Mig

Precisely, we can argue that average or median are inevitable so luck doesn't exist. If you have touched bottom in life for reasons that you created yourself and then things go down hill, then is bad luck, but if you keep doing what should be right for you, assuming you are doing the right thing as not getting worse financially or mentally, then there is a chance that you encounter the right situation and that is where you jump in. It seems that luck could be those unpredictable moments in life that if you are there, you catch it. There should be a reason each culture has luck in their repertoire of beliefs.

I guess you can think in that way because you can and you know where you are is better than other places, if you didn't I doubt you will go there.

It sounds being privileged, away from the realities of this world, poverty, misery and struggles

I saw this book reference in one of the postings without much information or review. I wonder if someone has read it and if anyone has an opinion about this book and how helpful is this reading. Thanks

I keep reading people recite both sutras without knowing the meaning and most of the translations are good and very good explanations. Truly, a good reading with explanations is necessary.

How important is to study the Diamond Sutra both in the original version or in the Chinese version and why is important? Should one read first the heart sutra or the Diamond sutra? How does that help in reading or learning it by heart?

一阴一阳之谓道，阴阳五行，这是中国古代最重要的概念。无论皇帝、官员，乃至贩夫走卒，没有不知道『阴阳五行』的。 One Yin and One Yang is called Tao, Yin-Yang and the Five Phases, these are the most important concepts of ancient China. Regardless of emperors, officials and even to the lowest rung of society, there is none who do not know of “Yin-Yang and the Five Phases”. 《周易》中说，一阴一阳之谓道。也就是说，道就是阴阳的变化。 In the I-Chingit says, One Yin and One Yang is called Tao. That is to say, Tao is the transformation of Yin and Yang

As I am reading the Diamond Sutra, just found the heart attack Sutra which says: we can safely say about the Heart Sutra is that it is completely crazy. If we read it, it does not make any sense. Well, maybe the beginning and end make sense, but everything in the middle sounds like a sophisticated form of nonsense, which can be said to be the basic feature of the prajfiapilramita siitras in general. I guess I am not the only one.

I am not sure Yin Yang is a Daoist concept, the idea comes from the Yijing. The constant Dao as in the first line of the DDJ seems to be close to the idea of permanent. Thanks again, reading what is out there published and reading from someone who had read it and experienced is different and helpful.

Thanks. If I hadn't read it without explanation both books, I wouldn't have understood the meaning or the message. Now, I am reading Master Nan Huai-jin, Diamond sutra explained and I am finding clear explanation as I should have expected from other books. Now regarding those concepts as permanent, nothing or emptiness, I wonder how different they are from the same concepts in Daoism.

I did ask and one of the many reasons why I asked about the heart sutra is because I started reading the Qingjing jing the book of clarity and stillness and found that many lines come from the heart sutra. At the same time, I found the Diamond sutra and started reading to understand the underlying meanings that is not understood if there is no explanation.

And why is it important to read the heart sutra to understand the diamond sutra? I am reading the heart sutra, Red Pine translation and still don't understand much.

And there's cheap talk and good talks in the internet for free and many that don't push the sale. They know how to make money instead pushing for you to buy. Look at podcasts how they work and their business model. I don't work for free and if I can share something for free I will do it, just like many scholars offer free content or publishing companies.

I have observed for the past years how much information is out there and how people are addicted to read, listen and watch the news. Not only that but now you watch fake news or purely sensationalism news. Meanwhile the ratings are higher and higher, they are making more money and people are becoming conditioned to believe or make an educated decision based on news. What's going on folks?

I have posted some questions about Daoists in general regarding inequality, their precepts, etc. to understand how it is perceived or understood by fellow Daoists or well educated individuals in this forum. One thing, I keep noticing is that Daoism as well as other religious groups, they tend to lean where the money is. I don't see their temples or congregations in low income areas or impoverished neighborhoods. It seems in the past Daoists where in full battle against buddhists for the sake of power. Am I wrong or can you give examples of the contrary?

In the beginning of Internet, everybody tought we could get things for free, now news they push you to subscribe and see how they can check how you watch news and what you can buy from them or affiliated programs they work together.

I could find arrogant to ask for money whereas most of the places on the web one can get e-books, online publications, interviews, videos for free. What I am noticing is that for sometime the internet has become a money making machine, not only enticing you to buy, call for action and lately pushing you to buy or get your cookies to distribute your information and how you are browsing. Most of the people don't care and consumerism is rampant today even online. This is the reason why I reacted. I understand if there is a specific method of work or guidance to learn with a serious curriculum then I understand the reason for charging money.

Why not, many who have been affected by the pandemic and we found ways. If you're running a business you should have had a back up plan. Big corporation have the luxury to charge because they can if you try to charge to unveil secrets I doubt they're going to make it. Good for those who can afford and good luck

If this is his income generator then that's fine. It seems odd that all is about money. I was affected by the pandemic and found a way to bring income and still can help others if it's intellectual knowledge

Why should I pay for an interview? Is this master more interested in getting paid to talk? Maybe he can get a job and answer for free???

Just found this prior 1949 The organisation of urban temples was profoundly shaken by the extremely aggressive religious policies carried out by the succession of regimes following the end of the empire. (5) And yet, the essential elements of this organisation were still to be seen in 1949. In every major city there were one or two big Daoist temples, which we call “central temples,” managed by the local Daoist elites who maintained close links with local government officials and the economic and cultural elites. The temples of the City God (Chenghuang miao) or of the Eastern Peak (Dongyue miao) often played the role of central temple. (6) The Daoist elites who controlled these temples belonged to one of the two major clerical orders, the Quanzhen and the Zhengyi. Although these two orders are organised in different ways, their liturgy is to a large extent similar. Moreover, a very large number of smaller temples, generally belonging to neighbourhood associations, guilds, or other institutions of the kind, employed Daoists, either permanently or to come and officiate during festivals. (7) While the temples were all autonomous, hierarchical systems linked them together. The organisation of major festivals at city level (such as the major processions of the City God, which took place three times a year) were most often in the hands of the Daoists of the central temples, who brought together all the small temples; representatives of the latter regularly visited the central temple and took part in its processions. The reorganisation of the temples and of Daoism after 1949 put an end to this organisation, replacing it with a bureaucratic management that functioned according to a completely logic. RE: Temples and Daoists inUrban China Since 1980 Goossaert Vincent and Ling Fang that functioned according to a completely different logic.

Very true it doesn't have value though everything in society needs value to sell it and to buy it you need money, whatever you need even if you make it your own. So at the end it does have a value. There are always secondary effects for each of your options so in order to drink you need money and to live in society you need money, so what are you going to do? Whether is Daoist or Buddhist or most of the religions, I tend to see there are always where the money is, just like culture, they lean more where the well offs can pay and pay good money. I have never seen none of those religious movements or religions in impoverished areas or build temples, churches or congregations in the hood, only those who start little and then becomes megachurches. There is something wrong in the picture imho

I don't see the point about inequality. One thing for sure the image distortion in this image says it all. It seems obvious that her face is taken as a model, not the average type of facial and her body doesn't show what it really looks like. Reality is different and marketing images we see everywhere are another way to manipulate medias.

I was wondering how inequality is viewed by Daoists practitioners or Masters or those who have a good knowledge of Daoists scriptures and classics. It seems that in later years inequality has been disproportionately bigger in the past years but nothing new in humankind history. How can you observe inequality and just let the nature takes its ways and then continue in life as nothing has happened or just accept it while you are living the good life both spiritual and economical. It makes me wonder about Daoists who are secluded or hermits not having responsibilities as every human living in society. Any ideas?

I found this clearly explained about inequality and something to think about comparing to Daoist thinking: