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I know what you mean Joe. I am getting a little discerned right now... I have no idea if reincarnation or karma is real. AHH!
*runs around like a headless chicken*
I will work more on finding that out though... what I believe, why I believe it, etc. The buddha said "the way is not in the sky, the way is in the heart." I am going to take this to mean, you cannot look outside for the way, but rather inside... meaning I will not believe something because it is popular to believe, but rather because I feel it is right. I have to work on that though still.
And welcome to the forum and this thread nomad. Me and joe like fellow young peeps. Hehe
Yes... but only because I have read about the realms, hehe. Doubt and passion.
Do you believe in reincarnation palzang?
And if the six realms only represented states of being, why do we already have animals?
Yup, you're right.
I didn't say they only represent mental states. I don't think there's any difference really. One is a physical representation of the other.
I have learned that rebirth happens, whether you're talking moment by moment or one life to another. It's all one. No one to be reborn. It's just a habit. If we could stop the habit even for a nanosecond, it would rock our world.
But , in general, buddhism was for me like a wonder-medicine. It healed my inner wounds in no time. Well, if you want to hear the story, give me sign :D;) !
Sure I love stories, hahah :o:lol: Hehe, I upped your smilies :rolleyes:
Wow, Ashley! I think your understanding is amazing. I wish I'd had your insight when I was your age.
Thanks brigid. By the way, I like the way your name is spelt
I'm just starting to scratch the intellectual surface of the not-self teaching. I know that understanding that teaching in the spiritual/experiential sense requires insight through meditation but I'm still a beginner meditator and only do awareness of the breath in meditation. But as an intellectual concept I think you're pretty much bang on, especially when you said, "...we cling to this me, and what people think of this me, and how this me looks, etc. This is getting attactched to something that is always changing, thus, there is no point in doing so."
Hmm... I have not practices Vipsanna, or however you spell that, meditation, which is what I think you're refering to with insight through meditation. I would like to, eventually.
Intellectually I think I can comprehend and justify... I wonder about spiritually: What does understanding something at a spiritual level mean?
When I said that we exist but not like we think we do I meant in the permanent, unchanging sense. We do exist though, obviously. Like you said, you can see yourself in the mirror. It's the way we think of ourselves that doesn't accord with reality. We think of ourselves as permanent, non-changing entities and that's just obviously wrong.
Right That's a neat realization to have. I think it's like everything that happens, our expiriences, our feelings, etc,are all from our perspective. Thus, a feeling of permanence arises because we revolve around what is happening to us and around us, as though it is the only thing we know. I guess a persons individual life can be categoized with the rising and falling of the five skandhas in ourselves, and our clinging to these such things... so a self could then be a way of perceiving ourselves as the main entity in life as we see it.
So it's only at this basic level that I'm dealing with the not-self teaching. I'm only just starting to get my head around it. But even that little bit of all understanding has helped.
Hehe, I really appreciated going through this, simply talking through it has bettered my understanding, I hope to reflect this more into my life as you have done!
I'll be 18 years old in March, but I don't feel like it. I prefer to remain a child, to have same playful mind of a 10 year old kid and to also have the wisdom of an old man .
Oh, like me! :crazy:
I have a story you might find interesting. Back in the late '70s I was taking a training course to become a "social therapist" at a private psych hospital outside Chicago. One day they gave the class an exercise where we had to nonverbally (no speaking) pick a leader. We could do anything we wanted, we just couldn't speak. Everybody did different things, of course, all trying to attract the attention of the others. I, however, just meditated. Didn't move a muscle. Pretty soon I had the entire class bowing down to me! I thought that was pretty incredible - the power of doing nothing! Which is what caught your interest too, right, Robert? Very interesting...
The thing is it actually felt powerful when I was doing it. I could feel all the
hubbub swirling around me, but I felt detached from it all, yet at the same time very much there with it (if that makes any sense). It was an amazing experience.
I answer my dhammabhaginī Ashley thus: I am of sixteen years, considered "young" by Western societal standards.
I greet this gathering of brethren in the Dhamma thus: homage to the Sammasambuddha, that, due to his actions, we may gather here and speak of the Dhamma.
I give my name to my brethren thus: my birth-name is Thomas.
Don't worry, I usually won't be that formal. I prefer formality in the socially unsteady situations, such as introductions or disagreements, as it seems an effective way of lubricating the squeaking gears of... Well, that metaphor evaporated as I was thinking of it. No concern. I may seem to veer from strict formality right to open irreverence. I have an unusual sense of humor, so if I ever offend anyone, let me know immediately. I'll tell you in advance: I didn't mean to do it.
I answer my dhammabhaginī Ashley thus: I am of sixteen years, considered "young" by Western societal standards.
I greet this gathering of brethren in the Dhamma thus: homage to the Sammasambuddha, that, due to his actions, we may gather here and speak of the Dhamma.
I give my name to my brethren thus: my birth-name is Thomas.
Don't worry, I usually won't be that formal. I prefer formality in the socially unsteady situations, such as introductions or disagreements, as it seems an effective way of lubricating the squeaking gears of... Well, that metaphor evaporated as I was thinking of it. No concern. I may seem to veer from strict formality right to open irreverence. I have an unusual sense of humor, so if I ever offend anyone, let me know immediately. I'll tell you in advance: I didn't mean to do it.
Hey, look, this became an introduction!
CHEESE FOR EVERYONE.
I like weird people Thanks for the cheese:D Ooh, hope I didn't offend you! I hate offence but I sometimes offend people. Although there's only one person I try to offend on purpose, and of course it isn't me offending, sorry, you'll posibly find out what I mean at a later date, great to have a some more l'il nippers (even tho you're older than me LOL). Buddhism's becoming the new modern craze Anyway we like sence of humours, and I like metaphors so welcome welcome welcome *shakes your hand*
Count me in ! Well, my name is Robert and I live near Bucharest. 20 km south of it actually , and yeah, I don't love the daily commute.I'll be 18 years old in March, but I don't feel like it. I prefer to remain a child, to have same playful mind of a 10 year old kid and to also have the wisdom of an old man .
Now, I have also been raised in a Christian family, orthodox christian in fact, but I never considered myself to be a true Christian like other Romanians consider themselves to be. Well, I found out about buddhism about 8 years ago when I watched a Romanian documentary show ( something rare in this country) and saw something that caught my attention ( I remember I was playing in the moment they aired that documentary) , and that thing was a golden statue of Buddha. At first, I thought it was a big god , like Jesus , the only difference being it's appearance. Then , I saw something that made me interested a lot more. The buddhist monks meditated. Well, back then , this meditation was regarded as alien. In my mind something was not ok, meaning that I was used to see monks chanting a boring sermon, which would make you fall asleep in an instant ( orthodox style), while these monks did , practically nothing. No boring sermons, no nothing. Just sitting around.
When I grew up I found out what meditation really means. This happened one year ago. And, one year ago, I decided that I should convert to buddhism , and here I am now , a closet buddhist !
My family isn't interested in my Buddha, enlightenment-Nirvana stuff , but they always tease me when I get angry( I get angry quite often, and I cool down in the next second ) saying " What does Buddha say ? Didn't He say that you should think postive ?" and stuff liek that.
About school, buddhism turned me in the "friendly alien" kind of student. I mean, they always tease me about " Ha-ha - Buddhism, Nirvana , bulls**t! Quit it, it's no use!" but I got used to that and I always smile and say "You know that I'm too lazy to quit it !". But , in general, buddhism was for me like a wonder-medicine. It healed my inner wounds in no time. Well, if you want to hear the story, give me sign :D;) !
Hi! :wavey: I love stories! I am in posesion of a whole thread called 'Stories!' Sorry, but very strangely that gave me an odd sence of power Anyway, I'm very out-of-the-closet about my Buddhism. When those people say that about Buddhism they're only prooving how much good your religion (or whatever you'd like to call it) has done you to keep calm Quite amazingly the people who hate me never say anything about Buddhism. Just like the people who hate me never call me by my full name which is also odd... Some people aren't hated by anybody but I'm more of a love/like/dunno/hate sort of person. One of the four lol. Ooh, I bet I can beat the smilies! Get ready: :eek: :rolleyes: :crazy: :cool: :-/ :wtf: :tonguec: :hrm: :pirate: :orange: :nonono: :uphand: :mean: :tongue2: :screwy: :mad: :cool: :smilec: :skeptical :sadc: :rolleyesc :buck: :hohum: :eekblue: :winkc: :werr: :hair: :grumble: :grr: :zombie: :eek2: :downhand: :om: :poke: :bigclap: :wavey: :vimp: :rockon: :rocker: :rarr: :rant: :wow: :doh: :viking: :coffee: :hiding: :scratch: :banghead: :cog: :ninja: :type: :mullet: :bowdown: :thumbsup: :facepalm: :dunce: :usflag: :ukflag: :ausflag: :bs: :cheer: :canflag: :sweflag: :ot: :woowoo: :birthday: :whatever: and even a smilie this forum doesn't have and to finish it off a final :PWNED:
Ta Da!
I have a story you might find interesting. Back in the late '70s I was taking a training course to become a "social therapist" at a private psych hospital outside Chicago. One day they gave the class an exercise where we had to nonverbally (no speaking) pick a leader. We could do anything we wanted, we just couldn't speak. Everybody did different things, of course, all trying to attract the attention of the others. I, however, just meditated. Didn't move a muscle. Pretty soon I had the entire class bowing down to me! I thought that was pretty incredible - the power of doing nothing! Which is what caught your interest too, right, Robert? Very interesting...
The thing is it actually felt powerful when I was doing it. I could feel all the
hubbub swirling around me, but I felt detached from it all, yet at the same time very much there with it (if that makes any sense). It was an amazing experience.
Palzang
Sorry but reading that made me laugh Maybe it's just imagining everybody bowing down to you *smirk*
LOL When I typed in my password I almost typed in Jellybean LOL. Anyway, Palzang, how dare you be racist. Just because I'm half liqourice it's always my falt *sticks nose up in the air* Well I'm half jelly bean, half liqourice, one thirty-second/sixty-fourth chocolate egg..... and one-sixteenth banana
I have a story you might find interesting. Back in the late '70s I was taking a training course to become a "social therapist" at a private psych hospital outside Chicago. One day they gave the class an exercise where we had to nonverbally (no speaking) pick a leader. We could do anything we wanted, we just couldn't speak. Everybody did different things, of course, all trying to attract the attention of the others. I, however, just meditated. Didn't move a muscle. Pretty soon I had the entire class bowing down to me! I thought that was pretty incredible - the power of doing nothing! Which is what caught your interest too, right, Robert? Very interesting...
The thing is it actually felt powerful when I was doing it. I could feel all the
hubbub swirling around me, but I felt detached from it all, yet at the same time very much there with it (if that makes any sense). It was an amazing experience.
Palzang
Yeah , the same thing with this crazy-a*s meditation ! Well, being in the third grade I didn't understand too much and I was trying to immitate those monks. Well, the initiative to immitate them came after I saw some kind of kung-fu movie , or I don't know, can't remember the thing now.
But now, I understood what that means and it's not like the childish play from those days.
About the power and the leader stuff , in my classroom I got a wnnabe bully who always teases me and mocks me because I got a physical deffect ( really minor, it's more of aestethics), and because his mind resemble the one of a talking animal, he says swear words ( romanian swear words are internationally know for their multitude and variety and harshness). And when he spitted that slur at me, I was like daydreaming(in fact i'm meditating, just sitting and watching the grey blocks out of the classroom's window). And I got distracted. He continued wit hthe slur, and I humilliated him after one minute of finding the right words. I didn't spit slur at him, but I reminded him of who he was , and he just shut his mouth for the rest of that week. Back then I was in power :viking: ! I won the war !
Hi! :wavey: I love stories! I am in posesion of a whole thread called 'Stories!' Sorry, but very strangely that gave me an odd sence of power Anyway, I'm very out-of-the-closet about my Buddhism. When those people say that about Buddhism they're only prooving how much good your religion (or whatever you'd like to call it) has done you to keep calm Quite amazingly the people who hate me never say anything about Buddhism. Just like the people who hate me never call me by my full name which is also odd... Some people aren't hated by anybody but I'm more of a love/like/dunno/hate sort of person. One of the four lol. Ooh, I bet I can beat the smilies! Get ready: :eek: :rolleyes: :crazy: :cool: :-/ :wtf: :tonguec: :hrm: :pirate: :orange: :nonono: :uphand: :mean: :tongue2: :screwy: :mad: :cool: :smilec: :skeptical :sadc: :rolleyesc :buck: :hohum: :eekblue: :winkc: :werr: :hair: :grumble: :grr: :zombie: :eek2: :downhand: :om: :poke: :bigclap: :wavey: :vimp: :rockon: :rocker: :rarr: :rant: :wow: :doh: :viking: :coffee: :hiding: :scratch: :banghead: :cog: :ninja: :type: :mullet: :bowdown: :thumbsup: :facepalm: :dunce: :usflag: :ukflag: :ausflag: :bs: :cheer: :canflag: :sweflag: :ot: :woowoo: :birthday: :whatever: and even a smilie this forum doesn't have and to finish it off a final :PWNED:
Ta Da!
Love & Peace
Jellybean
Wel, I'm not that hated , but I'm somewhat teased and mocked by being a buddhist and an aikidoka.In fact , the vast majority of my classmates seem to be ignorant to the problem of Buddhism and always call me "The Shaolin" (they also know I did Karate in my past, some basketball, and recently I began Aikido) , and try to immitate a shaolin monk. I always tell them that those kung-fu are only for their own self defense and fitness ( speaking of shaolins here).
But , they never seem to understand...
Haha, call yourself what you want. I personally don't tend to refer to myself as buddhist, but rather someone who is "interested in the teachings of the buddha". Not that that comes up that much anyway, I don't really talk about buddhism outside of this lovely little internet sangha.
And Joe, be careful not to flaunt buddhism, nor talk about it too much, unless you're asked about something, hehe, modesty!
^You're welcome to join the discussian on here as well though . We have some older people that comment on here. It is always nice to have a more expirienced person to aid us when questions do arise.
What's pretty interesting in my lineage is we have tulkus and young people with extraordinary presence of mind. My teacher just recognized a young woman as his lineage holder. She started doing her ngondro practice at age ten and has wonderful qualities.
Sort of throws the whole age thing into the trash heap.
I may have been on the earth longer than some and less than others but whether wisdom is present or absent is a moment to moment question.
Well, it all starts, like a Greek tragedy, with hubris. About January 2009, I just reached a critical level of disgust and sullen, underlying anger. People around me lied, lusted, and treated each other poorly, I could see, and it angered me. Not a wild, open rage, but a deep-set, quiet contempt. Contempt is addictive in the rich, exulting feeling of superiority it gives one over other people, so the more I felt contemptuous, the more I wanted to. Eventually, I just slashed off all my social connections (except for my family and a single friend), and went into an emotional bunker. And for a while, I enjoyed that. The separation was so pure, my mind and emotions unmoved by the trials and pleasures of those outside. I read about personality disorders, to try and give a justification for how I felt, but that was fairly dishonest. So I was secluded, shut up in myself. I used the metaphor of a fortress a lot in the essay to describe this state. It was as though I was a king in his fortress, looking out upon the land, and I saw all the other people of the world as serfs, of no value, forbidden to enter the fortress. By March 2009, the fortress was locked and barred, and I sat in there, all by myself, with one exception.
You see, not only contempt, but an underlying fear drove me there. A fear I did not even notice at the time, but which lurked beneath all of my actions. I feared judgment, of "negation by labeling". Thus afraid, I could not stand those who judged in any form, and pulled away from them while calling myself their better. But my closest friend, Pete, had never judged me or labeled me. I took refuge in my friendship with him, a single window open in the fortress walls. He wasn't a serf. He was an adviser to me, then. He alone had my affection and gratitude of all the people in the world.
But seclusion became dull. I was unmoving, yet I wished to be moved, to do things. I ended up investigating ascetic practices, not comprehending that the ideal of asceticism is to dissolve attachment to the ego and awaken to something higher. I saw such practices, instead, as a crowning self-affirmation, a perfection of the ego. So it was that, while on YouTube and typing up "celibacy," I got a video. It was a monk, in an brownish-orange robe, with a British accent. His name was Ajahn Brahm, and he talked about letting go. He talked about opening the doors of the heart. He talked about letting things be. I was shocked. But the tone of his voice and the subjects of his discourse drew me in. This would be about April or May 2009.
And so I listened, and listening, I was drawn into reflection. Dozens of hours of Ajahn Brahm talking went into my ears, and it began to erode the fortress walls. My contempt faded somewhat with every listening, but I still kept myself shut fast from the world.
Summer came. During summer vacation, I really got down to studying what Ajahn Brahm had to say. I downloaded talks by Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Amaro, and Bhante Gunaratana, and listened to those nonstop. Timidly, I began talking to one person I had abandoned, who rapidly forgave me. It was gradual, listening to each different talk and mulling over what it had to say. In August, I vowed not to touch a computer at all for as long as I could, plugging my iPod into the stereo in my room, turning up the volume, and lying downstairs with a pillow and a bottle of iced water, listening to an Ajahn talk. (I live in Massachusetts, and the summers here are muggy, so I didn't feel inclined to do much else). I practiced meditation occasionally, but often I was drawn more to listening to talks than to attending to the breath.
Although I did have one interesting meditation experience. On one day, which was cooler than usual, I was in my bedroom, and I had a futon out. With nothing to do, I decided to simply sit on the futon, somewhat reclined, and shut my eyes. That's all I did. What happened next is difficult to phrase in words. For a while, it was as if I was asleep, with no consciousness. But then, there was something else. No sense-contact. No thought. No memory. Perfect, silent suspension, without beginning or end, without limit. Then I stirred, and simply stared at my knee. I cried somewhat. I smiled, too. I felt as though everything that I considered part of myself was opening up to embrace all things.
Then I came back to school in September, repaired my old friendships, and got back to doing schoolwork. Since then, I've been listening to talks, reading suttas, and reflecting on myself. And then, in February 2010, I showed up here.
Yes what a nice story I'm glad you peeped out the fortress
Ashley, in my school when the first person calls me a weirdo, I simply say;
"Good for you, it's weird being normal anyway," and they're like 'What?- Weirdo- oh, wait, that doesn't work...
Comments
*runs around like a headless chicken*
And welcome to the forum and this thread nomad.
Yup, you're right.
I didn't say they only represent mental states. I don't think there's any difference really. One is a physical representation of the other.
I have learned that rebirth happens, whether you're talking moment by moment or one life to another. It's all one. No one to be reborn. It's just a habit. If we could stop the habit even for a nanosecond, it would rock our world.
Palzang
Sure I love stories, hahah
Thanks brigid. By the way, I like the way your name is spelt
Hmm... I have not practices Vipsanna, or however you spell that, meditation, which is what I think you're refering to with insight through meditation. I would like to, eventually.
Intellectually I think I can comprehend and justify... I wonder about spiritually: What does understanding something at a spiritual level mean?
Right
Hehe, I really appreciated going through this, simply talking through it has bettered my understanding, I hope to reflect this more into my life as you have done!
Thanks!
Oh, like me! :crazy:
I have a story you might find interesting. Back in the late '70s I was taking a training course to become a "social therapist" at a private psych hospital outside Chicago. One day they gave the class an exercise where we had to nonverbally (no speaking) pick a leader. We could do anything we wanted, we just couldn't speak. Everybody did different things, of course, all trying to attract the attention of the others. I, however, just meditated. Didn't move a muscle. Pretty soon I had the entire class bowing down to me! I thought that was pretty incredible - the power of doing nothing! Which is what caught your interest too, right, Robert? Very interesting...
The thing is it actually felt powerful when I was doing it. I could feel all the
hubbub swirling around me, but I felt detached from it all, yet at the same time very much there with it (if that makes any sense). It was an amazing experience.
Palzang
I greet this gathering of brethren in the Dhamma thus: homage to the Sammasambuddha, that, due to his actions, we may gather here and speak of the Dhamma.
I give my name to my brethren thus: my birth-name is Thomas.
Don't worry, I usually won't be that formal.
Hey, look, this became an introduction!
CHEESE FOR EVERYONE.
I like weird people
Love & Peace
Jellybean (AKA Joe)
Hi! :wavey: I love stories! I am in posesion of a whole thread called 'Stories!' Sorry, but very strangely that gave me an odd sence of power
Ta Da!
Love & Peace
Jellybean
Sorry but reading that made me laugh
That's the smilie overkill alarm, jellybean. You must back up 5 spaces and not pass go.
Glad my story amused you. I found it pretty amusing when it happened as well.
And welcome Anupassi/Thomas. I 'm the one Mr. Jellybean offends on purpose, in case you couldn't tell... (probably because he's a licorice jellybean!)
Palzang
Love & Peace
Jellybean
But now, I understood what that means and it's not like the childish play from those days.
About the power and the leader stuff , in my classroom I got a wnnabe bully who always teases me and mocks me because I got a physical deffect ( really minor, it's more of aestethics), and because his mind resemble the one of a talking animal, he says swear words ( romanian swear words are internationally know for their multitude and variety and harshness). And when he spitted that slur at me, I was like daydreaming(in fact i'm meditating, just sitting and watching the grey blocks out of the classroom's window). And I got distracted. He continued wit hthe slur, and I humilliated him after one minute of finding the right words. I didn't spit slur at him, but I reminded him of who he was , and he just shut his mouth for the rest of that week. Back then I was in power :viking: ! I won the war !
Wel, I'm not that hated , but I'm somewhat teased and mocked by being a buddhist and an aikidoka.In fact , the vast majority of my classmates seem to be ignorant to the problem of Buddhism and always call me "The Shaolin" (they also know I did Karate in my past, some basketball, and recently I began Aikido) , and try to immitate a shaolin monk. I always tell them that those kung-fu are only for their own self defense and fitness ( speaking of shaolins here).
But , they never seem to understand...
You very welcome
What should I write first ??
Benevolent silliness, specifically.
:buck:
right
Glad to see a bigger crowd of young buddhist... now if only I could have some near me... Argh! :cool:
Also, anupassi, weird is welcome. I mean look around *looks at joe* yeah, definitly some weirdos.
And Joe, be careful not to flaunt buddhism, nor talk about it too much, unless you're asked about something, hehe, modesty!
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/recognizing.html
I don't consider myself young. (I'm in my fifties) and I have been interested in and studying buddhism since the early eighties.
I think it's wonderful that there are so many young people here interested in buddhism. Looking forward to getting to know some of you soon.
Anupassi, how did you come across buddhism?
Sort of throws the whole age thing into the trash heap.
I may have been on the earth longer than some and less than others but whether wisdom is present or absent is a moment to moment question.
I wrote a whole six-page essay about that for an English class. Would you like the unabridged or the abridged version? XD
You see, not only contempt, but an underlying fear drove me there. A fear I did not even notice at the time, but which lurked beneath all of my actions. I feared judgment, of "negation by labeling". Thus afraid, I could not stand those who judged in any form, and pulled away from them while calling myself their better. But my closest friend, Pete, had never judged me or labeled me. I took refuge in my friendship with him, a single window open in the fortress walls. He wasn't a serf. He was an adviser to me, then. He alone had my affection and gratitude of all the people in the world.
But seclusion became dull. I was unmoving, yet I wished to be moved, to do things. I ended up investigating ascetic practices, not comprehending that the ideal of asceticism is to dissolve attachment to the ego and awaken to something higher. I saw such practices, instead, as a crowning self-affirmation, a perfection of the ego. So it was that, while on YouTube and typing up "celibacy," I got a video. It was a monk, in an brownish-orange robe, with a British accent. His name was Ajahn Brahm, and he talked about letting go. He talked about opening the doors of the heart. He talked about letting things be. I was shocked. But the tone of his voice and the subjects of his discourse drew me in. This would be about April or May 2009.
And so I listened, and listening, I was drawn into reflection. Dozens of hours of Ajahn Brahm talking went into my ears, and it began to erode the fortress walls. My contempt faded somewhat with every listening, but I still kept myself shut fast from the world.
Summer came. During summer vacation, I really got down to studying what Ajahn Brahm had to say. I downloaded talks by Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Amaro, and Bhante Gunaratana, and listened to those nonstop. Timidly, I began talking to one person I had abandoned, who rapidly forgave me. It was gradual, listening to each different talk and mulling over what it had to say. In August, I vowed not to touch a computer at all for as long as I could, plugging my iPod into the stereo in my room, turning up the volume, and lying downstairs with a pillow and a bottle of iced water, listening to an Ajahn talk. (I live in Massachusetts, and the summers here are muggy, so I didn't feel inclined to do much else). I practiced meditation occasionally, but often I was drawn more to listening to talks than to attending to the breath.
Although I did have one interesting meditation experience. On one day, which was cooler than usual, I was in my bedroom, and I had a futon out. With nothing to do, I decided to simply sit on the futon, somewhat reclined, and shut my eyes. That's all I did. What happened next is difficult to phrase in words. For a while, it was as if I was asleep, with no consciousness. But then, there was something else. No sense-contact. No thought. No memory. Perfect, silent suspension, without beginning or end, without limit. Then I stirred, and simply stared at my knee. I cried somewhat. I smiled, too. I felt as though everything that I considered part of myself was opening up to embrace all things.
Then I came back to school in September, repaired my old friendships, and got back to doing schoolwork. Since then, I've been listening to talks, reading suttas, and reflecting on myself. And then, in February 2010, I showed up here.
There you go.
What a nice story! Thank you very much for sharing it, I very much liked it
Ashley, in my school when the first person calls me a weirdo, I simply say;
"Good for you, it's weird being normal anyway," and they're like 'What?- Weirdo- oh, wait, that doesn't work...
Love & Peace
Jellybean
Palzang
At least somebody likes me, Ashley :screwy:
Love & Peace
Jellybean
I don't even know you yet and I like you!