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I think it makes sense Wickwoman, but... here is what I've resigned myself to at this point in time....
Nobody knows what happens. There may be teachings that refer to something else happening - but as far as I can tell - no one has come back to tell us what it is. I do know there are reincarnations of various figures from the past - but I honestly have a hard time accepting this as "being so".
So, until something else is proven (other than by hearsay) or I have an epiphany, I live with the mindset that - "this" is it.
It sucks in a way - but I find that I take some comfort at this time (and I know this form of "comfort" is just clinging or desire for this "self") that I will carry on through my child, my loved ones, and my actions in this time.
That's about all I can hope (I know... bad "clinging" word) for at this moment.
I agree w/you BF. I have experiencing a lot a frustration towards Buddhists who I consider nothing more than religionists in Buddhist attire. I don't mean to sound so critical. But it bothers me to see it disguised as Buddhism. Recently, I had a great opportunity to listen to a talk by Mu Sueng. (He has an article on the Spring issue of Tricycle). It was surprising to me how some of the crowd had very strong opposition to the teachings of no self. I just wanted to stand up and yell "well, take yourself over to the Baptist church with that stuff." I think I have too much energy going in the opposite direction right now. Need to shift back to middle.
I think about death in the sense that it's going to happen. No matter the religion, there is a teaching that 'something' happens: Rebirth, heaven, etc. When my time comes, what will I have to look back on?
I don't worry about what exactly happens after death. As BF stated, no ne really knows. I feel a need to concentrate on my daily life now, rather then compare notes with master teachers.
The quote from the book on page 38 sums it up well, I think.
I think about death in the sense that it's going to happen. No matter the religion, there is a teaching that 'something' happens: Rebirth, heaven, etc. When my time comes, what will I have to look back on?
I don't worry about what exactly happens after death. As BF stated, no ne really knows. I feel a need to concentrate on my daily life now, rather then compare notes with master teachers.
The quote from the book on page 38 sums it up well, I think.
Rebirth is not 'you' coming back. It's the same process that's happening right now. The you who you think you are does not exist. As to "no one really knows" - Buddhism is about knowing and yes, some do know.
I think of existance, and awareness, as a continuum. There are different phases of that continuum, called 'bardo's. There are great bardos...'life' and 'death'...represented as day and night and each has 12 hours on the clock. But every hour, every minute can be considered a seperate bardo...and yet part of a larger whole.
The bardos each have unique qualities and opportunities, but the thing to focus on is what keeps us from transitioning smoothly between the bardos. That is the important work of us normal folks. We become 'aware' doing our work (purifying ourselves, removing obstructions) and get glimpses, like a clear day, of the before and after.
I think of existance, and awareness, as a continuum. There are different phases of that continuum, called 'bardo's. There are great bardos...'life' and 'death'...represented as day and night and each has 12 hours on the clock. But every hour, every minute can be considered a seperate bardo...and yet part of a larger whole.
The bardos each have unique qualities and opportunities, but the thing to focus on is what keeps us from transitioning smoothly between the bardos. That is the important work of us normal folks.
Yes, thank you. I knew that.
My point was that at this time I don't put much energy into what happensafter death. I am concentrating on the Eightfold Path..baby steps. If I do that, then no matter what happens, it will be better off....
Some yes. Yes isn't it also an experiential thing?
If I believe all that I hear, isn't that going on 'faith'?
Buddhism isn't faith.
Well said. The Dharma certainly is not faith in the usual sense. Faith in the Buddhist sense means informed trust and confidence not belief. Belief is an impediment to practice.
Dharmma the cat is a character from a comic strip used to teach Dharmma. There is a thread the Simon started. Unfortantely, I cannot think of under which category....sorry.
Well said. The Dharma certainly is not faith in the usual sense. Faith in the Buddhist sense means informed trust and confidence not belief. Belief is an impediment to practice.
thanks, Genyru..
It's just that I grew up with "faith" shoved down my throat. So I am a little more concience about believing just by what I hear.
Yes, thank you. I knew that.
My point was that at this time I don't put much energy into what happensafter death. I am concentrating on the Eightfold Path..baby steps. If I do that, then no matter what happens, it will be better off....
As to "no one really knows" - Buddhism is about knowing and yes, some do know.
ZM... any chance you could give us a 'f'rinstance" on this point? That is, give us an example of one who does know, so that we might read, mark, learn & inwardly digest?
The simple answer is that any realized teacher will be someone who knows. If they don't, they shouldn't really be teaching, as clarifying this point is at the heart of practice. Tetsugen Roshi, or Bernie Roshi (as he now prefers to be called) for example, had his questions on this answered one day in a car that he was sharing as part of a car pool. He laughed and wept and generally behaved in a way that was, to say the least, to those who didn't know what was happening - very disturbing. He said that he was glad that he had his own office at work where he could shut the door and lie down for a while.
I don't know enough Vajrayana teachers to suggest one personally, but again, if they're realized, they'll know. So pretty much any teacher who has awakened will know and they're not uncommon, though the only ones I have met personally were from the Zen tradition.
Any such teacher that you approach though, in either the Vajrayana or Zen traditions, will require that you clarify this 'matter of birth and death' for yourself. They won't give theoretical or conceptual answers and will not generally entertain philosphical questions. Someone else's realization or answer is just that - someone elses - and has no power to help others realize for themselves. And that may well mean - if you approach a Zen teacher who uses koan training - that you will end up with a koan, and that will eventually, if you give yourself fully to the koan, force you to realize directly for yourself. That is not something that you might want to undertake without great consideration first, as you know. If you fully penetrate your first koan, you will understand intimately, in your bones, for yourself. You will know in the same way that someone 'knows' water after having drunk it.
This then might be appropriate:
The Gateless Gate (Mumonkan)
Case No 1 - Joshu's Dog
For the practice of Zen it is imperative that you pass through the barrier set up by the Ancestral Teachers. For subtle realization it is of the utmost importance that you cut off the mind road. If you do not pass the barrier of the ancestors, if you do not cut off the mind road, then you are a ghost clinging to bushes and grasses.
What is the barrier of the Ancestral Teachers? It is just this one word, "Mu" - the one barrier of our faith. We call it the Gateless Barrier of the Zen tradition. When you pass through this barrier, you will not only interview Chao-chou (Joshu) intimately. You will walk hand in hand with the Ancestral Teachers in the successive generations of our lineage - the hair of your eyebrows entangled with theirs, seeing with the same eyes, hearing with the same ears. Won't that be wonderful? Is there anyone who would not want to pass this barrier?
So then, make you whole body a mass of doubt, and with your three hundred sixty bones and joints and eighty-four thousand hair follicles, concentrate on this one word, "Mu." Day and night, keep digging into it. Don't consider it to be nothingness. Don't think in terms of "has" or "has not." It is like swallowing a read hot iron ball. You try to vomit it out, but you can't.
Gradually you purify yourself, eliminating mistaken knowledge and attitudes you have held from the past. Inside and outside become one. You are like a mute person who has had a dream - you know it for yourself alone.
Suddenly Mu breaks open. The heavens are astonished, the earth is shaken. It is as though you have snatched the great sword of General Kuan. When you meet the Buddha, you kill the Buddha. When you meet Bodhidharma, you kill Bodhidharma. At the very cliff edge of birth-and-death, you find the Great Freedom. In the Six Worlds and the Four Modes of Birth, you enjoy a samadhi of frolic and play. How, then should you work with it? Exhaust all your life energy on this one word, "Mu." If you do not falter, then it is done! A single spark lights your Dharma candle.
Wu-men's Verse
Dog, Buddha nature -
the full presentation of the whole
with a bit of "has" or "has not"
body is lost, life is lost.
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited March 2006
OK.
Thank you, as ever, for taking the time to spell it out.
I believe you.
ZM, since you're in the Zen tradition, I think we should have one smiley clubbing the other over the head with that stick. Wouldn't that be a cute Zen style smiley? :tonguec:
Last night reading, I found myself regretting the unavailability of a realized master. It seemed the book was saying there was just no way to realize the truth without one. And, here, even the head Dharma teacher is sick with cancer. She does not claim to have reached enlightenment, but she is a true Zen teacher. Zen teachers seem to be hard to come by. The others who are filling the gap in her absence are not Zen masters. And one dabbles in Catholicism and is very interested the the trappist monks and their traditions. I have no problem with dabblers but it seems we would have one pure Zen teacher in our group. It seems that's hard to come by around here.
Last night, I attended a Shambala meditation. I found their chants infused with all sorts of talk of reincarnation and winning battles with the gods and demigods. I wasn't too wild about that either. I guess I'm church hunting again just like when I was a disastisfied Christian. Sometimes, I think practice might best be done in the privacy of my home. I could chant the heart sutra and other chants as the mood struck me. But, the need for a teacher continues to trouble me.
I too wish I had the advantage of having a teacher. Sometimes I would like to TALK face to face with someone who knows! Don't get me wrong...I ADORE everyone here and have a tremendous amount of respect for this sangha. But very often I feel I need an in-person guide....:(
Silly question....
What does LMAO mean? I have seen several times....
Not silly. I have no idea and I would like to know. I think I've seen IIROC or something like that and I also wonder what that means. This internet language is difficult for old fogies like me.
ZM, since you're in the Zen tradition, I think we should have one smiley clubbing the other over the head with that stick. Wouldn't that be a cute Zen style smiley? :tonguec:
Last night reading, I found myself regretting the unavailability of a realized master. It seemed the book was saying there was just no way to realize the truth without one. And, here, even the head Dharma teacher is sick with cancer. She does not claim to have reached enlightenment, but she is a true Zen teacher. Zen teachers seem to be hard to come by. The others who are filling the gap in her absence are not Zen masters. And one dabbles in Catholicism and is very interested the the trappist monks and their traditions. I have no problem with dabblers but it seems we would have one pure Zen teacher in our group. It seems that's hard to come by around here.
Last night, I attended a Shambala meditation. I found their chants infused with all sorts of talk of reincarnation and winning battles with the gods and demigods. I wasn't too wild about that either. I guess I'm church hunting again just like when I was a disastisfied Christian. Sometimes, I think practice might best be done in the privacy of my home. I could chant the heart sutra and other chants as the mood struck me. But, the need for a teacher continues to trouble me.
Wickwoman...
The only thing I have to say is: I have heard of one person who attained enlightenment without a teacher. His name was Siddartha.
While I don't put myself in the same category as Siddartha - we do know it is possible.
Elohim put a great post up about how we need to realize that there are teachers out there who honestly wish to help others - and teachers out there for their own gain/ego/power/etc.
Maybe we'll never gain enlightenment in this life (and it may be the only one!) but I still honestly believe that Buddha's teachings can make living this life much better than wandering around in suffering for a lifetime.
I just received my copy in the mail!!!!! YYAAAYYYY!!!!
SOOOO excited!!!
O.K. I'm in and since I have nothing else to do with my life I'll be cracking the whip!!
I'll be up to date by Monday!!
BTW, I am soooo loving the copy of this book. The binding is nice and flexible and the pages are tall, so it'll be easy to read lying down. (I'm soooo excited!!!! YYYaaaayyyy!!!)
Love,
Brigid
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited March 2006
As I recall, it was really this chapter which hit me between the eyes first of all.. the one that confirmed to me that this book had been written solely for me... it's really brilliant in its simple and gentle teaching.
I love it - especially the poem...
Can't wait to start discussing it.
please guys: remember to stay on topic. It makes for an easier and more fluid discussion...
thanks.
0
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited March 2006
The story of poor Krisha Gautami had an impact on me when I first read it, and this impact has neither changed nor lessened...in fact, the more I come to understand that Death = Life, the more her story holds poignancy and relevance...
I still find it unsettling to know that I will lose both my parents one day. They are now both elderly, and given the age-gap (and should things proceed 'normally') it seems more than likely that my 85-year-old father will die first, and that my 74-year-old mother will outlive him.
I am still saddened and upset by the prospect of losing them, but I am far more resigned to it and accepting of the normal course of events which will doubtless unfold before me.
What also saddens me, for her, is that my mother is acutely aware of the passing of time...she is conscious not only of her own mortality, but that of my father - and she is reluctant to relinquish this Life... it distresses her to be ageing....and I feel far more sorry for her, for this reason, than being sorrowful at the prospect of her dying.
Sogyal Rinpoché touches on near-death experiences, and inspite of his long experience in deep and total study and recognition of re-birth and impermanence, he does or says nothing to dispute or dismiss these peoples' experiences.... he quotes and accepts them, which I find to be a wonderful example of the Compassion and understanding we should all develop for the belief structures of other people... We as Buddhists may have completely rejected the existence of God and an afterlife - we may well have concluded that re-birth is the most evident consequence for an unenlightened being, and that Heaven is not a viable reality....But the way in which S.R. has discussed these experiences is both Dignified and respectful.
I love the 'Autobiography in 5 Chapters'..... It is a simple and punchy indication of Karma... and the consequences to those who do not accept responsibility for their actions, against the consequences of finally seeing things as they are...!
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result"...
and -
"A thought is only a thought - and a thought can be changed"
- are but two of the modern, hip, pseudo-psychological ways of expressing a philosophy which has existed since approximately 530 years BC....
But the paragraph which really took a metaphorical grip of my shoulders and gave them a good shake, was this one:
"Contemplating Impermanence is not enough: You have to work with it in your life. Just as medical studies require both thery and practise, so does life; and in life the practical training is here, is now, in the laboratory of change. As changes occur we learn to look at them with a new understanding; and though they will still g on arising just as they did before, something in us will be different. The whole situation will now be more relaxed, les intense and painful; even the impact of the changes we go through we will find less shocking.With each successive change, we realise a little bit more, and our view of living becomes deeper, and more spacious."
(P. 34, 2002 Revised & updated edition, final paragraph before 'Working with Changes' section of Ch. 3)
The next bit about the coin is also a very good example of accepting and having things without grasping....
The remainder of the Chapter is perhaps for someone else to comment on... as well as that which I have already illustrated....
I think we just started 3, wickwoman....
I don't have my book with me, so I will have to wait to comment later this evening...
I have a ton of folded pages and underlined passages!
I found Ch. 3 'familiar' to me in it's lessons. The touching story of Krisha Gautami reminded me that in the old days infant mortality was very high. I've often wondered what life must have been like in the old days....before modern medicine and antibiotics. An awareness of mortality and impermanence must have been more prevalent.
I have so many pages folded and paragraphs highlighted, I feel like I'm back in college!
I too favored the biography in 5 chapters...it explains so well how we live today!
Awhile back I mentioned the paragraph on page 31 beginning with, "Tibetans Buddhists believe...". Knowing that different branches of Buddhism may have another stream of thought, I was VERY suprised when I read this. I posted this a few weeks ago...I family I know has worked very hard for the good fortune they have (monetary). Their family is close, intelligent, and kind. However, unfortunate events seem to always be plagueing them. A son( in-law) and grandson (15 years old) have both passed on from cancer; near fatal car accidents. This paragraph goes on to say that cancer can be thought of as a warning, "to remind us that we are neglecting deep aspects of our being, such as spiritual needs". ...I'm puzzled....is any one else on that comment? What threw me off was applying this thought to the 15 year old...
I especially enjoyed the section, "The Heartbeat of Death". The author tells us to think about death now, when we are healthy, be comfortable with it, embrace it.
I often find myself attached to things or people trying my darndest not to loose it/them...when I do, I feel that great loss. Even if I 'keep it' there is often that resentment toward the other person for NOT appreciating MY work!! so, when I read the analogy about holding the coin (page 34), a LIGHT WENT ON! I had to write that one down in my journal..twice!:uphand:
I have so many pages folded and paragraphs highlighted, I feel like I'm back in college!
I too favored the biography in 5 chapters...it explains so well how we live today!
Awhile back I mentioned the paragraph on page 31 beginning with, "Tibetan Buddhists believe...". Knowing that different branches of Buddhism may have another stream of thought, I was VERY suprised when I read this. I posted this a few weeks ago...1 family I know has worked very hard for the good fortune they have (monetary). Their family is close, intelligent, and kind. However, unfortunate events seem to always be plagueing them. A son( in-law) and grandson (15 years old) have both passed on from cancer; near fatal car accidents. This paragraph goes on to say that cancer can be thought of as a warning, "to remind us that we are neglecting deep aspects of our being, such as spiritual needs". ...I'm puzzled....is any one else on that comment? What threw me off was applying this thought to the 15 year old...
Cancer is a warning. You can no longer take anything for granted if you know that death is part of life. However, if Sogyal is saying that we cause our own cancer, other than contributing to it through stress and so forth, then I'd say that this was new age twaddle of the worst kind.
No, I didn't get that impression. I felt he was saying that illnesses like cancer are wake up calls. But I'm still only in the middle of chapter 3 so I'll see. When I think of my injury, which is not life threatening but definitely life changing, I know it was a wake up call. I also feel it was self inflicted but not necessarily deliberately. It was a result of my own actions and it forced me to change the way I do everything, a fact for which I'll be forever grateful.
I have no comments yet on the content but I must say that I really love the way he writes. I find it captivating, like reading a novel.
I'll write more when I finish this chapter.
Brigid
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited March 2006
Yes, that's how I felt....
Many lament the advent of old age and disease, (things the Buddha witnessed when he first ventured forth from his home) but they can be marvellous signposts for us to really see things as they are -and to appraise and really understand for ourselves the Truths of Impermanence and Suffering.... But 'the secret awaits for eyes unclouded by longing'.... Cease to grasp at the things we so desperately cling to, and they remain ours without attachment... dwell instead, in the wonderful essence of Mind....
Comments
Brigid
Good. I was hoping nobody would post this: :bs:
Nobody knows what happens. There may be teachings that refer to something else happening - but as far as I can tell - no one has come back to tell us what it is. I do know there are reincarnations of various figures from the past - but I honestly have a hard time accepting this as "being so".
So, until something else is proven (other than by hearsay) or I have an epiphany, I live with the mindset that - "this" is it.
It sucks in a way - but I find that I take some comfort at this time (and I know this form of "comfort" is just clinging or desire for this "self") that I will carry on through my child, my loved ones, and my actions in this time.
That's about all I can hope (I know... bad "clinging" word) for at this moment.
-bf
-bf
P.S. Speaking of 'middle' - aren't we due for another Dharma the Cat post? I believe 'the path' was the last one we did!
Even on this site - there are little hiccups that happen with posts and such - and when you really think about it - what does it matter?
Is a post, someone elses thoughts, criticisms, etc. worth losing peace over? What does it "really" matter to me?
Then I try to do a little meditation. Seems to bring many things back into focus.
-bf
I don't worry about what exactly happens after death. As BF stated, no ne really knows. I feel a need to concentrate on my daily life now, rather then compare notes with master teachers.
The quote from the book on page 38 sums it up well, I think.
Who's Dharma the Cat?:scratch:
Rebirth is not 'you' coming back. It's the same process that's happening right now. The you who you think you are does not exist. As to "no one really knows" - Buddhism is about knowing and yes, some do know.
I think of existance, and awareness, as a continuum. There are different phases of that continuum, called 'bardo's. There are great bardos...'life' and 'death'...represented as day and night and each has 12 hours on the clock. But every hour, every minute can be considered a seperate bardo...and yet part of a larger whole.
The bardos each have unique qualities and opportunities, but the thing to focus on is what keeps us from transitioning smoothly between the bardos. That is the important work of us normal folks. We become 'aware' doing our work (purifying ourselves, removing obstructions) and get glimpses, like a clear day, of the before and after.
If I believe all that I hear, isn't that going on 'faith'?
Buddhism isn't faith.
Yes, thank you. I knew that.
My point was that at this time I don't put much energy into what happensafter death. I am concentrating on the Eightfold Path..baby steps. If I do that, then no matter what happens, it will be better off....
Well said. The Dharma certainly is not faith in the usual sense. Faith in the Buddhist sense means informed trust and confidence not belief. Belief is an impediment to practice.
Dharmma the cat is a character from a comic strip used to teach Dharmma. There is a thread the Simon started. Unfortantely, I cannot think of under which category....sorry.
thanks, Genyru..
It's just that I grew up with "faith" shoved down my throat. So I am a little more concience about believing just by what I hear.
Here's the thread Simon started for us.
http://www.newbuddhist.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1228
-bf
Yep, which attitude I wish were more prevalent than it is. I'm not equating it with simple cynicism either.
ZM... any chance you could give us a 'f'rinstance" on this point? That is, give us an example of one who does know, so that we might read, mark, learn & inwardly digest?
Just asking, not confronting.
Thank you.
I don't know enough Vajrayana teachers to suggest one personally, but again, if they're realized, they'll know. So pretty much any teacher who has awakened will know and they're not uncommon, though the only ones I have met personally were from the Zen tradition.
Any such teacher that you approach though, in either the Vajrayana or Zen traditions, will require that you clarify this 'matter of birth and death' for yourself. They won't give theoretical or conceptual answers and will not generally entertain philosphical questions. Someone else's realization or answer is just that - someone elses - and has no power to help others realize for themselves. And that may well mean - if you approach a Zen teacher who uses koan training - that you will end up with a koan, and that will eventually, if you give yourself fully to the koan, force you to realize directly for yourself. That is not something that you might want to undertake without great consideration first, as you know. If you fully penetrate your first koan, you will understand intimately, in your bones, for yourself. You will know in the same way that someone 'knows' water after having drunk it.
This then might be appropriate:
For the practice of Zen it is imperative that you pass through the barrier set up by the Ancestral Teachers. For subtle realization it is of the utmost importance that you cut off the mind road. If you do not pass the barrier of the ancestors, if you do not cut off the mind road, then you are a ghost clinging to bushes and grasses.
What is the barrier of the Ancestral Teachers? It is just this one word, "Mu" - the one barrier of our faith. We call it the Gateless Barrier of the Zen tradition. When you pass through this barrier, you will not only interview Chao-chou (Joshu) intimately. You will walk hand in hand with the Ancestral Teachers in the successive generations of our lineage - the hair of your eyebrows entangled with theirs, seeing with the same eyes, hearing with the same ears. Won't that be wonderful? Is there anyone who would not want to pass this barrier?
So then, make you whole body a mass of doubt, and with your three hundred sixty bones and joints and eighty-four thousand hair follicles, concentrate on this one word, "Mu." Day and night, keep digging into it. Don't consider it to be nothingness. Don't think in terms of "has" or "has not." It is like swallowing a read hot iron ball. You try to vomit it out, but you can't.
Gradually you purify yourself, eliminating mistaken knowledge and attitudes you have held from the past. Inside and outside become one. You are like a mute person who has had a dream - you know it for yourself alone.
Suddenly Mu breaks open. The heavens are astonished, the earth is shaken. It is as though you have snatched the great sword of General Kuan. When you meet the Buddha, you kill the Buddha. When you meet Bodhidharma, you kill Bodhidharma. At the very cliff edge of birth-and-death, you find the Great Freedom. In the Six Worlds and the Four Modes of Birth, you enjoy a samadhi of frolic and play. How, then should you work with it? Exhaust all your life energy on this one word, "Mu." If you do not falter, then it is done! A single spark lights your Dharma candle.
Wu-men's Verse
Dog, Buddha nature -
the full presentation of the whole
with a bit of "has" or "has not"
body is lost, life is lost.
Thank you, as ever, for taking the time to spell it out.
I believe you.
from:
One who doesn't know yet that she knows....
:poke:
"A single spark lights your Dharma candle."
Last night reading, I found myself regretting the unavailability of a realized master. It seemed the book was saying there was just no way to realize the truth without one. And, here, even the head Dharma teacher is sick with cancer. She does not claim to have reached enlightenment, but she is a true Zen teacher. Zen teachers seem to be hard to come by. The others who are filling the gap in her absence are not Zen masters. And one dabbles in Catholicism and is very interested the the trappist monks and their traditions. I have no problem with dabblers but it seems we would have one pure Zen teacher in our group. It seems that's hard to come by around here.
Last night, I attended a Shambala meditation. I found their chants infused with all sorts of talk of reincarnation and winning battles with the gods and demigods. I wasn't too wild about that either. I guess I'm church hunting again just like when I was a disastisfied Christian. Sometimes, I think practice might best be done in the privacy of my home. I could chant the heart sutra and other chants as the mood struck me. But, the need for a teacher continues to trouble me.
Oh...My....Uh...(Is it just me?)...The kids are using the word "poke" somewhat differently today...I guess you folks haven't heard that one yet...
L...M....A....O!!!!!
(Sorry for interrupting again. Couldn't help it!)
What does LMAO mean? I have seen several times....
Not silly. I have no idea and I would like to know. I think I've seen IIROC or something like that and I also wonder what that means. This internet language is difficult for old fogies like me.
AISI: As I See It
AOL: A--holes On Line
ASAP: As Soon As Possible
AWGTHTGTTA: Are We Going To Have To Go Through This Again
Ave: Hello (Latin)
B4: Before
BB: Blessed Be or Bright Blessings
BRB: Be Right Back
BTW: By The Way
BTWBO: Be There With Bells On
CIAO: Goodbye (Italyin Itlin Itlen Italian) :-)
CE?: Canadian, eh?
CUL: Catch You Later/See You Later
CWYL: Chat With You Later
DHYB: Don't Hold Your Breath
DQYDJ: Don't Quit You're Day Job
<EG>: Evil Grin
Failte: Welcome/Hello (Irish)
FE: Fatal Error
FWIW: For What It's Worth
FYI: For Your Information
GIGO: Garbage In, Garbage Out
GR&D: Grinning Running & Ducking
HAK: Hugs And Kisses
HHOK: Ha Ha, Only Kidding
HHO1/2K: Ha Ha, Only Half Kidding
HP: High Priest
HPS: High Priestess
HTH: Hope This Helps
IAC: In Any Case
IAE: In Any Event
IAO: I Am Outtahere
IBTD: I Beg To Differ
IIWM: If It Were Me
IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
IMNSHO: In My Not So Humble Opinion
IMO: In My Opinion
IOW: In Other Words
IRL: In Real Life
ISP: Internet Service Provider
j/k: Just kidding
KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid
L&L: Love and Light
LD: Long Distance
LMAO: Laughing My Ass Off
LMFAO: Laughing My F---ing Ass Off
LOL: Laughing Out Loud
MM: Merry Meet (Hello)
Moofie: Malicious Gremlins that cut your server connection.
MP: Merry Part (Goodbye)
MSN: Moofie Standard Network
Namaste: Hello (Hindu) The Divine in Me meets the Divine in You.
NBD: No Big Deal
NP: No Problem
NW: No Way
NRN: No Reply Necessary
OTOH: On The Other Hand
OWTTE: Or Words To That Effect
OZ: Australia
PDQ: Pretty Damn Quick
PITA: Pain In The A--
RBTL: Read Between The Lines
RML: Read my Lips
RMM: Read My Mail
ROFL: Rolling On Floor Laughing
ROFLMFAO: Rolling on Floor Laughing My F---ing A-- Off
ROTFL: Rolling On The Floor Laughing
SH: Sh-t Happens
SITD: Still In The Dark
Slan: Goodbye (Irish)
SysOp: System Operator
TANSTAAFL: There Ain't No Such Than A Free Lunch
TIA: Thanks In Advance
TIC: Tongue In Cheek
TTFN: Ta Ta For Now
TTYL: Talk to You Later
VI: Village Idiot
<VEG>: Very Evil Grin
<WEG>: Wicked Evil Grin
WMG: Where's My Glasses
WTSDS: Where The Sun Don't Shine
WYSIWYG: What You See Is What You Get
YGBK: You Gotta Be Kiddin'
YW: Your Welcome
There will be a test next Monday.
-bf
IMHO U did a GJ!
Wickwoman...
The only thing I have to say is: I have heard of one person who attained enlightenment without a teacher. His name was Siddartha.
While I don't put myself in the same category as Siddartha - we do know it is possible.
Elohim put a great post up about how we need to realize that there are teachers out there who honestly wish to help others - and teachers out there for their own gain/ego/power/etc.
Maybe we'll never gain enlightenment in this life (and it may be the only one!) but I still honestly believe that Buddha's teachings can make living this life much better than wandering around in suffering for a lifetime.
-bf
YW!
LOL!
TTFN!
-bf
SOOOO excited!!!
O.K. I'm in and since I have nothing else to do with my life I'll be cracking the whip!!
I'll be up to date by Monday!!
BTW, I am soooo loving the copy of this book. The binding is nice and flexible and the pages are tall, so it'll be easy to read lying down. (I'm soooo excited!!!! YYYaaaayyyy!!!)
Love,
Brigid
I love it - especially the poem...
Can't wait to start discussing it.
please guys: remember to stay on topic. It makes for an easier and more fluid discussion...
thanks.
I still find it unsettling to know that I will lose both my parents one day. They are now both elderly, and given the age-gap (and should things proceed 'normally') it seems more than likely that my 85-year-old father will die first, and that my 74-year-old mother will outlive him.
I am still saddened and upset by the prospect of losing them, but I am far more resigned to it and accepting of the normal course of events which will doubtless unfold before me.
What also saddens me, for her, is that my mother is acutely aware of the passing of time...she is conscious not only of her own mortality, but that of my father - and she is reluctant to relinquish this Life... it distresses her to be ageing....and I feel far more sorry for her, for this reason, than being sorrowful at the prospect of her dying.
Sogyal Rinpoché touches on near-death experiences, and inspite of his long experience in deep and total study and recognition of re-birth and impermanence, he does or says nothing to dispute or dismiss these peoples' experiences.... he quotes and accepts them, which I find to be a wonderful example of the Compassion and understanding we should all develop for the belief structures of other people... We as Buddhists may have completely rejected the existence of God and an afterlife - we may well have concluded that re-birth is the most evident consequence for an unenlightened being, and that Heaven is not a viable reality....But the way in which S.R. has discussed these experiences is both Dignified and respectful.
I love the 'Autobiography in 5 Chapters'..... It is a simple and punchy indication of Karma... and the consequences to those who do not accept responsibility for their actions, against the consequences of finally seeing things as they are...!
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result"...
and -
"A thought is only a thought - and a thought can be changed"
- are but two of the modern, hip, pseudo-psychological ways of expressing a philosophy which has existed since approximately 530 years BC....
But the paragraph which really took a metaphorical grip of my shoulders and gave them a good shake, was this one:
"Contemplating Impermanence is not enough: You have to work with it in your life. Just as medical studies require both thery and practise, so does life; and in life the practical training is here, is now, in the laboratory of change. As changes occur we learn to look at them with a new understanding; and though they will still g on arising just as they did before, something in us will be different. The whole situation will now be more relaxed, les intense and painful; even the impact of the changes we go through we will find less shocking.With each successive change, we realise a little bit more, and our view of living becomes deeper, and more spacious."
(P. 34, 2002 Revised & updated edition, final paragraph before 'Working with Changes' section of Ch. 3)
The next bit about the coin is also a very good example of accepting and having things without grasping....
The remainder of the Chapter is perhaps for someone else to comment on... as well as that which I have already illustrated....
I don't have my book with me, so I will have to wait to comment later this evening...
I have a ton of folded pages and underlined passages!
I too favored the biography in 5 chapters...it explains so well how we live today!
Awhile back I mentioned the paragraph on page 31 beginning with, "Tibetans Buddhists believe...". Knowing that different branches of Buddhism may have another stream of thought, I was VERY suprised when I read this. I posted this a few weeks ago...I family I know has worked very hard for the good fortune they have (monetary). Their family is close, intelligent, and kind. However, unfortunate events seem to always be plagueing them. A son( in-law) and grandson (15 years old) have both passed on from cancer; near fatal car accidents. This paragraph goes on to say that cancer can be thought of as a warning, "to remind us that we are neglecting deep aspects of our being, such as spiritual needs". ...I'm puzzled....is any one else on that comment? What threw me off was applying this thought to the 15 year old...
I especially enjoyed the section, "The Heartbeat of Death". The author tells us to think about death now, when we are healthy, be comfortable with it, embrace it.
I often find myself attached to things or people trying my darndest not to loose it/them...when I do, I feel that great loss. Even if I 'keep it' there is often that resentment toward the other person for NOT appreciating MY work!! so, when I read the analogy about holding the coin (page 34), a LIGHT WENT ON! I had to write that one down in my journal..twice!:uphand:
Cancer is a warning. You can no longer take anything for granted if you know that death is part of life. However, if Sogyal is saying that we cause our own cancer, other than contributing to it through stress and so forth, then I'd say that this was new age twaddle of the worst kind.
I have no comments yet on the content but I must say that I really love the way he writes. I find it captivating, like reading a novel.
I'll write more when I finish this chapter.
Brigid
Many lament the advent of old age and disease, (things the Buddha witnessed when he first ventured forth from his home) but they can be marvellous signposts for us to really see things as they are -and to appraise and really understand for ourselves the Truths of Impermanence and Suffering.... But 'the secret awaits for eyes unclouded by longing'.... Cease to grasp at the things we so desperately cling to, and they remain ours without attachment... dwell instead, in the wonderful essence of Mind....
It's all so simple.....