Documentary on Samadhi

Takuan

I recently came across this documentary about samadhi and figured I'd post it. I was pretty interested until... well you'll see. Lets just say the events at the end are rather sketchy. I don't want to spoil it.
http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/filmedia/play/217/Samadhi

person

If its real, he puts David Blaine to shame. I believe that through deep meditation one can suspend or incredibly slow the physical processes of the body. I wish he would do these things under scientific controls to either debunk or give faith like he says is his motive.

As for the dissapearing act. Lets see it without the curtains closed, and he could easily be under the bench. If he really did dematerialize why wasn't his underwear left on the bench too and how did his robe get back around his waist unless he wasn't in samadhi and put it back on himself.

DaltheJigsaw

Thanks for sharing!

jgpp

Something seems fishy.

dharma

As for the dissapearing act. Lets see it without the curtains closed, and he could easily be under the bench. If he really did dematerialize why wasn't his underwear left on the bench too

lol..

and how did his robe get back around his waist unless he wasn't in samadhi and put it back on himself.

There is just too much of this kind of show there. It's like a circus.

jll

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/godman-turning-black-money-to-white/39841-3.html

jgpp

If true, how could a corrupt "baba" get so close to the Dalai Lama?

jgpp

delete

Vajraheart

That lady Yogini who went under the ground came back looking the same, clean, no longer nails, etc. Come on now.

Vajraheart

If true, how could a corrupt "baba" get so close to the Dalai Lama?

The Dalai Lama will sit with anybody, come on. He's not all stuck up.

DhammaDhatu

What! He was a fraud! Still, it was a nice video. Thanks

Mr_Serenity

I knew a yogi monk who said he experienced Samadhi twice. He explained it as an actual physical event, rather than just a mental one. He said it felt like an egg inside his head had cracked and then all this white liquid was just pouring all over his head. But at the same time that this happened he said he felt immense bliss and unconditional happiness more than anything you can imagine.

That after he experienced that twice animals became attracted to him whenever he meditated or would do yoga in the park they would run to him. Even dragging their owners with their dogs on a leash just to gather around him. He also said after that when he made the effort he could hear what people were thinking without them talking. Even without them knowing him he could still hear their thoughts.

I knew this monk pretty well. He told some great stories, and was very well spoken. But I have to say even if he did have powers he did not come across as enlightened as you would think of it. By that I mean he was still impatient to the point of not being very cool or nice at times. He was also a germaphobe. He had all types of rituals he would do with water and alcohol to try not to get colds. He would never eat meat under any circumstance, and he would always talk about ethics, and talk people down who he thought weren't ethical. Yet he would walk around for many months without an I.D. and no money, and whenever you suggested to him ways to get a valid I.D. he would argue it.

So in my opinion, even if he did actually experience samadhi, it didn't elevate him to a state that came across as enlightened. To me Ajahn Brahm is one of those people that come across that way.

person

Just for the record, while I really don't believe he dematerialized and am at least a little sceptical whether that box was really airtight, I don't doubt that Pilot Baba and the lady yogini are genuinly spiritual people with genuine meditative experience. As Mr Serenity says just because someone has some deep samadhi experience and developed some siddhi's doesn't automatically free them from their delusions. It seems likely to me that Pilot Baba was in deep meditation most of the time, and since he believes in the power of meditation to transform people's lives, it doesn't seem that far fetched to think he would fake his dematerialization in order to cause faith in others.

dharma

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/godman-turning-black-money-to-white/39841-3.html

Hi jil,
Thanks for sharing , I wasn't aware of this article about the Pilot Baba in discussion:

"New Delhi: Thousands put their trust in them. But few can imagine some of our country's revered God-men are common criminals running very clever money laundering racket.

Former wing commander Kapil Advait, who fought for India in the 1965 and 1971 wars, later became a spiritual baba revered by thousands as Pilot Baba. But a CNN IBN-Cobrapost investigation unmasked this Godman.

Pilot Baba says, "I will give you a cheque of whatever amount you need as long as you can convert it to white money.”

CNN-IBN investigation team posed as corporate agents and approached Pilot Baba's henchman Jyoti in Delhi. The investigation team told him that it could convert Rs 10 crore of black money to white. Jyoti demanded Rs 30 lakh commission to fix a deal with the baba and a meeting with pilot baba was fixed.

CNN-IBN: Tell us what is the kind of deal that you would like?

Pilot Baba: It depends on the percentage of returns. I have been offered 20, 30 and 50 percent in the past.

CNN-IBN: There is hardly any margin in 20 per cent.

Pilot Baba: That's for you to decide.

CNN-IBN: Will ten per cent do?

Pilot Baba: No.

CNN-IBN: Not on ten?

Pilot Baba: Why take so much risk just for 10 per cent.

Pilot Baba blatantly admitted to laundering money for foreign firms.

Pilot Baba says, "Companies from Japan and America want us to convert hundreds of crore into white money."

Not just multinational corporations but also politicians of repute - a former prime minister, two former chief ministers and a ruling chief minister - this Godman claims they are all his followers.

"We have access to politicians who give Rs 500 crore bring down governments and buy off MPs," Pilot Baba adds.

CNN-IBN: Tell us who all are special?

Pilot Baba: All of them.

CNN-IBN: As you told us N D Tiwari also puts money.

Pilot Baba: All of them whether it is Mulayam or Mayawati, everybody needs us.

Pilot Baba: I know Narayna Dut Tiwari since long for the last forty years. Since Tiwari was on the streets. N D Tiwari, Murli Manohar joshi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee - I know them all since long.

The Pilot Baba also boasted about his connections with criminals.

Pilot Baba: I am from Bihar from a royal family not just anybody. I have contacts. I can fix anyone who tries to mess with me.

Even as fraudulent God-men like pilot baba indulge in corrupt and criminal activities all in the name of God. Thousands flock to them for spiritual guidance. And yet, these false men of God betray their trust."

jgpp

If true, how could a corrupt "baba" get so close to the Dalai Lama?

The Dalai Lama will sit with anybody, come on. He's not all stuck up.

Sorry should have made myself more clear.

I was just thinking there would be some sort of filtering process to prevent potentially "corrupt" spiritual people from being able to "climb up the ranks" per say.

"My Holiness, I'm pleased to introduce to you Pilot Baba, who just last week dematerialized into thin air.. twice"

I guess there is no real hard factual evidence of him being corrupt but you know what I'm saying.

dharma

There is just too much pomp and show.

compassionate_warrior

I liked the science part of this. As far as slowing one's bodily functions, that's just a technique, it's not necessarily evidence that someone has reached Samadhi, or a bliss state. The physiological doesn't tell us anything about what's going on psycho-emotionally.

DhammaDhatu

Cause & effect. When the mental formations within the body are calmed, bliss comes. It cannot be otherwise. :om:

mugzy

Slightly off-topic, but I don't understand the "black money to white money" business... does that mean illegal (ie black market money) to legal money?