Gerard

I have edited my post. About what?

What Buddhism rejects is the notion of an immutable ego that remains as such in each and every lifetime. The mind and matter are the process resulting from the interaction of the five aggregates. Karma will determine your next life, as pure and simple as that. Let me clarify your answer: The ego is dissolved after death because it is one of the five aggregates. The state of "no rebirth" is only attained by someone who is fully enlightened (Arahant/Buddha). The rest of the beings will be reborn in an specific realm according to their karma. There are five levels: 1. Puthujjana or Ordinary people: trapped in the endless changes of Saṃsara. Most of humanity. 2. Sotappana or Stream-enterer: The stream-enterer is also said to have "opened the eye of the Dharma". A stream-enterer is guaranteed enlightenment after no more than seven successive rebirths, and possibly in fewer. The stream-enterer can also be sure that he will not be reborn in any of the unhappy states or rebirths (animal, preta, hell). He can only be reborn as a human being, or in a heaven. 3. Sakadagami or Once-returner: Will return to the human world only one more time, and will attain Nirvana in that life. 4. Anagami or Non-returner: Does not come back into human existence, or any lower world, after death. Instead, they are reborn in one of the worlds of the Rupadhatu called the Suddhavasa worlds, or "Pure Abodes", where he will attain Nirvaṇa. However, some of them are reborn a second time in a higher world of the Pure Abodes, but in no case are born into a lower state. 5. Arahant: a fully enlightened human being who has abandoned all fetters, and who upon decease (Parinirvana) will not be reborn in any world, having fully abandoned Samsara. The fetters are the following: 1. Belief in an individual self (Sakkaya-diṭṭhi) 2. Doubt or uncertainty, especially about the teachings (Vicikiccha) 3. Attachment to rites and rituals (Silabbata-paramaso) 4. Sensual desire (Kamacchando) 5. Ill will (Vyapado) 6. Lust for material existence, lust for material rebirth (Ruparago) 7. Lust for immaterial existence (Aruparago) 8. Pride in self, conceit, arrogance (Mano) 9. Restlessness, distraction (Uddhaccan) 10. Ignorance (Avijja)

Anicca (impermanence) teaches us that all phenomena are subjected to change. Karma is balancing force of the Universe, when you alter the balance (action, speech or thought) you'll be "asked" to return it to how it was. It can happen in this life (desirable), the next one or several after (both being undesirable). You are unhappy because you are clinging to phenomena using either of the 5 aggregates: Rupa (form), vedana (feeling), sanja (perception), sankhara (mental formation) and vinjana (consciousness). Karma is carried over to the next life because you left behind an unresolved issue (good you go up the spiritual evolution ladder or bad you go down the spiritual evolution ladder). Karma is carried over future lives the same way you bury a seed in the ground and over time it will grow as a tree which will eventually give you a fruit, i.e. banana. In other cases karma operates like this: you didn't sleep well last night (cause) and as a result you'll be tired the day after (effect).

These two videos summarise really well what this is all about: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=0VrV0_wMEbM http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=a13Fo89idzo&...feature=related Just watch and draw your own conclusions.

Thanks for linking this stuff in here which is followed by these two: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=qiK4bnusRJc&...feature=related http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ_dq7ivsN0&...feature=related Very interesting series.

The Buddha died at the age of 80 after he ate a special delicacy, Sukaramaddava, literally translated as "soft pork". LOL! It is not what you eat (as long as it is not a junk processed food typical of the modern society we all live in) but how you train your mind what it really matters. I eat meat sometimes and love it.

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Well said. In fact Gautama Buddha died when he was 80 years old. What would be the purpose of living when one has achieved the highest level of spiritual enlightenment? Answer: no to both.

Necessary for review? What happened since then? That place promotes Taoism but all I can see there is Shaolin Buddhist, hard stuff. 1. Five Family Fists 2. Internal Iron Palm 3. Long fist

I would highly recommend you following the Vipassana method. The Buddha attained enlightenment using this and of course other esoteric practices but in the end that was the key factor. Walking sitting acknowledging, walking sitting acknowledging, walking sitting acknowledging... That's how it works, simple yet VERY EFFECTIVE. Good luck.

Global warming = Agni (fire) Yoga. I already posted this in another thread. Very old yogic teaching, well before the theosophists adopted it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni_Yoga http://www.agniyoga.org/ Good luck to humanity. It needs it.

This year of the OX is really unsettling me. Unemployed while living in the always impure human society and almost broke. I am carrying 3 Chinese coins in my wallet tied with a red ribbon, but this is good for money not job prospects as the Ox is related to work. And work is what I need, I need desperately a job (of course I am looking for it but nothing, they say this is a bad time because of the downturn we are currently in). I read water attracts work, so placing a small fountain or an aquarium with golden fish at home is an effective method to achieve that. However I am too broke at the moment to buy luxurious items let alone those pricey Feng Shui portable fountains. Is there another alternative and affordable method? I also need to know the exact location for it. I have a compass so I wouldn't have any issues with installing it in the right place. Last thing I need is putting it in the wrong direction and attract more bad luck, which for God's sake I have plentiful. No, thanks! Btw, I was born is 1966 (Fire Horse). Bad karma is catching up with me, damn it!!! Thanks in advance.

You are so right!!!!!!!! I knew there was something wrong with this place. Did you know that Aboriginal people stayed out of this place? Never settled down. And Indigenous people are good at reading the environment and understanding about how Feng Shui really works. Finally someone that understands this stuff. Brisbane river (Yin) and the Yang energy of the area itself plus the Yin energy coming from the ocean are mixed very poorly. They rise too much steam which creates a lot of stale and blocked energy. Humidity is unbearable. No wonder why school kids perform poorly, their spirits are more sensitive to rogue energy than adults. Living in Brisbane is not a good idea in the long run. Have you moved down to Syd. or Melb.? I am out of here once I finish my training. Good luck and Happy Chinese New Year!!

It is quickly becoming a big city. Real State is insane (like the rest of the world's capital cities anyway), traffic is bad, poor road system, and not many jobs. I like it being laid back but it is quickly losing this character. Anyway, this is way off-topic, lol! Regards.

Yes by 2-3 million less, but they still got 20 million under the belt. Don't believe all the hype. It is just I would replace the term "Religion" for "Hope" in the famous expression coined by Marx: "Die Religion...ist das Opium des Volkes" I am ready for the rock 'n' roll; ready to wander in the mountains of Asia with the minimum. I met recently a Western monk who is mentally and physically prepared for this new world order. He just left the UK to start a new life in Thailand carrying only his small backpack and a laptop (lol!). Humanity is going to suffer a lot more. The times of breeding like rabbits and predating from Gaia are over: http://math.berkeley.edu/~galen/popclk.html What a joke: 6,726,158,405 the time I wrote this and COUNTING! I sound negative but the only way we could fix this if suddenly all humans stop and start acting rationally. Anyway it is an old teaching. Read this info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni_Yoga Good luck everyone!

Hi Mal, Yes I am in Bris. I am aware of the networking thing, the quickest and most reliable method. For instance there was a job I applied yesterday for working in customer service (basically picking up calls) for Brisbane City Council and 907 people applied. They are looking for 6 people. I don't have experience in this area. Chances of landing this job: 0.00011%. Actually my application was automatically rejected. About networking. It takes time for sure. I have asked some acquaintances and waiting for some replies. I have higher education qualifications and experience in my field but at the moment the market in Bris is slow as well. The only reason I am staying in here is because of Bagua training. It's easier to train in the backyard than having to move to China to learn from a Beijing-based master. And there is no way on earth that I would move out before I have a solid foundation which is going to take me at least 3 yrs. Until then stuck in this freaking place. It looks the whole planet has put its eye on Brisbane, Queensland, Australia! Stigweard, ??? I am familiar with those techniques. But sorry I am an energy player. Yin & Yang is my earth philosophy and follow it religiously. Thanks anyway.

How true is that. Also eat and sleep well (already said). And don't practice any Chi Kung/IMA for at least 2 days in order to naturally replenish jing.

This basically means that the poor are always suffering the excesses of the rich. Nothing new under the sun. Next!

You a fire horse meditating in a metal element environment mixed with earth. That wasn't a good idea. Make sure the cave next time is an a pure granite or limestone environment.

Don't worry when you ready the teacher will find you. It ALWAYS happens this way. Divine's ways are mysterious. Good luck! Edited: typo.

I have used Linux for 3 years and gave up. It is a pain in the bum if you want to run many of the Windows based application. If you like editing photos using Photoshop, the best tool in the market period, forget about appyusing Linux for it. Ubuntu is bloated and vastly overrated. The first releases were good but it went downhill with the last two. I am back to Windows and happy as ever (SP3). If you surf porn, gambling, warez sites and the like then Windows is not very safe. Get yourself a Mac or use Linux for that matter. If that isn't the case then secure your Windows box. Here's what you need to do: 1. http://www.tweakhound.com/xp/xptweaks/supertweaks1.htm 2. http://www.markusjansson.net/exp.html & http://labmice.techtarget.com/articles/win...tychecklist.htm and also here: http://www.malwarehelp.org/malware-prevent...-security1.html It is also mandatory using a router with an SPI firewall included and properly configuring it to avoid someone hacking it. A software firewall alone is not enough. If your Windows box gets infected seek for advice in here: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup (make sure you follow the mandatory steps before requesting assistance or your post will be automatically deleted) If you need further advice regarding security matters the same forum has another section: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/security Many geeks and comp. sec. professionals often post in there offering free advice. Very helpful and knowledgeable guys. Good karma to them. Regards from "psicop" if you ever read this Good luck and happy surfing. Remember: you are the only responsible for infecting your computer.

If you are interested in meeting enlightened beings without having to pay a fortune attend this festival. The next one will be held in 2010 in the city of Haridwar. But the 2013 pilgrimage, Maha Kumbh Mela, is special because it is only held every 12 years. It is held in Allahabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh. I am planning to attend and it would be a nice place to meet other forum members if you decide to do so. The Kumbh Mela is celebrated when the planet of Brihaspati (Jupiter) moves into the zodiac sign of Aquarius or Kumbha. Each sites celebration dates are calculated in advance according to a special combination of zodiacal positions of Sun, Moon, and Jupiter (wikipedia). In the Kumbh Mela of 1894, and according to Paramahansa Yogananda in his work the Autobiography of a Yogi, it was when his Guru Sri Yukteswar met the legendary and immortal Mahavatar Babaji for the first time. In this holy pilgrimage you will encounter thousands of monks, saints and sadhus. This event will facilitate the process of the teacher finding you (if the karma is right). You can watch a movie in here to see what is like: http://www.archive.org/details/SapnaShahaniArdhKumbhMela More info about what really happens during the event days is given in here: http://www.stephen-knapp.com/description_o...kumbha_mela.htm ....................................................................................................... I've just met a Westerner after my recent Vipassana retreat in Thailand. And he told me about his personal journey, how a guru found him and ended up in the mountain of Arunachala. A yogi who resides in a cave and who has attained numerous siddhis. In this area people come to practice Atma Vichara (self-enquiry) process very similar to the Buddhist Vipassana.

You need to balance sitting with either standing or walking meditation, otherwise you will stuck to much chi in your head which only brings problems. The rule is to walk for the same amount of time you sit. And it walking meditation is easier before you start the sitting period. A prostration period is also very beneficial before you start your meditation practice. So the order would be: 1. Prostration 2. Sitting 3. Walking The rule for standing is slightly different as it is a personal matter. Just experiment with what suits you best. In addition doing IMA also counts as grounding energy into earth avoiding the issue of having excess chi in the head. These videos will show you how to prostrate, walk and sit properly (Vipassana method followed in Thailand): http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=A9WTbTOM12s http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=598PsFsw7GU&...feature=related http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=HLcIQEbLyUg&...feature=related Good luck.

Yes, I found info about the astrological configuration of the event, and what happens is that this events starts with Makar Sankranti, the day when the sun and moon enter Capricorn and Jupiter enters Aquarius. The astrological configuration on Makar Sankranti is called " Kumbha Snana-Yoga" and is considered to be especially auspicious, as it is said that the passage from Earth to the higher planets is open at that time, thus allowing the spirit to easily attain the celestial world. Namaste.

Hi, Thanks for the added info. I'll be there for sure and experience some bliss. Looking forward to attend and meet interesting people. Take care.