Who is your spiritual idol ?

PremaSagar

I have Shunryu Suzuki's biography titled "Crooked Cucumber" which I must read over again. I applaud his efforts in trying to bring authentic Soto Zen Buddhism to America. Not sure if I'd call him my idol though...According to what I've seen so far Tassajara Zen Mountain Center which was founded by him is the first Zen monastery outside of Asia. One of these days I might have to go over there on a retreat someday. If I still aspire to become ordained in a few years perhaps Tassajara Zen Mountain Center is where I'll go.
Who is your spiritual idol ?

John_Spencer

I am my spiritual, idle...

rivercane

I've always liked the story of Bodhidharma. Does it get any more awesome than this guy? :om:

karasti

I'm not sure if I really have an idol, mostly because then I find myself putting them on a pedestal and it's that much harder to accept that they are still people who make mistakes and then too easy to accept what they say as truth or fact without investigating for myself.

DaftChris

I wouldn't call them "idols", there are a few figures whom have shaped my beliefs into what they are:

Buddha, Ganesha, Christ, Rumi, Lao Tzu, Krishna, Shiva, The Bhagavad Gita (that counts, right ) and various philosophers; both ancient and modern.

TheEccentric

Not sure if they are my idols or not either but the teachers who I probably revere the most are Atisha,Milarepa, Je Tsongkhapa and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

riverflow

A few important "spiritual" figures for me that I return to again and again:

Thich Nhat Hanh
Sheng Yen
Carl Sagan (yes, "spiritual")
Henry David Thoreau
Dogen
Seneca

Citta

Brian Griffin.

taiyaki

Garab Dorje.

Jeffrey

My teacher, Lama Shenpen.

Invincible_summer

Spiritual figures that are of importance to me:
Ajahn Chah
Shunryu Suzuki
Ajahn Brahm
Laozi
Thomas Merton
St Francis of Assisi

seeker242

Siddhartha Gautama and all his genuine predecessors and successors. Who all his predecessors and successors are, I don't really know, but them even I don't know them.

Kundo

Namaste,

I wouldn't call them "Idols" either. But people I admire:

HHDL
Thich Nhat Hanh
Lama Surya Das (who's books really got me "into" Buddhism)

In metta,
Raven

how

Anyone manifesting selflessness.

lobster

John_Spencer said:

I am my spiritual, idle...

Olli the Octopus, my idol, mentor and most delicious meal item, once said to me before his cooking:
"Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into."

rivercane

TheEccentric said:

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

I second Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. His book Transform Your Life is what started me on the path.

For the past few months I've been studying his Joyful Path of Good Fortune and want to read more of his work.

JoyfulGirl

Khandro rinpoche, ani difranco, chenrezig and vajrasattva oh and I also like sister helen prejean.

David

Whatever or whoever are awakened. I wouldn't call them idols either though.

Idols are generally put out of reach.

TheEccentric

rivercane said:

TheEccentric said:

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.

I second Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. His book Transform Your Life is what started me on the path.

For the past few months I've been studying his Joyful Path of Good Fortune and want to read more of his work.

I am curreny on Joyful Path Of Good Fortune and have finished some of his over works before , I will probably read Transform your life or Eight steps to happiness after.

He really was the teacher who got me settled as a Buddhist.

Kundo

I have to add - I LOVE Robina Coutin. She tells it how it is, no BS.

In metta.
Raven

lobster

I Love that guy who sat under a tree . . . what's his name . . . Not Newton . . . the other one . . .
He did not sit under a lotus tree . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_tree

. . . Goat Aroma who sat under the B.O. tree?
. . . no not him . . .
. . . it will come to me . . .

BUDDHA

. . . now that's an Idol . . .

caz

Most Definitely Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, His direct students whom have taken care of me and encouraged me with Dharma practice are as much a jewel as he is.

SillyPutty

Ajahn Brahm practices what he preaches. I respect him and admire his ability to show great love and compassion for all sentient beings. He's one of those people that just exude such positive, loving energy without being a (for lack of a better term) pushover. He has shown me that it is possible to become a compassionate loving person in such a crazy world.

rivercane

lobster said:

I Love that guy who sat under a tree . . . what's his name . . . Not Newton . . . the other one . . .
He did not sit under a lotus tree . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_tree

. . . Goat Aroma who sat under the B.O. tree?
. . . no not him . . .
. . . it will come to me . . .

BUDDHA

. . . now that's an Idol . . .

Lol @ lotus tree! That's a new one for me, although I have to admit that I was surprised to learn that the Bodhi tree was a type of Ficus. All this time I thought Bodhi was a kind of tree!

The Buddha? Yea, I guess he was pretty cool.

If I may add another name to the list we are building...

Ramana Maharshi. (Link)

lobster

Ramana's main means of instruction of his devotees was through silence
Sri Ramana used words sparingly and gave his most profound instruction in silence.

Yes a worthy idol. If you listen carefully you can still hear his teaching . . . :wave:

betaboy

MLK
Gandhi
Jesus
Dalai Lama
Steven Seagal

footiam

PremaSagar said:

I have Shunryu Suzuki's biography titled "Crooked Cucumber" which I must read over again. I applaud his efforts in trying to bring authentic Soto Zen Buddhism to America. Not sure if I'd call him my idol though...According to what I've seen so far Tassajara Zen Mountain Center which was founded by him is the first Zen monastery outside of Asia. One of these days I might have to go over there on a retreat someday. If I still aspire to become ordained in a few years perhaps Tassajara Zen Mountain Center is where I'll go.
Who is your spiritual idol ?

Michael Jackson. A spiritual idol needs not to be spiritual himself, does he? Good enough, he makes you think spiritually.

lobster

Let us dream of tomorrow where we can truly love from the soul, and know love as the ultimate truth at the heart of all creation.

Michael Jackson

. . . sounds good to me . . .

genkaku

Who is your spiritual idol ?

You are my spiritual idol ... I just can't seem to break the habit.

messenger888

The spiritual idol is no idol at all but the soul of buddha which is the soul of you and me and everybody is this not true?

messenger888

Are we not all buddha's in reality. And only ego's in illusion?

FyreShaman

There’s a one-eyed yellow idol to the north of Kathmandu,
There’s a little marble cross below the town;
There’s a broken-hearted woman tends the grave of Mad Carew,
And the Yellow God forever gazes down.

Akane

As others have said, perhaps the word "idol" is not suited in my case either, but I would say...Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Atisha, Shantideva, Milarepa, King Ashoka, Geshe Potowa, gee! I could list so many I guess.

Citta

messenger888 said:

The spiritual idol is no idol at all but the soul of buddha which is the soul of you and me and everybody is this not true?

No.

alexwilliam

Ram dass
Swami vivekanda
thich nhat hanh
seung sahn
ramakrisnha
Socrates
all truth seekers

alexwilliam

oh and bill hicks

aMatt

Citta said:

messenger888 said:

The spiritual idol is no idol at all but the soul of buddha which is the soul of you and me and everybody is this not true?

No.

No that is not not true? Or yes, it is not true? Silly souls.

My heroes are the superman archetype in most of its forms. I think Kermit might be my favorite. We're surrounded by teachers, though, might as well open to them all and learn what we can!

Beej

I have not yet met my idol, but i'm sure whatever aspect of this potential person that i might admire is already also somewhere within me. If not, this whole "spiritual" venture would be pointless, no? When I look to you, aren't I really attempting to look at myself? Until a human idol presents itself, however, I will look to the butterfly.

Citta

Citta said:

messenger888 said:

The spiritual idol is no idol at all but the soul of buddha which is the soul of you and me and everybody is this not true?

No.

Define souls.

wrathfuldeity

I met mine, she was awesome but she ignored me so I left and found my path

Jainarayan

Who inspire me and/or whom I would emulate:

Krishna, Jesus, Buddha, Ganesha, Saraswati, Hanuman, Shiva, Paramahansa Yogananda, Avalokiteshvara. I could probably think of a dozen others.

misterCope

Detective Charlie Crews from the television show Life (played by Damian Lewis)!