How the Buddha Became Enlightened.

[Tibetan_Ice]

They might mind when my six white horses dooz poops and raise some dusts!! haha!!

 

I got some nice welcomes there and a passive aggressive pass from chrisd

 

Their student-teachers need the practice~ hehe. I got an email (not just a PM), from some one saying I can't respond to questions

 

eh God knows I don't need the practice!

 

Hhahhahhahahhahhaa!!! evidently I poked vision-boy a good one!! hahahaa!! Ya can't see shit TI!! hahahaaa!! A fcukin waiter? I wait, yup damn right waitin ta die in front of this 100 kilo full-dress Panavision cAmeRa!! Wanna tip (º )( º)?

 

yer can'ts has juss ONE!! ahhahhahaa!!

 

 

 

 

 

ed note: add some sasses

Let's see, white apron.. burns on your arms.. Taking orders... Waiter...

[GrandmasterP]

"Enlightenment is a verb! It is not a fence one vaults over and can then operate on auto-pilot."

(Peter Coyote, Zen priest and actor).

Edited May 11, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[Mystique Enigma]

There is another story of Buddha's student .....

 

Ananda was the Buddha's personal attendent for the last 20 plus years of the Buddha's life. Besides attending to the Buddha's personal needs, his other duties included representing Buddha on occasions, memorizing the Buddha's speeches, repeating the Buddha's speeches in his absence, and being messager for the Buddha. So, he really had a very busy job!

 

He was so busy that he didn't even have time for his own practice. [Ed - Even without any spiritual cultivation, Ananda was said to be the kindest and most loving of all Buddha's disciples. I suspect he didn't have any time for himself partly coz he spent his free time helping other people]. So by the time the Buddha died, Ananda had still not attained Enlightenment. When the Buddha was dying, Ananda cried. In contrast, enlightened monks accepted it with calmness.

 

Anyway, only after the Buddha died did Ananda find time for his own practice. At that time, the Arahat Maha Kassapa, another one of Buddha's main disciples, was organizing the First Buddhist Council, a gathering of all Buddhist monks to organize and consolidate all of Buddha's teachings. Ananda was determined that he wanted to be Enlightened by the time of the Council. So everyday, he meditated very hard.

 

As the day of the Council was drawing closer and closer, Ananda still seem nowhere near Enlightenment.

The night before the Council, Ananda tried very very hard. But still, he was getting nowhere. It was getting late. Finally, he decided, "Maybe I'll relax and work for Enlightenment after the Council. There is no need to hurry now". Thinking so, he laid down to rest.

 

It was said that the moment his head touched the pillow, he attained Enlightenment.

[deci belle]

I could be wrong, but wasn't Ananda foremost of all the Buddha's disciples in terms of intellectual understanding of the Buddha's teachings?

[Tibetan_Ice]

There is another story of Buddha's student .....

 

Ananda was the Buddha's personal attendent for the last 20 plus years of the Buddha's life. Besides attending to the Buddha's personal needs, his other duties included representing Buddha on occasions, memorizing the Buddha's speeches, repeating the Buddha's speeches in his absence, and being messager for the Buddha. So, he really had a very busy job!

 

He was so busy that he didn't even have time for his own practice. [Ed - Even without any spiritual cultivation, Ananda was said to be the kindest and most loving of all Buddha's disciples. I suspect he didn't have any time for himself partly coz he spent his free time helping other people]. So by the time the Buddha died, Ananda had still not attained Enlightenment. When the Buddha was dying, Ananda cried. In contrast, enlightened monks accepted it with calmness.

 

Anyway, only after the Buddha died did Ananda find time for his own practice. At that time, the Arahat Maha Kassapa, another one of Buddha's main disciples, was organizing the First Buddhist Council, a gathering of all Buddhist monks to organize and consolidate all of Buddha's teachings. Ananda was determined that he wanted to be Enlightened by the time of the Council. So everyday, he meditated very hard.

 

As the day of the Council was drawing closer and closer, Ananda still seem nowhere near Enlightenment.

The night before the Council, Ananda tried very very hard. But still, he was getting nowhere. It was getting late. Finally, he decided, "Maybe I'll relax and work for Enlightenment after the Council. There is no need to hurry now". Thinking so, he laid down to rest.

 

It was said that the moment his head touched the pillow, he attained Enlightenment.

 

I thought Ananda couldn't be enlightened because he was a pandaka..

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_homosexuality

 

References to pandaka, a deviant sex/gender category that is usually interpreted to include homosexual males, can be found throughout the Pali canon as well as other Sanskrit scriptures.[70] Leonard Zwilling refers extensively to Buddhaghosa's Samantapasadika, where pandaka are described as being filled with defiled passions and insatiable lusts, and are dominated by their libido. Some texts of the Abhidharma state that a pandaka cannot achieve enlightenment in their own lifetime, (but must wait for rebirth as a "normal" man or woman) and Asanga and Vasubandhu discussed if a pandaka was able to be enlightened or not. According to one scriptural story, AnandaBuddha's cousin and disciplewas a pandaka in one of his many previous lives.

 

Buddism seems to be full of contradictions, doesn't it?

[GrandmasterP]

I could be wrong, but wasn't Ananda foremost of all the Buddha's disciples in terms of intellectual understanding of the Buddha's teachings?

 

Behave!

 

:-)

[steve]

I thought Ananda couldn't be enlightened because he was a pandaka..

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_homosexuality

 

 

Buddism seems to be full of contradictions, doesn't it?

 

What's more important than Buddhism being full of contradictions is that people are lacking in compassion.

[GrandmasterP]

"When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That's the message he is sending."

(Thich Nhất Hạnh).

Edited May 12, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[steve]

"When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That's the message he is sending."

(Thich Nhất Hạnh).

So true - in my work and relationships I do try to be mindful of this.

It can be challenging at times.

 

His Holiness, the Dalai Lama:

“Now there are many, many people in the world, but relatively few with whom we interact, and even fewer who cause us problems. So when you come across such a chance for practicing patience and tolerance, you should treat it with gratitude. It is rare. Just as having unexpectedly found a treasure in your own house, you should be happy and grateful toward your enemy for providing you that precious opportunity. Because if you are ever to be successful in your practice of patience and tolerance, which are critical factors in counteracting negative emotions, it is due to your own efforts and also the opportunity provided by your enemy.”

Not sure I would have described this experience and opportunity as "rare" but that is probably due to my inexperience and relative lack of progress on the path...

[deci belle]

Baqiao said to the assembly, "If you have a staff, I'll give you the staff; if you have no staff, I'll take your staff away."

 

Hongzhi said, "If you know, all know; if you don't know, all don't know."

 

 

I'm not like this. I say, If you have eyes, I'll see them; if you have no eyes, I'll poke them out.

 

 

 

 

 

ed note: typo in last line; then change last line to suit Tibetan Ice's vision of my penchant for poking eyes

Edited May 13, 2014 by deci belle

[deci belle]

First of all , enlightenment is the nature of awareness. As such, all are already enlightened. If you're not already dead, your own mind is the nature of enlightenment.

 

The only reason anybody hasn't yet realized their nature is because they have a self. It has nothing to do with being a certain kind (whatever a pandaka might be). Being is the problem. Realizing your nature is seeing that discriminatory consciousness is the cause of your existence.

 

No mind = no self = poofs Awareness doesn't go anywhere. Endeavor to see this.

[Jetsun]

My understanding is that the Buddha tried everything he could to either improve or get away from the present moment, but failed to do so and in that failure he relaxed his argument with reality and awakened.

[steve]

In some ways I think we tend to spend too much time worrying about what the Buddha may or may not have done and too little time working with the glaring opportunities in our own lives.

[C T]

its a utility issue, most times.

[deci belle]

All the buddha did was see his nature; nothing too special there as there have always been those who are born knowing.

 

The ONLY reason we even hear of this one is the supposed accessibility of his teaching.

 

Whatever.

 

It's your own mind. There is no intermediary to speak of. Furthermore, there are no words. IT is no words.

 

The first two lines of Master Lu's Hundred Character Tablet say:

 

Nurturing energy, forget words and guard it.

Conquer the mind, do nondoing.

[Tibetan_Ice]

His last admonition to the monks

"Now, O bhikkhus, I say to you that these teachings of which I have direct knowledge and which I have made known to you these you should thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice, that the life of purity may be established and may long endure, for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of gods and men.

 

"And what, bhikkhus, are these teachings? They are the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four constituents of psychic power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path. These, bhikkhus, are the teachings of which I have direct knowledge, which I have made known to you, and which you should thoroughly learn, cultivate, develop, and frequently practice, that the life of purity may be established and may long endure, for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit, well being, and happiness of gods and men."

 

Then the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus: "So, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness. The time of the Tathagata's Parinibbana is near. Three months hence the Tathagata will utterly pass away."

 

DN 16

[GrandmasterP]

A Special Transmission Outside the Scriptures.

Talk by Tenshin Reb Anderson here....

http://rebanderson.org/talks.html

[Gerard]

Hi,

I'm so excited! I found a passage where the Buddha tells the story of how he became enlightened.

 

What I find exciting about it is that Buddha worked on obtaining his enlightenment. He worked with the Light and the Visions. Through trial and error, he gradually learned how to make the Light and the Visions remain. He learned how to penetrate the Light. The Light!!! (now I'm once again mad at AYP for parroting so many times that the Light is just scenery and should be ignored). Oh well..

 

I also ask myself, if Buddha got enlightened by working hard, analysing and finally determining the factors that caused the Light and the Visions to remain, then why isn't everyone using this method?

 

If it were that easy...

 

It's about overcoming all unwholesome mental factors and fetters. This is what you should be focusing on.

 

The method doesn't matter (of course there are better methods that others, in fact a lot better so try to use these, if you can).

 

I have been pulled back twice when trying to reach out nirvana in meditation via exiting the central channel, so my focus has been the above. When ready the main goal will be logical result of careful and disciplined practice which results from completely removing: regret, anger, pride, distraction, etc. Here's the whole list:

 

Mental factors.

[C T]

There is actually no need to identify mental fetters in the process of eliminating them.

 

The Buddha said to create, (in this present moment, now) the causes for happiness and the end of suffering. No analysis is necessary.

 

The way to practice creating causes for happiness is to understand what the Paramitas are, and applying them mindfully in life. Doing so, repeatedly, with a joyful disposition, the fetters will fade gradually, falling away naturally in time, like an old scab.

 

What are the Paramitas? http://www.naljorprisondharmaservice.org/pdf/SixParamitas.htm

[flowing hands]

True enlightenment cannot be achieved until the body dies. One's experience is limited by having a body. All beings can only be appointed a Buddha or Immortal Etc. by the Jade Emperor, who will measure the life's work and experience and give everlasting life (in spirit form) or not.

[子泰]

True enlightenment cannot be achieved until the body dies. One's experience is limited by having a body. All beings can only be appointed a Buddha or Immortal Etc. by the Jade Emperor, who will measure the life's work and experience and give everlasting life (in spirit form) or not.

how do they get appointed?

[GrandmasterP]

Competitive examination followed by a rigorous interview stage.

Hope that helps.

 

;-)

Edited May 26, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[steve]

Competitive examination followed by a rigorous interview stage.

Hope that helps.

 

;-)

 

Extra points for style and fashion as well.

Oh, and a little something under the table never hurts.

[GrandmasterP]

Pass with Distinction.

You got the job Steve.

( Our cousin Joe says to say 'Hi' BTW)

:-)

Edited May 26, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[flowing hands]

how do they get appointed?

One's life and past lives are the culmination of experience and knowledge. If one was to grant power to an unwise person who was weak and unable to control themselves or unable to use that power wisely, then what would be the benefit of appointing someone with a title and great power? So for instance in the case of Buddha, he reached a very high stage in self cultivation as a mortal, but the blueprint for Immortality requires that human or life forms must have many attributes to achieve a title of Immortal; that's not just a differing perception that one might perceive as enlightenment. Alot of talk goes on this site about certain teachings and levels of achievement and that's what it really only is. Such great debate about Mo Pai and meditation; well achieving 'power' though meditation is actually only the beginner stage. Mind you, one can spend many lifetimes doing this! There must be control, especially when beings enter into states that allows them to have ultimate power. I am talking about power that can create universes, like the Christians think there God did. Such a person needs to be very wise and there needs to be certain controls put upon that power. The title of 'Immortal' is not given lightly and is the highest title in the Heavens because of the power that comes with it. The Buddha's may live in the western paradise but they have to come under the control of the Daoist Heaven. We must remember that some of the Daoist Immortals predate even the existence of our Earth.