doing the analytical meditation that causes us to develop a strong determination not to waste a moment of our human life and to make full use of it by putting Dharma into practice.

When this determination arises clearly in our mind we hold it as our object of placement meditation so that we become more and more accustomed to it.

Although we now have a precious human life with all the freedoms and endowments, we may still find it difficult to practise Dharma purely because we may lack other freedoms such as the time to devote to study and meditation. It is rare to find anyone who has ideal conditions, but the most serious impediment to our spiritual development is our own failure to generate a strong wish to engage in practice.

Je Tsongkhapa said that to develop the wish to take full advantage of this life with all the freedoms and endowments we should meditate on four points:

I need to practise Dharma.
I can practise Dharma.
I must practise Dharma in this life.
I must practise Dharma now.

Before we can develop the wish to practise Dharma we must first recognize the need to practise Dharma. To do this we meditate:

I need to practise Dharma because I want to experience happiness and avoid suffering, and the only perfect method for accomplishing these aims is to practise Dharma. If I do so, I shall eliminate all my own problems and I shall become capable of helping others.

Even though we may understand the need to practise Dharma, we may still think that we are incapable of doing so. To overcome our hesitation and convince ourself that since we have all the necessary conditions we are definitely capable of practising Dharma, we meditate:

I now have a precious human life with all the freedoms and endowments, and I have all the necessary external conditions such as a fully qualified Spiritual Guide. There is no reason why I should be incapable of practising Dharma.

Even though we may understand the need to practise Dharma and may feel capable of doing so, we may still delay, thinking that we shall practise in some future life. To overcome this laziness of procrastination we need to remember that since it will be very difficult for us to gain another precious human life we must practise in this very lifetime.

Even though we may see that we must practise in this very lifetime, we may still feel that our practice can be postponed until our retirement. To overcome our complacency we need to remember that the time of death is most uncertain and so the only time to practise is right now.

In this way we arrive at four strong resolutions:

I will practise Dharma.
I can practise Dharma.
I will practise Dharma in this very lifetime.
I will practise Dharma right now.

These four resolutions are invaluable because they make us generate naturally a spontaneous and continuous wish to take full advantage of our precious human life. This wish is our best Spiritual Guide because it leads us along correct spiritual paths. Without it, no amount of advice or encouragement from others will lead us to practise Dharma.

On one occasion Aryadeva and Ashvaghosa were about to have a debate. Ashvaghosa was standing on the threshold of a room with one foot inside and one foot outside. To test Aryadeva’s wisdom he said ‘Am I going out or coming in?’ Aryadeva replied ‘That depends upon your intention. If you want to go out, you will go out. If you want to come in, you will come in.’ Ashvaghosa could think of nothing to say to this because what Aryadeva had said was perfectly correct.

http://kadampa.org/en/books/joyful-path-of-good-fortune

[lightgiver]

Meditation 2,

Death and impermanence,

9-POINT DEATH MEDITATION

1. Death is certain:
a. There is no escape
b. Life has a limit, each moment brings me closer
c. Death can come in a moment and fully unexpected

2. The time of death is uncertain:
a. My lifespan is uncertain
b. There are many causes for death, few for sustenance of life
c. My body is fragile; even a thorn can kill me with an infection

3. What can help me at the moment of death?
a. Wealth, possessions?
b. Relatives and friends?
c. My own body? Only my positive karma from practising dharma can help!

How Long Is The Life Span?

Life is so fragile, its nature is transitory. It is easy to see how it changes in only one year, a month, a week, a day, an hour, a minute, and second by second. There are sixty-five of the shortest instants in the time it takes to snap my fingers, and even in those short split seconds life is changing.

“Why should I be surprised that life changes so much? That’s natural; let it happen!” To think in this way is very foolish and ignorant because as life is changing so quickly in those very short instants I am becoming older.

Some may say, “That’s natural, I become older; let it happen!” This is another wrong attitude, not caring about becoming old. Others want to deny the impermanent nature of their lives; they do not want to see the true nature of it at all. They try to disguise their appearance in the eyes of others, who also play the same game. This is an absolutely vain attempt, such actions are not of the potential knowledge level of the human mind, and their creation is certainly not the purpose of the human rebirth from the Dharma point of view. No artificial effort can change eighty years into sixteen. Age can never decrease in the view of the truly enlightened mind, which fully realises the samsaric body’s suffering because of its impermanent nature.

These people’s minds have a double illusion: belief in artificial creation (scientific discoveries used to preserve matter and life from ruin and decay) and the wrong conception that a permanent subject-object exists. The first wrong belief causes problems to arise continually. The second wrong idea causes one to become more ignorant, lazy and careless.

There are two levels of impermanence:

1. Gross—changes of matter happening in long periods of time.
2. Subtle—inner changes of mind and invisible changes of matter happening in the shortest part of a second.

http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&id=446

http://new.music.yahoo.com/geshe-kelsang-gyatso/tracks/meditation-2-death-impermanence--183865779

[lightgiver]

Meditation 3,The Danger of a Lower Rebirth,

Lamrim Meditations: The Danger of a Lower Rebirth

The Danger of a Lower Rebirth

Contemplation: When the oil of a lamp is exhausted the flame goes out because the flame is produced from the oil, but when our body dies our consciousness is not extinguished because consciousness is not produced from the body. When we dies our mind has to leave this present body, which is just a temporary abode, and fins another body, rather like a bird leaving one nest to fly to another. Our mind has no freedom to remain and no choice about where to go. We are blown to the place of our next rebirth by the winds of our karma. If the karma that ripens at our death time is negative, we shall definitely take a lower rebirth. Heavy negative karma causes rebirth in hell, less negative karma causes rebirth as a hungry ghost, and the least negative karma causes rebirth as an animal.

It is very easy to commit heavy negative karma. For example, simply by swatting a mosquito out of anger we create the cause to be reborn in hell. Throughout this and all our countless previous lives we have committed many heavy negative actions by practicing sincere confession, their potentialities remain in our mental continuum, and any one of these negative potentialities could ripen when we die. Bearing in mind, we should ask ourself: 'If I die today, where shall I be tomorrow? It is quite possible that I shall find myself in the animal realm, among the hungry ghosts, or in hell. If someone were to call me a stupid cow today I would find it difficult to bear, but what shall I do if I actually become a cow, a pig or a fish?

Meditation: We contemplate the sufferings of the three lower realms, and danger of being reborn there, until we generate a strong fear of taking rebirth in the lower realms. We then meditate on this feeling of fear for as long as possible.

All meditations and contemplations presented here are extracted from 'The Meditation Handbook' by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (Tharpa Publications)

[lightgiver]

Meditation 4,

Lamrim Meditation: Refuge Practice

Refuge Practice

Contemplation: Since all the fears and dangers of samsara, including rebirth in the lower realms, arise our deluded minds, our real refuge is Dharma, the spiritual realizations that directly protect us from delusions. For example, if we gain a realization of death and impermanence this will help us to reduce our attachment to the things of this life. If we have strong awareness of the inevitability of death and the uncertainty of its time we shall naturally value the practice of moral disciple more than the pursuit of transitory sense pleasures, wealth, or power. We shall not be tempted to commit non-virtuous actions such as killing, stealing, or sexual-misconduct, and so we shall not have to experience the unpleasant consequences of such actions. This is how Dharma realizations protect us from suffering. The ultimate Dharma refuge is the realization of emptiness. This permanently eradicates all our delusions and frees us once and for all from suffering.

Whereas Dharma is the actual refuge, Buddha is the source of all refuge. He is the supreme spiritual guide who sustains our Dharma practice by bestowing his blessings. The Sangha are the spiritual friends who support our Dharma practice. They provide conducive conditions, encourage us in our practice, and set a good example for us to follow. Only the Three Jewels have the ability to protect all living beings from all suffering.

Meditation: By thinking in this way we generate a strong convictions that the three jewels are the only true objects of refuge, and we develop deep faith in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. We meditate on this without allowing any doubts to arise.

When we meditate on mental attitude such as faith, we do not merely think about it and focus on it as if it were separate from our mind; rather we transform our mind into a state and hold it single pointedly. We should feel as if our mind has merged with and ocean of faith.

After meditating on our faith in the Three Jewels for a short time, we imagine that in front of us is the living Buddha Shakyamuni surrounded by all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas like a full moon surrounded by stars. We generate a strong conviction that all these holy beings are actually present before us and focus on them for a while. Fearing rebirth in the lower realms and having deep faith in the Three Jewels, we generate a strong determination to build the foundation of the Dharma Jewel within our mind by relying upon the Buddha Jewel within our mind by relying upon the Buddha Jewel and the Sangha Jewel. With this motivation we make the following request:

All Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and holy beings.
Please protect me and all living beings
From the various sufferings, fears and dangers of samsara.
Please bestow your blessings upon our body and mind.

We recite this refuge prayer many times with deep faith in the Three Jewels.

[lightgiver]

Meditation 5

Actions and their effects,

Karma

Extracted from Transform Your Life by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

The law of karma is a special instance of the law of cause and effect, according to which all our actions of body, speech, and mind are causes and all our experiences are their effects.

The law of karma explains why each individual has a unique mental disposition, a unique physical appearance, and unique experiences. These are the various effects of the countless actions that each individual has performed in the past. We cannot find any two people who have created exactly the same history of actions throughout their past lives, and so we cannot find two people with identical states of mind, identical experiences, and identical physical appearances.

Each person has a different individual karma. Some people enjoy good health while others are constantly ill. Some people are very beautiful while others are very ugly. Some people have a happy disposition that is easily pleased while others have a sour disposition and are rarely delighted by anything. Some people easily understand the meaning of spiritual teachings while others find them difficult and obscure.

Karma means ‘action’, and refers to the actions of our body, speech, and mind. Every action we perform leaves an imprint, or potentiality, on our very subtle mind, and each imprint eventually gives rise to its own effect.

Our mind is like a field, and performing actions is like sowing seeds in that field. Virtuous actions sow seeds of future happiness, and non-virtuous actions sow seeds of future suffering. The seeds we have sown in the past remain dormant until the conditions necessary for their germination come together. In some cases this can be many lifetimes after the original action was performed.

It is because of our karma or actions that we are born in this impure, contaminated world and experience so many difficulties and problems. Our actions are impure because our mind is contaminated by the inner poison of self-grasping. This is the fundamental reason why we experience suffering.

Suffering is created by our own actions or karma – it is not given to us as a punishment. We suffer because we have accumulated many non-virtuous actions in our previous lives. The source of these non-virtuous actions are our own delusions such as anger, attachment, and self-grasping ignorance.

Once we have purified our mind of self-grasping and all other delusions, all our actions will naturally be pure. As a result of our pure actions or pure karma, everything we experience will be pure. We shall abide in a pure world, with a pure body, enjoying pure enjoyments and surrounded by pure beings. There will no longer be the slightest trace of suffering, impurity, or problems. This is how to find true happiness from within our mind.

To find out more about karma, see the book Joyful Path of Good Fortune.

http://kadampa.org/en/reference/karma/

More to come later.:)

[hoffy]

Funny cause I am just reading 'Awakening the Buddha within - Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World'.

Very worthwhile.

[lightgiver]

Funny cause I am just reading 'Awakening the Buddha within - Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World'.

Very worthwhile.

Nice,:)

6. Developing renunciation for samsara,

To understand Renunciation you must first to know what Samsara is. Samsara is the Sanskrit term for wheel. Just as a wheel goes around and around, and has no beginning and no end, Samsara depicts the endless cycle of existence. As long as you return to Samsara again and again you will continue to experience suffering. Therefore, you need to break free from Samsara in order to find freedom from suffering. So, in Tibetan Buddhism, Renunciation means knowing that the nature of Samsara is suffering and with this realization giving rise to the desire to be free from suffering.

Renunciation is difficult for most Westerners because they do not recognize that Samsara is suffering. But if you really think about it closely and analyze it you will see the truth in this idea.

For instance, when you buy something new you are very excited about the purchase, like a computer, for example. However, sooner or later something will happen. Perhaps a new version of the computer becomes available and yours is now outdated, or you get a scratch on the screen or spill your soda on the keypad. Then you will become very angry and upset or at least withdrawn and disappointed. This is the nature of impermanence and change. The suffering of Samsara occurs because of changes like this. So you must remember that Samsara will not bring lasting happiness. You should try to cultivate the desire to be free from Samsara.

According to Buddhism, these two concepts, Bodhicitta and Renunciation, are very important for beginners to understand and apply.:)

[lightgiver]

7. Developing equanimity:)


Equanimity

adapted from a talk by Gil Fronsdal, May 29th, 2004

Equanimity is one of the most sublime emotions of Buddhist practice. It is the ground for wisdom and freedom and the protector of compassion and love. While some may think of equanimity as dry neutrality or cool aloofness, mature equanimity produces a radiance and warmth of being. The Buddha described a mind filled with equanimity as "abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will."

The English word "equanimity" translates two separate Pali words used by the Buddha. Each represents a different aspect of equanimity.

The most common Pali word translated as "equanimity" is upekkha, meaning "to look over." It refers to the equanimity that arises from the power of observation, the ability to see without being caught by what we see. When well-developed, such power gives rise to a great sense of peace.

Upekkha can also refer to the ease that comes from seeing a bigger picture. Colloquially, in India the word was sometimes used to mean "to see with patience." We might understand this as "seeing with understanding." For example, when we know not to take offensive words personally, we are less likely to react to what was said. Instead, we remain at ease or equanimous. This form of equanimity is sometimes compared to grandmotherly love. The grandmother clearly loves her grandchildren but, thanks to her experience with her own children, is less likely to be caught up in the drama of her grandchildren's lives.

The second word often translated as equanimity is tatramajjhattata, a compound made of simple Pali words. Tatra, meaning "there," sometimes refers to "all these things." Majjha means "middle," and tata means "to stand or to pose." Put together, the word becomes "to stand in the middle of all this." As a form of equanimity, "being in the middle" refers to balance, to remaining centered in the middle of whatever is happening. This balance comes from inner strength or stability. The strong presence of inner calm, well-being, confidence, vitality, or integrity can keep us upright, like a ballast keeps a ship upright in strong winds. As inner strength develops, equanimity follows.

Equanimity is a protection from the "eight worldly winds": praise and blame, success and failure, pleasure and pain, fame and disrepute. Becoming attached to or excessively elated with success, praise, fame or pleasure can be a set-up for suffering when the winds of life change direction. For example, success can be wonderful, but if it leads to arrogance, we have more to lose in future challenges. Becoming personally invested in praise can tend toward conceit. Identifying with failure, we may feel incompetent or inadequate. Reacting to pain, we may become discouraged. If we understand or feel that our sense of inner well-being is independent of the eight winds, we are more likely to remain on an even keel in their midst.

One approach to developing equanimity is to cultivate the qualities of mind that support it. Seven mental qualities support the development of equanimity.

The first is virtue or integrity. When we live and act with integrity, we feel confident about our actions and words, which results in the equanimity of blamelessness. The ancient Buddhist texts speak of being able to go into any assembly of people and feel blameless.

The second support for equanimity is the sense of assurance that comes from faith. While any kind of faith can provide equanimity, faith grounded in wisdom is especially powerful. The Pali word for faith, saddha, is also translated as conviction or confidence. If we have confidence, for example, in our ability to engage in a spiritual practice, then we are more likely to meet its challenges with equanimity.

The third support is a well-developed mind. Much as we might develop physical strength, balance, and stability of the body in a gym, so too can we develop strength, balance and stability of the mind. This is done through practices that cultivate calm, concentration and mindfulness. When the mind is calm, we are less likely to be blown about by the worldly winds.

The fourth support is a sense of well-being. We do not need to leave well-being to chance. In Buddhism, it is considered appropriate and helpful to cultivate and enhance our well-being. We often overlook the well-being that is easily available in daily life. Even taking time to enjoy one's tea or the sunset can be a training in well-being.

The fifth support for equanimity is understanding or wisdom. Wisdom is an important factor in learning to have an accepting awareness, to be present for whatever is happening without the mind or heart contracting or resisting. Wisdom can teach us to separate people's actions from who they are. We can agree or disagree with their actions, but remain balanced in our relationship with them. We can also understand that our own thoughts and impulses are the result of impersonal conditions. By not taking them so personally, we are more likely to stay at ease with their arising.

Another way wisdom supports equanimity is in understanding that people are responsible for their own decisions, which helps us to find equanimity in the face of other people's suffering. We can wish the best for them, but we avoid being buffeted by a false sense of responsibility for their well-being.

One of the most powerful ways to use wisdom to facilitate equanimity is to be mindful of when equanimity is absent. Honest awareness of what makes us imbalanced helps us to learn how to find balance.

The sixth support is insight, a deep seeing into the nature of things as they are. One of the primary insights is the nature of impermanence. In the deepest forms of this insight, we see that things change so quickly that we can't hold onto anything, and eventually the mind lets go of clinging. Letting go brings equanimity; the greater the letting go, the deeper the equanimity.

The final support is freedom, which comes as we begin to let go of our reactive tendencies. We can get a taste of what this means by noticing areas in which we were once reactive but are no longer. For example, some issues that upset us when we were teenagers prompt no reaction at all now that we are adults. In Buddhist practice, we work to expand the range of life experiences in which we are free.

These two forms of equanimity, the one that comes from the power of observation, and the one that comes from inner balance, come together in mindfulness practice. As mindfulness becomes stronger, so does our equanimity. We see with greater independence and freedom. And, at the same time, equanimity becomes an inner strength that keeps us balanced in middle of all that is. :)

http://new.music.yahoo.com/geshe-kelsang-gyatso/tracks/meditation-7-developing-equanimity--183865805

[lightgiver]

8. Recognizing that all living beings are our mothers,

When we have received the blessing empowerment of Buddha Vajrapani we have received the instructions on training in common paths and training in uncommon paths, and we have received special blessings.To make these instructions effective we need to engage in the practice of the yoga of Buddha Vajrapani self-generation sadhana.

First we should know who Vajrapani is. Vajrapani is an emanation of Buddha Vajradhara whose function is to destroy the delusions of living beings by bestowing special power upon their body and mind. Delusions are our real enemies, and are called ‘inner obstructing demons’.

Vajrapani means ‘Vajra Holder’. ‘Vajra’ usually refers to a Tantric ritual object, but this is not the real vajra; it is only symbolic of the real vajra. The real vajra is the union of great bliss and emptiness – a mind of spontaneous great bliss realizing emptiness directly. This realization is the very essence of Secret Mantra or Vajrayana. ‘Vajrapani’ therefore means that he is the holder of Secret Mantra, the lineage holder of Buddha’s Tantric teachings.

Following a request made by Bodhisattva Vajrapani, Buddha taught the Tantra called Manjushri Name Tantra to a large assembly of his Bodhisattva disciples. At the beginning of this teaching Buddha said to Bodhisattva Vajrapani, ‘Vajrapani, this is the time to show your power.’ On hearing these words Bodhisattva Vajrapani stood up and showed the assembly of Bodhisattvas a vajra, which he held in his right hand and then
placed on the ground.

Buddha then asked the other Bodhisattvas if any one of them had enough power to pick this vajra up. Bodhisattva Manjushri – the most powerful of the Bodhisattvas – tried, but found it impossible to lift the vajra, even though he applied great effort. Turning to Buddha in surprise Bodhisattva Manjushri said, ‘I cannot move this vajra. Why is this?’ Buddha replied, ‘This shows the power of Bodhisattva Vajrapani. He has the power to destroy delusions, the enemies of living beings, by bestowing the realization of the actual vajra, the union of great bliss and emptiness.’

Normally we point to other people and say, ‘They are my enemies’, but this is a mistake. Living beings cannot be our enemies; they are our mothers. We must understand this. Since it is impossible to find a beginning to our mental continuum, it follows that we have taken countless rebirths in the past and, as we have had countless rebirths, we must have had countless mothers. Where are all of these mothers now? They are all the living beings alive today.

It is incorrect to say that our mothers of former lives are no longer our mothers just because a long time has passed since they actually cared for us. If our present mother were to die today, would she cease to be our mother? No, we would still regard her as our mother and pray for her future lives. The same is true of all our previous mothers – they died, yet they remain our mothers. It is only because of the changes in our external appearance that we do not recognize each other.

As Shantideva says, delusions such as the ignorance of selfgrasping have no arms or legs because they do not possess form. They have no intelligence or skill, and they do not understand anything because they are types of ignorance. Nevertheless they have made all living beings their slaves. These inner obstructing demons have remained within our mind since beginningless time; they have never been separate from us. Day and night they harm us at their pleasure and we patiently endure their harm without anger. How shameful! This is completely wrong. If we are patient towards our enemies, the delusions, our suffering and problems become worse. So instead of being patient we should develop anger towards these enemies, which means we should develop the strong wish to harm and destroy them.

Anger towards our enemies, the delusions, is not real anger but is a type of wisdom. This wisdom makes us determined to harm and destroy our delusions. The ancient Kadampa practitioners used to say, ‘I have only two activities: to benefit living beings as much as I can, and to harm my own delusions as much as I can.’ We should follow their example.

In Training the Mind in Seven Points Geshe Chekhawa says, ‘Gather all blame into one.’ This means that whenever we experience problems, suffering or difficulties we should blame our self-grasping ignorance, a mind that mistakenly believes the self or I that we normally see actually exists. We should recognize that all our problems are the result of our nonvirtuous actions, which were created by our self-grasping ignorance. Thus, the creator of all our problems and sufferings is self-grasping ignorance. Without self-grasping ignorance there would be no basis for us to experience problems and suffering. Understanding this we should make the strong determination to recognize, reduce and finally abandon completely our self grasping ignorance


To be able to recognize clearly, reduce and completely abandon our self-grasping ignorance we need to receive powerful blessings from enlightened beings. Without receiving the powerful blessings of enlightened beings we are powerless to accomplish this by ourself. Having received the blessing empowerment of Buddha Vajrapani, we then need to put the instructions that we received during the empowerment into practice by engaging in the practice of the yoga of Buddha Vajrapani self-generation sadhana. By doing this we can accomplish our final goal, the supreme happiness of full en light enment:)

[lightgiver]

9 Remembering the kindness of all mother sentient beings

If all beings have been our mother then how are we to recollect their kindness? Our present mother carried us in her womb for nine months. Whether sitting, walking, eating or even sleeping she was ever mindful of our presence. Her only thought was of our welfare and she regarded us a precious gem. Even though our birth may have caused her intense pain she still thought solely of our welfare and happiness.
As an infant we were little more than a helpless caterpillar, not knowing what was beneficial or harmful. Our mother cared for us and fed us her milk. When we were afraid she warmed us with the heat of her body and cuddled and comforted us in loving arms. She even wore soft clothing so as not to harm our sensitive skin.

Wherever she went she took us with her. She washed and bathed us and cleaned the dirt from our nose. While playing with us she would sing sweet sounds and repeat our name with special tenderness. She protected us continually from the dangers of fire and accident; in fact, if it were not for her constant care we would not be alive now. All that we have and enjoy is through the kindness of our mother. She rejoiced in our happiness and shared in our sorrow. Worrying about our slightest discomfort, she would have willingly surrendered even her own life in order that we might live. She taught us how to walk and talk, read and write, and underwent many hardships in order to give us a good education and the very best of whatever she possessed.

Looking upon her child with tenderness, a mother cherishes it-from conception until death-with great devotion and unconditional love. Bringing to mind the limitless kindness of our present mother makes us realize the infinite loving care we have received from time without beginning from all the countless mothers who have nurtured us. How kind these sentient beings have all been!

Repaying this kindness

Merely to remember the kindness of all mother sentient beings is not enough. Only the most callous and ungrateful would fail to see that it is our duty and responsibility to repay this kindness. This we can do by bestowing on others material gifts, pleasures or enjoyments and other temporal benefits. However, the supreme repayment for the infinite kindness we have received is to lead all beings to the unsurpassed happiness of full awakening.:)

[lightgiver]

10 ,equalizing-self-and-others,

Visualization of Three Persons

First, we visualize three persons: a totally nasty and unpleasant person whom we dislike or whom we consider our enemy, a very dearly cherished loved one or friend, and a stranger or someone in between toward whom we have neither of these feelings. We visualize all three of them together.

What kind of attitude ordinarily arises when we subsequently focus on each in turn? A feeling of unpleasantness, uneasiness, and repulsion arises with respect to the person we dislike. A feeling of attraction and attachment arises toward the dearly cherished friend. A feeling of indifference, wanting neither to help nor to harm, arises toward the one who is neither, since we find the stranger neither attractive nor repulsive.
Stopping Repulsion from Someone We Dislike

[For ease of discussion in English, suppose all three people we visualize are women.]

First, we work with the person we dislike, the one whom we might even consider an enemy.

1. We let the feeling of finding her unpleasant and repulsive arise. When it has arisen clearly,
2. We notice that a further feeling arises, namely that it would be nice if something bad happened to her, or if she experienced something she did not want to happen.
3. We then examine the reasons for these bad feelings and wishes to arise. Usually we discover that it is because she hurt us, did us some harm, or did or said something nasty to us or to our friends. That is why we want something bad to happen to her or for her not to get what she wants.
4. Now, we think about that reason for wanting something bad to happen to this woman we dislike so much and we check to see if it really is a good reason. We consider as follows:

* In past lives, this so-called enemy has been my mother and father many times, as well as my relative and friend. She has helped me very much, uncountable times.
* In this life, it is not certain what will happen. She can become of great help and a good friend later in this life. Such things are very possible.
* In any case, she and I will have infinite future lives and it is completely certain that she will at some time be my mother or father. As such, she will help me a great deal, and I shall have to place all my hopes on her. Therefore, in the past, present, and future, since she has, is, and will help me in countless ways, she is ultimately a good friend. This is decided for sure. Because of that if, for some small reason such as she hurt me a little in this life, I consider her an enemy and wish her ill, that will not do at all.
5. We think of some examples. For instance, suppose a bank official or some wealthy person with the power to give me a lot of money and who had the desire and intention to do so, and had done so a little bit in the past, were to lose his temper and become angry one day and slap me in the face. If I were to become angry and hold on to my rage, it might cause him to lose his intention to give me any more money. There would even be the danger that he would change his mind and decide to give the money to someone else. On the other hand, if I were to bear the slap, keep my eyes down, and my mouth shut, he would become even more pleased with me later that I did not become upset. Maybe, he might even want to give me more than he originally intended. If, however, I were to become angry and make a big scene, then it would be like the Tibetan saying, "You have food in your mouth and your tongue kicks it out."
6. Therefore, I have to consider the long run with this person I dislike, and the same is true with respect to all limited beings. Their help to me in the long run is a hundred percent certain. Therefore, it is totally inappropriate for me to hold on to my anger for some slight, trivial harm that anyone might do.
7. Next, we consider how a scorpion, wild animal, or ghost, at the slightest poke or provocation immediately strikes back. Then, considering ourselves, we see how improper it is to act like such creatures. In this way, we defuse our anger. We need to think that no matter what harm this person does to me, I shall not lose my temper and become angry, otherwise I am no better than a wild animal or a scorpion.
8. In conclusion, we put all of this in the form of a syllogism of logic. I shall stop getting angry at others for the reason that they have done me some harm, because

* in past lives, they have been my parents;
* later in this life, there is no certainty that they will not become my dearest friends;
* in the future, they will at some time or other be reborn as my parents and help me a great deal, so in the three times they have been helpful to me;
* and if I get angry in return, then I am no better than a wild animal. Therefore, I shall stop getting angry for the small harm they may do to me in this life.:)


http://kadampa.org/en/news/article/equalizing-self-and-others

[lightgiver]

11, The disadvantages of self-cherishing,

The Disadvantages of Self-Cherishing

In Namkapel’s text, the line from Togmey-zangpo’s edition of Geshe Chaykawa’s text, “Banish one thing as (bearing) all blame,” is moved here and the disadvantages of self-cherishing are given as commentary to the line. Pabongka follows this order.

In regard to exchanging our attitudes about self and others, the text explains how all our problems and difficulties come from cherishing ourselves, while all our benefits and happiness come from cherishing others. The fact that shravakas and pratyekabuddhas are not capable of achieving the highest spiritual level, the highest spiritual goal, is due to their self-cherishing. So, from there on down, the blame for every disadvantage, every drawback that can be experienced can be placed on the self-cherishing attitude: in other words, selfishness. Very often, when people are unhappy, they want to point an accusing finger at others: “I am unhappy because this other person has done this or that.” In fact, all our unhappiness comes from self-centeredness, by which we consider ourselves so big and important that we point the finger at others as responsible for our unhappiness. In truth, all our problems and unhappiness come from the destructive impulses that arise from our own minds – in other words, karma and the disturbing attitudes.

We have two things here: the self-cherishing attitude and grasping for a truly existent self. If we gained an understanding of reality – that there is no such thing as a truly established identity – then we would get rid of both the grasping for a truly existent self and also self- cherishing. Here, we are making a distinction, saying that the problem comes from self-cherishing. But in fact, we have to think about these two together: self-cherishing and grasping for a truly established, truly existent self.

The disadvantages of self-cherishing, or the selfish attitude, are discussed in various parts of Engaging in Bodhisattva Behaviour. Referring to both self-cherishing and grasping for a truly established self, Shantideva says, “Whatever violence there is in the world, and as much fear and suffering as there is, all of it arises from grasping at a self: so what use is that terrible demon to me?” Elsewhere in the text, Shantideva points out that our self-cherishing comes from our own minds and the unawareness in it of grasping for a truly existent “me.” This is our real enemy. He writes, “These longtime, continuing enemies like this are the sole causes for masses of harm to increase ever more. How can I be joyful and not terrified in samsara, if I set a secure place (for them) in my heart?”

In other words, we think strongly “me, me, me,” and then we think “I have to become happy; I have to get rid of my problems. Forget about everybody else. It doesn’t matter what I do with others in order to gain my own happiness.” It is under the sway of this ignorance that we exploit others and do whatever we can just to get happiness. All complications and troubles and problems that come about from this type of behaviour can be traced to this self-cherishing attitude and grasping for truly established existence.

The Buddha and we are the same from the point of view that our mental continuum have existed from beginning less time. But what has the Buddha accomplished in that time? Having rid himself of his self-cherishing attitude, based on his concern for others, he has been able to achieve enlightenment, whereas we are still completely involved in being selfish and so we are still miserable and full of troubles and problems. The cause for this difference, since both the Buddha and we have been going on for the same amount of time, is the factor of whether or not we have a self-cherishing attitude, whether or not we are selfish and grasp for ourselves. So this ties in very well with the disadvantages of samsara. All of the uncontrollably recurring problems of samsara stem from this same root. Whenever we have coveted all the various splendors of samsara, it has also arisen from selfishness, and we’ve fooled and deceived ourselves.

It is the self-grasping and the self-cherishing attitudes that give us the courage to go to war, and do all such kinds of things for our own benefit. Then, if anything goes wrong, we put the blame on our own gurus, or on our parents and so on. We need to apply that same courage to overcoming our self-cherishing attitude.

These quotes in the text are all saying, basically, that all harm comes from self-cherishing. If we were to point the finger at whoever is responsible for all the bad things that come to us, we would have to point it at our own selfishness, our self-cherishing attitude. Therefore, now is the time to rid ourselves of self-cherishing, our real enemy. As Shantideva writes, “That time before was different, when I was being ruined by you. But (now) I see you; so where can you go? I’m going to knock all the arrogance out of you. Throw away, now, any hope, ‘I still have my own self-interest.’ I’ve sold you to others, so don’t think of your weariness; I’ve offered your energies (to them). If, because of not caring, I don’t hand you over to limited beings, then, for sure, you’ll hand me over to the guards of the joyless realms. I’ve been handed over, like that, many times by you and long tormented; but now, recalling those grudges, I shall smash you, you creature of self-interest.” All the faults of selfishness are discussed very thoroughly in Engaging in Bodhisattva Behaviour and also in An Offering Ceremony to the Spiritual Masters, The Guru Puja (Bla-ma mchod-pa, Lama chopa).:)

[lightgiver]

12,The advantages of cherishing others,

When we think that others are important, and that their happiness and freedom are important, we are cherishing others. If we cherish others, we will naturally perform actions that will cause them to be happy. This will make our daily life peaceful, happy, harmonious, and meaningful. We can begin this practice with our family, friends, and those who surround us, and then gradually extend this to all living beings without exception. In this way, we will show the best example of pure Dharma practice.

In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Shantideva says:

All the happiness there is in this world
Arises from wishing others to be happy.

If we think carefully, we will realize that all our present and future happiness depends on our cherishing others—on our wanting others to be happy. In our past lives, because we cherished others, we practised moral discipline, such as refraining from killing or harming others and abandoning stealing from them. Sometimes, out of fondness for them, we practised giving and patience. As a result of these positive actions, we have now obtained this precious human life. In addition, because sometimes in the past we helped others and gave them protection, we ourself now receive help and enjoy pleasant conditions.

If we sincerely practice cherishing others, we will experience many benefits in this and future lives. The immediate effect will be that many of our problems, such as those that arise from anger, jealousy, and selfish behaviour, will ­disappear, and our mind will become calm and peaceful. Since we will act in considerate ways, we will please others and not become involved in quarrels or disputes. If we cherish others, we will be concerned to help rather than to harm them, so we will naturally avoid negative actions. Instead, we will practice positive actions, such as love, patience, and generosity, and thus create the cause to gain a precious human life in the future.

If we make cherishing others our main practice, we will gradually develop very special minds of great compassion and bodhichitta, and as a result, we will eventually come to enjoy the ultimate happiness of full enlightenment.

MEDITATION

As the preparatory practice, we recite Prayers for Meditation while concentrating on the meaning. Then we engage in the following contemplation:

The precious mind that cherishes all living beings protects both myself and others from suffering, brings happiness, and fulfills our wishes.

Having repeatedly contemplated this point, we make the strong determination: “I must always cherish all living beings.” This determination is the object of our meditation. We then hold this without forgetting it; our mind should remain on this determination single-pointedly for as long as possible. If we lose the object of our meditation, we renew it by immediately remembering our determination or by repeating the contemplation.

At the end of the meditation session, we dedicate the virtues accumulated from this meditation practice toward our realization of cherishing others and the attainment of enlightenment for the happiness of all living beings.

During the meditation break, we never forget our determination and always put it into practice. We should always keep in mind the great advantages of cherishing others, and continually improve our consideration, respect, and love for them.:)

[lightgiver]

13. Exchanging self with others,

Exchanging Self with Others

Since cherishing myself is the door to all faults
And cherishing mother beings is the foundation of all good qualities,
I seek your blessings to take as my essential practice
The yoga of exchanging self with others.

These two verses summarize the actual practice of exchanging self with others. Buddhas have attained enlightenment by abandoning self-cherishing and cherishing only others, and so they are able to work continuously for others. Samsaric beings on the other hand are like children because they are concerned only with their own welfare, and as a result they remain trapped within samsara. Since beginningless time we have taken countless rebirths in samsara because of our self-cherishing, but the Buddhas have given up self-cherishing and attained enlightenment. The only difference between us and them is that we cling to self-cherishing whereas they have abandoned it.
Buddhas have not always been Buddhas. At one time they were just like us, but they took on the responsibility of working for others and freed themselves from samsara whereas we remain trapped by our self-concern. As Shantideva says:

But what need is there to say more?
The childish work for their own benefit,
The Buddhas work for the benefit of others.
Just look at the difference between them!

At one time a Yogi called Drugpa Kunleg went to Lhasa to pay homage to a statue of Buddha Shakyamuni. Upon arriv-ing in front of the statue he prostrated to it, exclaiming:

O Buddha, to begin with you and I were exactly the same,
But later you attained Buddhahood through the force of your effort,Whereas due to my laziness I remain in samsara;
So now I must prostrate to you.

Again and again we need to contemplate how selfcherishing is the door to all faults, and generate a determination to abandon it; and again and again we need to contemplate how cherishing others is the source of all good qualities, and generate a determination to practise it. By meditating on these two determinations for a long time and carrying them in our heart throughout the meditation break, we will naturally come to cherish others more than ourself.:)

http://kadampa.org/en/news/article/exchanging-self-with-others

[lightgiver]

14. Great compassion,


GREAT COMPASSION

The first in a series of teachings on developing Compassion and Love, given by Venerable Thupten Rinpoche at the Dhargyey Buddhist Centre, Dunedin, on 15 March 1997. It was translated from the Tibetan by Losang Dawa.
© Copyright Dhargyey Buddhist Centre.

Just as when you do gardening or farming it is very important to prepare the ground and have all the other conditions for a rich crop -- heat, water and manure etc -- in the same way it is important to prepare the ground for meditation.
We recite prayers at the beginning of any practice as a way of preparing the ground for later growth. If we then meditate on the chosen object of meditation we will have fulfilled the two prerequisites for development: first, the preparation of the field, which was done by praying to deities and doing the seven-part merit-gathering practices; second, by meditating on the actual topic of meditation. Through this we can hope to gain some realization, some fruit. The two, prayers and meditation, must go hand-in-hand. When they go hand-in-hand an effect will inevitably come about. If one of them is missing the result will not come about.
Meditation is not just for relaxation or having a good time. If someone just wants to have a good time there are many activities more entertaining than meditation. Meditation has a more important role: bringing about a change in one's mind that will bring lasting peace. This morning's meditation will be one that is good for our minds.
In previous Sunday meditation classes I have spoken about the need to shape our minds, to improve the quality of the mind and heighten awareness and so on. Good heart is not something that just religious people should have and that non-believers can do without. This is not at all the case. Anyone who wants to be happy, wants to be peaceful and to do well, must have kind-heartedness, good heart. Since we need good heart in order to have peace, if we want peace must make an effort in developing kind-heartedness.
There are two ways of developing kind-heartedness. The first way is self-analysis. One analyses oneself by watching the way one behaves and the way one thinks. In this way one can bring about a very strong sense of self-discipline. I've told you a fair bit about this kind of analysis in previous talks.
This morning I'll talk about the second method, which is a meditational method. With this, one meditates on something by which one can hope to improve one's way of thinking. In other words, to bring about good heart, kind-heartedness.
In developing good heart we must first understand the importance of compassion and try to develop great compassion. This is definitely easier said than done. It is very easy to talk about compassion and the need to develop compassion and the benefits of compassion. But to make one's mind, one's heart, compassion itself, is quite difficult. Nevertheless we must try. It would be quite wrong not to try and develop compassion just because it is difficult. If you do not try at all, nothing will be achieved.

To develop true compassion, first we must know that suffering is real, and that sufferings hurt ...
We know we need to develop compassion, and we can if we want to. Now I will tell you how we can set about developing compassion.
At the moment it is difficult indeed for us to develop what is called Great Compassion. Great Compassion is an attitude wanting to free all sentient beings throughout space from whatever plight they are in. So first we need to work on developing a semblance of great compassion.
For this we need to focus our mind on a being -- a person or an animal -- undergoing agonizing suffering. We need to direct our attention to such a being.
Say we relate this point to animals. If you know of cattle or sheep being taken to the abattoirs, you can imagine how the animals feel going to a place where they will definitely be killed. Then you can imagine how the animals feel when they get there and see their fellows being killed: the terror is clear on their faces. Image such a situation and contemplate it.
It is quite possible that you might think, 'I really wonder whether the animals themselves know about it and care about it!' Thinking this you will begin to have less concern for and empathy with them. If that happens, imagine you are a sheep or cow at the abattoirs. Think, 'If I were a sheep or a cow about to be killed in a cruel and painful way, how would I feel? Would I be indifferent? Would I feel no pain?' Put yourself in the situation of the animal about to be killed. Imagine what great pain you would have when the knife falls on your neck, or they tear open your chest and take your heart out. Feel what great pain you would experience. Then, when you're half conscious, feel your skin being ripped off and your limbs being chopped into pieces. Would you ever be able to stand such pain?
If you visualize such an experience as if you were undergoing it, there is no difference between the pain you undergo and the pain the animal undergoes. The only difference is that as a human you might be able to articulate the experience whereas the sheep cannot.
As you visualize such a scene and feel the suffering and the terror of the sheep or the cow, you will feel, 'How can anyone dare cause such pain to another being?' A sense of compassion will involuntarily arise in your mind.
Another way to develop compassion through meditation is to imagine yourself as a person who is sentenced to be executed. In New Zealand people are not executed. It's a civilized society. But in other countries there is still execution by hanging and so on. What if you happened to be a person being taken to the gallows? Imagine that your life is about to end in this dreadful way. Contemplate the pain and terror. If you do this, even at the level of visualization you will feel so terrified that you cannot help standing up from your seat. This is another way of developing empathy and then compassion.
The next way of developing compassion is to imagine that someone you truly care for is experiencing great suffering or a great crisis in life. Maybe they're ill, or caught up in litigation. When you imagine this person in a suffering, miserable situation, then because of the love you have for them you will feel deeply touched by their suffering. You will not be able to help being moved by their plight. This will bring about compassion for them.
Imagine that one of your dearest friends has been caught by the law and taken to the gallows. You see your friend stumbling along in handcuffs. How would you feel? You couldn't help feeling terribly sad and distraught, because of your love for the person.
Now, in the same way that you cannot help being touched and moved when you put yourself in another person's miserable situation; in the same way that you cannot help feeling empathy and sadness when you visualize a very dear friend undergoing a terrible experience, if you can now shift this kind of empathy to a wider circle of animals or people -- beings literally undergoing the kind of suffering you have visualized -- it can be a great help.
In the initial stage, when you do these three visualizations -- putting yourself in another being's situation, imagining a very close friend undergoing great misery, and visualizing a third person undergoing such a situation -- your sense of empathy will obviously be much greater for a friend undergoing a terrible experience than for a neutral person, a non-friend, undergoing the same experience.
However although your empathy and concern is greater for one than for the other, for both beings themselves the experience is the same. Both experience exactly the same degree of misery and fear.
In all these contexts what is important is that we know that sufferings hurt. 'Suffering' is not just a word or an idea: suffering actually hurts people. So what we are doing is acknowledging that there are sufferings, and that sufferings are painful.
This is why the Buddha, when he gave his first teaching, began with the statement that there are sufferings. He began his teachings with the acknowledgement of suffering. If we can accept the reality of suffering and that sufferings are painful, we will see that we must be very careful in our actions. If we speak harshly to somebody, or beat somebody up, or kill an animal (not to mention a human), these actions cause suffering and any being with the ordinary aggregates from previous lifetimes will experience these sufferings as painful. If somebody were to speak harshly to us, or beat us up, or murder we would undoubtedly experience a great deal of pain. Therefore we should take this as a lesson. We should have the realization: If I speak harshly to others, injure them or kill them I will cause them a great deal of harm and pain. And this realization should motivate us to abstain from the actions that cause others suffering.
The many sufferings that beings in the world today experience are caused by people who have no concern, no sense of awareness, that the suffering they inflict on others would also hurt them. They are unaware because they have not put themselves in the situation of their victims. As a result of this, people in the world keep on inflicting great suffering on one another.
Initially it is important to realize one's own sufferings and difficulties, aches and pains and so on, and how one doesn't like to experience any bit of these. Realizing that sufferings are painful and undesirable when you yourself experience them will help you appreciate the suffering of others. Then you will find it very easy to empathize with them. This sense of empathy will generate a wish in you that they be free from their suffering, because you know the magnitude of pain the sufferings bring about. This will lead your mind to develop compassion.
Meditation: For this morning, I want you to recollect a terrible experience you have seen somebody suffer. If you have been fortunate enough not to witness such a terrible thing, then try to visualize somebody undergoing ghastly suffering and pain. Then feel, 'What if I happened to be that person, that animal. Would I be able to bear the suffering?' When you realize you would not being able to bear the suffering, relate this feeling to the person you are visualizing, and try to bring about an experience of compassion in your heart.
It is possible that there are people who are thinking, 'Gosh, I haven't seen anyone suffering so badly, so what should I visualize?' You must have watched TV shows and movies that had murder scenes and so on. Take that as a real experience that the victim is undergoing and visualize that. Although you know that it is dramatized and not real, say to yourself, 'What if that was reality? An actual occurrence not to the actor but to me?' Then you could have a great deal of fear for the suffering and relate that to what others are experiencing. :)

[lightgiver]

16. Wishing love,


The object of mettā meditation is loving kindness (love without attachment). Traditionally, the practice begins with the meditator cultivating loving kindness towards themselves, then their loved ones, friends, teachers, strangers, enemies, and finally towards all sentient beings. Commonly, it can be used as a greeting or closing to a letter or note.

Buddhists believe that those who cultivate mettā will be at ease because they see no need to harbour ill will or hostility. Buddhist teachers may even recommend meditation on mettā as an antidote to insomnia and nightmares. It is generally felt that those around a mettā-full person will feel more comfortable and happy too. Radiating mettā is thought to contribute to a world of love, peace and happiness.

Mettā meditation is considered a good way to calm down a distraught mind by people who consider it to be an antidote to anger. According to them, someone who has cultivated mettā will not be easily angered and can quickly subdue anger that arises, being more caring, more loving, and more likely to love unconditionally. Recent neurological studies have shown that compassion meditation can increase one's capabilities for empathy by changing activity in brain areas such as the temporal parietal juncture and the insula, and increase the subject's ability to understand the mental and emotional states of others as well as deal more effectively with external stressors.

Mettā meditation: the practice of loving-kindness

Mettā signifies friendship and non-violence as well as "a strong wish for the happiness of others", but also less obvious or direct qualities such as showing patience, receptivity, and appreciation. Though it refers to many seemingly disparate ideas, Mettā is in fact a very specific form of love – a caring for another independent of all self-interest – and thus is likened to one's love for one's child or parent. Understandably, this energy is often difficult to describe in words; however, in the practice of Mettā meditation, one recites specific words and phrases in order to evoke this "boundless warm-hearted feeling." The strength of this feeling is not limited to or by family, religion, or social class. Indeed, Mettā is a tool that permits one's generosity and kindness to be applied to all beings and, as a consequence, one finds true happiness in another person's happiness, no matter who the individual is.

Contemporary metta practice is often based on a method traditionally associated with the 5th c. CE Pali exegetical text, the Visuddhimagga. The full instructions for the theory and practice of mettā bhāvanā is available in the Visuddhimagga ("The path to purity"), Chapter IX, of the Buddhist scriptures.

The six stages of mettā bhāvanā meditation which are most commonly found involve cultivating loving-kindness towards:

1. Yourself
2. A good friend
3. A 'neutral' person
4. A difficult person
5. All four
6. and then gradually the entire Universe

For 2 avoid choosing someone to whom you feel sexually attracted, or that is much younger or much older than yourself, or who is dead. For #3 choose someone that you might come in contact with every day, but who does not give rise to strong positive nor strong negative emotions. For #4 traditionally choose "an enemy", but avoid choosing a person who has just wrecked your life, unless you are very well grounded in awareness. For #5 treat them as equals, equally deserving of loving-kindness.:)

Even as a mother
protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish
all living beings.
—Suttanipata 1.8

[lightgiver]

17. Giving,

Dāna (Pali, Sanskrit: दान dāna) is a Sanskrit and Pali term meaning "generosity" or "giving". In Buddhism, it also refers to the practice of cultivating generosity. Ultimately, the practice culminates in one of the Perfections (paramitas): the Perfection of Giving (dana-paramita). This can be characterized by unattached and unconditional generosity, giving and letting go.

Dāna as a formal religious act is directed specifically to a monastic or spiritually-developed person. In Buddhist thought, it has the effect of purifying and transforming the mind of the giver.

Generosity developed through giving leads to being reborn in happy states and material wealth. Alternatively, lack of giving leads to unhappy states and poverty.

The exquisite paradox in Buddhism is that the more we give - and the more we give without seeking something in return - the wealthier (in the broadest sense of the word) we will become. By giving we destroy those acquisitive impulses that ultimately lead to further suffering.

Bodhisattva and the Art of Giving

The quality of giving is believed to be one of the virtues perfected over numerous lifetimes by Shakyamuni Buddha in his bodhisattva phase, before the final culmination into Nirvana, after he had purified obscurations and released attachment. This is symbolized by the sacrifice of his own body when he has nothing else to offer an unexpected guest in the Jataka folktale entitled 'Shasha Jataka' . Shakyamuni Buddha is born as a rabbit, and unable to present any other food to a Brahmin come home, roasted himself in a fire. A similar message is given by the story of King Shibi in the Jataka Mala, who having given away all his wealth, was still moved enough by small insects hovering around him, and inflicted several wounds on his body to feed the mosquitoes. In another narrative from the same text, the bodhisattva throws himself in front of a hungry tigress, who, otherwise, was on the verge of consuming her own cubs. This is however not the only instance of the Buddha-To-Be sacrificing his physical body partly or fully and numerous tales abound in Buddhist Canonical literature illustrating this theme.

In the ancient Samadhiraja-Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha's principal disciple Ananda asks how a bodhisattva can cheerfully suffer the loss of his limbs etc and not feel any pain when he mutilates himself for the good of others.

Shakyamuni Buddha explained that intense compassion for humankind and the love of Bodhi (spiritual awakening), sustain and inspire a bodhisattva towards heroism, just as worldly people are inclined to enjoy sensual pleasures even when their bodies are burning with fever.

The Buddha taught that when we give to others, we give without expectation of reward. We give without attaching to either the gift or the recipient. We practice giving to release greed and self-clinging.

May all beings be happy and secure, may their hearts be wholesome! Whatever living beings there be; feeble or strong, stout or medium, short or tall, without exception; seen or unseen, those dwelling far or near, those who are born and those who are yet to be born, may all beings be happy! Let none deceive another, not despise any person whatsoever in any place. Let him not wish any harm on another out of anger or ill will. Just as a mother would protect her only child at the risk of her own life, even so let him cultivate a boundless heart towards all beings.

From the Metta Sutta, Sutta Nipata 1.8:)

http://kadampa.org/en/meditation/giving/

[lightgiver]

18. Bodhichitta,

Fundamental teachings
Antidotes to not understanding how to achieve Enlightenment: Bodhicitta
(from In Search of the Stainless Ambrosia, Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Jewel Treasury of Advice and Transformation of Suffering)
by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche

It is not enough to wish others loving-kindness and compassion; we must have methods for effecting this attitude. These methods are known as absolute bodhicitta and relative bodhicitta. Absolute bodhicitta is a special insight into the pervading nature of emptiness - mind which is clear, profound, indestructible, and free from elaboration and afflictive emotions. In Vajrayana system, this realization is known as Mahamudra. Mahamudra is a vast and complex subject, so one needs great purification and dedication to understand and, especially, to realize it. Mahamudra dispels all confusion and clear the mind, like the sky free from all clouds, and lets us see it as it is. Relative bodhicitta consists of both the desire to reach Enlightenment for others, which is called aspiration bodhicitta, as well as taking the practical steps necessary to do it, which is called the action bodhicitta.

The supreme mind of bodhicitta is like an unspoiled seed.
Without it, it is impossible to achieve perfect Enlightenment.
Therefore, cherish the cultivation of the mind of Mahayana.
This is my heart's advice.
(from the Jewel Treasury of Advice)

Aspiration bodhicitta

Having aspiration bodhicitta is that one eagerly wishes to achieve Enlightenment (or the search for the pure wisdom of the Buddha) for the benefit of all sentient beings without discrimination. Wherever there are beings, there are afflicting emotions and karma, and where these exist, there are different levels of suffering. So we must cultivate the determination to free all beings from these sufferings.

There are four conditions for cultivating the mind of bodhicitta:

1. One should see the spiritual master as the Buddha himself : Visualize in front of you a jewelled throne supporting a lotus, sun and moon discs upon which seated the varja master in the state of Buddha hood. He is surrounded by the lineage lamas, and countless Buddhas, Bodhisattva s, yidams, and Dharma protectors. Meditate that all are complete forms of wisdom and compassion.
2. One should take refuge in the Mahayana way : Take refuge in the Mahayana way means that one should take refuge until Enlightenment is achieved.
3. One should practice the four immeasurable attitudes : They are loving-kindness, compassion, joy for others' peace and happiness and great equanimity.

Loving-kindness is the desire that all sentient beings have happiness and the causes of happiness. The more you long for the happiness of all the beings, the more you feel no separation between them and yourself. All your body, speech and mind will form a field of loving-kindness towards all sentient beings. That means that when you act, you act sincerely. When you talk, you will use gentle words and speak the truth. When you think of others, you think of how of they might have happiness and peace. Thus all actions can be transformed into peace, into Dharma.

Loving-kindness is like a warrior victorious in battle.
In an instant, it annihilates all the hordes of maras without exception.
Meditate on all beings as your parents.
This is my heart's advice.
(from the Jewel Treasury of Advice)

Compassion is the desire to free others from suffering and the causes of suffering. Compassion is the mind free from hatred. Flooded by afflictive emotions, beings create the cause of suffering. With the causes of suffering, there will surely be the results of suffering. Look at such causes and the immense sufferings as a result. Develop the compassionate wish that all beings as limitless as space be free from suffering and achieve Enlightenment, the ultimate peace.

Supreme compassion is like a skilful mother nurturing her child.
Abandoning comfort, it engages in the benefit of others.
Therefore, generate the courage of the altruistic thought.
This is my heart's advice.
(from the Jewel Treasury of Advice)

Joy means to rejoice at others' peace and happiness and hope that they will increase. Pride, envy, jealousy are the real enemies of love and compassion, since they blind us to others' good qualities. Rejoicing at others' happiness is the antidote to those obscuration s.

Equanimity means feeling neither hatred for enemies nor attachment to loved ones, but instead, feeling love and compassion for all beings equally. See all sentient beings as your parents, children, relatives, and friends who each bring us the opportunity for Enlightenment.

4. One should make offerings to accumulate merits and wisdom, do purification practice and rejoice in others' virtues. One should request that the wheel of teachings be turned, and that the master not enter nirvana until all beings are enlightened. One should dedicate all the merit of virtue.

Offer all your possessions and those of others. The best offering is one's root virtue and meditation practice, including the arising and completion processes.

Concerning purification practices, purify of motivation is most important. We must also purify all non-virtuous actions which have arisen from afflicting emotions such as the five heavy negative karmas. The method of purification exists through four powers: remorse, the practice of the antidote, the avoidance of evil, and reliance.

a) Remorse means thinking of how one has uselessly created negative karma, of how it has engendered suffering, and of the importance of separating oneself from non-virtue. For example, if you eat poison unintentionally, you immediately feel the need to cleanse yourself of it by any means. In the same way, we must at all costs rid ourselves of negative karma.

b) The practice of the antidote includes such meditation practices as compassion, wisdom, visualization and recitation of mantras, and especially the practice of Mahamudra.
c) The avoidance of evil means understanding that as negative action will bring immense suffering, one must absolutely avoid it.

d) The power of reliance includes taking refuge, cultivating bodhicitta and taking empowerments.

Even to practice one of these powers will help purify negative karma, so if one practices them all, one will definitely purify all negative karma. Vajrasattva meditation is one of the best methods of purification.

Rejoicing in others' virtues is the antidote to jealousy. Rejoice in the Buddha's activities, which have established beings in the Enlightenment state, as well as rejoice in the virtuous actions of all others.

By dedicating the merit, we bring together all virtues and great qualities of ourselves and others, and of the Buddhas of the Three Times, hoping that by this power all sentient beings will be freed of suffering and achieve complete Enlightenment.

The beneficial results of cultivating the aspiration path are

- Entering into the Bodhisattva family, one receives the Bodhisattva training that cuts the root of non-virtuous action.
- The seed of Enlightenment is planted within oneself.
- One achieves limitless merit and wisdom.
- One pleases all the Buddhas.
- One benefits all beings.
- One quickly achieves complete Enlightenment.

The practice of the aspiration path includes

? Not abandoning any sentient beings
? Recollecting the beneficial effects of bodhicitta
? Meditating that bodhicitta is the seed of Enlightenment, the wish-fulfilling gem, and the shelter in which all can seek safely.

To develop the strength of bodhicitta, one should

- Practice the two accumulations (merit and wisdom).
- Practice the bodhicitta attitude constantly through loving-kindness and compassion.
- Repeat the bodhisattva vow at least once a day.
- Recollect the discipline.
- Avoid the four negative actions and develop the four positive actions. The four negative actions are: lying to a spiritual master or other realized beings, causing regret or doubt in others' virtuous actions unnecessarily, abusing other bodhisattvas and deceiving other beings for one's own profit. The four positive actions are not lying to master or to other realized beings even at the risk of one's own life, establishing all sentient beings in virtuous Mahayana behavior, seeing all the bodhisattvas as the Buddha and making known their good qualities everywhere and selflessly benefiting all beings with pure motivation.

Aspiration bodhicitta is like a traveller setting out on a journey.
Before long, he will arrive at Buddhahood.
Therefore, make a pure aspiration.
This is my heart's advice.
(from the Jewel Treasury of Advice)

The action bodhicitta

The action path is reached through the study and practice of the six paramitas. The word paramita comes from param, beyond the seashore, and ita, arrival across the ocean of samsara, and means the perfection of wisdom. It also implies achieving the state of Buddha hood and the method to do so. The six paramitas are: generosity, moral ethics, patience, perseverance, concentration and wisdom.

The bodhicitta of activity is like a well-built channel.
Through that, one can - without care - perfect the two accumulations.
Merit will continually arise.
This is my heart's advice.
(from the Jewel Treasury of Advice):)

[lightgiver]

19. Tranquil abiding,

Meditation

The Foundational Practice Of Tranquillity Meditation
The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche
Excerpted from the transcript of "Tranquility And Insight Meditation

Of the aspects of meditation, the one that is usually practiced first is tranquillity. This can be seen in the fact that all different approaches to Buddhism (all the various vehicles) begin their instruction in meditation with an explanation of methods of resting the mind, which is the practice of tranquillity. This is the way that meditation has been presented in the Buddhist tradition, since its original presentation by the Buddha himself. Tranquillity is not simply a preliminary practice--something that is done as a beginner and then discarded. It is an essential element of all meditation practice. Therefore it must be present in the beginning, throughout the path, and in the end as well. It is not simply the first meditation, one could also say it is also the last, and the most important, the most constant.

According to Jamgon Lodro Thaye, the stages or aspects of the practice of tranquillity, and the meaning of tranquillity meditation can be found as indicated etymologically in both the Tibetan and Sanskrit terms for this practice. The Tibetan term is shiné, and the Sanskrit is shamatha. In the case of the Tibetan, the first syllable, shi, and in the case of the Sanskrit, the first two syllables, shama, refer to "peace" or "pacification." The meaning of peace or pacification in this context is that normally our mind is like a whirlwind of agitation. The agitation is the agitation of thought. Our thoughts are principally an obsessive concern with past, conceptualization about the present, and especially an obsessive concern with the future. This means that usually our mind is not experiencing the present moment at all. We are usually miles ahead of our selves. As long as this process continues, our mind never comes to rest, and we can never experience any state of pliability or happiness. As long as this continues, we never really appreciate the present moment, because we are always looking forward, constantly imagining future experiences. What we are doing at any given moment as long as we are under the sway of this process is preparing for the future. When we get to the future that we are preparing for, we are preparing for another future. We never reap the fruits of our own constant obsessive preparation. So the first syllable shi, or shama in Sanskrit, refers to the pacification of this thought--the slowing or cooling down of this whirlwind of thought, which is conceptualization about the past, the present and the future. It consists of the mind falling naturally or gliding to rest in an experience of nowness or the present moment.

The second syllable of the Tibetan is né, which means "to abide or remain." In Sanskrit, this is the equivalent of the final syllable of shamatha, tha. When the mind has come to rest in that way, through the pacification of the thoughts of the three times, it then abides in that state of rest unwaveringly. The mind and the tranquillity of that mind become mixed inseparable. So in fact the aspects of tranquillity and the essence of tranquillity can both be seen from the etymology of the terms which are used to describe it.

However meditation does not consist only of tranquillity. The other aspect is insight, which in Tibetan is called lhatong. The term lhatong literally means "superior seeing." This can be interpreted as a superior manner of seeing, and also seeing that which is the essential nature. Its nature is a lucidity, a clarity of mind, based on the foregoing tranquillity, that enables one to determine the characteristics and ultimate nature of all things unmistakenly--without confusion or mix-up of any kind. Fundamentally it consists of a recognition of the abiding or basic nature of everything, in an unmistaken manner. For this reason, insight meditation is referred to as superior seeing or superior vision, lhatong.

The way these two aspects of meditation are practice is that one begins with the practice of tranquillity; on the basis of that, it becomes possible to practice insight or lhatong. Through one's practice of insight being based on and carried on in the midst of tranquillity, one eventually ends up practising a unification of tranquillity and insight. The unification leads to a very clear and direct experience of the nature of all things. This brings one very close to what is called the absolute truth.

In fact all Buddhist meditation practice is contained in these two, tranquillity and insight. All of the different varieties of practice of the vehicle of causal characteristics (or of the sutras), and of the secret mantra (or vajrayana) are all simply varieties of tranquillity and insight. Any Buddhist meditation practice is either a tranquillity practice or an insight practice. This was said by the Buddha himself, in the discourse or sutra which is referred to as The Sutra Which Is a Definitive Explanation of the Buddha's Thought. He said that all of the meditation that I have taught is merely for these two purposes: for the development of tranquillity and the development of insight.

Tranquillity is practised first, and then, following that, insight. The reason for this is that without the pacification of mental agitation (which is what tranquillity meditation consists of), the clarity of insight meditation cannot be generated with any stability or intensity. This is explained in the Treasury of Knowledge with an example. The example is the difference between a butter lamp or a candle which is sheltered from the wind, and one which is being buffeted by the wind. If a candle is outside, without any kind of glass cover or casing, and the wind is blowing, then either the candle will be blown out altogether, or if it remains lit, the flame will be small, and it will be moving around so much that it doesn't cast any stable light, and does not generate any stable illumination. You cannot really use it to see anything because it is moving too much. Another example is that if a body of water contains silt, and it is stirred up, the silt obscures the limpidity of the water itself. The water is not transparent. If the water is not agitated and the silt is allowed to sink to the bottom, then as it does the water becomes more transparent and more limpid. In the same way, if insight is practised without a stable practice of tranquillity, then a stable clarity of insight is impossible. On the other hand, if one cultivates the practice of insight on the basis and in the context of a stable practice of tranquillity, then the candle flame of one's insight is protected by the glass casing of one's tranquillity. No matter how much the wind blows, the candle flame is unaffected because it is sheltered from the wind. It is by means of this combination or integration of tranquillity and insight that a stable wisdom of insight is generated, which will enable one to perform extensive benefits not only for oneself, but for others as well.

The Practice of Tranquillity

To begin with the practice of tranquillity, one first has to investigate the causes of the development of a stable tranquillity. The first or the main cause to be cultivated at the beginning is the abandonment of conditions which are not conducive to the state of tranquillity. Fundamentally there are two types of such conditions. There are external sources of distraction, which is excessive activity, and internal distractions, which is excessive thought. Beginners have to begin with eliminating the external distraction or external forces of distraction. These consist of unnecessary activities, but principally of an improper place of practice. If one attempts to practice in a place where there is a great deal of distraction, a great deal of things which draw one away from tranquillity meditation, then it is very difficult or impossible to cultivate this. So it is important in the beginning of one's practice to create an environment for the practice that is solitary and pleasant. It should be particularly a place where there is no danger; where one does not develop anxiety out of fear of robbers or wild animals or some sort of pestilential disease. It is inappropriate as a beginner to be unrealistic about this, and to say, "I am just like the siddhas of the past. I can practice anywhere. I can go into a graveyard, I can go anywhere where there are thieves and robbers and wild animals and horrible diseases and anything. I'll just be there and it doesn't matter--it's all the same anyway." It is unrealistic, and it will not lead to any stable tranquillity.

If one practices in an environment conducive to the development of stable tranquillity, then it will become possible to transcend the internal unconducive conditions, or internal obstacles, as well. Later on in the text, there is an extensive discussion of what these obstacles consist of. However, the next topic dealt with is actually how one goes about practising tranquillity. At this point one assumes that one has created a suitable environment, and that one has the intention to practice and develop tranquillity. :)

[lightgiver]

20,Superior Seeing,

Training the mind in superior seeing

"Become familiar with looking at your own mind",

"Just as water is transparent when it is not disturbed, rest without contrivance. Like the sun unobstructed by clouds, let the six sense consciousnesses rest in their own state without impeding them".

-- Je Gampopa

2 types of superior seeing' objects:

3 reasons for meditations on emptiness (Sunyata):

Scheme of meditating on emptiness (Sunyata):

Progressive stages of meditations on emptiness (Sunyata) (according to some Kagyu and Nyingma schools):

The Sevenfold Reasoning on the Selflessness by Chandrakirti:

4 kinds of emptiness (Sunyata):

16 kinds of emptiness (Sunyata):

Purification of the mind:

http://new.music.yahoo.com/geshe-kelsang-gyatso/tracks/meditation-20-superior-seeing--183865831 :)

The person who has become superior: A person who has generated a real Dharma Jewel within his continuum, a direct realization of the emptiness of inherent existence; a person who has permanently liberated himself from the conditions of rebirth in the three lower realms; a person who is capable of liberating other beings from the lower realms, having gained the status of a true Sangha Jewel-a person with such qualities is a superior being.

There are two types of superior beings: superior beings of the Lower Vehicle, who mainly emphasize the accomplishment of their own welfare, and superior beings of the Great Vehicle, who mainly emphasize the accomplishment of the welfare of others. Amongst the former there are also two types: Hearer Superiors and Solitary Realizer Superior Beings. In the Greater Vehicle these are also two types : Bodhisattva Superiors and Buddha Superiors. Of the four, these last two are pre-eminent. Of all, the Buddha Superior is the supreme and ultimate object of refuge, having completely abandoned all that needs to be abandoned and achieved all the qualities that need to be achieved. It is this that is called the Buddha Jewel. It is superior not only to ordinary beings, but also to all other superior beings. Thus, it is the Supreme Superior.

Buddhas do not wash away sins with water,
Nor do they remove the sufferings of beings with their hands,
Neither do they transplant their own realization into others.
Teaching the truth of suchness(emptiness) they liberate (others).

If one misconceives emptiness,
Persons with little wisdom will be ruined.
Just as a person who mishandles a snake
Or is unskilled with mantras will suffer.

http://www.quietmountain.org/links/teachings/chenrezi.htm

Bliss Emptiness and Bodhichitta:

http://www.homeoint.org/morrell/buddhism/bodhichitta.htm

[lightgiver]

21. Relying upon a Spiritual Guide,



Geshe Kelsang said in Paris in October 2008:

“To understand who our Spiritual Guide is, we should know what the spiritual path is. If we know this, then we can understand how someone can be our Spiritual Guide…. If we understand that the qualification or characteristic of the teacher is to sincerely lead his or her students to correct spiritual paths (principally the trainings in renunciation, universal compassion and the correct view of emptiness) through giving teachings and showing a good example, we don’t need to worry. He or she will never cheat us. Otherwise we may be cheated.”

We can be “cheated” by someone who abuses our reliance for worldly purposes, for example for power, reputation, prestige or wealth. However, we cannot be cheated by someone who is genuinely leading us along the spiritual path if we are relying upon them for our own spiritual development and not for their benefit.

As Geshe Kelsang says:

“The most important thing is that we are doing this for our own purpose, because faith is our spiritual life. Dharma and the normal aims of samsara should not be mixed. If we separate these there will no problems; if they are mixed then it is possible that some problems will arise because the teacher can misuse his or her higher position due to the students having so much devotion.”

This is similar to saying that religion and politics do not mix – if politics and worldly concerns are brought to bear on a relationship between a Spiritual Guide and a student, the relationship becomes a power struggle wherein the student is inevitably the loser. The teaching on Guru devotion means to develop and maintain deep faith in our Spiritual Guide and to put his or her teachings into practice. “Just this!” There is no need for further relationships, such as business or political relationships, which in fact will only give rise to problems.


Pure, effective Guru devotion has in fact always worked independent of politics. There are classic examples we can follow, as Geshe Kelsang suggests:

“We can take examples from ancient times of how, for example, the Indian Buddhist Master Naropa relied upon Tilopa and how Atisha relied upon Serlingpa, and in Tibet how Dromtonpa relied upon Atisha and Milarepa relied upon Marpa.”

However, a note of caution:

“We should follow their example, but because both the teachers and the students were very simple, there were no problems. Now in the modern world it is not simple. Due to the huge development of material activities, people have developed many different aims. So be careful, keep Dharma purely and never allow extreme views. Teachers should never use Dharma for their position, and students should never use their teachers for their position. We should follow Guru devotion only according to the development of Dharma realizations. Because the modern world has developed so much, it is very easy to follow in an extreme way. We know that other religions have this extreme; teachers say something and their students immediately follow them, and this causes suffering to so many people. It is very necessary to prevent these kinds of things.”

In keeping with the Kadampa Geshes’ precept “to remain natural while changing your aspiration”, and the common sense wisdom tradition of Je Tsongkhapa, today’s Buddhists need to avoid zealous types of behaviour that have no place in modern, democratic cultures. Our view of our Spiritual Guide must be kept inside the heart. We must avoid fanaticism mentally, verbally and physically — for example, telling the world that our teacher is an enlightened being, using epithets such as “Avalokiteshvara” or “Manjushri” etc.

“Teachers should never show ‘I am a holy being, I am Buddha’ and so forth, and also the students should never say, ‘My Teacher is a Buddha’. This is ridiculous. Saying ‘My Teacher is Heruka’ or ‘My Teacher is Vajrayogini’ is not correct conversation! We should speak and act exactly as normal. We should respect what people in society believe. Otherwise, if we behave and react in strange ways that society does not accept, we will become isolated. They will never appreciate us. Even faithful disciples never talk like this. For example, I have many faithful students, but they never say ‘Geshe Kelsang is Heruka’ or ‘He is Buddha’ or ‘He is Lama Tsongkhapa’. They never say this. … Modern people follow the truth as they see it, so if you say ‘He is Heruka’, ‘He is Buddha Shakyamuni’, people will see contradictions and not appreciate or believe you.”

This approach also has the potential to avert the disharmony that comes from comparing and contrasting one’s spiritual leaders.

Always Remember there are Lots Of charlatans,choose your guide with caution,and you are your best guide.:)

Peace LG.

[lightgiver]

I have been over this in another thread,but I feel it relevant to this one,so I will add it,plus all the vids went missing ;)

First degree of Seven.

Cathedral of St. James at Compostela (Moon Oracle) - base chakra

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/1783/santiagostjames1.jpg (http://img15.imageshack.us/i/santiagostjames1.jpg/)

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5855/saguaromoonseip800.th.jpg (http://img41.imageshack.us/i/saguaromoonseip800.jpg/)

As each Chakra is energetically opened the student,spiritually speaking makes progress.

The First degree initiation was the result that flowed spiritually from the awakening of the base Chakra that connects us with the earth and physical reality,according to tradition it can only be opened after the attainment of true humility,for this is the chakra that keeps us rooted.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/6020/colortherapyredbasechak.th.jpg (http://img14.imageshack.us/i/colortherapyredbasechak.jpg/)

The first degree ,The Raven,symbolised the messenger of the gods.it was thus that the new candidate achieved through inner toil,the first stage of soul conversion through which gained capacity to receive messages from spirits in the Divine world.The Raven also represented the messenger of the mystery cults who had learned to express the visual in images which could be understood at different levels by both the outside world and by the initiated.

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5500/raven17812.jpg (http://img41.imageshack.us/i/raven17812.jpg/)

American Indians associated Raven with magick, a powerful medicine or power that gives courage to enter the void, the Great Mystery where Great Spirit resides. When Raven appears, there will be a positive change in consciousness. Raven guards ritual magick and healing.

Raven brought light into the darkness of the world and transformed and created part of Maka, Mother Earth. He named plants and taught animals.

Raven is the hallmark of shape-shifting. Raven could see all and find things that are hidden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLNacLOIaVw

Fly straight with Perfection.

We will never realise until we are dead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twVlodqgNUQ

[size_of_light]

On one occasion Aryadeva and Ashvaghosa were about to have a debate. Ashvaghosa was standing on the threshold of a room with one foot inside and one foot outside. To test Aryadeva’s wisdom he said ‘Am I going out or coming in?’ Aryadeva replied ‘That depends upon your intention. If you want to go out, you will go out. If you want to come in, you will come in.’ Ashvaghosa could think of nothing to say to this because what Aryadeva had said was perfectly correct.

Swish! :D

[lightgiver]

Swish! :D

Very Swish,

Second degree of Illumination

A more in depth presentation of the second degree.:)

Notre-Dame de Dalbade Tolouse (Mercury Oracle) - sacral chakra

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/6401/12184212.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/i/12184212.jpg/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwTdSwpenRk

He was then instructed to make the pilgrimage from Compostela to Toulouse the church built on the site of the mercury oracle,

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/1420/mercury1.jpg (http://img199.imageshack.us/i/mercury1.jpg/)It's the smallest planet and closest to the Sun - and Mercury also helped establish the General Theory of Relativity.

Mercury was simply the Latinization of Hermes,the Winged messenger of the Gods.

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/4926/hermesmessengerofthegod.jpg (http://img8.imageshack.us/i/hermesmessengerofthegod.jpg/) ES should have used this one ;)

At Toulouse he would have been introduced to the Mysteries of the second degree with the opening of the sacral chakra,

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/6962/13144521.jpg (http://img30.imageshack.us/i/13144521.jpg/)

The second degree is known that of the Occultist and is symbolised as the Peacock,

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/1884/peacockmgt3iyldqmuf.th.jpg (http://img30.imageshack.us/i/peacockmgt3iyldqmuf.jpg/)

Whose many splendoured plumage represents the students new powers of moral imagination.

He had now become the Hidden one or occultist who could communicate directly with Hermes Trismegistus,the thrice blessed one of the Greek mysteries whose bust adorns the walls of Rosslyn chapel.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/7456/throne.gif (http://img21.imageshack.us/i/throne.gif/)

The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus

True it is, without falsehood, certain and most true. That which is above is like that which is below and that which is below is like that which is above, to accomplish the miracle of unity.
Everything is formed from the contemplation of unity, and all things come about from unity, by means of adaptation.
. . .

Thus you shall have the glory of the illumination of all the world, and all obscurity will fly far from you.
This is the power of all strength--it overcomes every subtle thing and penetrates every solid substance.
This was the means of the creation of the world.
In the future wonderful adaptations will be achieved, and this is the way.

I am Hermes the Threefold Sage, so named because I hold the three elements of all wisdom. And thus ends the revelation of the work of the Sun.:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPhwggDy7qo

Your streets were paved with love
Your skies were blue
Goodbye Toulouse

I walked your streets in fear
I washed your streets with tears
Toulouse

Goodbye Toulouse

Your cafes tell the tale
Of saddened millionaires
Toulouse

A million dreams I've had
A million lies live told
Toulouse

Goodbye Toulouse

Paula looked down on me
From her high balcony
Toulouse

I will return some day
So you can hear me say
Farewell

http://www.outerworlds.com/likeness/aliens/aliens.html

[lightgiver]

Third degree of Illumination,

Orleans Cathedral (Venus Oracle),

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/5950/franceorleanscathedralb.th.jpg (http://img9.imageshack.us/i/franceorleanscathedralb.jpg/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuipDddI5Yc

This Degree was achieved by entry into the Mysteries of the Venus oracle and the sublime Cathedral of Orleans,

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/3184/venusr.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/i/venusr.jpg/)

The Knight is the Symbol of the third and warrior degree and knighthood was bestowed for the attainment of it.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/3789/theknighterrant1870.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/i/theknighterrant1870.jpg/)

When the aspirant had gained enough sufficient inner strength and moral courage to represent the good against the evil in the world,he was named the warrior,

The Legendary Knights of the Round Table of King Arthur were initiates at this level,as were the Knights Templar who were able to represent the sword of Justice in the barbaric medieval world.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3506/muaythai111145828std.jpg (http://img18.imageshack.us/i/muaythai111145828std.jpg/)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9434/62737281.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/i/62737281.jpg/)

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/7531/prices4.jpg (http://img18.imageshack.us/i/prices4.jpg/)

The Fulfilment of this degree led to the awakening of the third chakra,said to be the storehouse of prana,the universal life force.When fear and anxiety register here,thought becomes action,the fight or flight syndrome.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/5830/gisolarplexuschakra.th.jpg (http://img14.imageshack.us/i/gisolarplexuschakra.jpg/)

The 3rd degree,the warrior,Learn how Karate or martial arts lessons can build self esteem, focus and confidence in you :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BJ9I8kBxWM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYuBqpCLnbQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9HR7TTOReE

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/2471/mapjdv.th.jpg (http://img193.imageshack.us/i/mapjdv.jpg/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heqHwCVzsDs

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/2612/wayofthewarrior.jpg (http://img6.imageshack.us/i/wayofthewarrior.jpg/)

[lightgiver]

Fourth Degree of Illumination,

Chartres Cathedral ( Sun Oracle) - heart chakra,

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8186/chartres1.th.jpg (http://img20.imageshack.us/i/chartres1.jpg/)

Accorded to The Degree of the Lion,

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/4866/lionofjudahx.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/i/lionofjudahx.jpg/)

Sacred symbol of the swan,

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5387/swan1x.th.jpg (http://img29.imageshack.us/i/swan1x.jpg/)

The swan song represented the death of self and the inner realisation of the divine within the human breast,awarded only when the aspirant had gained control of their subjective process's so that no unconscious prejudice could rule their actions

the sublime gifts of love an compassion,

This represents the union bewtween the physical and spiritual aspects of the personality,

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/9845/heartchakragreen.jpg (http://img12.imageshack.us/i/heartchakragreen.jpg/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqHIbTNYRW8

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/9018/sunjar.jpg (http://img15.imageshack.us/i/sunjar.jpg/)

On the exterior of Chartres Cathedral, by the north door, there is a carving on a pillar, which gives us an indication of the object sought by the burrowing Templars, representing the Ark of the Covenant, but in a rather strange context. The Ark is depicted as being transported on a wheeled vehicle. Legend recounts that the Ark of the Covenant had been secreted deep beneath the Temple in Jerusalem centuries before the fall of the city to the Romans. It had been hidden there to protect it form yet another invading army who had laid the city to waste. Hugh de Payen had been chosen to lead the expedition mounted to locate the Ark and bring it back to Europe. Persistent legends recount that the Ark was then hidden for a considerable time deep beneath the crypt of Chartres Cathedral. The same legends also claim that the Templars found many other sacred artefacts from the old Jewish temple in the course of their investigations and that a considerable quantity of documentation was also located during the dig. While there has been much speculation as to the exact nature of these documents, a reasonable consensus is emerging that they contained scriptural scrolls, treatises on sacred geometry, and details of certain knowledge, art and science - the hidden wisdom of the ancient initiates of the Judaic/Egyptian tradition. Until very recently these legends received short shrift from academic historians, but that situation is undergoing considerable change. One modern archaeological discovery tends to support the speculative scenario that the Templars knew where to look and precisely what they were seeking.. The Copper Scroll, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered at Quamran, tends to confirm not only the objective of the Templar excavations but also, albeit indirectly, gives some credence to the bizarre concept of the transmission of knowledge through the generations that led to the Templar's discoveries in Jerusalem.

[lightgiver]

Fifth Degree of Illumination,

Notre Dame de Paris (Mars Oracle) - throat chakra.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN2Yck4uyXM

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/7806/300pxnotredamedeparis.jpg (http://img32.imageshack.us/i/300pxnotredamedeparis.jpg/)

The site of the Druidic oracle of Mars,

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/427/marsa.th.jpg (http://img32.imageshack.us/i/marsa.jpg/)

and in Grail symbolism depicted by the pelican,the bird wounds its own Breast to feed its young,

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/8751/6a00d834201dce53ef00e54.jpg (http://img32.imageshack.us/i/6a00d834201dce53ef00e54.jpg/)

Such an initiate lived for the perpetuation of his of her own people for Instance ,the Persian,the Egyptian,the Greek or the Israelite and dedicated his life to their service.He now worked within a conscious unity of Folk spirit of his own people.He could now suffer the responsibility of speaking for his own Karmic community.

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/9238/throatchakra6568.jpg (http://img32.imageshack.us/i/throatchakra6568.jpg/)

The Fifth centre is the throat chakra and is one of the higher ones.

It is associated with communication and demands that a distinction be made bewtween purposeful words and thought,and those which are idle and meaningless noise.It is the centre of both speech and inner hearing,and is connected with the power of sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBXeXBpTVOk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NJMk77jasc

Enjoy :)

[lightgiver]

Sixth Degree of Illumination,

Amiens Cathedral (Jupiter Oracle) - brow chakra,


This degree took place in the Glorious confines of Amiens cathedral,

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/4693/amienscathedral.jpg (http://img15.imageshack.us/i/amienscathedral.jpg/)

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/6071/ajnachakra.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/i/ajnachakra.jpg/)

The brow Chakra,known to many as the third eye,or eye of the mind,is connected with the pituitary gland.Clairvoyance is specifically connected to this centre,which relates to the right side of the brain and the spiritual faculties of insight and intuition,it brings direct knowing.It is responsible for the balance and harmony of the energy system.When this chakra is awakened the,then by now,highly qualified aspirant would be instructed in the sublime mysteries of the Jupiter oracle,

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/7035/bigjupiter.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/i/bigjupiter.jpg/)

and gain advancement to the sixth and penultimate degree,denoted by the eagle,

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8330/eaglebassbladeaglecentr.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/i/eaglebassbladeaglecentr.jpg/)

The aspirant then acquired the capacity to communicate in the spiritual world and gained a true insight into the secrets of space,he or she then could expand their conciousness bewtween Earth and Sun within the streaming of time.

All who were privileged enough to undertake this pilgrimage would have ben spiritual gifted people,and those who arose to attain any of the higher degrees of initiation would have been men of exceptional talent,humility and dedication.:)

Not Posted videos due to the disappearing acts,No Point.

BTW this is nothing new(North East West) under the sun,its all out there,no point in writing a book about it.;):D

Also If you notice the Eagle Is carrying the FISH.(Pisces)

Traditional
Pisces Traits

Imaginative and sensitive
Compassionate and kind
Selfless and unworldly
Intuitive and sympathetic


On the dark side....

Escapist and idealistic
Secretive and vague
Weak-willed and easily led,And there is a lot of that going around these days.

The pineal gland, a cone-shaped organ, which btw is how it got its name, is about the size of a pea and is located in a tiny cave behind and above the pituitary gland almost directly in the middle of the brain. It is attached to the third ventricle of the brain and produces the hormone "melatonin," which is secreted throughout the night with the absence of light.

When light enters the retina of the eyes, this signal is sent through the optic nerve to a region of the hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. This pathway is called the retinohypothalamic tract. From the suprachiasmatic nucleus, nerve impulses via the sympathetic nervous system travel to the pineal gland and inhibit the production of melatonin. At night, these impulses stop (because no light stimulates the hypothalamus) and melatonin production ensues and is released into the body. As a result, it appears the pineal gland is a photosensitive organ. Or is it?
http://www.dhyansanjivani.org/pineal_gland_chakra.asp

http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/9836/pineconecourttf3.jpg (http://img387.imageshack.us/i/pineconecourttf3.jpg/)

Now you know where this is.

[jrhartley3165]

"Believe nothing. No matter where you read it, or who said it, even if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."
~ Buddha


Exactly

[lightgiver]

Seventh Degree of Illumination,

The Seventh Degree of initiation,(King of the Grail)

Rosslyn Chapel (Saturn Oracle) - crown chakra" The Omphalos or Spiritual Umbilicus of the World,

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8231/chapelq.jpg (http://img40.imageshack.us/i/chapelq.jpg/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cy2Dg-ncWoY

The Enlightenment which flows from the opening of the crown chakra is the supreme and total fulfilment of the grail search,and was awarded at the seventh site,Rosslyn chapel,

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/8819/gicrownchakra.jpg (http://img7.imageshack.us/i/gicrownchakra.jpg/)

the ancient and revered site of the Saturn oracle itself.

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/1772/saturn400x300.jpg (http://img7.imageshack.us/i/saturn400x300.jpg/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTh8kcCvlTY

The initiation ceremony for this degree took place in the hidden chamber under the chapel which was deliberately created by Earl William St Clair at the focal point for every known path of initiation.

The crown was the royal symbol of the King of the Grail,

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2270/cotgo.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/i/cotgo.jpg/)

To Him was revealed an understanding of all the laws at work within human destiny,

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8373/chivalry2.jpg (http://img38.imageshack.us/i/chivalry2.jpg/)

The holder of the seventh degree was given the name of the Father because the initiate knew the secrets of time and had gained a true understanding of the working of the primal karma out of which the Father God was functioning,

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/6939/galahadgrail.jpg (http://img7.imageshack.us/i/galahadgrail.jpg/)

This degree gave an insight into the spiritualization of death,which may have explained the Ancient Knight Templars well deserved reputation for being fearless in battle,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTbVVbDpGzM

It was attained with the culmination of the spiritual journey at the opening of the crown chakra ,which is mystically united with the pineal gland ,known to devotees of the Greek mysteries as the seat of the soul.

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/6311/rosslynchapeland2012cli.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/i/rosslynchapeland2012cli.jpg/)

Its opening is essential for attaining complete attunement in the process of both healing and Meditation.The full flowering of the crown chakra occurs when the head of the serpent reaches it,for which the psychological keyword is Awakening.

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/6863/redcarnationngmxxxip507.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/i/redcarnationngmxxxip507.jpg/)

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4927/booksucfront.th.jpg (http://img190.imageshack.us/i/booksucfront.jpg/)http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/1862/sevenchakras.th.jpg (http://img199.imageshack.us/i/sevenchakras.jpg/)

The Joyful Path of Good Fortune.

[deem]

Me and my Chakra aren't on speaking terms any more.:(

[lightgiver]

Me and my Chakra aren't on speaking terms any more.:(

Maybe you ned to practise more and that avatar does not help :eek::D


Chapter1 - Introduction
Preface

Every living being has the same basic wish – to be happy and to avoid suffering. Even newborn babies, animals, and insects have this wish. It has been our main wish since beginningless time and it is with us all the time, even during our sleep. We spend our whole life working hard to fulfil this wish.

Since this world evolved, human beings have spent much time and energy improving external conditions in their search for happiness and a solution to their many problems. What has been the result? Instead of their wishes being fulfilled, human suffering has continued to increase while the experience of happiness and peace is decreasing. This clearly shows that we need to find a true method for gaining pure happiness and freedom from misery.

All our problems and all our unhappiness are created by our uncontrolled mind and our non-virtuous actions. By engaging in the practice of Dharma, we can learn to pacify and control our mind, abandon non-virtuous actions and their root cause, and thereby attain permanent peace, the true cessation of all our suffering.

The supreme Dharma of training the mind (Tib. Lojong) is an unsurpassed method for controlling our mind, and reveals the principal path to enlightenment. There are many different sets of Lojong instructions, such as those contained in the One Hundred Practices of Training the Mind. The present text, Universal Compassion, explains how to put into practice the Lojong instructions given by Bodhisattva Geshe Chekhawa in his root text Training the Mind in Seven Points. The seven points are:

1 The preliminary practices of training the mind
2 The main practice: training in the two bodhichittas
3 Transforming adverse conditions into the path to enlightenment
4 How to integrate all our daily practices
5 The measurement of success in training the mind
6 The commitments of training the mind
7 The precepts of training the mind

The first point, the preliminary practices, is the preparation for engaging in the principal path to enlightenment, and the second point is the principal path itself. The five remaining points are the methods for completing the principal path.

To have the opportunity to practise this precious and profound teaching is infinitely more meaningful than being given all the precious jewels in the world. If we understand how extremely worthwhile it is to read, listen to, study, contemplate, and engage in the practice of this very special Dharma, we will do so with great faith and a happy mind.



The Lineage and Qualities of Training the Mind
THE LINEAGE AND PRE-EMINENT QUALITIES OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS

The instructions on training the mind were originally given by Buddha Shakyamuni. He passed them to Manjushri, who transmitted them to Shantideva. From Shantideva they passed in unbroken succession to Elladari, Viravajra, Ratnashri, Serlingpa, Atisha, Dromtonpa, Geshe Potowa, Geshe Sharawa, and Geshe Chekhawa. Geshe Chekhawa composed the text Training the Mind in Seven Points and spread the study and practice of training the mind throughout Tibet. He transmitted the instructions to the Bodhisattva Chilbuwa and from him they passed through a succession of realized Masters to Je Tsongkhapa.

Several versions of the root text, Training the Mind in Seven Points, were compiled from notes taken by Geshe Chekhawa’s disciples. Later, Je Tsongkhapa gave teachings on Training the Mind in Seven Points and, without contradicting other sources, clarified the meaning of these instructions according to the view and intentions of Geshe Chekhawa and Atisha. The notes of Je Tsongkhapa’s disciples were collected into a text known as Sunrays of Training the Mind, which is regarded as one of the most authoritative commentaries on training the mind. The version of the root text used in this book is the one compiled by Je Phabongkhapa, based on Sunrays of Training the Mind, Essence of Nectar of Training the Mind, and other texts. Thus, from Je Tsongkhapa the instructions on training the mind have come down in an unbroken lineage to present-day Teachers.


Homage to great compassion.
This essence of nectar-like instruction
Is transmitted from Serlingpa.


Geshe Chekhawa begins the root text by paying homage to great compassion. His purpose is to show that, because all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are born from the mother, great compassion, anyone wishing to become a Buddha or Bodhisattva must keep compassion as their main practice.

The second line likens the instructions on training the mind to the essence of nectar. The nectar enjoyed by gods and some humans produces only ordinary happiness, but the instructions on training the mind can provide the extraordinary bliss of full enlightenment.

The third line shows that, from the many different instructions Atisha received and handed down through Dromtonpa and other Teachers to Geshe Chekhawa, this particular instruction came from his Spiritual Guide Serlingpa.

It is said that Geshe Chekhawa originally belonged to the old tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the Nyingma tradition. Although he was well versed in the teachings of both the old and the new traditions of Dharma, he was not entirely satisfied with his practice. He sought teachings from Rechungpa, one of Milarepa’s main disciples, and later from the Kadampa Teacher Geshe Chagshinpa. One day, when in Geshe Chagshinpa’s room, he found a short text entitled Eight Verses of Training the Mind. Two lines in the sixth verse caught his attention:

May I take defeat upon myself
And offer them the victory.

Even though he already possessed a profound knowledge of Dharma, his mind was deeply affected by these words. Wanting to discover their real meaning, he asked Geshe Chagshinpa the name of the author. Geshe Chagshinpa replied that the text was written by Geshe Langri Tangpa. Immediately upon hearing this, Geshe Chekhawa developed a wish to receive teachings from Geshe Langri Tangpa, and he set out at once for Lhasa where he hoped to meet him. When he arrived he discovered that Geshe Langri Tangpa had passed away, and so he decided to find one of Geshe Langri Tangpa’s disciples who could give him an explanation of this verse. He met a man from the province of Lang Tang, who told him that one of Geshe Langri Tangpa’s main disciples was Geshe Sharawa. Encouraged by this, Geshe Chekhawa set out to find Geshe Sharawa. When he found him, Geshe Sharawa was teaching a course on philosophy to a vast audience. Geshe Chekhawa listened to the teachings, which went on for several days, but he heard no mention of accepting defeat and offering the victory to others. After the teachings had finished, Geshe Chekhawa approached Geshe Sharawa as he was circumambulating a stupa and, putting his upper garment on the ground as a seat, requested him, 'Please sit down for a while. I have something to ask you.' Geshe Sharawa replied rather abruptly, 'I have just given extensive teachings from the throne, did you not understand them?' Geshe Chekhawa answered, 'I have one special question.' Geshe Sharawa then sat down and Geshe Chekhawa asked, 'How important is the practice of accepting defeat and offering the victory to others?' Geshe Sharawa replied, 'If you want to attain enlightenment, this practice is essential.' Geshe Chekhawa then asked where this practice was taught in the scriptures, and Geshe Sharawa replied by quoting two lines from Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland of Advice for the King:

May their negative actions ripen upon me
And may all my virtues ripen upon them.

Implicit in these words is the wish to accept defeat oneself and offer the victory to others. Geshe Sharawa gave further sources that convinced Geshe Chekhawa that this teaching was authentic. Geshe Chekhawa then requested Geshe Sharawa to give him full instructions on this practice. Geshe Sharawa replied, 'If you stay with me for several years, I will teach you.' Geshe Chekhawa stayed with Geshe Sharawa for twelve years, and within six years he had become very skilled at training his mind. Other Kadampa Geshes recognized that he had attained the Mahayana path of seeing by completely abandoning self-cherishing.

Until this time, the instructions on training the mind had not been taught openly but had remained a secret lineage. Since it was necessary to possess a certain degree of faith before practising these instructions, Geshe Chekhawa at first taught them only to his closest and most receptive disciples.

This was a time when leprosy was widespread in Tibet because doctors were unable to cure it. One day, Geshe Chekhawa met some lepers and decided to instruct them in the practice of training the mind, and especially in the practice of taking and giving. Through engaging in these practices, many of the lepers were quickly cured of their disease. News of this spread rapidly and many other sufferers came to see Geshe Chekhawa, whose home soon took on the appearance of a hospital. As a result, Geshe Chekhawa’s teachings became known among Tibetans as the 'Dharma for leprosy'.

Geshe Chekhawa had a brother who disliked Dharma intensely and had no faith in Geshe Chekhawa himself. One day, he happened to overhear some of the teachings on training the mind that Geshe Chekhawa was giving to the lepers and was impressed by what he heard. Some time later, Geshe Chekhawa noticed from his brother’s behaviour that he was practising the instructions on training the mind. Geshe Chekhawa thought that if a disbeliever such as his brother could benefit from these teachings, many other beings could also be helped by them, and so he decided that it was no longer appropriate to keep the instructions secret. Accordingly, with a sincere wish to help all living beings, he composed the text Training the Mind in Seven Points. Because of his great kindness in composing this text and teaching it openly, we now have an opportunity to receive these instructions and put them into practice. Therefore, we should remember with gratitude the kindness of Geshe Chekhawa.

It is like a diamond, like the sun, and like a medicinal tree.

The fourth line of Geshe Chekhawa’s text explains the good qualities of the instructions on training the mind, likening them to a diamond, the sun, and a medicinal tree. Most precious things become valueless if they are broken, but if a diamond is cut into little pieces, each fragment, however small, is still valuable. In this respect, the instructions on training the mind are like a diamond because, while it is most valuable to practise all the instructions on training the mind, it is still very worthwhile to practise just some of them. Just as we would take care not to lose even the smallest fragment of a diamond, so we should not disregard any part of the instructions on training the mind, however small.

Just as full sunlight completely dispels all darkness but even a few rays provide a measure of light, so, if we complete the practice of training the mind, we will totally dispel the darkness of our ignorance, but if we engage in only some parts of the practice, this will still help to reduce our ignorance and self-cherishing.

Just as every part of a medicinal tree – the roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit – provides medicine and is useful in curing disease, so every part of the instructions on training the mind can cure the mental disease of the delusions. Ordinary medicines can cure only physical disease, but the panacea of training the mind cures sicknesses of both body and mind. This is why the practice is sometimes called the 'unsurpassed medicine'.

How can we be sure that the instructions on training the mind really possess all these good qualities? This question is answered by Geshe Chekhawa in the fifth line of the root text:

The meaning of this text should be known.

Once we have understood the meaning of these instructions, we should put them into practice. Then we will come to understand all the excellent qualities of training the mind through our own experience. Unless we practise in this way, we will never know for ourself how these instructions are 'like a diamond, like the sun, and like a medicinal tree.'

The sixth and seventh lines of the root text reveal the power of training the mind to transform adverse conditions into the path to enlightenment:

The development of the five impurities
Will be transformed into the path to enlightenment.

It is said that this present age has five impurities: the impurity of time, the impurity of living beings, the impurity of view, the impurity of delusions, and the impurity of life span. The impurity of time is the relative poverty of spiritual practice at this time. There has been a great decline in spirituality through the ages, and human beings are now very poor in terms of their spiritual development compared with beings in the past. In ancient times, many beings were spiritually so advanced that they could see Buddhas and Bodhisattvas directly. Many attained tranquil abiding and different kinds of clairvoyance, such as eye clairvoyance (the ability to see distant forms and subtle forms), ear clairvoyance (the ability to hear distant sounds far beyond the normal range), the mental power of knowing others’ minds directly, and the mental power of knowing past and future lives. Many also possessed miracle powers, such as the ability to emanate different forms or the ability to fly. During this time, countless beings attained liberation and enlightenment.

With the passing of time, however, fewer and fewer beings have been able to see Buddhas and Bodhisattvas directly or to attain other high spiritual accomplishments. These days, no ordinary being can see enlightened beings directly. The fact that we see everyone as ordinary is, in itself, a sign of the impurity of our times. However, if we practise training the mind purely, we can turn these faults and imperfections of our times – which usually cause great difficulties and suffering – into causes of spiritual paths.

The impurity of living beings is the beings themselves. Living beings today experience very little peace and happiness, whereas external dangers to life are increasing greatly. Our natures are much grosser, and our sufferings and difficulties far worse, than those of beings in the past. With every passing generation, living beings become more and more unhappy, more and more unruly, and more and more disturbed. We are now very skilled at producing all kinds of weapons for waging war and harming each other, but we lack the skills to create peace and happiness. Even though we long for peace and happiness, we busily lay the foundations for conflict and suffering. We have made great advances in producing material things but these do not bring true peace, nor do they eradicate our sufferings permanently. However, if we practise training the mind purely, we can transform all these adversities into causes of the path to enlightenment.

The impurity of view is the strong tendency of people these days to accept and foster mistaken or distorted views, such as views that deny past and future lives, the existence of enlightened beings, the functioning of karma, or the effectiveness of Dharma. If we practise training the mind purely, we can eliminate all wrong views.

The impurity of delusions means that our anger, attachment, and ignorance are much stronger and more harmful than the delusions experienced by people of earlier times, and consequently our sufferings are far worse. Moreover, because we find it difficult to control our delusions, our spiritual practice produces very few results. However, if we engage sincerely in the practice of training the mind, we can transform the faults of these delusions into causes of spiritual paths.

The fifth impurity is impurity of life span. It is said that when Buddha Krakuchchanda appeared in this world human beings lived for long periods of time – about eighty thousand years. By the time of the second Buddha, Buddha Kanakamuni, life expectancy had diminished to forty thousand years, by the time of the third Buddha, Buddha Kashyapa, it had fallen to twenty thousand years, and by the time of the fourth Buddha, Buddha Shakyamuni, it was about one hundred years. In the scriptures, it is said that this decline will continue until the average human life span is only ten years. However, if we use our human life to practise training the mind sincerely, we will be able to attain the highest goal of full enlightenment within this short life.

The main reason for practising these instructions on training the mind is to fulfil our deepest wish – to attain lasting happiness and complete freedom from suffering. These cannot be attained by external means, such as the acquisition of material wealth. No matter how many possessions we acquire, they will not provide us with any lasting happiness and freedom. On the contrary, it is often our pursuit of material possessions that causes our problems. If we want ultimate happiness and freedom from suffering, we must engage in the supreme practices of training the mind. There is no other way.

All living beings have Buddha seed, or Buddha nature. The method that causes this seed to ripen is putting the instructions on training the mind into practice. The actual experiences, or realizations, of training the mind are the paths to enlightenment; therefore, it is essential for all beings to gain experience of this practice. At the very end of the Condensed Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, Buddha says:

I have explained the paths to enlightenment so that all living beings might attain them.

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4927/booksucfront.jpg (http://img190.imageshack.us/i/booksucfront.jpg/)

[lightgiver]

LETTING GO OF ATTACHMENT

WHAT IS TRANSFORMATION?

TRANSFORMATION IS A JOURNEY OF LETTING GO.

WHAT DO YOU LET GO OF?

ATTACHMENT

TRANSFORMATION IS A JOURNEY OF MEETING WHO YOU ARE

WHEN THE LETTING GO IS ADVANCED, AND YOU HAVE BECOME VERY GOOD AT IT, YOU BEGIN TO PERCEIVE THAT THERE IS NO ‘YOU’ THAT MUST BE FOUND.

YOU BEGIN TO PERCEIVE THE YOU THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE.

YOU BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DIDN’T NEED TO LOOK FOR YOU.

YOU WERE THERE ALL THE TIME.

YOUR EGO’S POINT OF VIEW INTERFERED WITH YOUR ABILITY TO PERCEIVE THIS TRUTH.

YOU ARE ATTACHED TO YOUR EGO’S POINT OF VIEW

LET GO OF YOUR EGO’S POINT OF VIEW.

BIT BY BIT – PIECE BY PIECE

LET IT GO.

DON’T TRY TO TAKE THE PAST, YOUR POSSESSIONS, WITH YOU ON THE PATH.

ANYTHING TRULY YOURS WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.

DON’T BE ATTACHED TO THE PAST.

DON’T EVEN BE ATTACHED TO THESE TEACHINGS.

In his famous parable of the raft, the Buddha explains that his teachings are not a destination; they are a means of travelling. A means of travelling. Spiritual practices are the raw materials from which we can build for ourselves, from revelation and direct experience, a raft of understanding that guides us as we make the spiritual journey across our own uncharted consciousness. The Teachings, the Practices, and the Teacher help us cross the sea to the far shore but the far shore is not a place, it is not a destination. Your evolution does not stop when you reach another shore of reality. The Gift Keeps Moving. We are always learning because the Source of Grace, the Source of Unconditional Wisdom and Unconditional Love is always challenging us no matter how enlightened we think we are.

So when you reach another shore don’t think you’ve arrived somewhere and you are done so now you can stop. Don’t get attached to your latest revelation. Leave the raft behind and keep walking the path trusting that if ever again you need a raft, one will be there. Walk on to the next experience and use the wisdom you have incorporated and can now call your own to deal with the further challenges. The challenges will seem very different to you because you have changed so much, your emotional content is very different from when you began your initial journey. And because of your deep emotional changes, your new experiences will be different.

You change in authentic ways because, as you incorporate the teachings into your direct life experience and transformation becomes real to you, you become more present, more true to yourself. Being true to yourself is a state of being that evolves as you learn to trust yourself, and to surrender your attachment to your ego’s point of view.

If you try to do your practices while staying attached to your ego’s present point of view, you will never make it across the river and your fear will become attached to your present spiritual experience. Your fear will attach to your practices. Your fear will intensify and if you are not willing to trust the process of transformation, you will stay in your ego’s point of view and your fear will continue to live your life for you.

Transformation happens when your point of view come into alignment and no longer shift back and forth from point A to point B and back again to point A then back to point B – you move on into new arrivals and new beginnings. The creative process is a cycle, a circular, spiraling, movement. As you follow that movement, you begin to feel a feeling of liberation and trust in yourself. If you try to define new feelings from your old ego’s point of view this attachment to past teachings can become an encumbrance that prevents a new evolution.

The Buddha, in the raft story, describes attachment as trying to hold on to the raft long after it has served its purpose, long after you have crossed the sea. Holding on to teachings that have become beliefs can hinder your movement. Ideas about ourselves that served us yesterday might fail us tomorrow. Let go and be available to tomorrow’s truth, tomorrow’s wisdom. The Buddha ends the raft story with the conclusion that if one should not be attached to wise teachings, how much more should one not be attached to ignorance?

The Teachings don’t change, you change. The Teacher doesn’t change, you change. The Practices don’t change, you change. Don’t be attached to anything. Don’t even be attached to change. As you change, the Teachings begin to be perceived as spiritual ideals and your relationship to those ideals becomes more realistic and less judgemental. Learn to set high standards of accountability for yourself but do not be attached to those standards. Don’t let those standards become judgements. Don’t practice spirituality by the book, practice it by the heart, by the intuition. Let go of self-importance and self-condemnation. If you are taking transformation too seriously, too personally, and too heavily, lighten up. Whatever way you are interpreting your process, your interpretation is probably wrong, so just relax and let yourself move freely and with trust into a creative lifetime of new beginnings, further arrivals on newer shores and a liberation that continues to unfold.:)

[live_free]

It is very easy to commit heavy negative karma. For example, simply by swatting a mosquito out of anger we create the cause to be reborn in hell. Throughout this and all our countless previous lives we have committed many heavy negative actions by practicing sincere confession, their potentialities remain in our mental continuum, and any one of these negative potentialities could ripen when we die. Bearing in mind, we should ask ourself: 'If I die today, where shall I be tomorrow? It is quite possible that I shall find myself in the animal realm, among the hungry ghosts, or in hell.

Sorry, but the above is a complete and utter load of bollocks!

"If you are interested in 'New Age' thought or some of the Eastern religions and philosophies the next bit might be a bit of a surprise. The voice explained to me that the vast majority of 'incarnate' consciousness that left the 'physical' body at what we call 'death' did not consciously reconnect with the Infinite. Instead it moved to other 'non-physical' dimensions of the Matrix. Consciousness may have withdrawn from the Time Loop, but it was still in the flytrap, albeit a less dense expression of it. Reincarnation was the cycle of consciousness moving in and out of the Time Loop from other levels of the Matrix. The concept of reincarnation is another creation of the Matrix entity to hold consciousness in a cycle of servitude while believing it is 'evolving' through experience in line with the New Age belief. 'Do you think the Infinite has to reincarnate?' the voice said. 'Consciousness in the Matrix is also the Infinite, so why does that have to reincarnate?' It doesn't, it just believes that it does. As with the saying 'death is no cure for ignorance,' so it was the case that consciousness in other levels of the Matrix was also trapped by illusions. When consciousness withdrew from the 'physical' body it did not become immediately re-enlightened. That depended on its reality. In the five-sense realm what we think we should see is what we appear to see and experience. This, the voice explained, is what also happened in other frequencies of the Matrix. If consiousness left the body believing totally that it was going to the heaven of Jesus and the Christian version of God, this would be its experience; that is what it would 'see' because that is what it believed it would see. It was the same with the other religious beliefs and the Matrix maintained a Christian 'heaven,' Islamic 'heaven,' Hindu 'heaven,' and Jewish 'heaven,' etc. But these were nothing more than figments of expectation. Only that which was free of conditioned belief was able to transcend the vibratory illusions of the Matrix and become consciously one with the Infinite. Belief was the prison and other levels of the Matrix were different levels of illusion. This meant that the overwhelming majority of information 'channelled' through psychics in the Time Loop was from consciousness still caught in the Matrix. This might know more than those in the Time Loop density, but it was still in the web of illusion....

"The voice told me how 'New Age' thought and some philosophies of the East and native peoples were more enlightened than those of the purely Time Loop religions and sciences of mainstream society. The 'New Age' reality understood that the 'physical' realm was only one dimension of existence and there were many more beyond the vibrational walls of human senses. That was good, but what was not understood is that these other vibrating dimensions were still levels of the Matrix. They provided the constant 'supply' of consciousness to inhabit the Time Loop and generate the fear necessary to keep the Matrix 'alive.' New Age beliefs in a 'Great White Brotherhood' or an 'Ashtar Command' communicating with their chosen people were manipulations of the Time Loop from other levels of the Matrix. In fact, some were even communications from within the Time Loop planted in the minds of the 'psychic' by mind-control and forms of technological 'telepathy.' When psychics, like those in stage shows and television, were communicating with the deceased relatives of the audience, there were contacting levels of the Matrix very close to the Time Loop reality. Their other-frequency communicators may realise that there are other 'worlds' beyond the 'physical,' but they were still in the realms of Matrix delusion. They communicated about going to 'Halls of Learning' in their non-physical world and how the Earth was a spiritual 'university' where people came to learn some tough lessons and work out their 'karma.' This was illusion, the voice said, total illuuuuusion! 'Do you think the Infinite has to go to school to learn anything when it knows everything there is to know?' the voice said. As for 'karma,' the idea that you experience what you have made others experience, the voice asked: 'Why should the Infinite have to experience what it has made itself experience?' The idea of karma was a Matrix manipulation to indoctrinate beliefs in the passage of 'time' -- it's my karma from a past life or I am building karma for the future -- and to maintain people in a state of guilt and self-loathing." [Emphasis original]

-- David Icke, Tales from the Time Loop, pp. 337-39

[lightgiver]

Sorry, but the above is a complete and utter load of bollocks!


-- David Icke, Tales from the Time Loop, pp. 337-39

Thats very enlightened of you :rolleyes:

another foul mouthed yob.

I have been studying and practising for a awful long time.

You know he speaks of chakras and the like which comes from Hinduism and Buddhism,maybe he wants to start his own religion,for folks like you to follow .

I do not need D icke or you to tell me about Buddhism,because he and you do not know anything about Buddhism,he reckons shaving heads is showing obedience.:confused:

Now that is a load of cods wallop :p

where do you people pop up from :confused: can you not speak for yourself.

Ignorance is bliss.

another good thread ruined with foul mouthed language and delusions,BTW I am not interested in any new age.

Especially coming from hobbledehogs like you.

7-Limbed Prayer

Respectfully I prostrate with body, speech and mind;
I present clouds of every type of offerings, actual and imagined;
I declare all the negative actions I have done since beginning less time,
and rejoice in the merit of all Aryas and ordinary beings.
Please teacher, remain until cyclic existence ends
and turn the wheel of Dharma for all sentient beings.
I dedicate the virtues of myself and others to the great Enlightenment.

"I am the owner of my karma .
I inherit my karma.
I am born of my karma.
I am related to my karma.
I live supported by my karma.
Whatever karma I create, whether good or evil, that I shall inherit."
The Buddha, Anguttara Nikaya V.57 - Upajjhatthana Sutta


Some of you do not even know why you are here and why you exist.

"Countless rebirths lie ahead, both good and bad. The effects of karma (actions) are inevitable, and in previous lifetimes we have accumulated negative karma which will inevitably have its fruition in this or future lives. Just as someone witnessed by police in a criminal act will eventually be caught and punished, so we too must face the consequences of faulty actions we have committed in the past, there is no way to be at ease; those actions are irreversible; we must eventually undergo their effects."

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

[jm22]

I'm sure i'm not here because i swatted a mosquito.

all you're doing is repeating what has been taught.

don't take life, as well as spiritual eastern religions so serious. Anything is not serious enough to not laugh about.

Other than that, thank you for your informative ideas on chakras.

[lightgiver]

I'm sure i'm not here because i swatted a mosquito.

all you're doing is repeating what has been taught.

don't take life, as well as spiritual eastern religions so serious. Anything is not serious enough to not laugh about.

Other than that, thank you for your informative ideas on chakras.

They are not informative ideas they are facts.

and you are repeating what has already been said also,a thousand times on here,

This forum is for others also,not just you .

BTW I will take what I want and give what I want.

Lectures are for the school.


Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

Thats the trouble most do not even know why they are here,and I aint finished yet by a long way.

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/5973/prajnaparamita.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/i/prajnaparamita.jpg/)

Wisdom is lacking in these degenerate times.

I will do a post later about wisdom and its benefits,for the benefit of all.

[lightgiver]

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/2497/ndebatingatdrepung.jpg (http://img6.imageshack.us/i/ndebatingatdrepung.jpg/) :D

[lightgiver]

For the animal killers,

Animals in Buddhist doctrine

Animals have always been regarded in Buddhist thought as sentient beings, different in their intellectual ability than humans but no less capable of feeling suffering. Furthermore, animals possess Buddha nature (according to the Mahayana school) and therefore an equal potential to become enlightened. Moreover, the doctrine of rebirth held that any human could be reborn as an animal, and any animal could be reborn as a human. An animal might be a reborn dead relative, and if you looked far enough back in one's infinite series of lives, you would eventually perceive every animal to be related to you in some way. The Buddha expounded that sentient beings currently living in the animal realm have been our mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers, children, friends in past rebirths. One could not, therefore, make a hard distinction between moral rules applicable to animals and those applicable to humans; ultimately humans and animals were part of a single family. They are all interconnected.

Hospice of Mother Tara Buddhist Meditation and Healing Centre:

http://www.hmt.org.au/why.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals_in_Buddhism

[lightgiver]

The Four Noble Truths

1. Life means suffering.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment.

3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.

4. The path to the cessation of suffering.


1. Life means suffering.

To live means to suffer, because the human nature is not perfect and neither is the world we live in. During our lifetime, we inevitably have to endure physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age, and eventually death; and we have to endure psychological suffering like sadness, fear, frustration, disappointment, and depression. Although there are different degrees of suffering and there are also positive experiences in life that we perceive as the opposite of suffering, such as ease, comfort and happiness, life in its totality is imperfect and incomplete, because our world is subject to impermanence. This means we are never able to keep permanently what we strive for, and just as happy moments pass by, we ourselves and our loved ones will pass away one day, too.

2. The origin of suffering is attachment.

The origin of suffering is attachment to transient things and the ignorance thereof. Transient things do not only include the physical objects that surround us, but also ideas, and -in a greater sense- all objects of our perception. Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, ardour, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or in short: craving and clinging. Because the objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable, thus suffering will necessarily follow. Objects of attachment also include the idea of a "self" which is a delusion, because there is no abiding self. What we call "self" is just an imagined entity, and we are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe.

3. The cessation of suffering is attainable.

The cessation of suffering can be attained through nirodha. Nirodha means the unmaking of sensual craving and conceptual attachment. The third noble truth expresses the idea that suffering can be ended by attaining dispassion. Nirodha extinguishes all forms of clinging and attachment. This means that suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering. Attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana. Nirvana means freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabrications and ideas. Nirvana is not comprehensible for those who have not attained it.

4. The path to the cessation of suffering.

There is a path to the end of suffering - a gradual path of self-improvement, which is described more detailed in the Eightfold Path. It is the middle way between the two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) and excessive self-mortification (asceticism); and it leads to the end of the cycle of rebirth. The latter quality discerns it from other paths which are merely "wandering on the wheel of becoming", because these do not have a final object. The path to the end of suffering can extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirth is subject to karmic conditioning. Craving, ignorance, delusions, and its effects will disappear gradually, as progress is made on the path.:)

[lightgiver]

In Buddhism, wrathful deities are enlightened beings that take on wrathful forms in order to lead sentient beings to enlightenment. They are a notable feature of the iconography of Mahayana Buddhism and of Tibetan Buddhism, and other Vajrayana traditions in particular. A wrathful deity is often an alternative manifestation of a bodhisattva or other normally peaceful figure. True to their name, in Tibetan art, wrathful deities are presented as fearsome, demonic beings adorned with human skulls.

Though these images seem contradictory to Buddhist ideals, they are not personifications of evil or demonic forces. Rather they symbolize the dynamic activity of an enlightened being, brought forth to tame negative or unsettling impulses in the human mind. In addition to destroying the passions of the mind, the purpose of gods is also to protect the faithful. The wrathful deities, who symbolize the tremendous effort it takes to vanquish negativity, especially perform this function. :):mad::(:eek::D:D

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

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/6000/dkalarupaff5.jpg (http://img10.imageshack.us/i/dkalarupaff5.jpg/)

(Tibetan: Choegyal) Another Sanskrit name of this deity is "Dharmaraja"- the King of the Dharma. In this wrathful and protective aspect Manjushri, the Buddha of wisdom, appears to conquer hindrances and to remove inner or outer obstacles.

[lightgiver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTFx8b9P7ZE

Manjushri - The Wisdom Buddha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DYSFQXBHDM

Everyone has Buddha nature.

http://www.lamagursam.org/buddha_nature.html

Green Tara - Swift Liberator

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FklRIr8g3xo

Green Tara - A Gentle Yet Powerful Mantra

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4M0vcyZK1A


The Tara Puja, Liberation from Sorrow, which includes a special prayer Praises to the Twenty-one Taras composed by Buddha, is performed regularly at Kadampa Buddhist centres worldwide.

Tara is a female Buddha, a manifestation of the ultimate wisdom of all the Buddhas. Each of the Twenty-one Taras is a manifestation of the principal Tara, Green Tara. Tara is also known as the ‘Mother of the Conquerors’.

Tara is our common mother, our Holy Mother. When we are young we turn to our worldly mother for help. She protects us from immediate dangers, provides us with all our temporal needs, and guides and encourages us in our learning and personal development.

In the same way, during our spiritual growth we need to turn to our Holy Mother, Tara, for refuge. She protects us from all internal and external dangers, she provides us with all the necessary conditions for our spiritual training, and she guides us and inspires us with her blessings as we progress along the spiritual path.

‘Tara’ means ‘Rescuer’. She is so called because she rescues us from the eight outer fears (the fears of lions, elephants, fire, snakes, thieves, water, bondage, and evil spirits), and from the eight corresponding inner fears (the fears of pride, ignorance, anger, jealousy, wrong views, attachment, miserliness, and deluded doubts).

Temporarily Tara saves us from the dangers of rebirth in the three lower realms, and ultimately she saves us from the dangers of samsara and solitary peace.

If we rely upon Mother Tara sincerely and with strong faith she will protect us from all obstacles and fulfill all our wishes. Since she is a wisdom Buddha, and since she is a manifestation of the completely purified wind element, Tara is able to help us very quickly.

If we recite the twenty-one verses of praise we shall receive inconceivable benefits. These praises are very powerful because they are Sutra, the actual words of Buddha. It is good to recite them as often as we can.

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Tara

During meditation, Tārā is seen as having as much reality as any other phenomena apprehended through the mind. By reciting her mantra and visualizing her form, it is said that one can become open to her energies of compassion and wisdom.

"Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF_-F3X-oIg

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/7371/greentara.jpg (http://img30.imageshack.us/i/greentara.jpg/)

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/4894/r3awaterbowls.jpg (http://img29.imageshack.us/i/r3awaterbowls.jpg/)

[pezza19]

Heya Man thanks for all the useful information, I'm gonna read it all,

I was just wondering where I could read it in like a pdf or a book??? are there any books that explain the meditations or, the noble truths ect.

The only thing that doesnt really sit with my gut feeling is the reincarnation as an animal, I believe that if your bad in one life you will degrade yourself in the next life, and if your better than a previous life you will be more enlightened in the next.

I just don't feel we can be incarnated as animals, I belief other lifeforms of the same type of genetics or level on conciousness but animals are missing something.

A human knows it's form is aware of it's enviroment and feels itself,
An animal doesnt understand it's form is aware of it's enviroment and knows it is living...

I dunno.

I need some books on buddhism =D


I need some sort of path... to start walking I'm ready to start my journey but I need some guidance on how to start.

I don't want to limit myself to the ideologies of buddhism but I do think there are lots of fact in buddhism we can defintitly use to become enlightened.

[lightgiver]

Heya Man thanks for all the useful information, I'm gonna read it all,

I was just wondering where I could read it in like a pdf or a book??? are there any books that explain the meditations or, the noble truths ect.

The only thing that doesnt really sit with my gut feeling is the reincarnation as an animal, I believe that if your bad in one life you will degrade yourself in the next life, and if your better than a previous life you will be more enlightened in the next.

I just don't feel we can be incarnated as animals, I belief other lifeforms of the same type of genetics or level on conciousness but animals are missing something.

A human knows it's form is aware of it's enviroment and feels itself,
An animal doesnt understand it's form is aware of it's enviroment and knows it is living...

I dunno.

I need some books on buddhism =D


I need some sort of path... to start walking I'm ready to start my journey but I need some guidance on how to start.

I don't want to limit myself to the ideologies of buddhism but I do think there are lots of fact in buddhism we can defintitly use to become enlightened.

Hi pezza :)

Post 32, universal compassion.

On the animal front of things,just do the research and meditate on it deeply.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCxcVZqTJYg

Birth Old Age Disease Death & Reincarnation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYKYdgASOiI

A lot of info is in this thread you need to read more thoroughly.:)

So if you degrade yourself in this life and it affects the next life,what do you feel the result will be in the next life,it is self explanatory.;)

Example a person who brings suffering to another being with feelings,what do you feel the result will be from the actions of the said person.

Actions have effects and we carry these in our mental continuum.

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

[lightgiver]

Liberation from sorrow :)

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3219838328703873592#

The Tibetan Book of the Dead

The Bardo Thodol also spelled Bardo Thotrol, translated as The Tibetan Book of the Dead, for centuries it was passed down orally. This ancient text was first put into written form by the legendary Padma Sambhava in the 8th century A.D. Translated, Bardo Thodol means "liberation by hearing on the after death plane". The book acts as a guide for the dead during the state that intervenes death and the next rebirth.

This scripture (The Bardo Thotrol) from Tibetan Buddhism was traditionally read aloud to the dying to help them attain liberation. It guides a person to use the moment of death to recognize the nature of mind and attain liberation.

It teaches that awareness once freed from the body, creates its own reality like that of a dream. This dream projection unfolds in predictable ways in ways both frightening and beautiful. Peaceful and wrathful visions appear, and these visions can be overwhelming. Since the awareness is still in shock of no longer being attached to and shielded by a body, it needs guidance and forewarning so that key decisions that lead to enlightenment are made. The Tibetan Book of the Dead teaches how one can attain heavenly realms by recognizing the enlightened realms as opposed to being drawn into the realms of seduction that pull incorporeal awareness into cyclic suffering.

An interesting sidenote: Some of the concepts in the Tibetan Book of the Dead can be found in The Gospel of Mary Magdalene.

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

http://reluctant-messenger.com/gospel-magdalene.htm

All natures, all formed things, all creatures exist in and with one another and will again be resolved into their own roots, because the nature of matter is dissolved into the roots of its nature alone."

[lightgiver]

Buddha is not worshipped as god, deva, nor prophet or messenger of God but a human guru ( teacher) who had gained enlightenment.

Probably one of the few religions in the world that had never fought any war in his name.

A typical misconception tends to link Buddha as the Buddhist counterpart of “God”; however, Buddhism is non-theistic, i.e., in general it does not teach the existence of a supreme creator god (see God in Buddhism) or depend on any supreme being for enlightenment; Buddha is a guide and teacher who points the way.

The commonly accepted definition of the term "God" describes a being that not only rules but actually created the universe (see origin belief). Such ideas and concepts are disputed by Buddha and Buddhists in many Buddhist discourses.

In Buddhism, the supreme origin and creator of the universe is not a god, but Avidya (ignorance). Buddhists try to dispel this darkness through constant practice, wisdom and compassion (known as prajna).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDIG-C7pnmc

For six years Buddha lived with five other ascetics in a grove at Uruvela practicing the most extreme forms of self-mortification and the most advanced techniques of Hatha Yoga, until he almost died of starvation. He gave up ascetic life, left his companions, and traveled on. At Bodh Gaya he seated himself under a Bo tree (ficus religiosa) and resolved not to get up until he had achieved true enlightenment. Maya, the personification of the world’s illusion, with his daughters and all the attendant incarnate sins and illusions, attacked him without success. Gautama Siddhartha achieved final illumination, entered Nirvana and arose a Buddha: an Enlightened One. He returned to his five companions at Uruvela and preached to them the Middle Way between self-indulgence and extreme asceticism. They were shocked and repudiated him, but after he had preached to them the Noble Eightfold Way and the Four Truths, they became the first Buddhist monks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTbVVbDpGzM

Buddha also forbade worship of himself or others and considered the gods inferior to human beings because they could not escape the round of rebirths and enter Nirvana.

The first Truth is the Truth of suffering: birth is pain, old age is pain, sickness is pain, death is pain, the endless round of rebirths is pain, the five aggregates of grasping are pain. The second Truth is the cause of pain: the craving that holds the human being to endless rebirth, the craving of the passions, the craving for continued existence, the craving for nonexistence. The third Noble Truth is the ending of pain: the extirpation of craving. The fourth Noble Truth is the means of arriving at the cessation of pain: the Noble Eightfold Path, which is right views, right intentions, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration (or contemplation). This doctrine is the essence of Buddhism :)

[gooseone]

I have replied in the "Open minded" topic with the same kind of thought.
Although i think buddhism is a great road to wander on i have some reservations.
I think the beginning of buddhism is a great start , however i feel there are to much thought out concepts after that which makes for a desire to experience that and so in effect creates a too great of a belief system which can be very powerfull for people and diminishes the need to found out for theirself.
I read something earlier in this topic about "destroying the passions of the mind"
which did not sit right with me.
I am convinced it is very important in this physical plane to be grounded and not to overlook the gifts we have here.
One can practice for when reality changes but i cannot believe one can really escape it completely while still having a physical body ( and why should people want to )
So when destroying the passions of the mind or not giving them any value i find that very egotistical because one would not be in resonance with their feelings which should guide them on a physical level....
I tend to think "buddha" has too much rules to believe in opposed to the believe one should find out for themself and just feel when their crossing a line.

[lightgiver]

I am convinced it is very important in this physical plane to be grounded and not to overlook the gifts we have here.
.

I am sure Buddha Shakyumuni would agree ,everyone carry s Buddha nature:)

If you meditate deeply on the 4 noble truths you may come to realise that life is suffering,that does not mean you walk around miserable or sing morrisey songs,it just means you have recognised the nature of samsara.

which in turn can lead to bliss and full enlightenment, if effort is applied to the path.

I wish you good fortune on your journey.:)

[gooseone]

Thank you , i have not studied buddha deeply so i might have come to a
conclusion too soon ...that's a hole i tend to step in a lot lately.
Your reply makes me curious to find out, so i probably will look deeper into it
in the near future ;)

And i also wish everyone the best and much love on their path :)

( i could make it into a signature but then i probably wouldn't lay my heart into it with every post :D)

[lightgiver]

Conventional and Ultimate truths,

Nagarjuna was the first Buddhist philosopher to elaborate the doctrine of the Two Truths, which has since been interpreted in different ways by different figures. In the Mulamadhyamakakarika,

"The Buddha's teaching of the Dharma is based on Two Truths: a worldly truth of convention, and ultimate truth. Those who do not understand the difference between these Two Truths do not understand the Buddha's profound truth."

In my understanding of the Mahayana, it is a crucial point of practice to realize that the ultimate is not beyond this world, but rather is the true nature of all things such as they are. In this sense, the liberating insight into the nature of reality is often termed 'suchness', or dharmata.

In the Prasangika-Madhyamaka interpretation of Madhyamaka, all phenomena exist conventionally, in dependence on their causes and conditions, and in dependence upon being conceptually-designated by a valid consciousness. Ultimate truth refers to the lack of intrinsic identity of all phenomena - that all things are free of identity, arising as a mutually-interpenetrating web of causality and dynamic interaction.

In the Prasangika-Madhyamaka view, ultimate truth is itself a mere conceptual construct, and exists only conventionally.

Whatever is dependently co-arisen, that is explained to be emptiness. That, being a conventional designation, is itself the Middle Way.


Also, Nagarjuna teaches "There is not one particle of difference between Samsara and Nirvana." In this sense, the ultimate and conventional truths are different realizations of the same basis, and neither transcends the other.

http://www.bodhicitta.net/The%20Two%20Truths%20Part%201&2.htm

[lightgiver]

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/5599/wheel.jpg (http://img385.imageshack.us/i/wheel.jpg/)

The twelve links are:

(1) ignorance or unawareness, which imagines self and the world to have intrinsic existence;

(2) conditioning, the karmic forces that ripen in the ground of ignorance from seeds sown in previous lives and form the conditioning factors of the next life;

(3) consciousness, arising from conditioning, which carries the sense of self and operates through the mind and senses;

(4) name and form, the totality of an individual’s mental and physical constituents;

(5) the six senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and mental faculty;

(6) contact, the meeting of the senses with their objects;

(7) feeling, the positive or negative sensations aroused by contact;

(8) thirst, the desire to possess or avoid these sensations;

(9) grasping, the physical, verbal or mental action that follows thirst;

(10) existence or becoming, the coming into existence that results from grasping;

(11) birth, manifesting in one of the six realms;

(12) decay and death, the process of ageing and passing away that inevitably follows birth.



The circle of the twelvefold chain is continuous, a self-contained system without beginning or end. At death we fall back into

ignorance and start all over again. The whole cycle can be contemplated in reverse order,

starting with death and tracing its causes back to ignorance. Although the links appear sequentially,

they may also be seen as interconnected, simultaneous, and mutually

dependent. The wheel is a schematic picture, designed to demonstrate the conditioned and

relative nature of apparent existence,

while exposing sentient beings’ intense attachment and habituation to the causes of suffering.



For significant as life and death may seem, genuine as suffering is, and seriously as we must regard the law of karma,

as long as we remain within samsara, nothing produced by interdependent origination has ultimate reality.

It is an illusion appearing from ignorance, whose nature is the error of belief in self.

Since it has never existed it cannot be destroyed.

It is dispelled only by the wisdom of non-self. Transcending both existence and non existence,

it is self-liberated into emptiness, the vast openness of space beyond conceptual thought."

http://www.angelfire.com/rings/novice-buddest/12%20Links%20of%20Interdependce.htm

[lightgiver]

I have understood this body of mine to be the product of ignorance, composed of flesh and blood and lit up by the perceptive power of consciousness. To those fortunate ones who long for emancipation it may be the great vessel by which they may procure Freedom. But to the unfortunates who only sin, it may be the guide to lower and miserable states of existence. This our life is the boundary mark whence one may take an upward or downward path. Our present time is a most precious time, wherein each of us must decide, in one way or other, for lasting good or lasting ill.

One who aims only at his own individual peace and happiness adopts the lower path (Hinayana), but he who devotes the merits of his love and compassion to the cause of others belongs to the higher path (Mahayana).
In meditating on the Final Goal, one has to discover the non-existence of the personal Ego, and therefore the fallacy that it exists (i.e. because everything in the universe with name and form is basically illusory in nature)
To realize the state of non-existence of the personal ego, the mind must be kept in quiescence. In that state, thoughts, ideas, and cognition cease and the mind (awareness) passes into a state of perfect tranquility so that days, months, and years may pass without the person perceiving it; thus the passage of time has to be marked for him by others.

The visions of the forms of the Deities which appear in meditation are merely signs attending the perseverance in meditation. They have no intrinsic worth or value in themselves.

All the efforts put forth during this path must be made in a spirit of compassion with the aim of dedicating the merit of one's efforts to the Universal Good. There is a need of mentally praying and wishing for blessings on others so earnestly that one's mind processes also transcend thought.
Just as the mere name of food does not satisfy the appetite of a hungry person but he must eat food, so also a man who would learn about the Voidness (i.e. Universal Awareness) must meditate so as to realize it, not just learn of its definition.

:)

[lightgiver]

THE DEATH PROCESS

When you meditate on the death process, in order to make the experience real for you, like a rehearsal of your own death, you may imagine a scenario in which you have suddenly come face to face with death.

you can liken the process to sleeping dreaming and waking up.

1. The Earth Element Dissolves
- The earth element loses its power, the body becomes very thin, limbs loose and you feel as if the body is sinking under the earth.
- The aggregate of form absorbs, the limbs become smaller, the body becomes weak and powerless, the lustre of the body diminishes and all one's strength is consumed.
- The basic mirror-like wisdom dissolves, the sight becomes unclear and dark.
- Eye sense: one cannot open or close one's eyes.
- Internal sign: appearance of mirages.

2. The Water Element Dissolves
- The water element loses its power, saliva, sweat, urine, blood etc. start to dry up.
- The aggregate of feelings absorbs, the body consciousness can no longer experience the three types of feelings that accompany sense consciousness
- The basic wisdom of equality (our ordinary consciousness mindful of pleasure, pain and neutral feelings as feelings) dissolve, one is no longer mindful of the feelings accompanying the mental consciousness
- Ear sense: one no longer has external or internal sounds Internal sign: appearance of smoke.

3. The Fire Element Dissolves
- The fire element loses its power, one cannot digest food or drink.
- The aggregate of discrimination absorbs, one is no longer mindful of affairs of close persons.
- The basic wisdom of analysis dissolves, one can no longer remember the names of close persons.
- Nose sense: inhalation weak, exhalation strong and lengthy and one cannot smell.
- Internal signs: appearance of fireflies or sparks within smoke.

4. The Wind Element Dissolves
- The wind element loses its power, the ten winds move to the heart and the inhalation and exhalation ceases.
- The aggregate of compositional factors absorbs, one cannot perform physical actions and one cannot experience smoothness or roughness.
- The basic wisdom of achieving activities dissolves, one is no longer mindful of external worldly activities, purposes etc.
- Tongue sense: tongue becomes think and short and the root of the tongue becomes blue.
- Internal sign: appearance of sputtering candlelight about to go out.

5. The aggregate of consciousness absorbs
- The eighty conceptions dissolve.
- Cause of appearance: winds in the right and left channels above the heart enter the central channel at the top of the head.
- Internal sight: clear vacuity filled with white light.

6. The Mind of White Appearance Dissolves
- Cause of appearance: winds in right and left channels below heart enter central channel at base of spine.
- Internal sign: very clear vacuity filled with red light.

7. The Mind of Red Increase Dissolves
- Cause of appearance: upper and lower winds gather at heart and then the winds enter the drop at the heart.
- Internal sign: at first, vacuity filled with thick darkness; then as if swooning into unconsciousness.

8. The Mind of Black Near Attainment Dissolves
- Cause of appearance: all winds dissolve into the very subtle life-bearing wind in the indestructible drop at the heart.
- Internal sign: very clear vacuity, the mind of clear light of death. Focus on this clear light for as long as you can.

When the clear light of death ceases, the consciousness passes back through the stages of dissolution in reverse order.
As soon as this reverse process begins, the person is reborn into an intermediate state (Tibetan bardo) between lives, with a subtle body that can go anywhere, through mountains, etc., to find a place of rebirth.

[lightgiver]

Before starting a meditation practice, it is very advisable to have visited a group or center where meditation instructions are given, and follow some guided meditations. In this way, it is easy to discover the basics of the actual practice. The various traditions teach slightly different methods, usually related to the emphasis of their main practices. It is strongly advised to start any meditation session with setting one's motivation and concluding by dedicating the positive energy

concentrate on the tip of your nose or the center of your forehead, and feel the breath going in and out.
To help your concentration, you can count every out-breath as one, and count from 1 to 10. When you arrived at 10, simply start at 1 again. All the attention is with the feeling of the nose and the counting, nothing more, nothing less.
Regularly check yourself if you are still concentrated, do not get angry when distracted, simply return to counting from 1.
Just before the end of the session, release the concentration on the counting and the tip of your nose, and simply be aware of how you feel for a minute or so.
Then dedicate the positive energy of the session to whichever goal you like,

Usually towards the benefit of all.:)

another good one,

BODY OF LIGHT

- Visualise above the crown of your head a white ball of light, somewhat smaller than your head. It has no real form and is pure white energy. Do not concentrate on details, just try to feel it is there.
- Imagine that the light embodies all the pure love of the universe, the accomplishment of the highest potential of living beings.
- Visualise the ball becomes smaller, about the size of your thumb, and it enters the crown of your head, and descends to the level of your heart.
- Now the light expands and fills your entire body. All the material of the body dissolves into light. What remains is a body of light without shape.
- Concentrate on the feeling this light-body gives, all problems and negativities are gone, only peace and happiness is left.
- When distracting thoughts arise, simply dissolve them in the light.

you can also spread this light from your heart towards all beings pervading space,especially those that are suffering.

when finished dedicate as above.

[ufochick]

Thi is simply another religion, based on negatives we must overcome. The only things we must overcome is seeing ourselves and the pure love and consciousness that we are. Why in the world spend all the time dwelling on the negatives like death. There is no karma there is no death.
To follow what you have written says that there are problems outside ourselves that must be "fixed" as well as problems inside us that must be fixed. This is incorrect. WE are already perfect beings capable of anything, we are everything that is was or ever has been or ever will be.
We need to simply intigrate this into ourselves, we are already everything... we have powers with no limits. To begin this one must love the self and and the body we are using to interface with this reality and carry this higher vibration with us so it overflows onto others. Helping them to realize the same things on a subconscious level
There is no past or future there is only the now... to see ourselves being who we truly are in the now is the key to understanding the false matrix world in which we live and decoding it to see the truth.
All the rest is simply a complicated detour which is to keep us from knowing who and what we really are.

[deathcultreject]

Thi is simply another religion, based on negatives we must overcome. The only things we must overcome is seeing ourselves and the pure love and consciousness that we are. Why in the world spend all the time dwelling on the negatives like death. There is no karma there is no death.

If you do it properly with a foundation of breathing meditation, it will do you some good.

Lam Rim systems are of course in danger of being taken out of their original contect and used as dogma, because they involve 'analytical meditations'

[deathcultreject]

http://isohunt.com/torrents/?ihq=lam+rim

positive enough for ya?

Those of use who use file sharing will find some good examples of Lam Rim meditation, taught by genuine Buddhists by following this link.

http://isohunt.com/torrents/?ihq=lam+rim

[lookfar]

This thread is temporarily being closed at the OP's request.

[merlincove]

Open again :D

[lakkimakki]

Why does it need to be so complicated?

[lightgiver]

Why does it need to be so complicated?

If you take your time,

eventually you will realise how simple and natural it is.:)

[lakkimakki]

If you take your time,

eventually you will realise how simple and natural it is.:)

You got any -cheats- to Enlightenment ?

What should be the first thing to start with ?

I want to gain access to superconsciousness fast !!

I don't want to meditate on single chakra for years. It takes a lifetimes to archive enlightenment,

But there is shortcut to it, it must exist. Ill give you 50 $ for info !!

[lightgiver]

You got any -cheats- to Enlightenment ?

What should be the first thing to start with ?

I want to gain access to superconsciousness fast !!

I don't want to meditate on single chakra for years. It takes a lifetimes to archive enlightenment,

But there is shortcut to it, it must exist. Ill give you 50 $ for info !!

sorry mate there are NO short-cuts,:D

Its not just about meditating(on chakras),it is taking what you learn in the mediation and applying it to everyday life.:)

Tantric Practice – The Essential Meaning of Human Life

To encourage ourself to train in the stages of the path to enlightenment, we should continually recall the three special characteristics of our human life: its freedom and endowment, its rarity, and its great meaning.

Due to the limitations of their body and mind, those who have taken rebirth as animals, for example, have no opportunity to understand or practise the path to liberation. Only humans are free from such hindrances and have all the necessary conditions, known as ‘endowments’, to engage in spiritual paths, which alone lead to everlasting happiness. This freedom and endowment is the first special characteristic that makes our human life so precious.

The second special characteristic of our human life is its rarity. Although there are many humans in this world, each one of us has only one life. One person may own many cars and houses, but even the richest person in the world cannot possess more than one life, and, when that is drawing to an end, he or she cannot buy, borrow, or manufacture another. When we lose this life, it will be very difficult to find another similarly qualified life in the future. Our human life is therefore very rare.

The third special characteristic of our human life is its great meaning. If we use our human life to accomplish spiritual realizations, our life is immensely meaningful. By using it in this way, we actualize our full potential and progress from the state of an ordinary, deluded being to that of a fully enlightened being, the highest of all beings; and when we have done this we shall have the power to benefit all living beings without exception. Thus, by using our human life for spiritual development we can solve all our human problems and fulfil all our own and others’ wishes. What could be more meaningful than this?

http://kadampa.org/en/books/essence-of-vajrayana

[lakkimakki]

sorry mate there are NO short-cuts,:D

Yes there are short cuts :) !!

[lightgiver]

Yes there are short cuts :) !!

Enlighten me with your knowledge :)

[lakkimakki]

Enlighten me :)

You already are:D

[lightgiver]

You already are:D

I wish I was :)

http://kadampa.org/en/buddhism/fulfilling-our-wishes

[lakkimakki]

I wish I was :)

http://kadampa.org/en/buddhism/fulfilling-our-wishes

:D Man, I wish I was also:D

[lightgiver]

:D Man, I wish I was also:D

:D

The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
Atisha

[lightgiver]

Thought this may be of relevance.

Impermanence
-- Thich Nhat Hanh

Nothing remains the same for two consecutive moments. Heraclitus said we can never bathe twice in the same river. Confucius, while looking at a stream, said, "It is always flowing, day and night." The Buddha implored us not just to talk about impermanence, but to use it as an instrument to help us penetrate deeply into reality and obtain liberating insight. We may be tempted to say that because things are impermanent, there is suffering. But the Buddha encouraged us to look again. Without impermanence, life is not possible. How can we transform our suffering if things are not impermanent? How can our daughter grow up into a beautiful young lady? How can the situation in the world improve? We need impermanence for social justice and for hope.

If you suffer, it is not because things are impermanent. It is because you believe things are permanent. When a flower dies, you don't suffer much, because you understand that flowers are impermanent. But you cannot accept the impermanence of your beloved one, and you suffer deeply when she passes away.

If you look deeply into impermanence, you will do your best to make her happy right now. Aware of impermanence, you become positive, loving and wise. Impermanence is good news. Without impermanence, nothing would be possible. With impermanence, every door is open for change. Impermanence is an instrument for our liberation. :)

[rashhead]

Lightgiver,

I buy most of those statements, as this is how I try to live my life, but it is difficult when most other people are not on the same level:-

The greatest achievement is selflessness - Yep
The greatest worth is self-mastery - A bit deep to quantify
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others - Yep
The greatest precept is continual awareness - How, distrust is everywhere
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything - Boyond my realm
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways - As far as I can get away with
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions - ???
The greatest generosity is non-attachment - People, memories or loved ones???
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind - Would be nice
The greatest patience is humility - Repeats some of the above
The greatest effort is not concerned with results - Every actions surely expects a result!
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go - I'm an engineer!
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances - Yep

[subl1minal]

Thi is simply another religion, based on negatives we must overcome. The only things we must overcome is seeing ourselves and the pure love and consciousness that we are. Why in the world spend all the time dwelling on the negatives like death. There is no karma there is no death.
To follow what you have written says that there are problems outside ourselves that must be "fixed" as well as problems inside us that must be fixed. This is incorrect. WE are already perfect beings capable of anything, we are everything that is was or ever has been or ever will be.
We need to simply intigrate this into ourselves, we are already everything... we have powers with no limits. To begin this one must love the self and and the body we are using to interface with this reality and carry this higher vibration with us so it overflows onto others. Helping them to realize the same things on a subconscious level
There is no past or future there is only the now... to see ourselves being who we truly are in the now is the key to understanding the false matrix world in which we live and decoding it to see the truth.
All the rest is simply a complicated detour which is to keep us from knowing who and what we really are.

Exactly what I was thinking.

This is good information though, but I can imagine putting all this into practice and whilst I'm doing so, the world is burning to the ground whilst I'm busy meditating on everything I have to fix and focus on in my life.

[lightgiver]

Exactly what I was thinking.

This is good information though, but I can imagine putting all this into practice and whilst I'm doing so, the world is burning to the ground whilst I'm busy meditating on everything I have to fix and focus on in my life.

You need to take your time reading.:)

sorry mate there are NO short-cuts,:D

Its not just about meditating(on chakras),it is taking what you learn in the mediation and applying it to everyday life.:)

Tantric Practice – The Essential Meaning of Human Life

To encourage ourself to train in the stages of the path to enlightenment, we should continually recall the three special characteristics of our human life: its freedom and endowment, its rarity, and its great meaning.

Due to the limitations of their body and mind, those who have taken rebirth as animals, for example, have no opportunity to understand or practise the path to liberation. Only humans are free from such hindrances and have all the necessary conditions, known as ‘endowments’, to engage in spiritual paths, which alone lead to everlasting happiness. This freedom and endowment is the first special characteristic that makes our human life so precious.

The second special characteristic of our human life is its rarity. Although there are many humans in this world, each one of us has only one life. One person may own many cars and houses, but even the richest person in the world cannot possess more than one life, and, when that is drawing to an end, he or she cannot buy, borrow, or manufacture another. When we lose this life, it will be very difficult to find another similarly qualified life in the future. Our human life is therefore very rare.

The third special characteristic of our human life is its great meaning. If we use our human life to accomplish spiritual realizations, our life is immensely meaningful. By using it in this way, we actualize our full potential and progress from the state of an ordinary, deluded being to that of a fully enlightened being, the highest of all beings; and when we have done this we shall have the power to benefit all living beings without exception. Thus, by using our human life for spiritual development we can solve all our human problems and fulfil all our own and others’ wishes. What could be more meaningful than this?

http://kadampa.org/en/books/essence-of-vajrayana

[subl1minal]

You need to take your time reading.:)

Very good point!! haha, Although I've been doing that online A LOT recently, hence why I'm here.

Just gotta pick up some books and dive in next. :)

[relentless]

Lightgiver,

I buy most of those statements, as this is how I try to live my life, but it is difficult when most other people are not on the same level:-

The greatest achievement is selflessness - Yep
The greatest worth is self-mastery - A bit deep to quantify
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others - Yep
The greatest precept is continual awareness - How, distrust is everywhere
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything - Boyond my realm
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways - As far as I can get away with
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions - ???
The greatest generosity is non-attachment - People, memories or loved ones???
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind - Would be nice
The greatest patience is humility - Repeats some of the above
The greatest effort is not concerned with results - Every actions surely expects a result!
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go - I'm an engineer!
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances - Yep


The greatest patience is humility :rolleyes:

[lakkimakki]

You need to take your time reading.:)

Wht do you always copy and paste ?

[lightgiver]

Wht do you always copy and paste ?

what do you want me to do type it all out :D why do you copy and paste music videos.

The greatest patience is humility :rolleyes:

yes :)

[soldierzyco]

William Buhlman really opened up my eyes! I read his two books about out-of-body experience, or oob, and I tried it and "WOOOP".. I know the truth :).. no religion stuff whatsoever! this is the real deal! :P

Here is a interview with him!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf-vMPn5TKE

Edit: Here's another interview with him!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPCX1AH8JlM

Buy his first book if you want the truth, it will answer your questions!

[lightgiver]

Lightgiver,

I buy most of those statements, as this is how I try to live my life, but it is difficult when most other people are not on the same level:-

The greatest achievement is selflessness - Yep
The greatest worth is self-mastery - A bit deep to quantify
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others - Yep
The greatest precept is continual awareness - How, distrust is everywhere
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything - Boyond my realm
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways - As far as I can get away with
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions - ???
The greatest generosity is non-attachment - People, memories or loved ones???
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind - Would be nice
The greatest patience is humility - Repeats some of the above
The greatest effort is not concerned with results - Every actions surely expects a result!
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go - I'm an engineer!
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances - Yep

whatever feels right for you :)

"It is better to live one day
wisely and reflectively
than to live a hundred years
in ignorance and indulgence" ~ Buddha

[coco]

Lightgiver,

I buy most of those statements, as this is how I try to live my life, but it is difficult when most other people are not on the same level:-

The greatest achievement is selflessness - Yep
The greatest worth is self-mastery - A bit deep to quantify
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others - Yep
The greatest precept is continual awareness - How, distrust is everywhere
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything - Boyond my realm
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways - As far as I can get away with
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions - ???
The greatest generosity is non-attachment - People, memories or loved ones???
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind - Would be nice
The greatest patience is humility - Repeats some of the above
The greatest effort is not concerned with results - Every actions surely expects a result!
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go - I'm an engineer!
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances - Yep

I certainly agree with the bolded. It can be challenging. Very interesting list. I shall print it out and post it at my work station so I can see it regularly.
I would find it a most useful reminder when working with the public.

[subl1minal]

I certainly agree with the bolded. It can be challenging. Very interesting list. I shall print it out and post it at my work station so I can see it regularly.
I would find it a most useful reminder when working with the public.

If you get any time to spend a large amount of time alone, DO IT. It helps. I spend so much time on my own. It helps you actually focus on putting things into practice.

Saying that, I'm a bum right now and not working, so it's easy for me to say!

[lightgiver]

I will credit this 1 to macneil,cheers mac I had nearly forgot ;)

Empty Your Cup


The Japanese master Nan-in gave audience to a professor of philosophy. Serving tea, Nan-in filled his visitor's cup, and kept pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he could restrain himself no longer: "Stop! The cup is over full, no more will go in." Nan-in said: "Like this cup, you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup."

You have come to an even more dangerous person than Nan-in, because an empty cup won't do; the cup has to be broken completely. Even empty, if you are there, then you are full. Even emptiness fills you. If you feel that you are empty you are not empty at all, you are there. Only the name has changed: now you call yourself emptiness. The cup won't do at all; it has to be broken completely. Only when you are not can the tea be poured into you, only when you are not is there no need really to pour the tea into you. When you are not the whole existence begins pouring, the whole existence becomes a shower from every dimension, from every direction. When you are not, the divine is.

http://www.purifymind.com/EmptyCup.htm

[andthevillainstillpersuesher]

Haha! I put on Muse 'easily' and what avatar do I come across, and what number of post but 11:11?! I completely agree. (love the metaphor) Looking back enlightenment will have come 'easily', smashing something fragile that was never you (ego) to become what you truly are.

You could measure enlightenment by powers you gain I suppose, empathy, expanded sight (orbs, auras etc), intuition ('downloads' from higherself), mind reading, projection of thoughts to others, precognition in dreams, greatly dilated perception. (Goodness knows what comes next, I would guess prediction in waking life, Telekenisis, almost instant creation of own reality, chanelling power to whatever end, then perfect stillness and awareness.) Thing is, and ugh, this is very 'ego', you only receive these abilities when you are trying to become a loving, harmless caring being (imho). They can be seen as a byproduct.

I think you are either enlightened (aware of all things and beings) or you are not. There is no half-way. Either your ego ceases to control you, or it does.

Couple hours of meditation and energy work a day should do the trick. :)

[rashhead]

I certainly agree with the bolded. It can be challenging. Very interesting list. I shall print it out and post it at my work station so I can see it regularly.
I would find it a most useful reminder when working with the public.

Come on mate, even I know it's not a guide to anything but self awareness :rolleyes:

Would love to have the answer to all these but I'm just not that way inclined, yet (or will ever be)

[coco]

Come on mate, even I know it's not a guide to anything but self awareness :rolleyes:

Would love to have the answer to all these but I'm just not that way inclined, yet (or will ever be)

As I. But it can't hurt to strive. :)

[lightgiver]

Hi

im looking for some cool woman to teach me occult arts. :)

i Want her to teach me everything she knows, i like occult a lot.
I will be very neat sheap ,and will listen to everything she says.

Thanks

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/5903/artvygold.jpg (http://img514.imageshack.us/i/artvygold.jpg/)

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/588/600pxpainted19thcentury.jpg (http://img704.imageshack.us/i/600pxpainted19thcentury.jpg/)

You may have to apply effort though :D

Guide to Dakini Land is the first complete explanation in English of the Tantric practice of Vajrayogini, the female Buddha of wisdom.

Geshe Kelsang provides detailed instructions on the eleven yogas of generation stage, which are special methods for transforming all our daily activities into a blissful spiritual path; and he also explains with great clarity the essential completion stage practices of Vajrayogini, which lead to full enlightenment.

http://www.tharpa.com/us/book-Guide.to.Dakini.Land-562.html

[lakkimakki]

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/5903/artvygold.jpg (http://img514.imageshack.us/i/artvygold.jpg/)

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/588/600pxpainted19thcentury.jpg (http://img704.imageshack.us/i/600pxpainted19thcentury.jpg/)

You may have to apply effort though :D

Guide to Dakini Land is the first complete explanation in English of the Tantric practice of Vajrayogini, the female Buddha of wisdom.

Geshe Kelsang provides detailed instructions on the eleven yogas of generation stage, which are special methods for transforming all our daily activities into a blissful spiritual path; and he also explains with great clarity the essential completion stage practices of Vajrayogini, which lead to full enlightenment.

http://www.tharpa.com/us/book-Guide.to.Dakini.Land-562.html

Ah i was not able to find any torrent to it, same with hosting sites.

[lightgiver]

Ah i was not able to find any torrent to it, same with hosting sites.

I am not familiar with torrents etc etc :confused:

You may live near a Dharma centre.:)

[lightgiver]

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/6022/stupalinedrawing.gif (http://img293.imageshack.us/i/stupalinedrawing.gif/)

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9272/451pxgreatstupainmindro.jpg (http://img293.imageshack.us/i/451pxgreatstupainmindro.jpg/)

Symbolism

"The shape of the stupa represents the Buddha, crowned and sitting in meditation posture on a lion throne. His crown is the top of the spire; his head is the square at the spire's base; his body is the vase shape; his legs are the four steps of the lower terrace; and the base is his throne."

Five purified elements

* The square base represents earth
* The hemispherical dome/vase represents water
* The conical spire represents fire
* The upper lotus parasol and the crescent moon represents air
* The sun and the dissolving point represents the element of space.

http://www.peacestupa.org/what_is_a_stupa.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSVbYVmhv4Q

Enigma- Eyes of Truth

[lakkimakki]

Interesting , is that prototype of NASA rocket ? :)

[lightgiver]

According to one of the stories in the Āyācana Sutta (Samyutta Nikaya VI.1), a scripture found in the Pāli and other canons, immediately after his Enlightenment, the Buddha was wondering whether or not he should teach the Dharma to human beings. He was concerned that, as human beings were overpowered by greed, hatred and delusion, they would not be able to see the true dharma, which was subtle, deep and hard to understand. However, Brahmā Sahampati interceded and asked that he teach the dharma to the world, as "there will be those who will understand the Dharma". With his great compassion to all beings in the universe, the Buddha agreed to become a teacher.

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

[coco]

In the Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon, referencing AN 4:125,II 128-129

Buddha describes the four types of people: One with loving kindness, one with compassion, one with altruistic joy, and one with equanimity.

Each of the people, after death, is reborn in the companionship of the devas of streaming radiance. Each person lives lifespans in accordance to the lifespans of certain devas, and thereafter goes to hell, to the animal realm, and to the domain of spirits, but the blessed one's disciples remains there all his life, and when he has completed the entire lifetime of the respective devas attains nibbana.

Buddha goes on to say that this is the difference, the disparity, the distinction between the instructed noble disciple and the uninstructed worldling, that is, with regard to destination and rebirth.

My question is, why did the people go to 'heaven' for a limited measure of time and then cast into hell? If they only contained one part of the necessary mind and practice knowingly, why didn't they go to hell to begin with?

Obviously the people were not properly instructed or chose not to follow proper instruction opposed to a properly trained disciple. Still, I don't know why they would be permitted to enjoy a reward.

[lightgiver]

My question is, why did the people go to 'heaven' for a limited measure of time and then cast into hell? If they only contained one part of the necessary mind and practice knowingly, why didn't they go to hell to begin with?

Obviously the people were not properly instructed or chose not to follow proper instruction opposed to a properly trained disciple. Still, I don't know why they would be permitted to enjoy a reward.

because it is still within the cycle of Samsara where everything is subject to death and decay.

http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/5599/wheel.jpg (http://img385.imageshack.us/i/wheel.jpg/)

Until ones karma is exhausted.

All actions of body speech and mind have consequences

the ultimate reward is liberation :)

[verndewd]

I wish we had a sticky with all the links to everyones spiritual input. Alot of people doing amazing work to further the momentum.

[lightgiver]

The order of the planets based on the distance they orbit from the Sun is as follows:

1. Mercury – 57 910 000 km (0.38 astronomical unit, or AU) from the Sun
2. Venus – 108 200 000 km (0.72 AU) from the Sun
3. Earth is 149 600 000 km (1.00 AU) from the Sun(you) because you are on it
4. Mars is 227 940 000 km (1.52 AU) from the Sun
5. Jupiter is 778 330 000 km (5.20 AU) from the Sun
6. Saturn is 1 429 400 000 km (9.54 AU) from the Sun
7. Uranus is 2 870 990 000 km (19.218 AU) from the Sun(your anus)LOL


The seven major chakras

* 7.1 Sahasrara: The Crown Chakra
* 7.2 Ajna: The Brow Chakra
* 7.3 Vishuddha: The Throat Chakra
* 7.4 Anahata: The Heart Chakra
* 7.5 Manipura: The Solar Plexus Chakra
* 7.6 Svadhisthana: The Sacral Chakra
* 7.7 Muladhara: The Base Chakra

* Saturn - the foundation planet, time itself forms the root chakra which holds the internal organs above it in place.
* Jupiter - the growth and expansion planet forms the naval chakra which allows procreation and pleasure and is the source of all our ability to grow (kundalini-energy)
* Mars - the energetic planet creates the solar plexus chakra which provides the fires of digestion
* Venus - the planet of sensitivity, creates the heart chakra which provides sensitivity to love, bringing about harmony and peace
* Mercury - the planet of intellect, creates the throat chakra which provides the intellect's main tool: speech.
* The Moon and Sun - the source and reflection of awareness, create the mind chakra, through which we have cognition.
* Rahu and Ketu - are the channels down the right and left sides of the body through which the energy of the chakras flows.

once sun g all you need is Love.

The Sun is Enlightenment :)

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/8026/oresmespherescrop.jpg (http://img69.imageshack.us/i/oresmespherescrop.jpg/)


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

The Sun of Enlightenment Shines

The Buddha had withstood the worst attacks of Mara. Finally, the Evil One retreated and the terrible storm he had raised died away. Now the mind of the Blessed One relaxed into peace. The great darkness faded away and the full moon and stars reappeared again.

The Lord passed into a deep meditation, passing beyond the limits of ordinary human understanding, seeing the world as it is, and not as it appears to be. Like an eagle soaring effortlessly toward the sun, his mind moved swiftly onward and upward.

He saw his past lives and all his former births, with their good and evil deeds, with their gains and losses. As his mind soared upwards he saw the round of birth and death of all mankind. He saw beings born repeatedly and dying according to their karma.

Those who do good actions have heavenly births. Though these lives last longer than those on earth they also end in death, as they are also subject to the law of impermanence. Those who were suffering in the hell realms would also continue in the round of rebirths. So all beings (except Buddhas) are caught in the same round of existence, due to ignorance.

As his vision became even clearer, he saw the so-called soul of man, which man claims as his own, broken up into parts and laid before him like the unwoven threads of a garment. He saw the cause of the chain of existence — ignorance. The ignorant person, who clings to things that are worthless and transient, creates in him or herself more and more dangerous illusions. But when desire dies, illusions end, and ignorance vanishes like the night. Then the sun of enlightenment shines.

And having understood the world as it is, the Buddha was perfected in wisdom, never to be born again. Craving and destructive desire had been completely eradicated — as a fire goes out for lack of fuel.

Bathed in the brilliant light of all wisdom and truth sat the Buddha, the Perfect One. And all about him the world lay calm and bright and a soft breeze lifted the leaves of the bodhi tree.

Filled with compassion, the Lord sat beneath the tree in deep contemplation of the Dharma, residing in the perfect peace of nirvana.

At the dawn after his enlightenment the Buddha uttered this verse:

"Thro' many a birth in samsara wandered
Seeking, but not finding, the builder of this house.
Sorrowful is repeated birth.
House builder, thou art seen.
Thou shalt build no house again.
All thy rafters are broken; thy ridgepole is shattered.
The mind attains the unconditioned.
Achieved is the end of craving."


http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/2_1lbud.htm

You may notice that the 7th chakra, the topmost chakra is not occupied by a planet. It is represented as the pure Sun without contact with the Moon. This chakra creates the energy to comprehend purely spiritual phenomena, which is a subject that transcends karma or astrology. As such this chakra is not astrologically active.

The Sun and Moon are the sources of awareness and light. They therefore empower the mental chakra between the eyebrows, which gives us the power of awareness.

http://www.vicdicara.com/answers/chakras.php

Heart Chakra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTQbRROdKA0&feature=related

Solar Plexus Chakra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxt1RBMJRwg

Sacral Chakra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzEJpeYUp14&feature=related

Root Chakra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on7xrQFPt0M&feature=related

Four videos posted

* 7.1 Sahasrara: The Crown Chakra
* 7.2 Ajna: The Brow Chakra
* 7.3 Vishuddha: The Throat Chakra

1. Mercury – 57 910 000 km (0.38 astronomical unit, or AU) from the Sun
2. Venus – 108 200 000 km (0.72 AU) from the Sun
3. Earth is 149 600 000 km (1.00 AU) from the Sun(you) because you are on it

It appears we create our own reality,

was there once life on Mars?

http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117492

Oh yes

Mars is 227 940 000 km (1.52 AU) from the Sun

Next stop Venus LOL

*yeah shes got it

MARA

In Buddhism, Māra is the demon who tempted Siddartha Gautama the Buddha by trying to seduce him with the vision of beautiful women who, in various legends, are often said to be Mara's daughters. In Buddhist cosmology, Mara personifies unskillfulness, the "death" of the spiritual life. He is a tempter, distracting humans from practicing the spiritual life by making the mundane alluring or the negative seem positive.

Early Buddhism acknowledged both a literal and "psychological" interpretation of Mara. Mara is described both as an entity having a literal existence, just as the various deities of the Vedic pantheon are shown existing around the Buddha, and also is described as a primarily psychological force - a metaphor for various processes of doubt and temptation that obstruct religious practice.

Little Buddha Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sIvhil16dI&feature=related

Its well worth the watch Constantine is in it LOL:D

In Between Heaven and Hell

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

. Souls given a second chance find themselves at Mt. Purgatory, where there are two levels, then Seven Levels representing the Seven deadly sins. Should they reach the top they will find themselves at Jerusalem's antipode, the Garden of Eden itself. Thus cleansed of all sin and made perfect, they wait in Earthly paradise before ascending to Heaven.

In 1999 Pope John Paul II declared that the term Purgatory does not indicate a place, but "a condition of existence"

Iraq war

In 2003 John Paul II also became a prominent critic of the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. In his 2003 State of the World address the Pope declared his opposition to the invasion by stating, "No to war! War is not always inevitable. It is always a defeat for humanity." He sent former Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the United States Pío Cardinal Laghi to talk with American President George W. Bush to express opposition to the war. John Paul II said that it was up to the United Nations to solve the international conflict through diplomacy and that a unilateral aggression is a crime against peace and a violation of international law.

“ “Wars generally do not resolve the problems for which they are fought and therefore... prove ultimately futile.” ”

— Pope John Paul II

[lightgiver]

Charnel ground (Skt. śmāśāna; Tib. durtrö; Wyl. dur khrod) — on the ordinary level, the charnel ground is simply a place where bodies are disposed of, either by cremation or burial. From a spiritual point of view however, the charnel ground is full of significance. It represents the death of ego, and the end of:

* attachment to this body and life
* craving for a body and life in the future
* fear of death
* and aversion to the decay of impermanence.

They are terrifying places, full of roaming spirits and hunting ghosts. There are bodies everywhere: fresh bodies, decaying bodies, skeletons and scattered bones. There are rivers of blood, poisonous waterfalls, and dangerous wild beasts. But they are also peaceful places of solitude. There are pleasant groves, wild flowers and fruit, song-birds, tame lions and tigers, and the vast open sky above. There are no conventions to conform to and no distractions to be seduced by. Dakas and dakinis gather there to celebrate ceremonial tsok "feasts" (Skt. ganachakra). The roar of Dharma discourses resound, and the light of the inner joy of bliss radiates.

Right now, our minds are very fickle. Sometimes you like a certain place, and it inspires, and yet with that same place, if you stay too long, it bores you. […] As you practice more and more, one day this kind of habit, this fickle mind will just go. Then you will search for the bindu interpretation of the right place, and according to the classic tantric texts, that is usually what they call the “eight great charnel grounds”. So then, you have to go to a cemetery, especially to one of the eight cemeteries. There, under a tree, in the charnel ground, wearing a tiger skin skirt, holding a kapāla and having this indifference between relatives and enemies, indifference between food and shit, you will practice. Then your bindu will flow. At that time, you will know how to have intercourse between emptiness and appearance.

In the life in which a pratyekabuddha attains the fruit of their path, they are naturally drawn to charnel grounds. When reflecting on the bones found there, they ask "Where do these bones come from?" This awakens their many lifetimes of investigation into the twelve links of dependent origination. These twelve links then unfold in their understanding, in forward and reverse order, and on the basis of that they gain realization.

http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Charnel_ground

Symbolism

All of the eight great charnel grounds contain certain elements, the symbolism of which may be understood as follows:

* The great trees represent the central channel of the practitioner.
* The charnel ground itself represents the complete paths of sutra and tantra.
* The four kinds of corpses are

1. Fresh corpses representing cyclic existence - the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness, and death.
2. Impaled, hanging, dismembered and decaying corpses symbolise the death of ego.
3. Skeletons represent emptiness.
4. Zombies or mindless corpses symbolise selflessness.

* Devouring animals symbolise the realisation of the 'generation stage' (Wyl. bskyed rim) - the animals devour the 'corpses' of ordinary appearances and perceptions.
* Lakes symbolise relative bodhichitta.
* The clouds above are the white drops of bodhichitta at the crown of the head.
* Fires symbolise the 'inner heat' (Wyl. gtum mo).
* The directional protectors symbolise the ‘downward-voiding wind’, located just below the navel.
* The realm protectors symbolise the ‘life-supporting wind’, located at the heart.
* Mountains symbolise the immovability of meditative equipoise placed single-pointedly on the union of great bliss and emptiness.
* Stupas represent the attainment of the three kayas of the Buddha.
* Nagas symbolise the cultivation of the ten paramitas.
* The gems held by the nagas represent the four ways of gathering disciples.
* The yogins and yoginis are those practitioners at the level of upholding the tantric samayas.
* Human and divine knowledge holders (Skt. vidyādhara; Wyl. rig 'dzin) are those practitioners who have realised the ‘generation stage’ (Wyl. bskyed rim).
* The Mahasiddhas are those practitioners who have realised the ‘completion stage’ (Wyl. rdzogs rim).

http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Eight_great_charnel_grounds

[lightgiver]

"Grasping at things can only yield one of two results:
Either the thing you are grasping at disappears, or you yourself disappear.
It is only a matter of which occurs first."
Goenka

It may be important to know the following definitions and descriptions in order to understand the problems we have with attachment, and make sense about the ways in which we can deal with them.

ATTACHMENT
Definition: Exaggerated not wanting to be separated from someone or something. (Exact opposite of Aversion) Because the label of "pleasant" is very relative and based upon limited information, Attachment includes an aspect of exaggeration or "projection".
Lovers
Near "enemy" (or not to be confused with): Real appreciation, love and compassion.
Opposite: Wanting to be separated from someone or something: aversion.
Main quality: exaggeration of positive qualities, which can only lead to disappointment. Falling in love will usually fit very well in this category.

LOVE
Definition: Wishing others to be happy.
Near enemy: Conditional love (attachment).
Opposite: Wishing others to be unhappy: hatred --or-- not wishing others to be happy: which is indifference or egotism.
Main qualities: Unconditional, no self-interest, but based on self-acceptance.

COMPASSION
Definition: Wishing others to be free from suffering.
Near enemy: Sorry for someone, pity.
Opposite: Wishing others to suffer: cruelty.
Main qualities: Sorry with someone, com-passion means with-feeling, urge to help.

RENUNCIATION / DETACHMENT
Definition: wanting to be free from all problems of cyclic existence, not wanting objects that cause more misery. It is not, that someone suddenly gets excited, abandons all his belongings and escapes to a cave in the mountains, simply hoping to escape his present problems; these people usually return in a week or two, weak and discouraged.
Near enemies: Not caring about anything or extreme asceticism, suicidal attitude.
Opposite: Attachment to "worldly" happiness; ultimately leading to misery.
Main qualities: Discovery of what ultimately leads to misery and avoiding that.
Lama Yeshe: "Renunciation comes from within, it is inner wisdom, inner knowledge."


WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH ATTACHMENT?

Although attachment may at first appear to be much less destructive than anger and hatred, in terms of being caught up in the uncontrolled process of rebirth, it is actually the bigger evil. Attachment to pleasure and ultimately to life itself as our inborn survival instinct, is the main type of misunderstanding that holds us prisoner in samsara.


An example to illustrate attachment that I love:

In the South of India, people used to catch monkeys in a very special way. Actually they let monkeys catch themselves. What they did is cutting a small hole in a coconut, just large enough for a monkey to put its hand in. Next, you fix the coconut to a tree, and fill it with a sweet. The monkey smells the sweet, squeezes its hand into the coconut, grabs the sweet and .... finds that the fist does not fit through the hole. Now the trick is, that the last thing the monkey will think of is to let go of the sweet; and it holds itself prisoner. Nothing could be easier for a human being who comes and catches it.

The Buddha compared desires to being in debt. If you owe money to the bank for your house, every month you have to pay. In the end, you will own the house.( no one really owns anything) With sensual desires however, you cannot pay off the debt; they arise again and again. Hunger, thirst, lust for sex, warmth, coolness, they all come back again and again. Trying to fulfill our desires is like carrying water to the sea; a never ending task and ultimately completely useless.:)

[margueritebee]

What is Dharma?

[lightgiver]

What is Dharma?

Teachings of the Buddha:)

Meanings of "Dharma"

Dharma in the Buddhist scriptures has a variety of meanings, including "phenomenon", and "nature" or "characteristic".

Dharma also means ‘mental contents’, and is paired with citta, which means heart/mind. In major sutras (for example, the Mahasatipatthana sutra), the dharma/citta pairing is paralleled with the pairing of kaya (body) and vedana (feelings or sensations, that which arise within the body but experienced through the mind).

Dharma means the source of things and Truth.

Dharma is also used to refer to the teachings of the Buddha, not in the context of the words of one man, even an enlightened man, but as a reflection of natural law which was re-discovered by this man and shared with the world. A person who lives their life with an understanding of this natural law, is a "dhammic" person, which is often translated as "righteous".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharma_(Buddhism)

[margueritebee]

Oh, I guess you can tell how little I know of the things you've posted here. No offense but it 'feels' mind lockingly complex to me, I don't know why, guess it's just not my thing.

I keep it simple. I talk to Mother Earth and she talks to me. I don't worry about belief systems except out of curiousity.

[lightgiver]

Oh, I guess you can tell how little I know of the things you've posted here. No offense but it 'feels' mind lockingly complex to me, I don't know why, guess it's just not my thing.

I keep it simple. I talk to Mother Earth and she talks to me. I don't worry about belief systems except out of curiousity.

Until a volcano blows or if you are a fish in the gulf of Mexico.


Patience.

Bodhichitta is the most important practice and you must practice mind training. But don’t think you can do it in just a few days. It takes a long time to perfect this practice.

If the road is covered with rocks and thorns,
you can either pave the entire road with leather,
or you can take a piece of leather
and place it on the soles of your own feet.

[orb27]

Enlightenment isn't a path or a road, so why do we talk about paths to enlightenment (like we know what we're talking about)? The mind makes it something far away from you/just outside your reach, always searching. As UGK said enlightenment is not an experience at all, simply a realisation. And it can't just be a realisation either. :)

[lakkimakki]

Heart Chakra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTQbRROdKA0&feature=related

Solar Plexus Chakra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxt1RBMJRwg

Sacral Chakra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzEJpeYUp14&feature=related

Root Chakra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on7xrQFPt0M&feature=related





"All upper chakras...move naturally in clockwise manner. Until reversed by pure will, pure desire, and devotion, all chakras below the heart move counterclockwise through the force of gravity."

Are those videos ok ? because solar plexus rotates clockwise also.:confused:

[energi]

if you get any time to spend a large amount of time alone, do it. It helps. I spend so much time on my own. It helps you actually focus on putting things into practice.

Saying that, i'm a bum right now and not working, so it's easy for me to say!
+1 :cool:

[lightgiver]

"All upper chakras...move naturally in clockwise manner. Until reversed by pure will, pure desire, and devotion, all chakras below the heart move counterclockwise through the force of gravity."

Are those videos ok ? because solar plexus rotates clockwise also.:confused:

And you practice this on a regular basis ?

TBH it matters not which way it spins seeing it is imputed by mind:)

and everything lacks inherent existence

[coco]

I wonder if sometimes enlightenment can also mean understanding or discovering things other than what a teacher is trying to teach Buddhist- wise.

I have been listening to a CD set for a little while. I cannot listen to it every night as sometimes I find myself puzzled by the words and need time to try to soak in and process what is being taught.

Other times I'm a little freaked out by some similarities I hear between Buddha and Christ and must take a break to digest and process.

This is not a CD set I can only listen to once though. I know I will listen to it many times to grasp the things spoken of.

There was a story told in reference to bowing: The Buddha and his disciples were walking through the countryside and a lady saw them approach, she bowed down, touching her head to the ground. When she knelt so low, her hair fell to the ground and the Buddha stepped on it as he passed by - this was a show of acknowledgment and respect as it was said in those days that hair was very important and taken very seriously, so he was not being cruel to the lady by touching her hair with his foot.

BAM! The metaphorical needle of my brain scraped across the metaphorical record of my mind because:

Luke 7:37-38

[37] When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, [38] and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

This unnamed lady knelt and washed Christ's feet with her tears and hair. Was hair also considered very important in the places and times Christ traveled? She is forever remembered as Christ commands.

The unnamed lady who saw Buddha bowed in veneration and the Buddha placed his foot upon her hair. Obviously, that lady is also forever remembered.

Also, Matthew 18:20

"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

I have heard mentioned that when three people gather in Zazen that the spirit of the Buddah is present amongst them, as Buddah is in us always anyway.

I have also heard mentioned that the Buddha (Gotama) was the 6th or 7th Buddha. There had been predecessors? Be that so then.......there could have been successors?

I'm thinking too much again.

[lightgiver]

The anupubbi magga refers to the gradual path approach, as the individual progress gradually from his perspective of religious understanding, background and belief. Depending on the individual intellectual level and at different level of spiritual attainment, different concepts are introduced to meet that level of understandings and spiritual developments.

The education system of present society is similar to that of the anupubbi katha path. For example, the teaching of mathematical concepts. At the primary school level, students are taught simple arithmetic. Students at the upper and post-secondary school level are introduced to more advanced concepts such as modern mathematics or further mathematics concept depending on their intellectual level and aspirations and their ability to grasp these concepts. As one advances the academic ladder right up to university, mire sophisticated and abstract ideologies are being introduced. Again, depending on their inclination, students are channelled to different streams or to one that they are best suited to excel.

http://www.lankaweb.com/dhamma/view6.html

The scriptures mentions a way in which the Buddha teach Yasa, a lay follower the gradual path (anupubbi katha),by first explaining to him the benefits of performing acts of charity, of keeping morality and the fruits of being born in heaven.

Subsequently, the Buddha expound to him the faults underlying in being attached to sensual pleasure and the benefits of early detachments. When the layman Yasawas ready for higher spiritual understandings, the Buddha would then teach him the fundamentals of Buddhism, the four noble truths. In essence then, we see that there are no differences in practice. Whether one chooses to contemplate on the four noble truths, the four foundations of mindfulness, the five aggregates, the philosophy and experience are similar and thus constitutes the right path of Buddhism. The difference, however, lies in the practitioner's own character and intellectual capacity. From this point onwards, the Buddha would introduce the teachings to the layman Yasa in successive stages.

[lightgiver]

Namo: The Bodhisattva's Confession of Moral Downfalls

I, whose name is . . . , at all times go for refuge to the Guru, go for refuge to the Buddha, go for refuge to the Dharma, go for refuge to the Sangha.
To the Teacher, Blessed One, Tathagata, Foe Destroyer, Completely Perfect Buddha, Glorious Conqueror Shakyamuni I prostrate.

To the Tathagata Complete Subduer with the Essence of Vajra I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Jewel of Radiant Light I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Powerful King of the Nagas I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Leader of the Heroes I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious Pleasure I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Jewel Fire I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Jewel Moonlight I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Meaningful to Behold I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Jewel Moon I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Stainless One I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Bestower of Glory I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Pure One I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Transforming with Purity I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Water Deity I prostrate.
To the Tathagata God of Water Deities I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious Excellence I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious Sandalwood I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Endless Splendor I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious Light I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious One without Sorrow I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Son without Craving I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious Flower I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Clearly Knowing through Enjoying Pure Radiance I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Clearly Knowing through Enjoying Lotus Radiance I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious Wealth I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious Mindfulness I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious Name of Great Renown I prostrate.
To the Tathagata King of the Victory Banner Head of the Powerful Ones I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious One Complete Subduer I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Great Victor in Battle I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious One Complete Subduer Passed Beyond I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Glorious Array Illuminating All I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Jewel Lotus Great Subduer I prostrate.
To the Tathagata Foe Destroyer, Completely Perfect Buddha, King of Mount Meru Seated Firmly on a Jewel and a Lotus I prostrate.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2694/confessionbuddhas.jpg (http://img27.imageshack.us/i/confessionbuddhas.jpg/)

O All you [Tathagatas] and all the others, however many Tathagatas, the Foe Destroyers, the Completely Perfect Buddhas, the Blessed Ones there are dwelling and abiding in all the worldly realms of the ten directions, all you Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, please listen to me.

In this life and in all my lives since beginningless time, in all my places of rebirth while wandering in samsara, I have done negative actions, have ordered them to be done, and have rejoiced in their being done. I have stolen the property of the bases of offering, the property of the Sangha, and the property of the Sanghas of the ten directions, have ordered it to be stolen, and have rejoiced in it being stolen. I have committed the five unbounded heinous actions, have ordered them to be committed, and have rejoiced in their being committed. I have completely engaged in the paths of the ten non-virtuous actions, have ordered others to engage in them, and have rejoiced in their engaging in them.

Being obstructed by such karmic obstructions, I shall become a hell being, or I shall be born as an animal, or I shall go to the land of the hungry ghosts, or I shall be born as a barbarian in an irreligious country, or I shall be born as a long-life god, or I shall come to have incomplete senses, or I shall come to hold wrong views, or I shall have no opportunity to please a Buddha.

All such karmic obstructions I declare in the presence of the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, who have become exalted wisdom, who have become eyes, who have become witnesses, who have become valid, who see with their wisdom. I confess without concealing or hiding anything, and from now on I will avoid and refrain from such actions.

All you Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, please listen to me. In this life and in all my previous lives since the beginningless time, in all my places of rebirth while wandering in samsara, whatever root of virtue there is in my giving to others, even in my giving a morsel of food to one born as an animal; whatever root of virtue there is in my maintaining moral discipline; whatever root of virtue there is in my actions conducive to great liberation; whatever root of virtue there is in my acting to fully ripen sentient beings; whatever root of virtue there is in my generating a supreme mind of enlightenment; and whatever root of virtue there is in my unsurpassed exalted wisdom; all of these assembled, gathered, and collected together, by fully dedicating them to the unsurpassed, to that of which there is no higher, to that which is even higher than the high, and to that which surpasses the unsurpassed, I fully dedicate to the unsurpassed, perfect, complete enlightenment.

Just as the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones of the past, have dedicated fully, just as the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones who are yet to come, will dedicate fully, and just as the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones who are living now, dedicate fully, so too do I dedicate fully.

I confess individually all negative actions. I rejoice in all merit. I beseech and request all the Buddhas. May I attain the holy, supreme, unsurpassed, exalted wisdom.

Whoever are the Conquerors, the supreme beings living now, those of the past, and likewise those who are yet to come, with a boundless ocean of praise for all your good qualities, and with my palms pressed together I go close to you for refuge.

This concludes the Mahayana Sutra entitled the Sutra of the Three Superior Heaps.


http://www.thubtenchodron.org/PrayersAndPractices/purification_practices.html

[rashhead]

All gone too theoritcal now!

[lightgiver]

Fourth Buddhist Council is the name of two separate Buddhist council meetings. The first one was held in the first century BC, in Sri Lanka. In this fourth Buddhist council the Theravadin Pali Canon was for the first time committed to writing, on palm leaves. The second one was held by the Sarvastivada school, in KASHMIR around the first century AD.

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_world%27s_a_stage

Rashhead... Location: It Feels Like Afghanistan :D

[lightgiver]

Buddhist eschatology, as subscribed by some Buddhist schools, derives from purported Gautama Buddha's prediction that his teachings would disappear after 5000 years.According to the Sutta Pitaka, the "ten moral courses of conduct" will disappear and people will follow the ten amoral concepts of theft, violence, murder, lying, evil speaking, adultery, abusive and idle talk, covetousness and ill will, wanton greed, and perverted lust resulting in skyrocketing poverty and the end of the worldly laws of true dharma.

During the Middle Ages, the span of time was expanded to 5,000 years. Commentators like Buddhaghosa predicted a step-by-step disappearance of the Buddha's teachings. During the first stage, arahants would no longer appear in the world. Later, the content of the Buddha's true teachings would vanish, and only their form would be preserved. Finally, even the form of the Dharma would be forgotten. During the final stage, the memory of the Buddha himself would be forgotten, and the last of his relics would be gathered together in Bodh Gaya and cremated.

Buddhism believes in cycles in which life span of human beings changes according to human nature. In Cakkavati sutta the Buddha explained the relationship between life span of human being and behaviour. As per this sutta, In the past unskillful behavior was unknown among the human race. As a result, people lived for an immensely long time — 80,000 years — endowed with great beauty, wealth, pleasure, and strength. Over the course of time, though, they began behaving in various unskillful ways. This caused the human life span gradually to shorten, to the point where it now stands at 100 years, with human beauty, wealth, pleasure, and strength decreasing proportionately. In the future, as morality continues to degenerate, human life will continue to shorten to the point were the normal life span is 10 years, with people reaching sexual maturity at five.

Ultimately, conditions will deteriorate to the point of a "sword-interval," in which swords appear in the hands of all human beings, and they hunt one another like game. A few people, however, will take shelter in the wilderness to escape the carnage, and when the slaughter is over, they will come out of hiding and resolve to take up a life of skillful and virtuous action again. With the recovery of virtue, the human life span will gradually increase again until it reaches 80,000 years, with people attaining sexual maturity at 500.

According to Tibetan Buddhist literature, the age of first Buddha was 1,00,000 years and height was 100 cubits while 28th Buddha, Siddhartha Gautam (563BC–483BC) lived 80 years and his height was 20 cubits.

http://www.nembutsu.info/hsr3ages.htm

http://progressivebuddhism.blogspot.com/2009/02/end-of-buddha-dharma-or-demythologizing.html

[lakkimakki]

The Vowels and the Faculties of the Chakras




In ancient times, the seven vowels of Nature: I E O U A M S resounded within the human organism. But, when humanity came out of the “Jinn” lands, rhythm and harmony were lost.

Therefore, the human being must be aware of the urgent necessity for the seven vowels of Nature to vibrate once again within the organism; they must resound with intensity within the resonating internal chambers, as well as in each of the plexus or chakras of the Astral Body.

Clairvoyance is developed with the vowel I.

Clairaudience is awakened with the vowel E.

The heart center that develops Inspiration is developed with the vowel O.

The pulmonary chakra that allows us to remember past reincarnations is developed with the vowel A.

The vowels M and S make all of the internal centers vibrate.

These vowels combined with certain consonants integrate the mantras that facilitate the awakening of all the chakras.

Subsequently, here is a series of these mantras:
First Series of Mantras

CHIS Clairvoyance: Ajna Chakra
CHES Clairaudience: Vishuddha Chakra
CHOS Intuition: Heart, Anahata Chakra
CHUS Telepathy: Solar Plexus, Chakra Manipura
CHAS Memory of Past Lives: Pulmonary Chakra
Vocalization

This vocalization must be performed as follows: Prolong the sound of each letter; the combination CH (letter Chet) is considerably abundant in Hebrew mantras; it has an immense magical power.

The vocalization of each mantra makes the magnetic center, Chakra or disc with which it is related, to vibrate.

The S is intimately connected to fire and is vocalized by giving it a special type of intonation: this is an acute-hissing sound similar to the sound that compressed air brakes of any given machine make.
Second Series of Mantras

IN Clairvoyance: Frontal Chakra
EN Clairaudience: Laryngeal Chakra
ON Intuition: Heart Chakra
UN Telepathy: Solar Plexus
AN Memory of past lives: Pulmonary Chakra
Vocalization

Prolong the sound of each vowel and give a strong sounding bell-like intonation to the letter N.
Third Series of Mantras

INRI Clairvoyance: Ajna Chakra
ENRE Clairaudience: Vishuddha Chakra
ONRO Intuition, Inspiration: Anahata Chakra
UNRU Telepathy: Solar Plexus, Manipura Chakra
ANRA Memory of past lives: Pulmonary Chakra
Vocalization

Vocalize these mantras during the practice of Sexual Magic; prolong the sound of each of the letters that compose them, thus their respective Chakras will awaken. The letter R is vocalized as it was explained in chapter 4.
Fourth Series of Mantras

SUIRA Clairvoyance: Frontal Chakra
SUERA Clairaudience: Laryngeal Chakra
SUORA Intuition: Heart Chakra
SUURA Telepathy: Solar Plexus
SUARA Memory of past lives: Pulmonary Chakra
Vocalization

The Student must focus on the accentuation of the vowels and the accentuation of the vowel A in each mantra which forms the fourth series of mantras.

According to the Vedas, the silent Gandharva, the heavenly musician is contained within the sublime SWARA.

With this fourth series of mantras, the Fire of the Solar Plexus is driven out towards each of the Chakras of the Astral Body.

Again, the first Mantric syllables of the fourth series of mantras: SUI, SUE, SUO, SUU, SUA are vocalized with the intonation of a diphthong accentuated on the last vowel, which must be prolonged lengthily.

Vocalize the syllable RA of each one of these mantras by giving the R the intonation already explained in chapter 4. The vowel of this syllable RA must also be lengthily prolonged.
Insistence on a Few Details

Students must vocalize for one hour daily in order to effectively awaken their Chakras. Since every student has their own rhythm, their personal vibration, they will choose any of the four series of mantras mentioned. There will be some students who will feel more confident with the first series, others with the second series, etc.
Doctor Krumm Heller stated that one hour of daily vocalization was enough. One must vocalize during one’s whole life, this in order to keep the Chakras in intense activity!

The Coronary Chakra engenders Polyvoyance.

The Frontal Chakra, located between the eyebrows, engenders Clairvoyance.

The Laryngeal Chakra, Clairaudience.

The Heart Chakra grants Inspiration and Intuition.

The Solar Plexus Chakra, Telepathy.

The Pulmonary Chakra allows us to remember past lives.

The Prostatic/Uterine Chakra grants the power to consciously depart in the Astral Body. Every student must possess such a power, if not, it is mandatory for such a student to awaken this Chakra.
Exercise for the Prostatic/Uterine Chakra

While focusing on the Prostatic/Uterine Chakra, the disciple must submerge himself into profound meditation. Imagine the Chakra as a lotus flower, as a magnetic disc that spins clockwise while vocalizing the letter M, as when a bull begins to bellow but without decreasing the sound of the M and lengthily sustaining it. In order to provoke such a sound, inhale the air deeply then pronounce the M while having the lips hermetically sealed, until the last particle of breath is exhaled, as follows:

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

With these four series of Mantras, the student can become a practical Theurgist.

[lightgiver]

The esoterics of the satguru, chakras, the human aura, death, rebirth and astrology:

There are fourteen great nerve centers in the physical body,
in the astral body and in the body of the soul. These
centers are called chakras in Sanskrit, which means
“wheel.” These spinning vortices of energy are actually
regions of mind power, each one governing certain aspects of
our inner being, and together they are the subtle components of
people. When inwardly perceived, they are vividly colorful and
can be heard. In fact, they are quite noisy. When awareness flows
through any one or more of these regions, the various functions
of consciousness operate, such as memory, reason and willpower.
The physical body has a connection to each of the seven higher
chakras through plexuses of nerves along the spinal cord and in
the cranium. As the kundalini force of awareness travels the spine,
it enters each of these chakras, energizing them and awakening
in turn each function. By examining the functions of these great
force centers, we can clearly cognize our own position on the
spiritual path and better understand our fellow man.
In any one lifetime, one may predominantly be aware in two
or three centers, thus setting the pattern for the way one thinks
and lives. One develops a comprehension of these seven regions
in a natural sequence, the perfection of one leading logically to
the next. Thus, though we may not psychically be seeing spinning
forces within ourself, we nevertheless mature through memory,
reason, willpower, cognition, universal love, divine sight and spiri-
tual illumination.
There are six chakras above the muladhara, which is located at the
base of the spine. When awareness is flowing through these chakras,
consciousness is in the higher nature. There are also seven chakras
below the muladhara, and when awareness is flowing through them,
consciousness is in the lower nature. The lower chakras are located
between the coccyx and the heels. In this age, the Kali Yuga, most
people live in the consciousness of the seven force centers below the
muladhara. Their beliefs and attitudes strongly reflect the animal
nature, the instinctive mind. Thus, the muladhara chakra, the di-
vine seat of Lord Ganesha, is the dividing point between the lower
nature and the higher. It is the beginning of religion for everyone,
entered when consciousness arrives out of the realms below Lord
Ganesha’s holy feet. Through personal sadhana, prayer, meditation,
right thought, speech and action and love of God, we lift our own
consciousness and that of others into the chakras above the mulad-
hara, bringing the mind into the higher nature.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:-mrRNEjqsbcJ:www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/wih/pdf/wih_sec2.pdf+White+water+Black+water+in+esoterics&cd=19&hl=en&ct=clnk

The Elements: Fire:

http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/AGEDE/Fire.html

[lightgiver]

The second bardo is the suffering bardo of the time of death. It begins when the causes and conditions of death arise and lasts until one enters into the bardo of reality. A supreme being who faces death will mix the child and mother emptiness at the time of death, like the space inside and outside a vase merging when the vase is broken. They will merge inseparably with the dharmakaya. Other higher beings will die like burning wood becoming ashes. When the wood is exhausted the fire also ends. In this mode, one disappears into the nature of dharmakaya.. Another mode of dying is where space is filled with rainbow lights. Beings who die this way are known as vidyadharas. Other beings die without leaving their body behind, achieving the rainbow body. This is this known as way of the dakinis. These supreme beings do not die as ordinary beings.

Yogis of the medium level die in three ways. The first is death like a child. They have no plans or schemes. Another type is the death of a beggar. They have no fixed place to die. One other kind of death is death like a lion. They have no fixed abode and die in wild places. All these types of death are in full confidence and free from preparation or revision.

A person of the supreme type can attain enlightenment in this life without going through the bardo. A mid-level yogi can attain enlightenment at the time of death without special visualizations. The lowest yogis and ordinary beings must go through the dissolution of the elements and constituents at the time of death. Death is nothing other than the separation of the consciousness from the body at the time of death. When the elements become damaged one's consciousness must leave the body.

All living beings are conceived from the five elements and exist depending on the five elements. When they die, their elements dissolve and disappear. At the time of death all the subtle energies in the five chakras and three points are dissolved The detailed explanation of the process is contained in the Dzogchen teachings. This text depends on both the old and new traditions.

http://medicinebuddhasangha.org/teachings/ontrul_2.html

The pancha mahabhuta, or "five great elements", of Hinduism are kshiti or bhūmi (earth), ap or jala (water), tejas or agni (fire), marut or pavan (air or wind), byom or shunya (or akash?) (aether or void). Hindus believe that the Creator used akasha, the most "subtle" element, to create the other four traditional elements; each element created is in turn used to create the next, each less subtle than the last. Hindus believe that all of creation, including the human body, is made up of these five essential elements and that upon death, the human body dissolves into these five elements of nature, thereby balancing the cycle of nature set in motion by the Creator. Each of the five elements is associated with one of the five senses, and acts as the gross medium for the experience of sensations. According to Hindu thought, the basest element, Earth, was created using all the other elements and thus can be perceived by all five senses - hearing, touch, taste, smell, and sight. The next higher element, water, has no odor but can be seen, tasted, heard, and felt. Next comes fire, which can be seen, heard and felt. Air can be heard and felt. "Akasha" (ether)is the medium of sound but is inaccessible to all other senses.


The Buddha's teaching regarding the four elements is to be understood as the base of all observation of real sensations rather than as a philosophy. The four properties are cohesion (water), solidity or inertia (earth), expansion or vibration (air) and heat or calorific content (fire). He promulgated a categorization of mind and matter as composed of eight types of "kalapas" of which the four elements are primary and a secondary group of four are color, smell, taste, and nutriment which are derivative from the four primaries.

The Buddha's teaching of the four elements does predate Greek teaching of the same four elements. This is possibly explained by the fact that he sent out 60 arahants to the known world to spread his teaching; however it differs in the fact that the Buddha taught that the four elements are false and that form is in fact made up of much smaller particles which are constantly changing.

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


Just as a skilled butcher or his apprentice, having killed a cow, would sit at a crossroads cutting it up into pieces, the monk contemplates this very body -- however it stands, however it is disposed -- in terms of properties: 'In this body there is the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, & the wind property.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Crown_Brow_Throat_Chakras%2C_Rajasthan_18th_Centur y.jpg/431px-Crown_Brow_Throat_Chakras%2C_Rajasthan_18th_Centur y.jpg

Thousand Petalled Crown Chakra, Two Petalled Brow Chakra, Sixteen Petalled Throat Chakra (Nepal, 17th Century)


Bön

Chakras, as pranic centers of the body, according to the Himalayan Bönpo tradition, influence the quality of experience, because movement of prana can not be separated from experience. Each of the six major chakras are linked to experiential qualities of one of the six realms of existence.

A modern teacher, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche uses a computer analogy: main chakras are like hard drives. Each hard drive has many files. One of the files is always open in each of the chakras, no matter how "closed" that particular chakra may be. What is displayed by the file shapes experience.

The tsa lung practices such as those embodied in Trul Khor lineages open channels so lung (Lung is a Tibetan term cognate with prana or qi) may move without obstruction. Yoga opens chakras and evokes positive qualities associated with a particular chakra. In the hard drive analogy, the screen is cleared and a file is called up that contains positive, supportive qualities. A seed syllable (Sanskrit bija) is used both as a password that evokes the positive quality and the armour that sustains the quality.

Tantric practice is said to eventually transform all experience into bliss. The practice aims to liberate from negative conditioning and leads to control over perception and cognition.

[lightgiver]

Four Formless Realms

1) Realm of Infinite Space, 2) Realm of Infinite Consciousness, 3) Realm of Nothing Whatsoever, 4) Realm of Neither Cognition Nor Non-Cognition.

The Four Formless Realms are states which are experienced temporarily in meditation. They lie beyond the Four Dhyanas (see entry), and are so subtle, they are difficult to talk about using ordinary language and even difficult to conceptualize.

They also correspond to the Four Formless Heavens, the homes of the formless gods (see gods). In other words the states can be experienced for a relatively short time by humans who have reached them in the course of their meditation, or they can be experienced as states of rebirth for those reborn as gods in the formless heavens.

Although the experiences of these realms are of rare and subtle states of bliss, none is considered enlightenment.

I. Infinite Space

Those who dwell in the thought of renunciation and who succeed in renunciation and rejection realize that their bodies are an obstacle. If they thereby obliterate the obstacle and enter empty space, they are among those in the realm of (infinite) space. (SS VII 230-231)

"These gods accomplish renunciation of bliss and rejection of suffering. They know that physical bodies are an obstruction. . . . They don't want to be hindered by anything, and so they contemplate their bodies as being just like empty space. . . ." (SS VII 231)

. . . having surpassed all notion of materiality, neglecting all cognition of resistance, one penetrates the realm of endless space. (Dhyana-sutra, quoted in DJDL (LaMotte, tr.) II 1032)

II. Infinite Consciousness

For those who have eradicated all obstacles, there is neither obstruction nor extinction. Then there remains only the alaya consciousness (i.e., eighth consciousness) and half of the subtle functions of the manas (i.e., seventh consciousness). these beings are among those in the realm of infinite consciousness." (SS VII 231)

"The manas is functioning at only half its capacity, and so the defilement that remains is extremely subtle." (SS VII 232)

At this stage one abandons empty space as an object and also abandons the feelings, cognitions, formations, and consciousness that are associated with it. The only attachment that remains is to a consciousness that is immense and infinite.

III. Nothing Whatsoever

Those who have already done away with empty space and form eradicate the conscious mind as well. In the extensive tranquility of the ten directions there is nowhere to go at all. These beings are among those in the realm of nothing whatsoever. (SS VII 232)

"All the worlds of the ten directions throughout the entire Dharma Realm have disappeared. A stillness pervades. There is nowhere to go. Nor is there anywhere to come to. . . . Although there is nothing whatsoever; nonetheless, the nature of these beings still remains. Their nature is the same as empty space." (SS VII 233)

One contemplates nothing whatever in order to break one's attachment to and to abandon the state of infinite consciousness.

IV. Neither Cognition Nor Non-Cognition

When the nature of consciousness does not move, within cessation they exhaustively investigate. Within the endless they discern the end of the nature. It is as if it were there and yet not there, as if it were ended and yet not ended. They are among those in the realm of neither cognition nor non-cognition. (SS VII 233-234)

This is the highest state or heaven within the conditioned world. At this stage, although there is still very subtle cognition, it does not function.

"Consciousness is practically non-existent, and so it is said that there is no thought. However, a very fine trace of thought still exists and so it is called neither cognition nor non-cognition." (SPV 60)

Because this cognition is subtle and difficult to be aware of, it is called non-cognition. But because it is cognition, it is called not non-cognition. (cf. DJDL (LaMotte, tr.) II 1034)

1) Chinese Mandarin: sz kung chu , sz wu sz/shai jye , sz wu sz/shai ding (chu) ; 2) Sanskrit: arupya-samapatti, arupya-dhatu; 3) Pali: aruppa-samapatti/dhatu; 4) Alternate Translations: stations of emptiness, formless samadhis, samapattis, formless absorptions.

http://www.bhaisajyaguru.com/buddhist-ayurveda-encylopedia/four_formless_realms_arupya-samapatti_dhatu_aruppa-samapatti_%20sz-kung-chu_sz-wu-sz.htm

[lightgiver]

So listen to this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream,
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.


"If sons and daughters of good families want to develop the highest, most fulfilled and awakened mind, if they wish to attain the Highest Perfect Wisdom and quiet their drifting minds while subduing their craving thoughts, then they should follow what I am about to say to you. Those who follow what I am about to say here will be able to subdue their discriminative thoughts and craving desires. It is possible to attain perfect tranquility and clarity of mind by absorbing and dwelling on the teachings I am about to give."


http://www.diamond-sutra.com/diamond_sutra_text/page1.html

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/SanchiGateSymbol.jpg
The compound Buddhist symbols: Shrivatsa within a triratana, over a Chakra wheel, on the Tonana gate at Sanchi. 1st century BCE.

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

[lightgiver]

When we die do we go as what we look like because I would hate to die at 80 and look 80 forever.

This commentary is based on the video, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, narrated by Leonard Cohen.

Although everything on Earth seems stable and solid, nothing here is permanent. Like water, snow and ice, life is always shifting and changing form. All existence is one kind of state or another. This means living in an atmosphere of uncertainty - moving without a place to rest.

In this world, we pass through the spiritual state of physical existence. Here, we want to make something lasting and secure, but no one has been able to accomplish this. Our life is always in the hands of death. At death, our experience is completely out of our control. Our experience is completely naked.

What is the best path through this spiritual state? It is a question of waking up right now, looking at our own mind. Look at it when it is calm and still and when it is running wild. This is what Buddha did and what he taught. This is what Jesus meant when he said, "The Kingdom of God is within you."

Soon we all will die. All our hopes and fears will be irrelevant.

Out of luminous continuity of existence, which has no origin and which has never died, human beings project all the images of life and death, terror and joy, demons and gods. These images become our complete reality. We submit without thinking to their dance. In all the movements to this dance, we project our greatest fears on death and we make every effort to ignore it.

Illusions are as various as the moon reflecting on a rippling sea. Beings become easily caught in the net of confused pain. We must develop compassion as boundless as the sky so that all may rest in the clear light of our own awareness.

At death, we lose everything we thought was real. Unless we can let go of all the things we cherished in our life we are terrified. We cannot stop struggling to hold on to our old life. All our fear and yearning will drag us into yet another painful reality.

We are always wandering through transitional spiritual states. Difficulty in leaving behind our old life can cause us to wander in painful uncertainty.

The spiritual state of dying lasts from the beginning of the body's physical collapse until the body and consciousness separate.

While we are living, the elements of Earth, water, fire and air together support and condition our consciousness. Death occurs when this is no longer the case. Now, without the screens and filters of daily life, at this time, mind itself can be seen directly. In the spiritual state of dying, it is important to recognize our own true nature.

At death, there is an experience of piercing luminosity, pure white light, the clear radiance that rises directly from our own basic nature. Now, there is no darkness, no separation, no direction and no shape, only brilliant light. This boundless sparkling radiance is mind, free from the shadows of birth and death - free from any boundaries of any kind.

Now all pervasive light engulfs us completely. All of space is dissolved into pure light. This radiance is the mind of God, the mind of all the awakened ones. Recognizing this is all that is necessary for liberation from birth and rebirth. If we do not recognize our divine nature, a dreamless sleep will happen.

In three days time, all emotions will be vivid and intense. Though it seems we are entering into a new reality, it is still the reality of our own mind.

Wandering back to the familiar sites and people of our old life, our own mind will arise before us in unfamiliar ways. We may not know if we are alive or dead. Even so, we may see our family crying. We must leave our former life behind if we are to progress.

If the we are unable to recognize the luminosity of mind itself, our experience now takes the shape of random imagery of our former life. We see our friends and relatives calling out to us and they cannot hear our replies. Death has cut us off from them and sorrow strikes our heart. We see our family and relatives crying. We can see our bed but we are no longer the one lying there. Instead, there is a corpse.

Soon we will experience the intense presence of our own emotional states as peaceful and raging light forms. Now, we will meet our mind in the form of projections which seem vivid and entirely real. Now we will see penetrating blue light shining all around us. This is the essence of consciousness, God (Buddha). The wisdom of God is like a mirror reflecting everything. God is the form of consciousness in its complete purity. This wisdom is inseparable from our own heart. But also we will see a diffused white light which we must avoid if we are to achieve liberation. If we follow the allure of the soft white light, we will find ourselves ensnared in the temporary pleasures of being born as a god, living in Lordly ignorance of the passage of time and subject to unexpected death.

If this path is taken, the wisdom of our very heart and mind takes the form of spiritual entities. There will be peaceful spiritual entities that emanate from our heart and wrathful ones that emerge from our brain.

They will appear one by one and then all together. The peaceful spiritual entities are complete and immovable. If we cannot bear to enter their vast benevolent space, if we cannot let go of self-centeredness and fear, these deities will become terrifying wrathful ones. If we recognize them as an expression of our own mind, they are the unsparing face of wakefulness.

The wrathful forms emerging from the brain appear before us actually and clearly as if they were real in their own right. The terror and anger we feel are our own efforts to evade from being completely awake. We wander uncertainly in the landscape of our own mind. If we recognize this as our own projections, liberation is instantaneous.

These wrathful forms are the presence of our innate wisdom, the vivid form of our own wakefulness. We must recognize them as a reflection of our own mind. Recognition and liberation are simultaneous.

All of us feel sparks of anger, flickers of passion, and twinges of jealousy during brief moments. From these seeds, we grow to become the jealous person. We say "this is what I am" and we act accordingly. But these are just our masks and we forget that we are wearing them. We run from the masks that others wear. The wrathful spiritual entities are our own mind and it is impossible to run away from them. They are the sharpness of our own clarity. They are all in our mind.

Then altogether and all at once, the peaceful and wrathful spiritual entities come before us. If we do not recognize them as our own projections, then they transform into the terrifying image of the Lord of Death. This too is our own projection. But if we don't accept that, our fear and turmoil force us to wander on in terror to the spiritual state of rebirth. We leave the spiritual state of the nature of mind. Again we are lost and wandering, so now we seek to end our suffering by being born into a solid and familiar place.

Now in the spiritual state of rebirth, all our senses have become extremely acute. Our consciousness is like a body without substance. In this body, we can, by a mere thought, travel to anywhere. As if we have miraculous powers, we can pass through mountains and circle the universe. We can enter anywhere but nowhere can we rest.

In the pain of our endless wandering, the thought of being born now promises great relief. We can still see our family, but we no longer know we are with them. We are driven on the winds of hope and fear like a leaf that is carried in the wind.

If we are still unable to recognize our own nature, our anger, lust and confusion become ever more intense, ever more solid. They at last appear to us as entire realms where we may stop and dwell. The image of our former body becomes faint and the image of our future body becomes clear. Any birth seems better than his current pain.

Since everyone is caught in these spiritual states of suffering, what can we do? People make hell realms out of their own anger. They make worlds out of passion. We project our emotional states and believe it is the real world. But no matter what, everyone longs for compassion. Everyone wishes to be awake. The best thing is to develop genuine compassion for all living things and for ourselves too. If we do not truly care for others we cannot know our own mind. We can have lofty insights and pure impulses, but then return to our old habits without even noticing it. We must work all the time to open our hearts and look for the truth. Otherwise there is neither understanding nor a purpose for understanding. Also, as life goes by, it is a good idea to keep your sense of humor.

We are now coming to the end of our journey. As we reach the end of the spiritual state of rebirth, the features of the world we are to enter will become very clear to us. If we pay attention now, we will find our way to a favorable rebirth.

We are now on the path to rebirth. We must choose carefully where we are to be born. In all the possibilities that are present before us, we must choose our new life. If we choose a good human birth in a good place, we can continue on the path of recognizing our own mind. Even though we are desperate for a home, a dark cave in a forest can lead to a birth in the animal realm. If we are consumed by yearning, the realm of hungry ghosts can become a never-ending realm of hunger and thirst for us. Rage, bitterness, and anger open all the images of hell. It is best to avoid the extremes of pleasure or pain when selecting a new birth. It is best to be born where we can still recognize the luminous essence of our own mind.

We will not remember much of our journey when we are born again. It will be like starting out new. Though death is always something to be mourned, being born is not something to be celebrated. There is an old saying: "When we are born, we cry, but the whole world is overjoyed. When we die, the world cries and we can become overjoyed when we find the great liberation."

"One good deed is worth a thousand prayers." Zarathushtra


Navigating the Afterlife - Episode 5 - Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hbaGadaw9A

A Basic Buddhism Guide: Rebirth:

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/qanda05.htm