Spiritual Materialism

illusion

ps lobster

illusion

Dear Dear Federeca
i,m sorry to make you so angry

here’s a great little Buddhist poem by Kalu Rinpoche that sums all this up:

We live in illusion and the appearance of things.

There is a reality, we are that reality.

When you understand this, you will see “you” are nothing.

And, being nothing, you are everything.

lobster

@illusion said:
Then ask your self, was your comment intended to bring harmony and love, or just to impress your audience ?

OK. Will do.

Everyone loves something, even if it's only tortillas
CTR

Harmony and love is not always my intention. My intention sometimes in part, is to script the comments that will skilfully enable the most people to awaken. That is not easy or indeed always possible due to my ego, the situation and the audience, which includes me.

Sometimes the by product is love and harmony, sometimes disruption and realignment. In other words pragmatic rather than populist. A lot of the time my posts seem confusing, cryptic or unintelligible. That is my lack not others.

Incidentally I often feel no compulsion to impress, though on occasion that is a tendency I have to guard against. I prefer to be impressed and often am. Personally I am not impressed by repute, status, labels or even myself. If others want their gurus or pet dharma heirs confirmed ... well that is also not always possible. Sometimes it is ...

We must begin our practice by walking the narrow path of simplicity, the hinayana path, before we can walk upon the open highway of compassionate action, the mahayana path
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/29133.Ch_gyam_Trungpa

Hope that in time clarifies

robot

Thanks for the sincere post @lobster. I mean that. I was getting a little pissed at the failure to allow a new member some slack in trying to get used to this environment.
In my view, and this is not a criticism of @Federica's moderation because it hasn't come to that and there is no reason why it should, she should spare us the stress of her unloading her stuff on @illusion and take it to pm if she has a problem. IMO!!!

illusion

help me lobster what do you think; it was about the word “impress” that caused such internal strife?
And in some anger?

I’m so glad you saw the intended humor, I love recognizing my own hypocrisy
And as DhammaDragon stated “We joke a lot around here. Humor, not taking oneself seriously”

one wonders while sitting on the top of freds percived“high horse” how one could ever be “rude” to Veteran Buddhists not “taking themselves seriously” I had better stop here because after reading dozens of posts I see one can be Banned for mirroring

Personally I would have thought this part of my post more worthy of discussion
“There is no such thing as non-Buddhist and Buddhist” but alas

but thanks your pending advice is appeciated,as it appears there are different rules for moderators/veterans and new people

illusion

@robot said:
Thanks for the sincere post lobster. I mean that. I was getting a little pissed at the failure to allow a new member some slack in trying to get used to this environment.
In my view, and this is not a criticism of Federica's moderation because it hasn't come to that and there is no reason why it should, she should spare us the stress of her unloading her stuff on illusion and take it to pm if she has a problem. IMO!!!

Thanks for the sincere post Robot<3 thats exactly how i feel

David

Ironically, giving up labels would only be good for somebody that wants to live as a separate individual.

Probably not the best idea.

illusion

Do you think giving up labels and relinquishing attachment to labels is the same thing ?

illusion

A zen master's life is one continuous mistake.

Dogen Zenji (1200 - 1253)

federica

Let's get a couple of things straight here:
I'm here to oversee and to protect forum, members and input.
Contrary to comments which seem to hold an opposite belief, this isn't some fantastic Ego trip for me.
Modifying my approach to every single angle I am beset by as Moderator, is at times a difficult task.
It's not made any easier by members making snarky remarks about my moods or methods.
I actually strive pretty hard to keep the personal out of it, and frankly, think I don't do too bad a job.

If you were a new member of a Sangha, you would modify your attitude, behaviour and contribution accordingly, to ensure you were fitting in with the standard requirements of participation in activities.
I don't think it's unreasonable to expect new members to act accordingly here.

Lastly, as most Members are acutely aware, public criticism and inappropriate comments regarding Moderator activity are discouraged.
Members should take note of @robot's pertinent comment regarding PM usage.
In fact, perhaps @robot should have, in this case, taken his own advice.