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The attempt will burst my head wide open i think. One big koan... its contemplation leads to 'No Mind', and 'No Mind' is 'Free Mind'! The purpose is in the finding out, not in finding 'it' - look for it in the spaces between concepts, is what i say. When the looking becomes so concentrated, the self, the creator of concepts, simply dissolves. In that dissolution only the starkness of becoming, a prevalent state of resting simply in pure potential remains infinitely. What does life and death mean to one who abides in the unborn and undying realm of pure potentiality? All forms of cultivation, IMO, are merely attempts at stabilizing and lengthening one's connection to this realm. It can become habit. When it does, all cares can be thrown to the winds of change. "A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving..." So true. Easy to say... hard to do.

Sifusufi - this Chain is like a game, and games have certain guidelines and rules. Rules suck i know, but once in awhile when we engage in games, we often try to play by them rules. In here, the game requires a 5-7-5 structure to the Haiku. There is 8 syllables in this second line, so that pushes the game wayward slightly. It happens... i made the error too, a few times in fact. Its not a big deal, but i just wanted to bring your attention to it. Pardon me please for putting it back in line. Cheers! unseasonal fruit within the drought rain arrives sunshine in a pot ... ... ... sunshine in a pot moonshine in makeshift barnyards which do you favor?

Mmm i like this hypothesis. I reckon you almost got the full implication of the subject. This is how i see it: I think that in the perfection of the art of living, the aliveness aspect comes from living in the spaces between moments, and not the actual moment itself. In that gap, there is absolutely no recognition of the dualities that bind the mind. In other words, there is no now, no then, no coming, no going, no here, no there, no mortality nor immortality... what remains is only the expansion of becoming. So some 'becomings' are very short, so short in fact that they are often missed, but as a person who practice correctly and for long enough, what may happen is that s/he gets to the stage where the awareness of the 'becoming' becomes more acute, and then eventually the recognition of it expands pervasively. Immortality ought not to be the goal. If it becomes a goal, that itself creates anxiety, wishful thinking and attracts dual perception. Where we want to be is in a space where its pure unadulterated potential, thats all. Just like when people think that sex is wonderful. It is wonderful in fact, only towards the peak of reaching the big O. During that phase of almost getting there, what is present then? Think about it deeply - what is that feeling? Even the word feeling is so lacking because its so much more than that isnt it? In truth, there is no word fit enough to describe it. Right then, we lose time, we lose the world, we lose our thoughts, we lose our 'self', we lose everything, but do we care? So what is it that remains? Only the becoming... At that point, we are MORE than immortals, we arrive beyond the dual notions of mortality and immortality. The big question is how do we practice to sustain a similar sense of becomingness in our daily activities? The emphasis, i conjecture, is in the going. The cream is found in The Way, and the Way is found in the travelling towards it (emphasis put on the journey and not the 'it'). If there was an arrival, it would hardly be appropriate to label it the Way, true? As the saying goes, "There is no way to happiness; Happiness is the way". My 2 pennies...

Hello Bob.. Its been a while since i actually made any concerted effort to study the suttas, (this makes me the most unworthy source to engage in Dharma discussions of any substance) but if i remember correctly, there was mention made about how the Buddha, in his past incarnations, had accumulated certain supreme merits that culminated in His final awakening. In one we were told how He, out of supreme compassion, sacrificed His body to feed an injured tiger and her 5 cubs, which then reincarnated to become His disciples, and in another spoke about how He undertook his friend's punishment when the both of them were in the hell realm. I guess the point is not so much to take these tales at face value, because it can sound rather fantastical, but to look for the meaning they convey, and in my limited understanding, it speaks very clearly that the Tatagatha had been refining and clearing his karmic store in all His previous lives, so to speak, in preparation for His final attainment. On the one hand we can very well deduce that indeed He was solely responsible for attaining Buddhahood, in that there was no dependence on any 'raft' to carry Him to the other shore, but on the other hand, based on the 2 instances cited, are we to say that all the other factors present then did not somehow contribute in some way towards His attainment? The tiger, the cubs, his fellow hellmate, etc, may well have been linked inextricably in the whole unfolding, which by the way, is still carrying on even now as we speak, in our mindstreams. Which, should we ask, is the primary link? Difficult to determine i'd say. Perhaps it is you and I, thru this exchange of ideas? Who knows for sure? So we can rest in the thought that there is simply this one Continuum that fundamentally links everything together. Isn't this what we understand by the term 'karma'? Are we to assume then that there is an independent being called Gotama who attained to complete and perfect enlightenment? If my understanding of the Vajracchedika Sutra is of any value, the Buddha here pointed out quite clearly that in fact there was no independent being then who attained to complete and perfect enlightenment, for by thinking in this way, there is still clinging to the notion of there being a 'self' who attains. What i have also come to understand from this immense teaching is that because there is no self to be enlightened, there is also no self not to be enlightened, and once these notions are surrendered, then what remains is simply the abiding in transcendent insight, with no 'self' or 'being' who actually does the abiding. All things spontaneously arise and cease on their own energetic level, without the need for there to be a 'self' to influence it - for if there is such a view taken, even if its very very subtle, then no matter what we think or do, therein lies clinging to 'self'. "When the karmic winds blow, there has to be movement. Yet these movements are never separate from the winds. When the winds dissipates, cessations naturally follow. It is as sure as night follows day and day follows night, so why worry so much about this body, and this busy world?", one master asked. How true... I am not a Buddhist scholar by any means, so i may have completely confused you by this post. If so, i offer apologies in advance. Perhaps the more learned members who post regularly, like Xabir, Mikaelz, Vajraridhaya or Nac could elucidate and expand on your question more effectively. Thanks for seeking clarification nonetheless. Warm regards, Ananda Reference (the above-mentioned Sutra): http://www.io.com/~snewton/zen/diamond.html and http://reluctant-messenger.com/diamond_sutra.htm

No video links to your 'girlfriend' the gogo dancer today Tao99?

Haha its even more fascinating to see a forum on Taoist practices dominated by quick-draw McGraw smart mouths who do not know how to transmit in the first place! Sorry but your views do not reflect accuracy and certainly not lacking in classic finger-pointing insinuations. Hope you are not thinking that you are a serious Tao cultivator, are you? Gold Muslim? You gotta be kidding... Destiny indeed!

Very interesting! Nice picture of the vehicle - would be even nicer to see some 'nuts and bolts' that hold it together? Thanks sifu.

This is how i hope i have understood the processes and exactitude of the Bardos as well. Each moment is impactful, an opportunity for real transformation. Each step we take is a bardo. When mindfulness here in this life becomes prevalently habitual, what else do we need to bring to the bardo at near-death and after life? Then is but an extension of now... Cheers!

vast as a pin head all things suddenly appear when in/out are joined...

Scintillating post, Gold! Valid questions indeed. From what i can see in TTB, most who claim to be followers of Tao dont do 'mind'... in fact, there a few hardcore ones out here who actually feel quite intimidated by posts put up by Lucky7, Xabir, yourself and a few others who throw up valuable thoughts and insights into how the mind impacts the physical as well as psychical dimensions, which is rather surprising, really. My knowledge on the Tao, as well as 'mind', is pretty limited, but i do know a few seasoned Taoist and Buddhist practitioners, and can say these individuals are all in uniformed agreement as to the vitality in knowing the 'mind' deeply. From where i stand, the Taoism very much proliferated here on this forum evolves around 'living well', whereas its my view that Buddhism sort of offer a more complete path, in that it emphasizes not only living well, but learning how to die well too. I remember one Buddhist teacher saying that if one desires to live well, then the best way to do that is to first learn to die well - i find that view quite valid. For example, we hear here of many who place much attention on the importance of breath (don't get me wrong, i believe breath is very vital) and Chi, but Buddhism actually offers invaluable insights (the Bardo of dying and death, for example) on how to deal with those moments when one realizes that one has only 3 or 4 breaths left in this over-valued thing labelled 'life'. In summary, i would say that those who incorporate both traditions into their path have much to gain. Thanks again for offering up your thoughts. Some see them as pretty controversial, but i think controversial is good. It often challenges boundaries and restrictive self-views, so keep it up!

Thanks for sharing John. Its a relief to know that nothing too serious resulted from it.

^ good one, Trailmaker! ..... ..... ..... to know its right there closer than the nose's tip what's there not to see?

divine madness strikes at those who labor so hard to reach for the Tao...

Its not fate in this sense, 3Bob, but the continual culmination of causes and conditions that gave rise to 'Buddhism' as we know it today. Who can say, for example, in some distant time, Buddhism might be extinguished, but this probability, even if it comes to pass, can never negate the fact that 2500 years ago, conditions arose favorably for the birth of the Tatagatha and the subsequent dissemination of Buddhism. As regards to Primordial Being, what i meant was that the Buddha was the original head honcho who made it happen in this era of ours, and in that, refuge is taken by many, of whom the least significant is myself. Thank you for the kind response. Much appreciated sir.

hello 3Bob, Which is a more viable consideration - a god being the key to saving Buddhism, as you claim, or the karmic propensity of the Buddha that enabled Buddhism to be born in this world-time? According to many sources, long before the birth of Gotama, the wheels were already set in motion for the people to receive Buddhism, to be introduced by this man called Shakyamuni. Your promulgation of the affirming notion that a god was key is therefore quite debatable. This god may indeed have been part of the karmic force that gave birth to Buddhism, but in the eyes of many, he is no more significant than all the other imputations and causes that brought the teachings to life. As i understand it, this is how the principle of interdependent origination works anyway - not one thing or person, or a god for that matter, is more or less significant in the causes and conditions that give rise, and lead to the cessation, of any phenomena, Buddhism not excluded. At the crux of the philosophy we can see that those who seek the teachings of Buddha aims to unbind their false beliefs, to free the grasping mind of all fetters, which then takes one to the other shore, metaphorically speaking. This to me will alway be the core purpose of Buddhism, and for it i continue to venerate and be grateful to the Buddha as the Primordial Being that revealed this possibility, perhaps one of the most effective and simple paths towards liberation among a few others, and if this god was somehow part of the equation in the grand scheme, then in my veneration, (since all things are connected) it seems a logical deduction that he too, is contained within my thankful mindstream, and so are you, for that matter, in creating this thread. Since we are not able to determine exactly which aspect of 3Bob played the more significant role at the inception of this (the thread), likewise, it would be rather unwise to determine that a god was 'key' in saving Buddhism. Granted, he played his part, thats the extent of his involvement, i think. I hope that's a fair assumption. Have a pleasant day my friend.

Hey Tyler, The list above came from notes i picked up at an inter-faith dialog i attended about 20 years ago in Malaysia. I just googled a minute ago to see if i could verify this list, and this came up: http://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-are-the-different-types-of-gurus-as-per-our-scriptures.html - its almost similar anyway.

This is simply amazing MH!! Not sure if you read my mind, or i tuned in to your thoughts - just after i re-read what i wrote, and coming to the last bit, i wondered if i ought to edit the post to include the term 'multi-tasking', that we tend to believe in its possibility because it promotes a false sense of accomplishing more that we are capable - but before i could decide whether or not to proceed, there you are, with a prompt reply! How great is that?! Cheers!

As John Denver used to say... "Far out!" Great imagination Sun! Go get 'em, fart and all!

Nice. Thanks for posting. Just last night this ("What we do only has meaning in the here and now") kept surfacing in my awareness. I also thought to myself that what people call Absolute Reality is right here, this very moment. Either we choose to be it, or we can choose to think about it. When contemplation is chosen, perhaps that which remains is a mere shadow of the Absolute Moment, which in its starkness, demands only attention, and nothing else... just to be attentive to the transition from one thought, one feeling, one word, and one action to the next. We deceive ourselves that we can actually perform two or more things at any one moment. Blessings..

It could be that Gold reminded Tyler too much of his Croatian teacher, thereby bringing up some adverse reaction. Just a thought. Sorry.

Teachers come in all shapes, sizes, with their particular quality and unique style of teaching. Here is a list of 12 different aspects of gurus (according to Indian thought), just so there can be a little more clarity: Datuvadi Guru - One who imposes austerities and penance via the yoga of 'action'. Emphasis is put on physical exercise, special pranic practices, tummo, and so on. Chandana Guru - One who emits the fragrance of sanctity. Like sandalwood vine, the scent of which is attached to only a few exclusive trees near it, and not to others, even if they grow directly next to it, such a teacher is only capable of influencing those who have a receptive nature towards the guru. Vichara Guru - One who appeals to reason and logic. Dispels doubts through the comprehensive exposition of teachings, dharmas, and debates. Anugraha Guru - One who teaches without words, usually by means of a glance. Is known to transform devotees who are not especially learned. Parasha Guru - One liken to a touchstone. Affinity plays a big part with such a teacher. Qualities are clear only when the right contact is in place, usually happens only after years of devotion. Kashyapa Guru - One who is often viewed like a mythological tortoise, capable of nourishing its young simply by staring at them. This stare, called 'kripa kataksha', can inspire the devotee to great spiritual accomplishments. Chandra Guru - One who is calm and exudes a soothing effect on disciples, just like the moon. Darpana Guru - One who acts like a mirror to reflect the disciples' own qualities/weaknesses, yet is himself unblemished. Chayanidhi Guru - One who bestows blessings by simply being there. Nadanidhi Guru - One who heightens transformation and grants blessings when there is deep devotion and surrender. Kroncha Pakshi Guru - One who can grant wishes astrally. Need not have to be physically present to spread teachings. Suryakanta Guru - One whose very state acts like a magnifying glass. Disciples' weaknesses become magnified and intense, and when the time is right, such a guru will burn up the accumulated bad habits and propensities of the student. Hopefully this can be a useful guide for those who are inclined to look, or not to look, for an appropriate teacher/s. Some may aspire to be 'gurus' themselves, so this could be a good yardstick to see if you have the necessary temperament or gift. (Some gurus can encompass two or more of the qualities listed above.)

or to be a cat? no, thank you - tin roof too hot sensitive lil' paws...

How interesting! You are lucky all you had to 'deal' with was a fly, albeit a good-sized one. Imagine what the forest monks of South-east Asia have to contend with, having to spend part of their lives in the forests over there in their makeshift huts? Leeches, snakes, scorpions, mosquitoes, centipedes, snails, millipedes, giant spiders, eh, you get the picture... I remember visiting a friend years ago who lived in a house built on stilts, on the fringe of a large coconut grove. As he was a Muslim, it was respectful to leave shoes at the foot of the steps before ascending into the house. After a nice lunch of curry, it came time to bid farewell, so down the steps i went to get into my shoes. Slipped on one shoe, all was well... slipped into the other, and jeepers creepers, felt something slithery there! Reflexes took over, and just kicked the shoe up and away into the air! As it went flying and tumbling, out popped a little wrigley snake about a foot and a half long, somersaulting its way to the ground! Not sure who was more traumatized! Good thing neither my shoe nor the snake was hurt in this embarrassing drama hehe... Cant say the same about my pride though, as some of the neighbors' kids who witnessed the 'show' all screamed and laughed delightfully. I wonder why, it sure was not funny at that moment.

woven, slanted light crisscross its way through the night like an owl in flight...

You said it much better here, sir. "First make peace in your own mind..." - that's not at all a tall order is it? When inside there is contentment, how can there be anything different on the outside? When this is, that is, said the Buddha... spot on. Good to see you back, GiH.