A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
It is strange that Blavatsky would quote this, for she bases her whole authority on the significance of words of past sages. No matter, this is not where Buddha has said it, it is where Blavatsky has quoted it.
It is strange that Blavatsky would quote this, for she bases her whole authority on the significance of words of past sages. No matter, this is not where Buddha has said it, it is where Blavatsky has quoted it.
Ecumenist
Well-Known Member
Blavatsky knew the Sages of past and present alike, including Lord Sangyas.
She likely met the current Bodhisattva, the future Maitreya Buddha.
She knew Chohans and Mahatmas, and at least one or two arhats, I am sure. Master DK was precisely thus when she first entered Tibet, as he became Asekha Adept in 1875.
HPB is one of those rare figures, because of her role as Messenger for the Brotherhood, through whom and in whose life {if we observe carefully} we may see the entirety of the Divine Plan working out ~ with more or less perfection, depending on our level of dedication to the subject and our sincerity to begin with.
In the lives of the other Adepts, from Apollonius to Pythagoras, from Proclus to Plato, Iamblichus to Philo ... we may see the Divine Plan of Perfection demonstrated in greater degree, yet along the selfsame Cosmic Scale.
I'm drawn to the Wisdom of Ma'at ... which has to do with that crazy notion that we can ALL become Arhat
~ once we accept that Learning is not for $a£e
She likely met the current Bodhisattva, the future Maitreya Buddha.
She knew Chohans and Mahatmas, and at least one or two arhats, I am sure. Master DK was precisely thus when she first entered Tibet, as he became Asekha Adept in 1875.
HPB is one of those rare figures, because of her role as Messenger for the Brotherhood, through whom and in whose life {if we observe carefully} we may see the entirety of the Divine Plan working out ~ with more or less perfection, depending on our level of dedication to the subject and our sincerity to begin with.
In the lives of the other Adepts, from Apollonius to Pythagoras, from Proclus to Plato, Iamblichus to Philo ... we may see the Divine Plan of Perfection demonstrated in greater degree, yet along the selfsame Cosmic Scale.
I'm drawn to the Wisdom of Ma'at ... which has to do with that crazy notion that we can ALL become Arhat
~ once we accept that Learning is not for $a£e
Truth? Jesus may dispute whether or not he is dead.
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
Some more fun quotes of Buddha:
“Ye must leave righteous ways behind, not to speak of unrighteous ways.”
“All that we are arises With our thoughts.With our thoughts, We make our world.”
“To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.”
“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.”
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
“You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.”
“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
“All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain”
“Of all footprints, that of the elephant is supreme. Similarly, of all mindfulness meditations, that on death is supreme.”
“Like a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are not moved by praise or blame.”
“Suffering does not befall him who is without attachment to names and forms....”
“Enlightenment has no definite form or nature by which it can manifest itself, so in Enlightenment itself, there's nothing to be enlightened.”
“Ignorant people see life as either existence or non-existence, but wise men see it beyond both existence And non-existence to something that transcends them both this is an observation of the Middle Way.”
“Ye must leave righteous ways behind, not to speak of unrighteous ways.”
“All that we are arises With our thoughts.With our thoughts, We make our world.”
“To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.”
“When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky.”
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
“You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.”
“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
“All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain”
“Of all footprints, that of the elephant is supreme. Similarly, of all mindfulness meditations, that on death is supreme.”
“Like a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are not moved by praise or blame.”
“Suffering does not befall him who is without attachment to names and forms....”
“Enlightenment has no definite form or nature by which it can manifest itself, so in Enlightenment itself, there's nothing to be enlightened.”
“Ignorant people see life as either existence or non-existence, but wise men see it beyond both existence And non-existence to something that transcends them both this is an observation of the Middle Way.”
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
Why be content with the notion we can become arhats?
We already are, but it is hopes such as these which cause us to believe it isn't so.
Striving infers the belief in lack.
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
Jesus is the body, it is buried in Kashmir.
Christ is the principle, of which Buddha and Avatar mean the same.
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
That principle is not other than the Holy Spirit, which is the same as Nirguna Brahman or Sunyata.
What is often intended by "God" is Suguna Brahman, Dharmakaya, Ishvara - Lord. It is with attributes, and arising in consciousness. Jesus was the manifest Lord, yet utterly surrendered to Nirguna Brahman, hence even knowing he will be tortured and hung on the cross for saying what he did, he could not avoid his fate.
Nirguna Brahman is that which Jesus gave his Spirit to on the cross, and in this action, the body ceases for Spirit is the very life essence in us. It means breath, and without air we cannot survive.
(of course, I am saying Father is also Suguna Brahman, for it too has attributes)
What is often intended by "God" is Suguna Brahman, Dharmakaya, Ishvara - Lord. It is with attributes, and arising in consciousness. Jesus was the manifest Lord, yet utterly surrendered to Nirguna Brahman, hence even knowing he will be tortured and hung on the cross for saying what he did, he could not avoid his fate.
Nirguna Brahman is that which Jesus gave his Spirit to on the cross, and in this action, the body ceases for Spirit is the very life essence in us. It means breath, and without air we cannot survive.
(of course, I am saying Father is also Suguna Brahman, for it too has attributes)
radarmark
Quaker-in-the-Making
AZ, yep, there is an awfully lot of sayings by the Buddha. However, I cannot find another source for ecumenist's quote (not that I am infallible and had access to all translations or all Pali versions of his words).
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
What I have said is to see his response, whether he is attached or not to Theosophy. My reply to this is an attempt to drop the knowledge that has caused this attachment.
Seeing another as great automatically causes us to think of ourselves as small.
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
If anyone knows anything of Gnostic texts, Suguna Brahman is the Demiurge, it is this figure which has presented himself to many saying he is the creator. For Buddha, he was Brahma, for Mahavira he was Indra. These two are unique, however, in that they have no accepted this figure and continued on. It is this which Sankara has described as Ishvara or Lord, and all three have said this figure is delusional.
As we move deeper, we find that which was before consciousness itself, that which consciousness arose in, whereas these figures each exist in consciousness already. This is called Sunyata or Nirguna Brahman - it is the true God.
As we move deeper, we find that which was before consciousness itself, that which consciousness arose in, whereas these figures each exist in consciousness already. This is called Sunyata or Nirguna Brahman - it is the true God.
It has been written that we do not live from bread, Truth, or enlightenment alone.
It has been written that you should not tempt.
You still seek your own enlightenment, and try to serve yourself with your words.
Ecumenist
Well-Known Member
We already are WHAT?
You are not an arhat. Don't delude or deceive yourself. Suggest to me, AZ. Just SUGGEST to me ... that you're an arhat, and you're outta there. An ignore list exists precisely for such cases of delusion.
You don't really THINK that you are arhat, now do you?
I KNOW I have to be misinterpreting you here ... {so of course, apologies in advance, if so!}
As for the words of the Buddha, you prove that your Insight, your Intuition and even your Intellect all pretty much escape or elude you, radar ... if you cannot simply read what I posted, contemplate what is said and come to a realization of the Truth of matters on your own, without any of the types of assistance which are suggested.
In the last analysis, you must "Be a LAMP unto your OWN FEET." Try looking THAT ONE UP ... if you are unprepared, and too dazzled, by the more extended, verbatim and UNCUT/UNEDITED/UNPARAPHRASED version.
Most of the great events of history, for the past several thousand years, are capable of being presented now as they occurred, precisely as if a video camera with audio was present ... for once you understand the ABC of Occultism, you will realize that in a real sense, this was precisely SO.
The difference is, the `camera' of the Occultist also features a 4-D lens, enabling it to register all of the emotions present, accurately and objectively. Further, that `camera' has a 5-D, as well as 6D & 7D lens attached. These record, respectively, what occurs within the Nirmanakaya, the Sambhogakaya and the Dharmakaya vestitures of ALL who are/were present at any given event. In short, we can also know precisely what were all the various THOUGHTS which were in people's minds, plus their deeper, more Spiritual motivations, Inspirations and inclinations ~ including cases of direct Guidance or `doing the bidding of' the Divine.
History, for those who are admitted access to the proper LIBRARY[ies], becomes an open Book {with chapters chronicling or outlining the FUTURE, as well as the Past} ~ and if given the task, or allowed the privilege of copying down even a FRAGMENT of what is observed as being RECORDED in the Grand Book, true Revelation may quite possibly result ... as has occurred in many instances which we can name (in recent centuries, during the past 2100 years and also throughout the ages).
Would that wo/men knew better how to READ!!!
Bhaktajan II
Hare Krishna Yogi
- Messages
- 2,277
- Reaction score
- 115
- Points
- 63
Can one formulate a litmus test to gauge 'advancement'?
Can we imagine moment of death as thee test of any spiritual 'advancement'?
What are the final 'outgoing' criteria (or conscious preparation) for a peaceful ideal or prefer-able 'peaceful' passing?
To start with, What are the classical esoteric recommendations for 'paqssing away'?
En breve: Become aware of ones Conscious-POV; Achieve 'atma-rama' (satisfaction with the soul); Have plans and expectations prepared and thus, pass 'consciously'.
To pass 'consciously' ---seems to best describe the common denominator
of all insights of different traditions ---especially my own--- which is to specifically be "Chanting the Holy Names of God (esp Krishna)" upon the moment of death.
BTW, Krishna explicitly delineates that: at the moment of passing (the soul leaving the body), a] one's final thoughts; b] the summation of one's past works; c] one's deep down 'desires & preferences' ... all together leads the voltage of the soul to it's next concomitant birth.
Also L7,
The "Relationship" topic, philosophically, is an important aesthetic axiom of the existence of the Soul inre Theism ---the soul is seeking out the supreme's soul so as the have a 'relationship' with, ergo: Bhakti-devotion-service ... yada yada yada.
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
It says that man cannot live by bread alone. It is because without some higher calling, life is meaningless, even if you should gain the entire world you will not be fulfilled without knowing what is called God.
What of my words have you been tempted by? Life is constantly giving us lessons to test ourselves, to wish otherwise is to ask that you not be required to grow.
Stagnant water cannot sustain life, it only collects death. To be alive is to be flowing ever forward towards the ocean.
Enlightenment is to realize there is no independent self.
What we regard as being us is merely a character in the story, a thought just like any other. The only difference is that it feels more personal, intimate, because of our identification with it.
All the religions teach a letting go of this delusion, a realization of what we actually are - merely the space in which all arises, the ocean is which all waves rise and fall.
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
You want a definitive answer here, but whatsoever answer I give will not be true. I can say you are already God, but what is God? I can say you are already the whole, but what is constituent to this?
You are what is right now.
Yahweh - I am that I am... and only that I am presence, without any modification.
Does any Arhat perceive himself to be so?
To define ourselves as anything is to remain as a separate ego, and even to label another is to remain living from that ego-based self. It is mind which separates and groups all we encounter, no advanced being lives by comparison, all is one to him.
You don't really THINK that you are arhat, now do you?
I think the very definition is irrelevant, it is something you have learned, but you do not look at that which observed the process of learning. You show yourself identified with the mind-stream, but you are not that. It is self-evident because you are aware of the thoughts, thus you must be beyond them.
For me, you only show your ignorance in raising this issue at all.
All I have said is that whatever you seek, you are already that. It seems to me you admire arhats, why? You only prove to yourself that you are something lower than them, what benefit can be found in this? Stop striving, for whatsoever you strive for creates the belief in lack. You are absolutely perfect as you are, why partake in thoughts which declare you otherwise?
You say this, yet you look to arhats and Blavatsky to be your own lamp, strange.
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
Advancement as such is a delusion, it is only a story within maya about finding our true nature again.
Death the greatest of all contemplations, but to say only in death can anything actually come to fruition is very convenient for any spiritual path to declare. Now, whether their practices are effective or not does not matter, for the only test is something untestable by the followers.
The body is necessary for awakening, it is why we take bodies in the first place. When we are dead, it is too late, we are certain to enter another cycle of samsara.
Again, you project into the future, but for something to be Truth, it must be present this very moment. I would suggest that a peaceful passing is determined by how peaceful we live. If you have no peace of mind, if your mind is not silent, you must find out why. You must understand everything about the mind to truly have peace and happiness, for understanding its processes allows us to go beyond it - yet, in truth, we are always beyond it.
Again you focus on death, which is only a thought arising in life.
To die consciously, one must live consciously. When consciousness is brought to its heights, thoughts do not arise, thus much discussion in the Vedas about silencing the mind. Chanting is a way to distract the mind, but the trances it induces are not awakening, through all the states of consciousness who is the observer of what has happened? Is this one susceptible to death?
Perfectly true, but is the goal then to take on a new birth? Surely not.
With the statements here, it should be easy to surmise what might be necessary to escape samsara, to be liberated from cycles of birth and death. If this is not your goal, then I would have to ask what you think the point of life is...
Is life so great that you prefer it to melting back into the absolute? I cannot believe you think so, for your whole standpoint seems to be anti-life. It is not important at all how we take our next life, whether we are rich or poor, whether it is the effect of good or bad karma, for life itself infers suffering. Even the richest and most well off people of this planet are subject to illness and death, to all that comes with life.
The goal is to shed all that desires separation, and in this we find separation itself was a delusion - we are life itself pretending it is alive.
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
To say another way:
We are God seeking to understand himself.
We are existence exploring the fact it exists.
We are God seeking to understand himself.
We are existence exploring the fact it exists.
Ecumenist
Well-Known Member
Mind games entertain ... play them all day, if you will. Time to heat the soup.
A
AdvaitaZen
Guest
The games and the soup are both merely appearances in consciousness.
Find out who is aware of this.
Mind vs mind
Higher self vs lower self
God vs man
In what space does all arise?
Bhaktajan II
Hare Krishna Yogi
- Messages
- 2,277
- Reaction score
- 115
- Points
- 63
Does this equate to Zombie Metaphysics?
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
WHAT ABOUT DYING?
There is where the FINAL EXAM arrives!
What about this hurdle?
It is not to belittled as just another poetic stanza.