The answer lies in the India/Nepal/Tibet Himalaya Regions afterall.. and definitely NOT in china/taiwan..

[ralis]

Of course it is subjective that I claim him to be more realized than me. So many things are subjective. Basically I do not know one thing which is not subjective, which can not be turned around by somebody quite convincing. Even science changes their objective ideas every now and then.

Or can you tell me a method how to surely prove this? Except seeing him levitating and showing you a foto

Are you sure I am not a realized being just tempting you? Can I be sure you are not completely aware and clear and realized and putting me on the spot?

 

Whenever I am together with people I love, I feel more bliss. Whenever I am sad, I am far less in bliss.

Whenever I am around people with good energy, it is easier for me to be happy.

Whenever I do make my practice well, I feel more bliss. The longer I practice (I do not only mean 1 hour or two - but as well in the total amount of years), the more I am generally in bliss.

Every state changes when I am with someone or with somebody else. Sometimes simply because the weather is changing. And sometimes because one of those bloody freaking thoughts comes up.

 

My teacher is like him. Not my brother, not my uncle and not my boyfriend

 

 

Did those answers help you?

Why do you want to know all this? Did you have bad experiences and want to warn me?

Do you have a teacher yourself?

What are you studying?

Does your practice make you more happy?

Are you afraid a teacher could change your life?

 

 

I first studied Tibetan Buddhism when Trungpa's first book came out in the early 80's. Spent years with various teachers here in Santa Fe NM at the Buddhist stupa. However, all the exotic cultural trappings and a segregated environment from any of the teachers, was absurd! However there was an exception. Lama Rinchen Phuntsok was honest in regards to all the spiritual trips; he said "it is all a game". That was a liberating experience from religious trappings for me. Namkhai Norbu basically said the same thing as well as Keith Dowman.

 

These are my experiences and may not be applicable to others.

 

For me, life, spending time in nature and the cosmos are the great teachers.

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2011 by ralis

[C T]

 

 

If you can't follow the very basic tenants..

If push comes to shove, i'd say most people would rather follow the landlord. What say you?

 

Ooops... am i allowed to say this? Let me consult the Eightfold path first.... ooops again... too late.

[C T]

stupa.

 

Such a magnificent stupa, Ralis. Is that where you used to hang out? Nice...

[ralis]

Such a magnificent stupa, Ralis. Is that where you used to hang out? Nice...

 

I lived down the road less than 1 mile away.

[steve]

 

For me, life, spending time in nature and the cosmos are the great teachers.

 

Amen - though the proper frame of mind is needed to reap the benefits.

That can be hard to come by.

Perhaps that's something you gained from some of your teachers?

Whether by positive or negative example...

[juju]

I first studied Tibetan Buddhism when Trungpa's first book came out in the early 80's. Spent years with various teachers here in Santa Fe NM at the Buddhist stupa. However, all the exotic cultural trappings and a segregated environment from any of the teachers, was absurd! However there was an exception. Lama Rinchen Phuntsok was honest in regards to all the spiritual trips; he said "it is all a game". That was a liberating experience from religious trappings for me. Namkhai Norbu basically said the same thing as well as Keith Dowman.

 

These are my experiences and may not be applicable to others.

 

For me, life, spending time in nature and the cosmos are the great teachers.

 

 

Now I start to understand all your questions :-)))

Yes, this is quite interesting how easy it can be to fall in trappings - to change one concept for another, only in tibetan clothes. I guess this is not my problems: I have concepts, of course, and many. But for which reason ever I am not the kind of person to want to have more of them or fall in a sect. Too many experiences in my youth, which make me run whenever one claims to know THE TRUTH. whenever I feel less space than before...

Or maybe I am in a sect without knowing? Or everything is a sect... Or call it, as you do: a game.

 

Nature is a great teacher. I wish I would spend more time in the middle of nowhere. With all this space around, this loneliness.

 

And: This is a really beautiful foto and spot!

[ralis]

Amen - though the proper frame of mind is needed to reap the benefits.

That can be hard to come by.

Perhaps that's something you gained from some of your teachers?

Whether by positive or negative example...

 

Sky gazing puts me in the proper frame of mind along with just being in lonely places. The great deserts of the Southwest, Death Valley Ca. and high alpine country really do it for me.

 

Sky gazing was a practice that I picked up from Norbu. I watched what he was doing and understood how to apply the practice.

 

I can talk about the practice here if you like.

Edited June 4, 2011 by ralis

[Pero]

Again, how many times does one have to remind Buddhists of the eightfold path? Do you folks believe that the eightfold path is optional, or that you can pick and choose which of them to practice? Right speech, right action. Do not insult or denigrate, treat others with compassion. You are dismissing and diminishing Seth because you are attached to a concept.

You're kidding right? Telling someone he's mistaken is not wrong speech or whatever. I have not insulted him (on the other hand I could consider myself to have been insulted in this thread, more than once, including by you right now, I'm not so easily insulted though). I guess the only possibly insulting thing I have said to him is "new age people like you".

Edited June 4, 2011 by Pero

[steve]

Sky gazing puts me in the proper frame of mind along with just being in lonely places. The great deserts of the Southwest, Death Valley Ca. and high alpine country really do it for me.

 

Sky gazing was a practice that I picked up from Norbu. I watched what he was doing and understood how to apply the practice.

 

I can talk about the practice here if you like.

I'd very much like to hear about your sky gazing practice.

I may be heading out to Sedona soon for a short time...

[juju]

You're not the only one that's doing this, but I often scan a topic in reverse and caught this one first. I have noticed Juju and others as well. I would suggest that before anyone continues their claims of being a Buddhist they actually review the eightfold path. If you can't follow the very basic teachings, then do not presume to teach what comes after.

 

Hello Twinner,

so many beautiful concepts around :-)

I hope mine are at least as beautiful as all the others.

 

And I love yours: "Buddhist have to behave like this or that." Do not forget to use exactly the words which are written down in the catalogue of right speech. Be full of compassion (read: always nice to everybody, maybe a little submissive). And do not forget to smile! Or something like this.

 

Funny. Compassion is not only to be nice, lovely, kind, smiling.... It sometimes can look like the opposite. Or shall I smile at my kid when it runs onto the street? Shall I accept whatever anybody does to me? Shall I not stop somebody when I do know he is going to kill 10 people? No chance to say no?

 

Interesting concept - which in my very very humble opinion does not lead to happiness. Neither yours not mine.

 

I hope those words were not too harsh.

 

Have a nice day

 

Judith

[suninmyeyes]

Sky gazing puts me in the proper frame of mind along with just being in lonely places. The great deserts of the Southwest, Death Valley Ca. and high alpine country really do it for me.

 

Sky gazing was a practice that I picked up from Norbu. I watched what he was doing and understood how to apply the practice.

 

I can talk about the practice here if you like[/b].

Yeah do talk about it ralis,I am interested to hear.

I do a lot of sky gazing and find it clears my mind,but then again I always did even before taking any spiritual practise.

edit:some very interesting discussion going on between everyone in here,I am being a discussion voayer and dont feel to join

Edited June 4, 2011 by suninmyeyes

[rex]

(on the other hand I could consider myself to have been insulted in this thread, more than once, including by you right now, I'm not so easily insulted though).

Absolutely! Twinners reproach was vexatious, insulting and bullying. In fact they were the exact words I used when hitting the report button.

 

Outraged of Tunbridge Wells

[Simple_Jack]

.

Edited February 5, 2014 by Simple_Jack

[Aaron]

You're kidding right? Telling someone he's mistaken is not wrong speech or whatever. I have not insulted him (on the other hand I could consider myself to have been insulted in this thread, more than once, including by you right now, I'm not so easily insulted though). I guess the only possibly insulting thing I have said to him is "new age people like you".

 

That's the comment. But also examine your intent, the way your comments come across. The fact is you're attached to the topic and that's fine, but remember that Buddhist debate requires one to detach from the topic, even when debating a non-Buddhist.

 

With that said, you can behave any way you want. Hold nothing sacred and nothing can be profane. Yet if you desire to follow a certain path, it is recommended that you follow the tenants, but remember that these tenants are not the focus, rather they are the tool that helps to whittle away the focus.

 

Even better yet, come to an understanding without abiding by the notion of right or wrong, but merely remember compassion, then you are well ahead of the game.

 

Aaron

[Aaron]

Absolutely! Twinners reproach was vexatious, insulting and bullying. In fact they were the exact words I used when hitting the report button.

 

Outraged of Tunbridge Wells

 

 

Hello Rex,

 

The difference is that I'm not a Buddhist. I am not advocating a religion and thereby bringing about the notion that I actually follow the practices of that religion. I'm also not saying things like, "new age people like you" in a derogatory manner. It seems the Buddhists want to preach but not practice. They want to pick and choose, not follow the whole path.

 

It seems to me that Buddhists have no problem bullying, threatening, and insulting people on this forum. What I want to know is why they think this is allowable? They preach detachment, but they are attached to everything they say. They want tolerance, but they don't believe they need to be tolerant of others.

 

I'm sure that if you followed the entire context of this discussion and numerous other discussion on other threads you'd become aware of this fact. I think it's about time that we examined the preachers by their practice. If they can't practice even the most basic tenants of their religion, then why should we have to hold anything they say about their experience to be valid?

 

(That last part wasn't directed at Pero, but a general statement.)

 

Aaron

[ralis]

Is it like how it's described in this article: http://www.meditationexpert.com/meditation-techniques/m_yoga_meditation_technique_cultivating_samadhi_of_infinite_space.html (In case that link doesn't work: My link)

 

"One should cast his gaze on a region in which there are no trees, [while] on [a] mountain, [or] on [a] high defensive wall. His mental state being without any support will then dissolve and the fluctuations of his mind will cease."

 

"The great Tibetan master Tsong Khapa also used to tell his students to imagine their body was like an empty bag because this practice would cultivate their chi and mai, and if you mastered this practice and perfected the resulting emptiness scenario to an extreme, you could also reach the infinite space visaya. But this method is only effective if you cultivate in a special environment, such as a high mountain top, where you can see the vastness of empty space in all directions."

 

 

 

It is exactly like that. I soften the gaze and withdraw my focus slightly behind my eyes. The jaw is relaxed and the tongue is suspended in the space of the mouth. The visual focus is at a point neither external or internal. Actually both at once is correct. I would say it is like the vastness of space inside and outside i.e, no separation, the universe passes through me, a feeling as if the physical body will dissolve, are vain attempts to describe a non verbal experience. Very difficult to quantify.

 

That practice can be used with physical objects as well.

Edited June 4, 2011 by ralis

[juju]

It is exactly like that. I soften the gaze and withdraw my focus slightly behind my eyes. The jaw is relaxed and the tongue is suspended in the space of the mouth. The visual focus is at a point neither external or internal. Actually both at once is correct. I would say it is like the vastness of space inside and outside i.e, no separation, the universe passes through me, a feeling as if the physical body will dissolve, are vain attempts to describe a non verbal experience. Very difficult to quantify.

 

That practice can be used with physical objects as well.

 

 

sounds quite interesting. Little like direction Rigpa. Or am I wrong?

[ralis]

sounds quite interesting. Little like direction Rigpa. Or am I wrong?

 

Direction Rigpa?

[Aaron]

Hello Twinner,

so many beautiful concepts around :-)

I hope mine are at least as beautiful as all the others.

 

And I love yours: "Buddhist have to behave like this or that." Do not forget to use exactly the words which are written down in the catalogue of right speech. Be full of compassion (read: always nice to everybody, maybe a little submissive). And do not forget to smile! Or something like this.

 

Funny. Compassion is not only to be nice, lovely, kind, smiling.... It sometimes can look like the opposite. Or shall I smile at my kid when it runs onto the street? Shall I accept whatever anybody does to me? Shall I not stop somebody when I do know he is going to kill 10 people? No chance to say no?

 

Interesting concept - which in my very very humble opinion does not lead to happiness. Neither yours not mine.

 

I hope those words were not too harsh.

 

Have a nice day

 

Judith

 

Hello Juju,

 

The idea is that you are as compassionate as possible in every action. You do not insult or belittle others to prove a point, but rather state your point. In all things show compassion, even when you are correcting your child. I used to believe in corporal punishment, but recently I've changed my opinion. I don't think there is any incident that justifies striking a child or screaming at a child, even if they run out in traffic. There are ways to discipline that teach without humiliating or harming the child.

 

Now in my non-Buddhist opinion, compassion is not always black and white, in fact compassion is intricately linked to cruelty. Because of this it is easy for us to interpret acts of cruelty as being acts of compassion.

 

I've said this before and I'll say it again, hold nothing sacred and nothing can be profane. Don't call yourself one thing or another and you will not be held to any standards. If you choose to call yourself a Buddhist, then don't be upset if someone points out that you are not following the tenants of your religion.

 

Aaron

 

edit- Being a little submissive is also a sign of humility, that you are not holding yourself to be more important than another. That doesn't mean if someone is hitting you, that you don't stop them, just that, again, you do everything as compassionately as possible, with no excuses.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Twinner

[juju]

Direction Rigpa?

see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigpa

[ralis]

see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigpa

 

I understand about Rigpa and am not certain what you mean by a direction.

[steve]

It is exactly like that. I soften the gaze and withdraw my focus slightly behind my eyes. The jaw is relaxed and the tongue is suspended in the space of the mouth. The visual focus is at a point neither external or internal. Actually both at once is correct. I would say it is like the vastness of space inside and outside i.e, no separation, the universe passes through me, a feeling as if the physical body will dissolve, are vain attempts to describe a non verbal experience. Very difficult to quantify.

 

That practice can be used with physical objects as well.

Are you doing anything other than what you describe with your awareness/intent?

[Pero]

That's the comment. But also examine your intent, the way your comments come across.

So a bunch of other people say things much more likely to be insulting, and much more often, and you go at me for one comment? Are you afraid of the others or something?

 

Thanks for the reminder about examining the intention though. And I mean that. Perhaps that was an insulting comment, I'm not entirely sure. But I didn't want to intentionally insult Seth, I actually like him otherwise.

 

 

The fact is you're attached to the topic and that's fine,

It's a fact?

 

In any case, you would do well to apply your advices to yourself.

[juju]

Hello Juju,

 

The idea is that you are as compassionate as possible in every action. You do not insult or belittle others to prove a point, but rather state your point. In all things show compassion, even when you are correcting your child. I used to believe in corporal punishment, but recently I've changed my opinion. I don't think there is any incident that justifies striking a child or screaming at a child, even if they run out in traffic. There are ways to discipline that teach without humiliating or harming the child.

 

Now in my non-Buddhist opinion, compassion is not always black and white, in fact compassion is intricately linked to cruelty. Because of this it is easy for us to interpret acts of cruelty as being acts of compassion.

 

I've said this before and I'll say it again, hold nothing sacred and nothing can be profane. Don't call yourself one thing or another and you will not be held to any standards. If you choose to call yourself a Buddhist, then don't be upset if someone points out that you are not following the tenants of your religion.

 

Aaron

 

Dear Aaron,

 

I do not recall Buddhism a religion. It rather is a philosophy, which offers a vast amount of techniques to reach at certain points. I do practice some of them. And I do trust and belief in the ideas behind that. Which makes me, in your idea, a Buddhist :-)

 

I can understand what you mean, but please try to step one step out of yourself - and read your posts like if they were addressed to you.

I at least find there somebody preaching, saying how others have to behave, knowing everything better. I do not know what you do believe in - but I imagine that you cannot hold all of the ideas in there. Are you never ever angry? Are you always loving your neighbour as yourself?

I get this feeling that you do not like Buddhists, for which reason ever. That you expect us to be always aware of everything. And that you think you know how we have to behave. Which is weird. I do not say everybody in this forum behaves well. LIke in all forums and in real world. But honestly said, I think you are somewhere over the top as well.

I do not think I insulted anybody. If I did - I am sorry. I just have my way to talk - and it might come across sometimes not just caring and loving. Exactly like yours is quite heavy as well.

Just think how easy it is to feel insulted, when actually nobody ever did it.

Me for example - I could feel a little insulted by your first post. You do not even say what I did "wrong", you just say we all do not follow the right path. I actually do not think you really wanted to insult me - but with you're preaching and knowing all better-attitude you did put your finger on some point.

Ok - what now?

Never ever speak again with anybody until we are all enlightened? Or accept that we all are people who struggle, who fight (mainly without reason), who do stupid things out of fear, out of ego - and who learn everyday something more.

[juju]

I understand about Rigpa and am not certain what you mean by a direction.

 

As I still do not have so much idea about Rigpa - I just ask myself if your practice is about that.