old3bob

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the manifest is connected to the unmanifest thus I'd say it can not be just an illusion per se. (or the "ten thousand" are connected to Tao thus are not just illusion per-se...so it follows that the only illusion is in the lack of full or correct perception .

"Nor did I claim that gods, goddesses, and demons do not exist", By Steve Agreed its just that they are not eternal, or to me do not exist beyond the present cosmic cycle. are those four lines also from the Beatles who said something close to it in a line from, "I am a walrus" although theirs sounds like or was a nutty 60's mashup.

"But you put those comments under a quoted post from me , which is why I responded the way I did. By the way , this reply IS meant for you". By Nungali, Ok you are right on that, my bad, I was still caught up in the earlier post. Have to think about the rest...

we can over think it but just spell live backwards... which would you rather go with?

or also by what it is not

who knows the exact measure of a cosmic cycle of time although there are some well reasoned estimates, (like the very long but still limited lifetime of Lord Brahma the creator) but they still have beginnings, endings and re-beginnings. The historic Buddha sounded like he alluded to this when he mentioned to Ananda that he could stay until the end of the cycle (in whatever form?) but Ananda missed that didn't he?

if anything goes and there is not general recognition of dharma and adharma then its open season on any truth, including the Spirit inherent in all Beings but I'd say that is not going to work by paraphrasing the Taoist Sage that basically said, that which is against the great Tao soon perishes...

some deep ideas to think about....

analyzing all that is quite hip, and shrinkable in some ways but we're not really each others shrinks. FYI I was commenting on the earlier posted Judith song thus not the one you posted. But thanks anyway. Scroll back a ways and listen to and watch the Bob Marely video that I posted if you care to, or not. It has no need to tap into dark power. Btw, the following saying is simple and pure, even transcendent in a way without overly lamenting or trying to be profound even if it is profound for a Christian and really for any religion if understood right, "There but for the grace of God go I".

real good/Spirit is always present but relative good and evil come and go

that sounds like wanna be hip bullshit... there is not much to get other than dark rage, blaming God, Jesus or Spirit and not seeing our karma thus the singers lyrics and the tone of music is in a way glorifying hellish inner states of conflict and gnawing doubt or a false view about Spirit, thus not magical or spiritual, get it?

or $2k

I did not listen to the whole thing and did not need to with its typical hell metal like vibe. (the piper will collect on those enthralled to variations of same) I partly fell for some lower astral crap like that back in the 60's the 70's when I was a kid.

Btw in case you are not sure it is common to download or copy a youtube video right to this site thus not needing to list it as a url. It sounds like the band is tapping into the hell realms for dark power....

"Seems to me that Steve´s view of seeing the qualities attributed to Gods and Goddesses as human is useful in a practice context." by Luke; ok to a point and or in certain cases, but it is a mistake to think humans are the only type of conscious beings ! For there are Beings that have no trace of human conscience or sensibilities and there are also Beings far advanced spiritually beyond us. I didn't get that from a book...

Steve, your humble and deeply diplomatic posts and sincere humanity are not wrong about anything, your wisdom of a cool head is very much appreciated!

Love is one with the lasting root...

it has no lasting root in itself and needs to steal whatever it can get away with which lasts for awhile, which has been a very long while but not forever, thus after stealing and consuming all it can get away with it then implodes or self destructs on itself.

"why" is a dualistic type of question about non-duality, which is simple beyond regular knowing and thus an answer other than mental speculation can not be had that way, anyway in using the term Brahman it can not be added to or taken away from since It is complete. Btw why Love? Isn't Love the only one that knows.... as also echoed with, "Peace that passes all understanding", Philippians 4:7 (thus also beyond regular understanding)

that could use some further detail...

could also be likened to a tidal wave of black, consuming darkness coming upon us, but there are those that "stand strong' against it...

Non-duality insistence is smug when it writes everything off as some form of illusion or not understanding the teachings, even if it means well.

repression and oppression are counter productive, and also if only basking in easy going pleasantries, so let it be...

in other words it sounds like you have no experience in seeing the hell realms and the Beings there-in as recounted by countless witness over thousands of years...Btw there are many Buddhists who have no trouble giving witness to pure-land or heavenly realms and the Beings there-in (also for Beings like Quan-Yin, the Jade Emperor, and guardian Spirits) and who may also give witness and warnings about the opposite to that. How convenient to write -off thousands of years of witness by people and even parts of Buddhist doctrine!? (for instance Tibetan examples that do not deny such realms) Non-duality is fine but it is not smug.