Habitat Posted September 17, 2018 #101 Share Posted September 17, 2018 On 20/08/2018 at 3:55 AM, StarMountainKid said: I consider the Buddha's message simple and devoid of religion. He was more a psychologist than a religious leader. That is basically what "true" religion is, a kind of aristocratic psychology. They say you can't buy "class", you cannot buy the psychological evolution that is required to be a Buddha, though many may have it, in potentia 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted September 17, 2018 Author #102 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Many may consider the Four Noble Truths that Buddha taught a dogma or doctrine. After more & deeper consideration, they may find this Dharma door a great help in this life and beyond. At any rate, here is Master Hua beginning his commentary on chapter Eight of the Avatamsaka Sutra, which is on those Four Noble Truths: Quote INTRODUCTION This is the chapter on the Four Truths, also known as the Four Noble Truths. It is the Dharma which the Buddha explained to the five Bhikshus when he first accomplished the Way. Within the Four Holy Truths are included all dharmas. It’s sad to say however, that there are people who claim to understand the Buddhadharma and yet who question whether there really are Four Holy Truths. How pathetic! They don’t even know whether the Four Holy Truths exist or not; however, they still travel everywhere lecturing on Buddhism. What do you think? Wouldn’t you say that is pitiful? THE FOUR HOLY TRUTHS The Truth of Suffering. The Truth of Accumulation. The Truth of Extinction. The Truth of the way. The first of the Buddha’s disciples to become enlightened to the Four Truths was the Bhikshu Ajnatakaundinya. When he heard the Buddha speak the Four Holy Truths, he became enlightened. The Buddha spoke the Dharma of the Four Holy Truths to cross over the Five Bhikshus. He spoke Three Turnings of the Four Holy Truths. THE FIRST TURNINGS OF THE FOUR HOLY TRUTHS This is suffering; its nature is oppression. This is accumulation; its nature is enticement. This is the Way; its nature can be cultivated. This is extinction; its nature can be certified to. THE SECOND TURNINGS OF THE FOUR HOLY TRUTHS This is suffering; you should understand it. This is accumulation; you should cut it off. This is the Way; you should cultivate it. This is extinction; you should certify to it. THE THIRD TURNINGS OF THE FOUR HOLY TRUTHS This is suffering; I already understand it, and I don’t need to know any more about it. This is accumulation; I have already cut it off, and I don’t need to further cut it off. This is the Way; I have already cultivated it, and I don’t need to cultivate it more. This is extinction; I have already certified to it and I don’t need to further certify to it. This is called the Triple Turning Dharma Wheel of the Four Holy Truths. As soon as the Buddha explained this Dharma, Ajnatakaundinya immediately certified to the fruit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
internetperson Posted September 18, 2018 #103 Share Posted September 18, 2018 On 9/16/2018 at 8:33 PM, Piney said: Lots of fish. (Sorry to derail topic but) fish can be pricey, how do you pull this off? Catch your own? My diet is same as you described but getting fish is becoming a PITA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted September 19, 2018 Author #104 Share Posted September 19, 2018 For those preferring not to wade thru intellectual analysis before focusing on meditation, here is a traditional Tibetan approach that puts meditation (like Chan) first: https://wisdompubs.org/book/mahamudra-0/praise The teachings are from the noble Lama Yeshe (d. 1984), based on the classic Mahamudra practice of the first Panchen Lama (d. 1662). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted September 26, 2018 Author #105 Share Posted September 26, 2018 (edited) The Mahayana (Great Vehicle) path does not appeal to many. There are four major signs of Mahayana potential that suggest one could, at some point, cultivate that Path: Quote There are a great number of signs, or marks, of potential. In brief, there are four signs that, when present in individuals, reveal their Great Vehicle potential, just as fire is revealed by smoke. What are these four? (1) Even before entering or engaging in the Great Vehicle—that is, before turning the mind toward supreme enlightenment—compassion spontaneously wells up when seeing the suffering of sentient beings. (2) When merely hearing the vast and profound Dharma of the Great Vehicle, one is naturally inspired, even though one may not understand its meaning. (3) When hearing about the hardships undertaken for the welfare of others, there is no feeling of discouragement. One does not think, “How could this possibly be?” Rather, the teaching is embraced with a sense of wonder. (4) There is a feeling of spontaneous joy in the virtues of the six transcendences [paramitas] and a wish to practice them. These are said to be definite signs of the Great Vehicle potential. Those without such a potential display the opposite signs. From: Maitreya. Ornament of the Great Vehicle Sutras, comment by Bodhisattva Mipham. Edited September 26, 2018 by Amita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 4, 2018 Author #106 Share Posted October 4, 2018 Buddha mentioned the Three Poisons that keep us spinning in cyclic existence life after life after life... They are craving, anger & ignorance or or less psychologically, attraction repulsion & stagnation. One of the greatest Bodhisattvas was Je Tsongkhapa (d. 1419) who wrote a short piece that gives the Three Principles that are the inverse of the poisons - three panaceas if you will. They are renunciation, great compassion or bodhicitta, and wisdom or right view. https://fpmt.org/wp-content/uploads/prayers/three_principal_aspects_path_c5.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blizno Posted October 4, 2018 #107 Share Posted October 4, 2018 On 8/19/2018 at 1:25 PM, StarMountainKid said: Yes, I don't think Jesus wanted to start a new religion based on his teachings. I think he would be aghast at what has happened. The first thing he would do in the second coming would be to go directly to a synagogue. The second thing He would do is go to the giant prosperity gospel "churches" and cast out the money-stealers. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted October 4, 2018 #108 Share Posted October 4, 2018 On 9/26/2018 at 4:53 PM, Amita said: From: Maitreya. Ornament of the Great Vehicle Sutras, comment by Bodhisattva Mipham. Mipham was a Rinpoche, (teacher) not a Bodhisattva ( metaphor of human nature), and a darn good one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 4, 2018 Author #109 Share Posted October 4, 2018 57 minutes ago, Piney said: Mipham was a Rinpoche, (teacher) not a Bodhisattva ( metaphor of human nature), and a darn good one! You are misinformed Piney. I will quote chapter & verse from sutras and/or shastras if you care to see them. Any person whose motivation is bodhicitta and who has successfully proceeded far enough toward (on actually on) the ten grounds of bodhisattvas is one. Some teachings say the simple initial vow or aspiration toward buddhahood for the benefit of self & others makes that person a bodhisattva. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted October 4, 2018 #110 Share Posted October 4, 2018 2 minutes ago, Amita said: You are misinformed Piney. I will quote chapter & verse from sutras and/or shastras if you care to see them. Please! Make sure I'm tagged or quoted so I see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 4, 2018 Author #111 Share Posted October 4, 2018 (edited) 18 minutes ago, Piney said: Please! Make sure I'm tagged or quoted so I see it. This is one of oldest, from the Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines, Conze translation. I inserted a few words in brackets [ ] to clarify: Quote What is the reason why we speak of ‘Bodhisattvas’? Desirous to extinguish all attachment, and to cut it off, True non-attachment, or the Bodhi of the Jinas [Victors, meaning Buddhas] is their future lot. ‘Beings who strive for Bodhi’ are they therefore called. What is the reason why ‘Great Beings’ [Mahasattvas] are so called? They rise to the highest place [8th bodhisattva stage & beyond] above a great number of people; And of a great number of people they cut off mistaken views. That is why we come to speak of them as ‘Great Beings.’ Great as a giver, as a thinker, as a power, He mounts upon the vessel [or vehicle] of the Supreme Jinas. Armed with the great armour he’ll subdue Mara the artful. These are the reasons why ‘Great Beings’ are so called. This gnosis shows him all beings as like an illusion, Resembling a great crowd of people, conjured up at the crossroads, By a magician, who then cuts off many thousands of heads; He knows this whole living world as a mock show, and yet remains without fear. Form, perception, feeling, will and awareness Are ununited, never bound, cannot be freed. Uncowed in his thought he marches on to his Bodhi, That for the highest of men is the best of all armours. What then again is ‘the vessel that leads to the Bodhi’? Mounted upon it one guides to Nirvana all beings. Great is that vessel [Mahayana], immense, vast like the vastness of space. Those who travel upon it are carried to safety, delight and ease. Edited October 4, 2018 by Amita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted October 4, 2018 #112 Share Posted October 4, 2018 5 minutes ago, Amita said: This is one of oldest, from the Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines, Conze translation. I inserted a few words in brackets [ ] to clarify: Quote I always saw it as becoming "like" a bodhisattva. Not actually becoming one. That term has actually been abused and several "self declared" ones have created problems which I was sent to "solve". That's why I get upset. I'm a "Keeper" a "protector" in a sense, not a teacher, so excuse me if I come off a little course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 4, 2018 Author #113 Share Posted October 4, 2018 3 minutes ago, Piney said: I always saw it as becoming "like" a bodhisattva. Not actually becoming one. That term has actually been abused and several "self declared" ones have created problems which I was sent to "solve". That's why I get upset. I'm a "Keeper" a "protector" in a sense, not a teacher, so excuse me if I come off a little course. Understood. A real bodhisattva does not proclaim it, but they can be recognized by others, which is why I name those which traditional sources support as real ones. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 4, 2018 Author #114 Share Posted October 4, 2018 For those who love learning about Buddhism this reference epub book is very good. It is also in hardback format. http://gen.lib.rus.ec/search.php?req=princeton+dictionary+of+buddhism&lg_topic=libgen&open=0&view=simple&res=25&phrase=1&column=title Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted October 4, 2018 #115 Share Posted October 4, 2018 43 minutes ago, Amita said: Understood. A real bodhisattva does not proclaim it, but they can be recognized by others, which is why I name those which traditional sources support as real ones. A lot of theosophists proclaim it. My Shidoshi told me to imagine if I proclaimed myself ,the reincarnation of Fudo Myo-o (Acala) given my abilities with the power of suggestion, what horrors I could bring about, especially concerning children. The Projection was my worst nightmare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 4, 2018 Author #116 Share Posted October 4, 2018 1 hour ago, Piney said: A lot of theosophists proclaim it. My Shidoshi told me to imagine if I proclaimed myself ,the reincarnation of Fudo Myo-o (Acala) given my abilities with the power of suggestion, what horrors I could bring about, especially concerning children. The Projection was my worst nightmare. Name some theosophists who proclaim they are bodhisattvas. Members of theosophical organizations are called 'theosophist' only by sufferance. A true theosophist must meet minimum standards like: Quote Many who have never heard of the Society are Theosophists without knowing it themselves; for the essence of Theosophy is the perfect harmonizing of the divine with the human in man, the adjustment of his godlike qualities and aspirations, and their sway over the terrestrial or animal passions in him. Kindness, absence of every ill feeling or selfishness, charity, good-will to all beings, and perfect justice to others as to one’s self, are its chief features. He who teaches Theosophy preaches the gospel of good-will; and the converse of this is true also,— he who preaches the gospel of good-will, teaches Theosophy. What is the Projection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted October 4, 2018 #117 Share Posted October 4, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Amita said: Name some theosophists who proclaim they are bodhisattvas. Loren Jensen for one Edited October 4, 2018 by Piney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted October 4, 2018 #118 Share Posted October 4, 2018 1 hour ago, Amita said: What is the Projection? A projection is a possible future path. Some Monks make them about events and happenings. The followers of Tendai don't believe in prophecy and a good reason for this is happening now. A monks projection that we may war with the Muslims became a "prophecy" now the Rohingya are dying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 4, 2018 Author #119 Share Posted October 4, 2018 (edited) 41 minutes ago, Piney said: A projection is a possible future path. Some Monks make them about events and happenings. The followers of Tendai don't believe in prophecy and a good reason for this is happening now. A monks projection that we may war with the Muslims became a "prophecy" now the Rohingya are dying. Never heard of theosophist Loren Jensen. Much of prophecy is wrong, but sometimes is spot on. Regarding war with Islam, research the Kalachakra prophecy. John Newman wrote a good piece some years ago. This was given out at least 1000 years ago in the Kalachakra Tantra. The gist is simply that Islam will have conquered most of the planet in the next 350? years or so. Then the Muslim military will try to invade Central Asia; the Dharma forces from Shambhala will fight back and defeat them. This will result in world peace for several hundred years. Edited October 4, 2018 by Amita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted October 4, 2018 #120 Share Posted October 4, 2018 2 minutes ago, Amita said: Never heard of theosophist Loren Jensen. Much of prophecy is wrong, but sometimes is spot on. Regarding war with Islam, research the Kalachakra prophecy. John Newman wrote a good piece some years ago. This was given out at least 1000 years ago in the Kalachakra Tantra. The gist is simply that Islam will have conquered most of the planet in the next 350? years or so. Then the Muslim military will try to invade Central Asia; the Dharma forces from Shambhala will fight back and defeat them. This will result in world peace for several hundred years. The Greeks brought Buddhism as far as Rome. But Athanasius, one of the "Church Fathers" burned all the books. Then the Muslim Expansion almost wiped it out in Central Asia. A lone Sogdian (Iranian) monk brought the news to Songshan. They said "never again" and the Keepers, which is what I am, were born. We keep them in check with the aid of the Mongolians and Chinese. The Mahayana just don't know what we're doing when were doing it. No need for war or to commit genocide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 7, 2018 Author #121 Share Posted October 7, 2018 As far as texts go, the Awakening of Faith may be the earliest & most profound exposition of Mahayana. DT Suzuki did the first English translation in 1900. In the 1960s Hakeda produced a fine version from the more popular Paramartha translation. Even with Hakeda's notes it is not a big book; if you would like some mind expansion, study it. Quote Grounded firmly in the tradition of Buddhist meditative insights, the Awakening of Faith boldly posits as the ultimate reality the minds of sentient beings in their everyday existence. That is, “emptiness,” “Dharma,” “nirvâna,” “Buddha,” and all other Buddhist ideals derive from sentient beings’ ordinary state of mind; and this mind is described in the text as tathagatagarbha, the matrix that engenders all perfectly enlightened beings. To illustrate this point, the text makes use of various similes and metaphors. A good example of the text’s poetic dimension is the image of ocean water and wind fusing with each other. Ocean water, the mind, is constantly agitated by wind, ignorance, the source of all sorts of delusions and attachments. The wind gives rise to waves and currents in the ocean. But, however hard the wind disturbs the water, the water never loses its intrinsic qualities. When the wind ceases, the water manifests its inherent nature. It remains clear and pure. As the surface of the ocean becomes calm and placid, the water naturally turns itself into a great mirror, another powerful metaphor in the text, which reflects all its surroundings as they truly are. That is, sentient beings are deluded not because they lack the nature of enlightenment but, on the contrary, because they do not recognize or trust the enlightening qualities that they already possess. From Introduction by Ryuichi Abé 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Aurelius Posted October 8, 2018 #122 Share Posted October 8, 2018 (edited) On 8/19/2018 at 1:24 PM, Amita said: The spiritual path essentials for aspiring to and cultivation of the Bodhisattva life for the benefit of all beings is given in this King of Mahayana Sutras. It is titled the Avatamsaka Sutra. Thomas Cleary has a complete translation in English, which he titled the Flower Ornament Scripture. Here is an outline of the sutras's teachings, based on Bodhisattva Hsuan Hua's commentary. http://www.buddhistbooks.info/avatam/content.html Amita....thank you for sharing this. I am a Christian, but I have the utmost respect for Buddhism...indeed...I've been studying Buddhism for so many years it's truly safe to say I'm almost part Buddhist. I've read the Sutra before, but I am interested in the commentary. It is truly refreshing to see some Buddhist perspectives on this forum. Please keep them coming. Speaking of Bodhisattva's....the actual Way of the Bodhisattva is one of my favorite spiritual works of all time...from any religion. Hugely influential in my own life. Have you also seen http://buddha.net? There is also a wealth of Buddhist material there as well. Peace, MA Edited October 8, 2018 by Marcus Aurelius 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 8, 2018 Author #123 Share Posted October 8, 2018 8 hours ago, Marcus Aurelius said: Amita....thank you for sharing this. I am a Christian, but I have the utmost respect for Buddhism...indeed...I've been studying Buddhism for so many years it's truly safe to say I'm almost part Buddhist. I've read the Sutra before, but I am interested in the commentary. It is truly refreshing to see some Buddhist perspectives on this forum. Please keep them coming. Speaking of Bodhisattva's....the actual Way of the Bodhisattva is one of my favorite spiritual works of all time...from any religion. Hugely influential in my own life. Have you also seen http://buddha.net? There is also a wealth of Buddhist material there as well. Peace, MA Nice to see a positive response to this thread MA. Yes, Santideva's classic Path of Bodhisattvas is a gem, I will have to post some snips from it (unless I already have, lousy memory). Buddha.net has been around for many years and is full of good Dharma. Here is an online source for sutra commentaries by Ven. Master Hsuan Hua. He lectured daily on the Avatamsaka Sutra for around nine years. You can see from the link that his commentaries on that one huge sutra are still being translated. Print volumes are available too. http://www.cttbusa.org/fas1/fas_contents.asp 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted October 8, 2018 #124 Share Posted October 8, 2018 8 hours ago, Marcus Aurelius said: Amita....thank you for sharing this. I am a Christian, but I have the utmost respect for Buddhism...indeed...I've been studying Buddhism for so many years it's truly safe to say I'm almost part Buddhist. You really need to stay away from those Quakers. They are way too open minded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amita Posted October 9, 2018 Author #125 Share Posted October 9, 2018 (edited) A few hundred years before Shantideva was another Bodhisattva, Vasubandhu. Here is his outline of the bodhisattva path as seen in the chapter headings in this sample from the translation by Bhikshu Dharmamitra of Kalavinka Press. No e-books yet, but print books are still available. The print book has Chinese on facing pages. http://kalavinka.org/book_excerpts/V-Bcitta_excerpts/VBcitta_X-21_Title_TOC_Intro.pdf Edited October 9, 2018 by Amita 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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