rideforever

@neti neti @dwai Hey, does anyone know of a book with collected extracts from Indian sages and saints ? I have been looking for something but couldn't find anything good. Something with some juicy passages from a sprinkling of different teachers, and without interpretation or commentary. ??? Thanks In fact I have a bunch of Advaita texts, they are the onces that Siddhameshwar Maharaj recommended, and have thought of assembling them and selfpublishing but the formatting is quite a lot of work.

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Hmm ... well I would certainly miss your ZZ practice thread I have enjoyed reading it, and often wanted to create general practice ZZ thread for practitioners, I have experienced many new things of late. Recently I was reading something from an old man, a teacher; he said "I am 80 years old and have experienced many disillusionments";

Yes, and there is room in the world for charity and helping others. But Ashtavakra is an advanced text for people who no longer exist on this world.

Chinmaya's explanations are not Ashtavakras. Chinmaya says you should forgive yourself !!! Ashtavakra says 18.18 The man of Knowledge may live as an ordinary man, but he is not. He sees he is neither focused nor distracted, and finds no fault with himself. Chinmaya set up missions to help people, schools and hospitals. Ashtavakra says : 18.82 Detached from desire, the sage neither praises peace nor blames the wicked. Equally content in happiness and misery, he would not change a thing. 18.83 The sage neither rejects the world nor desires Self. He is free of joy and sorrow. He does not live and cannot die. 18.84 The wise one lives without hope. He has no attachment to his children, wife or anyone. Pleasure means nothing to him. His life is glorious. Ashtavakra is vast, he is not of this world. Chinmaya is a good natured do gooder making lots of hospitals. There is place in the world for both, but they are not the same. Few will understand Ashtavakra. As Ashtavakra says : 13.1 The tranquil state of knowing Self alone is rare— even among those who own but a loincloth. I therefore neither renounce nor accept and am happy.

In the Ashtavakra Gita itself, I looked up the word forgive and found only one entry as follows: Ashtavakra said: 1.2 To be free, shun the experiences of the senses like poison. Turn your attention to forgiveness, sincerity, kindness, simplicity, truth. Here you can see a list of 5 qualities, but there are many many other paragraphs in this gita, there is no way to say this is the core of this gita, which I have studied and listened to dozens of times. It does not say forgive yourself. It says forgiveness. Often this means forgiving others. It also does not say compassion, it says kindness. Nor does it say contentment, it says simplicity. This text is very direct and advanced. It is geared towards a student achieving direct realisation. It is not concerned with flowery things like helping others or saving the world, which other texts promote. It is direct realisation of truth. It is always better to simply read the original text yourself and that was the intention of the author. The author did not want you to read somebody's commentaries. The author wanted you to read the author's words. And you can listen here :

The reason we have bodies is to assist us because for a young being living with no body in no universe would be too difficult to understand, so we use the body as a vehicle for understanding and for correctly locating various functions and states, and orienting. If you can imagine a baby being born with no body in a dark void ... it would be too difficult to understand and no learning or growing would result. In the text the author describes a method of practice using the body as a guide. Nose face eyes etc... This is how you practice. But he also indicates that what is awakened is not of the body, but of the infinite. In some traditions no body pointers are used. For instance people might pray to "God", using no body pointers. In other traditions the 3rd eye, or the Hara, are used ... body pointers. Body pointers are used by traditions who are in touch with the subtle energy flows in the universe and in the body.

Hello there. The Tao Bums has many members here who are interested in Taoist Arts. It functions reasonably according to that definition, and much time has been invested in building a community. What you wish to create is very commendable but could be created through a different URL with a name that accurately describes your wishes. That could be easily done and then there would be two websites, the new one could simply copy the old code structure. This one could be re-managed by some of the existing people, and anyone would prefers the new website with a new direction could jump across. If not the community here would be unnecessarily damaged.

4 In the original creation there is yang light, which is the determining factor. In the material world it is the sun; in a human being it is the eyes. Spiritual and consciousness energy runs away or leaks mechanically through the eyes. Therefore, the Way of the Golden Flower depends wholly on the method of reversal. >> this shows the location in the human body 8. In the Yin Convergence Classic it is said: "The eyes are the key". In Suwen from The Inner Classic of the Yellow Emperor it is said: "The essence of the human body flows upward and fills the empty apertures". If one understands this, one has the key to attaining immortality and transcending the world. This is a practice that pervades the three religions of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. 10. The essence of man fills upwards to the eyes, that is the great key of the functioning of the human body. You should think about this. If you do not practice meditation every day, this light flows out, who knows when it will stop? >> energy flows upwards from tantien into the eyes and leaks out in the world 14. The two founders of Buddhism and Taoism have taught that one should look at the tip of one's nose. But they did not mean that one should concentrate on the tip of the nose. Neither did they mean that while one`s eyes are looking at the tip of the nose, one`s thoughts should be concentrated on the middle yellow court. Wherever the eyes look, one`s attention follows. How can one direct one`s attention at two places at the same time. This is just like taking the finger pointing at the moon for the moon itself. >> some oblique reference here about attention flowing out, whilst an inner attention is present in the middle court. >> the author is not clear here; but what I think it means is that whilst you do this practice and there is the light flowing in .. you "awakeness" must wake up ... the flowing light is simply an assistance ... you must wake up. So you would initiate the flowing energy using the machinery of your face and the light ... but then sensitively feel inside for your "I Am Here". 15. What then is really meant by this? The idea of focusing on the tip of the nose is very clever. The nose must serve the eyes as a guideline, but the nose itself is not the issue. If one`s eyes are wide open, one looks into the distance, so the nose is not seen. If the eyelids shut too much, so that the eyes close, then again the nose is not seen. When the eyes are open too wide, one`s attention is easily scattered outward. When they are closed too much, one easily gets lost in dreamlike states. Only when the eyelids are lowered properly halfway, is the tip of the nose seen in just the right way and therefore it is taken as a guideline. >> clear instructions; adjusting the eyelids there is a point in between fully open and fully closed where the light is able to flow back 16. The main thing is to lower the eyelids in the right way, and then to allow the light to come in naturally; you don`t need to make any special effort. Looking at the tip of the nose serves only as the beginning of the inner concentration, so that the eyes are brought into the right direction for looking, and then are held to the guideline: after that, one can let it be. That is the way a mason hangs up a plumb-line. As soon as he has hung it up, he guides his work by it without continually bothering himself to look at the plumb-line. >> clear mechanical instructions; lower eyelids and the light flows in. No metaphors. 17. Stopping and observing (??) is a Buddhist method that originally was not secret. One looks attentively with both eyes at the tip of the nose, sits upright in a comfortable position, and focuses the heart around the center, which is also called the Yellow Middle in Taoism. It not necessarily means the center of the head. It is only a matter of fixing one's attention on the point which lies between the two eyes. Light is something extremely volatile. When one fixes the attention on the mid-point between the two eyes, the light naturally enters. One doesn`t need to direct the attention to the middle castle. These few words include all essential points. As for the rest, matters of entering and exiting stillness, the prelude and the aftermath, one can check the book Small Stopping and Observing for a reference. >> clear instructions, focus between the eyes at the "Yellow Middle" i.e. the seat of the Yellow Emperor, or the seat of your soul. >> "These few words include all essential points" 19. Stopping and observing are inseparable; they mean concentration and insight. When thoughts arise, you don't need to sit still as before, but you should investigate this thought: where is it? Where does it come from? Where does it go? Repeat this inquiry until you realize it cannot be grasped, then you will see where thoughts arise. After that you don`t need to seek out the point of arising any more. Having looked for my mind, I realize it cannot be grasped; I have pacified your mind for you. >> Further details I can tell you my self which come from technical teaching from other teachers, I repeat them as best as I remember : Between the eyes, in the centre, and a little behind them (2") is a region that can be awakened. This is one goal of the GF practice the awakening of your real identity here. What is in this place ? It is your higher identity, it is not of this world. So you use the light, nose and eyes, as a gentle guide and try slide backwards so that there is the sense of a flow leading to the central point, and feeling yourself there ... you feel there is something there ... eventually you feel "I Am Here". My essence abides here. Just rest in this place, central between the eyes but a little further back. One other way to practice is to be inside the eyes themselves, feel the energy of the eyes themselves, and 'be' inside them. This is a very interesting practice. Afterwards flow slightly backwards into the centre ... and be inside this Yellow Court and feel your presence there. First being in the eyes, as the eyes; then gently as you sink behind the eyes, it is as if you are in the seat that looks through the eyes and the eyes look into the world. And you are aware you sit in that seat. Gently gently. ----------- LEFT EYE ========== LIGHT ============== / \ THRONE -------- < ==== THE WORLD \ / ----------- RIGHT EYE ========== LIGHT ============== I was taught all this and have not originated one thing. I am very grateful for such guidance and share it here for the benefit of a few.

Yes it may be, in the end. But best not concern oneself with such big things at the start. The instructions regarding the eyes nose and light that are carefully described in the book are practice instructions.

Ukiyo E Traditional Japanese woodcarving by David Bull a Canadian in Tokyo. These amazing videos show how Mr Bull became one of Japan's best woodblock carver and printer, reviving the art of Hokusai and Hiroshige, and bringing new images from western superheros into the art. Includes long sessions of printing carving and workshop activities. Absolute first class oriental artist. Here is a 16 part series on recarving the Great Wave for a run of printing, on a rare piece of Cherry Wood.

You cannot strengthen non-distraction. What that would refer to is controlling. For the lower mind, the ego, control is the only way it has to maintain the stability. It pushes pulls concentrates. It understands nothing else. For many spiritual people they imagine they make progress, but underneath all the robes and incense and empowerments, they understand nothing but strengthening their control. If you listen carefully to what they say you will realise the sad reality. An awakened state needs no control, but it requires the gentle percolation of understanding, so that your being ascends. The state is maintained through understanding only.

The book The Secret of the Golden Flower contains very clear guidance on what to do and why. Energy leaks out from the eyes into the world, therefore you have to turn this around to stop it leaking which leads it back into the source. Very clear guidance on how to meditate using the eyes and nose and inner attention etc... Using the eyes the light reverse back from the world into the space between the eyes where an inner space is discovered which is the centre of your existence etc... http://thesecretofthegoldenflower.com/ch3.html I would read the text carefully several times especially the instructions. It is quite a short book with most of the instructions in the first few chapters. Other authors have moved away from the instructions contained in this book ... and created all sorts of other practices and techniques that are totally unrelated. They are not the same. The author of this book put exact instructions in the book, that is why he wrote it.

One common idea is that all that needs to happen is that you undo all the bad things in you and suddenly you are Buddha. The problem with that is that in the lower world we live in, as you remove dark things and push them away from you, it will not be long before something else negative arrives to take its place, like rolling a boulder up a hill. And such practices leads one to a very long and tiring journey. The benefit of deity yoga and transmission is that the high state is put inside you. This itself prevents any dark stuff re-entering you, and of course saves you from have to fight with the low nature. ( in TTC it says the rhino finds to place to put its horn, in other words there is no more space for bad stuff because the light is inside) Sure in the beginning in order to develop self-knowledge and inner orientation you will naturally be pushing and pulling your self and the low world around you, this is basic practice. But if you wish to be successful you must simply enter a higher state directly and forget about anything else. Fighting the darkness or imagining you will undo it and undo it and undo it ... and there's only a little bit left ... will lead you on a 500 year mission to nowhere. The ego finds this idea really great, because as you continue to undo your karma (whilst new karma arrives from the other side) the ego ensures that you are not going anywhere, and that you learn nothing new. And finally when you die the ego is still sitting in your head telling you "there is just this little bit left", and it will win and you will die. Deity Yoga and transmission is the direct entry into a higher state, which itself cleans everything up. It is interesting to note that Buddha himself had tried many technical paths and gained great competence, but was not happy until sitting under a tree "something happened" and finally he made it.

I was listening to a very senior teacher yesterday and he said that although he teaches a complex technical path he has had to face the fact that most students cannot and do not follow it and instead their realisation arises from direct transmission from him. And I believe that in 95% of cases humans enter realisation simply from transmission, and all the things they think they are doing are simply means to keep them sitting in the hall or in environment of transmission long enough that it happens. Deity Yoga as I understand it is simply receiving transmission from an existing source, whilst at the same time believing that you can embody that state so that you do not maintain a servile position but believe in the practice. One possible corruption to be aware of is that you are not actually receiving any transmission but are just imagining things. Any traditional painting photo of a teacher guru or deity can provide a transmission if one wishes to receive it, if you can find a teacher who is in the right state then that can be more powerful, although most dharma teachers seem to be ordinary people. Receiving it involves feeling it more and more strongly over time and gently listening to it so your intelligence accustoms itself to this higher state and then embodying it permanently so you live from it. The feeling or "smell" of the state becomes you and you become it, you merge into it. This change in your intelligence to sense a high and refined state of existence takes time and requires sensitive percolating of the state into you. I have the idea that often Buddhist practices are too noisy with too much effort and not enough sensitive percolating.

What does it mean ?

I have noticed a lot of threads disappearing and re-threaded into Personal Practice Discussions, because of gangs of people who only have "no" to say and after they have said it continue to say it until the thread is burning ash. So the re-threading allows the deletion of such activities. It seems to me a large part of the site will disappear into a "microcosmic orbit" in the PPD, an inner copy of the outer. Other members quite fancy having a punch up on their threads in Off Grid. So, one way of regulating the site is to have an area in the main body of the site where thread owners can delete unwanted posts, and another area which already exists where open combat and thread stomping is practised. And then everybody gets what they want.

And which pub is that, and what is for lunch ? What kind of work do you do and what kind of company can cope with a non-conformist ?

No political idea has ever been implemented, ever. Why ? Because the catastrophic lack of intelligence and consciousness of human beings ensures that every idea is twisted and betrayed before it ever goes into society, and there are so many people drying to hurt each other, and trip each other up that nothing ever ever results. These words that people use, capitalism socialism communism and all that ... it's a joke like everything else here. Nobody could even say what would result from any of these because they have never been tried, you would have to be sane to try something. The big joke is that humans continue to talk about what they understand and what should be done and what they think was done! That, is funny. Comedy is the only thing humans can do. In society there are continuous narratives about what is happening and what should or shouldn't be done. I hope someone is laughing, because nobody knows anything. Not only that, after 10000 years of falling on their face ... they don't sense anything is wrong. This is never ever ever going to end, even the cows can programme the vcr by now. Anyway ... don't let that stop you !!!!

He's hilarious !!!

Yeah do post it. My eyesight has worsened over the years, but I notice that some days it is very good. It seems to be something to do with wood element blockages on the right hand side and when they are clean, it's all fine. It is not clear why eyesight or anything else deteriorates, no matter what the western money medicine doctor says. I also refusing glasses because without any effort your eyesight is basically on a ramp downwards, so it makes sense to strongly try other options from nutrition to ... whatever. Getting you onto the crutch ramp is a favourite for the Western doctors, just leverage people onto the conveyor belt. But then again many Western people are simply declining and the environment and vision of reality of human society is harmful, and a total negative brainwashing. So a strong upward thrust of spiritual vision and practices is necessary to repel a negative environment. Chi could probably repair everything if you were sufficiently advances, however there are many other things to do. I do more and more Zhan Zhuang because for me it is a natural (effortless surrendering) practice which will heal all ... rather than the type of practices that try to artificially boost energy and must be endlessly topped up.. Anyway as far as I am concerned there ain't much else to do on this planet.

On the subject of conspiracy theories, Chomsky mentioned at the start wrote a book called "Manufacturing Consent" amongst others.

Such censorship that is being proposed will lead to what ? Nothing good. Now's your chance ... anyone with a long-running grievance get in here and say what manner of censorship or deletion you would like. People wish to stay silent out of respect. That is not respect, it means you have no respect for the audience, or you fear. Perhaps you fear the owner because he is in a bad mood and will delete you at the touch of a button. Such respect you are given. Shall the members crawl on their bellies then. Let's see how people react after all the big talk around here, anyone still standing upright? Others wish to define collectivism as the ultimate positive virtue. Well that is certainly not the view of a large number of individualist sages who left town to be with just a few people. And there are yet others who saw no difference between strife and harmony, as long as it could be used. Here, there are threads for many unpopular political opinions ... people engage as they wish, easily, and if they do not wish, then they do not.

Some more technical shit for anyone remotely interested. Not sure I am interested, but anyway. Human beings have this mind which can work in two modes. The first mode is as a tool, how can we extract ores, how can we build houses. It works as a tool to manipulate the world. This is how humans today use their mind and how they are taught and how they describe their lives. But the second mode is for the mind to know 'I Am'. In other words the mind can also sense it's beingness. This is not taught in schools, it is not discussed in society, and frankly anybody who says differently is deleted from society. And so the humans use the mind's power as a tool to dismantle the earth but they don't know who they are. Second thing. Not knowing who you are is a grave problem, because the result is that you rush around desperately doing things. Humans use for their pseudo-identity this theatre character. And this theatre character is not very solid and if it stops moving it feels paper thin and there is anxiety .... because when the character stops moving the person doesn't know who he is and is worried. So he keeps moving. In fact what he wants most is to move the theatre character around very very very fast because he then feels a bit more some pseudo-identity. And this is why humans rush around on the earth doing things ever faster. They are trying to get more feeling of identity, but it's all an error. That theatre character is the ego of course. If a human being experiences the beingness of the mind, that is his soul or true nature etc... Unfortunately in nearly all spiritual circles they confuse the ego with the real being, and so tell everyone that they don't exist. Which is just another disaster. Truly chances seem slim on this planet. Only for brave or crazy beings to come here. A third thing is that .... due to all these difficulties understanding who one is, the humans over time have become quite miserable. And who can blame them. But now the misery is yet another problem.

Forgive them for they know not what they do. It's a good cartoon ... it shows that a human being is basically a monkey who has a small degree of cleverness and uses it to get everything a monkey might want ... food sex war. The cleverness of using tools in the environment is not matched by his comprehension or sensitivity of anything. It is a bad situation, and incomprehensible in some respects. I particularly worry about the modern materials that have been used that will not degrade for a very long time ... compared to the pyramids which are made of simple materials and will crumble into the desert, we have severally damaged the world and continue to with ever more exotic substances. There is a great illusion here. Monkeys like to talk and share and enter other people's activities. In spiritual groups, how many there are monkeys, and how many sense the truth ? Nevertheless that is how it is, so we best simply accept it, haven't brave people lived on this planet and accepted bad situations? There have been many brave people. Spirituality needs to be brave, far reaching, and without delay ... some trifling efforts with a bit of this or that, this is not appropriate. A great effort with your whole being is necessary, if spirituality is what you wish. Time rolls on, and before long we all arrive at the end of the cliff, until for we too the ground disappears beneath our feet and there is no more time.