stirling

It isn't CHRISTIAN answer, that's true, but it isn't a Daoist answer either, is it? It is an entreaty to look at experience vs. belief. Fair enough. I'll stay out of the playground for now, unless I think of something Christian to say. _/\_

No god. No spirits. No ideas. All of these are products of YOUR mind, not real and separate constructs in the world. God's eye view: This moment is as it is, happening now. Its reality exists WITHOUT all of your ideas about who does what, how it should be, or how you have somehow influenced the entire universe to be as it obviously, naturally, causally IS. Our response to reality is possibly THE least important part of how reality is manifesting and doesn't take into account how the rest of reality has created your actions in this moment, a process which is proportionally MUCH more important. - Read this last paragraph twice.

Mr. Turnip, What is it you are hoping to accomplish? This in particular will color what "benefit" means in your context. I can say definitively that Buddhism DOES something, but it requires some shifts in your daily way of being, and regular practice. You have to be willing to dig into what obscures your understanding. Some people with deep psychological trauma would be better served by dealing with that before they begin. People with that typical amount of baggage will quickly find that their way of relating to life and others shifts greatly within a few months with commitment to practice and guidance. With the right teacher, the "2nd Arrow" can be seen through quite quickly. https://tricycle.org/magazine/a-second-arrow-story/

I live in the United States, and wouldn't know where to start, honestly. I would think that, in India, you could trip on a viable teacher in the street or in a market. Certainly there must be many great teachers in Dharamasala, but I know that India is a vast country and it may not be practical to go there regularly. Of the Tibetan schools I have had the most success with the Nyingma tradition, and the Dudjom Rinpoche lineage specifically, but I have also studied with Gelugpa teachers and had great success. Dzogchen itself is a series of techniques that are common to most Tibetan Buddhist traditions, so any of them would probably work.

This thread is off the rails. Actual, logical, kindly criticism is fine - even encouraged - but what is happening here is too much. Daniel's intention is to take apart a text - his way. It's his thread. Let's allow him to do that please, without harassment and name-calling from either side. We have had enough complaints about this thread already. Give it a rest, please. If you chaps really need to hash something out, use the messaging feature. This thread is off the rails. Actual, logical, kindly criticism is fine - even encouraged - but what is happening here is too much. Daniel's intention is to take apart a text - his way. It's his thread. Let's allow him to do that please, without harassment and name-calling from either side. We have had enough complaints about this thread already. Give it a rest, please. If you chaps really need to hash something out, use the messaging feature.

I'm not saying that exactly. In Buddhism the primary project is the reduction of suffering (2nd Arrow). Anyone who takes up a meditation practice with or without a teacher is likely to see SOME shift in that metric. Taking the next step to work with a teacher will greatly speed the dissolution of karma, a real bonus. If what you are after is an "enlightenment project", having a teacher is of VERY great benefit.

I am not a Vipassa teacher, but a Zen/Dzogchen teacher. These techniques and intentions are compatible with Theravada training. If your intention is to follow the Therevada path, I would find a teacher in that lineage. If the tradition is of no consequence at this point, let me know.

Shikantaza (Soto Zen)/Dzogchen (Vajrayana) It feels good, happens automatically at this point, and deepens insight into emptiness. "Emptiness"/Rigpa/Dao is real, and is everywhere. Allowing it to be the predominate way the world is experienced improves every aspect of "being". After learning to meditate in noticed over the first month or so that I was calmer, less reactive and kinder. It was obvious that the practice "did" something, so I persevered. Larger doses beget greater results in my experience. This is "faith" in Buddhism... trying the technology and finding that it is transformative. Depends on what "enlightened" means to you. What is your definition? In terms of Buddhism, I myself have completed the path, and have met and known any number of "enlightened" beings. They aren't scarce. There are some on this board, and at least one in most decent sized Buddhist center locations.

Meditation with intense concentration isn't for everyone. The Therevada school practices are often more more structured and effortful. Many people not suited to such an approach will get tension related problems in the body and mind. Why not try a shamatha based meditation type instead, where relaxing is the key way "in", and see how it goes?

Welcome to the board!

Science is fine as long as it is understood what it is for, and used accordingly. What it is NOT is a valid technique for understanding the underpinnings of reality. Keep in mind that there are no absolute truths in science; there are only approximate truths. Whether a statement, theory, or framework is "true" or not depends on quantitative factors and how closely you examine or measure the results. Every scientific theory has a finite range of validity. Inside that range, the theory is indistinguishable from true, outside of that range, the theory is no longer true. Despite what scientific materialists might believe, science is not about finding the absolute truth of the Universe. All scientific truths are provisional, and we must recognize that they are only repeatable models or approximations of reality.

The primary problem is in thinking that "we" are in charge at all. In a universe of causes and conditions that theoretically began with the famous "big bang" the input of a very small "self" that has existed for less than a blink of the eye isn't even going to push the needle. We aren't in charge of the universe, or even our own lives really. What we ARE in charge of is the quality of our response to the world. Responses that recognize that even the most horrific conditions in the world come from actions based on fear eventually create compassion for that suffering. Actions from real compassion change the world. When you feel like you don't understand what is happening in the world ask yourself, "Who owns the fear in this equation?". The reason we make "bad" decisions is because what we want doesn't benefit anyone but our illusory "self", and the illusory "self" we think we are making decisions from doesn't really exist as a separate thing. This mistake in understanding the nature of things leads us to having a perspective limited by this view. Protecting the illusory "self" above everything else becomes paramount. Our choices are made accordingly, reinforce this view, and often cause suffering because of it. The world is a mirror of your delusions. What hurts or feels like a "bad decision" in your life experience happens because of your attachment or aversion to a specific outcome. If you realize what that attachment or aversion IS and drop that pattern, you change the world. If you want to live in a world where people are kinder, be kind to other people. If you want to live in world without hate or violence, stop hating and being violent in your thoughts and actions. Stop responding with "bad decisions" and change the world.

Welcome to the board, Rumi!

Please share your most impressive success in summoning or in having a visitation from an "otherworldly" entity and any other experience with magickal works you feel moved to speak of. _/\_

At its basis, what matters is how we respond to the apparent world we are surrounded by. I think Donald Hoffman's work is worth a look.