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  2. Japan anime crossovers

    Nungali replied to Sanity Check's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    Might it ? and what might they be ?
  3. sounds like warm, warmer, hot...

  4. Why is there so much evil in the world?

    Nungali replied to Gerard's topic in General Discussion

    Its a human relative judgement .... of course . And it comes from a propensity to ignore or even work against the 'local' groups , agreed upon 'common good' ( 'thriving' ) . So of course some aspects will be seen as variant among different groups . Think like ; a volcano is not evil ... but what it does to you might be . But then again , a few hundred years later it might be considered a good force that made the ground fertile . In ancient Zoroastrianism (possibly the source of this idea , or the first writing down of it ) ; that which benefited the tribe was good and from Ahura Mazda , that which did not was 'evil' and attributed to Ahriman . This went through everything ; eg. some ants where evil ( 'the seed carrying away ' ants ) yet others good . Now with people, we have a duel nature and consciousness ; one primeval that we share with other animals ( eg , the hind brain is reptilian , and we have it , it regulates basic autonomous survival ) but being primates , we are also 'higher order' and our best thriving situation is to exist in extended family groups that are interrelated . Aside from variations in group aims and interest ( that might make one 'evil' or 'good' to the 'outsider' ) there is a basic need to sublimate the 'primal' consciousness ( focused on the self ) to the 'primate consciousness' (focused on the community ) . To this end rites of initiation, passage and induction are held to train and educate the individual about the advantages one gets from this process , with a follow up education in 'Law' - how your community works and what is expected from you and the benefits you will receive from this process . To pass and 'make the grade' you become a member of that society with those benefits . To fail, and think only of one's self , to go against the others and not follow Law , makes you bad, evil and/or outcast . So 'good / evil' can be something that is seen as an internal process ( one's higher and lower natures ) or an intergroup process ( that tribe is friend / enemy ) . There is no 'evil' in the world , its a concept that exists within human society . .
  5. "there is", is the beginning of the Buddha's quote on the major point of Buddhism is it not? Are you saying that's not good enough for your expert sounding self? Btw one should not assume what one may have read or not. Also what is non-Buddhist? (some Buddhists say we are all Buddhas but some just don't know it yet) Also which sect is the truest or poorest out of others when it comes to being Buddhist or non-Buddhist? Also did not the Buddha warn about laying down the raft of Buddhism in certain ways instead of unending attachment to it.

  6. What is love?

    Nungali replied to NorthWide's topic in Abrahamic Religions Discussion

    ... 'attraction lions' ?
  7. It seems like you are saying , on the one hand, you collect energy from the dead that you 'hold on to' to defray your feelings of painful boredom and loneliness , and on the other hand you don't know what this energy is .
  8. Today
  9. So you didn't bother to read any of the Buddhist's posts in this thread? And your revolutionary (non-Buddhist) reinterpretation of Buddhism comes down to "there is"?
  10. You’re welcome. Yes I understand, it’s intense. Always easier said than done. I hope Apech’s answer above will be helpful for you.
  11. That part of Tommy's reply struck me, as well. I think your initial response, and this one really hit the mark. _/|\_
  12. Still not clear about what a life force is, but it sounds like a nice idea! Live Words and Dead Words During a Dharma speech, Zen Master Hyo Bong said, "In our practice there are live words and dead words. If you attain live words, you are the same as the Buddha and eminent teachers. If you are attached to dead words, you never get out of the ocean of suffering. Live words and dead words are the same as dust in your eyes. So I ask you, how do you get the dust out of your eyes? Tell me! Tell me!" Hyo Bong was silent for a few moments, and then hit his Zen stick on the table three times and descended from the high stand. 1. Live words and dead words: are they the same or different? 2. How do you get the dust out of your eyes? 3. Which are live words: silence or three hits of the Zen stick? COMMENTARY: Who can save Hyo Bong? If you want to save him, you must use a hammer with no handle. Seung Sahn, Whole World is a Single Flower: 365 Kong-ans for Everyday Life with Questions and Commentary by Zen Master Seung Sahn and a Forword by Stephen Mitchell (pp. 332-333). Tuttle Publishing. Kindle Edition.
  13. There are many different teachings on emptiness. One error commonly encountered when taking a conceptual approach is to view or conflate emptiness with nihilism. To think emptiness means our lives are an illusion or not real. This is an error of nihilism. This is where meditation practice is so important. When we think about emptiness, there is a tendency to focus on the word’s connotation of absence, of nothingness, of a void. When we meditate we can feel the openness of calmly resting the mind and body. When that experience is not filled with a sense of me - thinking, worrying, judging; when there is just the naked experience of this present moment, this is what emptiness is indicating; and yet the experience of that moment, the vividness of NOW is certainly not nothingness - absolutely everything is there - all the senses and visions and sounds and feelings and infinite potential, and the experience is full and complete, just as it is. You really can’t add or subtract anything. That is the wholeness, the fullness of being and it is ever present when we are clear enough to notice. So I often interject a mention of the fullness of emptiness when it’s being discussed. Emptiness is fullness, eg form is emptiness and emptiness is form (Heart sutra).
  14. with it and awareness of it "may all beings be happy" What is the smile on the Buddha's face?
  15. What is "the life force"? Honest question.

  16. Why is there so much evil in the world?

    old3bob replied to Gerard's topic in General Discussion

    good and evil, lets see, good (and law or Dharma) arises from Source but evil does not for evil is the theft, corruption and twisting of intrinsic goodness. Why? because its based on fear, fear which has aspects of or brings about malice, greed, violence, lies, etc.. Overcome those within oneself and they can not assail one from without.
  17. sounds greek to me, anyway "there is" as said by the Buddha is not of negation but of affirmation, which seems to be a four letter word to some Buddhists who sound like they would even negate the life force as it also being a "delusion"?
  18. ... because of your superior knowledge? If so, why aren't you sharing it, instead of berating people who ask honest (and important) questions? Why not share your definition? Why not share what you think those prerequisites are? It isn't something a person can achieve, is it? This is a thread on the Buddhist part of the board. I'm not sure what cultivation would mean in this context. Care to share? If someone is working to make the "self" perfect, they definitely aren't working on Buddhism, or enlightenment.
  19. Try tapering off the sleeping pill dosage instead of stopping completely. Also you could try herbal sleep remedies like valerian. I think these energetic experiences take a while to balance out. If you are going to do sadhanas and so you need to learn how to normalize or ‘re- cover’ from the naked energy experience. You can easily get locked into an altered way of perceiving without knowing how to switch it off. I would suggest going for long walks in the countryside if you can and eat well normal balanced food.
  20. Not really. Ajatam, abhutam, akatam, asankhatam. It does not say "asunnatam."
  21. That is a strange statement in that you say that the word emptiness means something else than what I have learned it to mean. I do not say it is false but see it as a matter of what view point one is looking at this. Quantum mechanics is a strange animal with many tentacles. Cause empty space is not empty but is filled with absolutely everything. Protons and anti-protons can appear from nowhere and just as suddenly disappear. Nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. And yet, there are galaxies that are so far away that they are traveling away from us faster than the speed of light. It can only mean that the space between us is expanding? Not just that they are traveling away from us but also the very space between is expanding? And traveling near the speed of light will slow time to near stand still. So travel between galaxies which are millions of light years apart will take almost no time at all? This universe is indeed strange. I appreciate the few random thoughts. FWIW. Thanks.
  22. thank you very much Cobie, I haven't been able to fall asleep without sleeping pills because the images in my mind are super active, super intense, super colorful.

  23. wood refinish tips

    old3bob posted a topic in The Rabbit Hole

    Its been years since I've refinished a wooden table top. Some things I've come across: 1. be aware not to get too aggressive with sanding, namely with 80-120 grit paper and a belt or machine type sander! Such grit might be used if done super carefully by continuous movement of the sander but that grit can easily dig to deep and leave grooves! (never use coarse paper on veneer top) 2. the wood being sanded and the light you have on the project can make a big difference. for instance without good light and checking from different angles uneven sanding and missing spots is more likely, and if you apply a finish after those errors they will probably stand out clearly and need to be gone back over. That is not so bad if you have lots of depth of wood to re-sand but if you have a thin wood or a veneer re-sanding may go right through it and destroy your table. I don't have much experience in using chemical strippers and strong solvents to remove an old finish but i'd say even more caution is called for with them! For instance I once used a stripper on an old piano and it removed the surface coat alright but it also lifted out the grain sealer that I should have been aware of it doing, thus making the refinish job difficult and unsatisfactory) 3. choice of finish is a not always easy to make being there are all the different brands and types of finish available and the how or where the table is being used. I tend to like a penetrating wood stain coated with tung oil. Btw all tung oil is not created equal. Some tends to leave more on the surface which is ok depending on usage, another may penetrate down into the wood better and give a cleaner like coat. Do not rush the finish job and follow its directions closely or regret is likely. have fun and satisfaction on a job well done
  24. I have been lenient with my statements, softening the blunt truth to avoid hurting or destroying anyone's fragile ego. Analogies are a way to convey meaning and can represent anything, such as a kickboxer, pianist, artist, or writer. Logic should be taught in kindergarten or early schooling; it should be a trivial task for anyone above 7 years old to connect the dots and see the parallel. The problem is that people call their actions meditation, which is often not true in reality, outside of pop esoteric concepts like "I am the mirror," "Indigo Children," or "The Secret." In reality, sitting on the toilet is more conducive to cultivation than what many do and label as "meditation," especially without a proper teacher or school training and lacking knowledge of emptiness. Endless demagogy on forums will not unlock proper meditation ability, which requires numerous prerequisites. Becoming a kickboxing world champion is still millions of times easier than achieving enlightenment. Fantastic progress with meditation and cultivation right here. Copium at it's finest. The irony to see statements like this on a Buddhist forum section, where people are supposed to work on making self "perfect."

  25. "Indian Sunset"

    old3bob replied to old3bob's topic in The Rabbit Hole

    'I'd like to be Pope': (guess who) reveals desire to lead Catholic Church ahead of Vatican papal conclave..." for instance is this political or spiritual?
  26. so is the Buddha refuting all its in house and profound sounding nay sayers?

  27. What is love?

    Cadcam replied to NorthWide's topic in Abrahamic Religions Discussion

    Love is a word that describes when one feels an affinity or attraction to something. It can be the emotional response to that attraction. Love is also action, and that action is developed from feeling the emotion from attraction lion and fondness, translating into various responses to the feeling, such as the activity of caring and concern, flattery, or avoidance. One can be well trained in caring action while not feeling the emotion of love.
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