Ooohhmmmmmmmm

[Atman]

1. Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
   
2. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
   
3. Sleep is the best meditation.
   
4. Spend some time alone every day.
   
5. We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.
   
6. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
   
7. We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.
   
8. Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
   
9. If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.
   
10. The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis.

- from the 14th Dalai Lama
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1989)

Thread title has been edited by Admin because it was messing up page widths on other pages, apologies for the inconvenience.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. What I like about Buddhism is that it makes so much sense. K&R

[PurpleChez]

37. And if something DOESN'T make sense

you're allowed to say so. Others might disagree but the sangha isn't going to try to destroy you.

[B3Nut]

46. I remember someone asking the Dalai Lama

what he thought should happen if a tenet of Buddhism was found to be in conflict with scientific evidence. He said that Buddhism would have to change on that point. IOW, inquiry and analysis is viewed as a good thing, and not the Tool Of De Debbil™ that the Abrahamic religions often consider it to be, at least in their more literalistic forms. On that basis alone I have more respect for Buddhism than I do for the Christian faith tradition I came from (and have pretty much completely lost faith in.)

I see nothing in this list of sayings I can disagree with; on the contrary, I think I'm going to print it and put it on my fridge.

Todd in Cheesecurdistan

[BrainGlutton]

67. Yes, I read that in one of Carl Sagan's books.

Sagan asked what would happen if science were to disprove the existence of reincarnation. The Lama replied that Tibetan Buddhism would have to change. Then he added, chuckling, "Of course, it will be very difficult to disprove reincarnation."

[mzmolly]

105. Very interesting.

:hi:

Quakers also believe that science is to be valued.

[Jackpine Radical]

143. Are there incompatibilities between Quakerism & Buddhism?

Offhand, not many come to mind.

[mzmolly]

144. Not to my knowledge.

I think they are quite similar in many ways. :hi:

[RaleighNCDUer]

114. I would LOVE to have been there for that conversation.

Can you imagine?

[PurpleChez]

89. Exactly. It's empirical, experiential.

I think that's what has attracted me to it. I have nothing but respect for the upbringing I received in a mainstream protestant church, but I just could never buy the idea that God was trying to trick me with phoney science in order to test my faith.

But before making a broad condemnation of the Abrahamic faiths, it is my understanding that Islam has, historically, seen little or no conflict between faith and science--one reason why Arab science was 100s of years ahead of Europeans during the "Dark Ages" (Dark only in Europe). I'm fuzzy on the details, but I seem to recall that it was a similar line of thought to what we see from European astronomers of a certain era, that science revealed the glory or creation, rather than challanged it.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

159. Get the movie about Omar Khayyam. The Keeper (2005)

The Persians have an ancient tradition in science, math and astronomy. It's where the word "algebra" comes from, and why many stars have names that start with Al: Aldebaran, Algol.

"The Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam" is a gorgeous and profound movie about Omar the tentmaker's son and many other things.

I cannot recommend highly enough. Made by a Persian man, Kayvan Mashayekh, who escaped during the overthrow of the Shah, when he was a kid. Truly a beautiful movie about family traditions, religion fanaticism versus science, and so on. Made by actual descendants of Omar Khayyam.

His calendar, used in the Arab world, is more accurate than our Gregorian calendar and will not need to be tinkered with for something like 3,500 years.

Has Vanessa Redgrave. Available on DVD at www.greatomar.com


Ten minute discussion with the director:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYEJzMA587s



The movie trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFtpuUyDdcc&mode=related&search=



Music video by Shani Rigsbee - From Here to Beyond:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5W7t2kaUR8

[truedelphi]

107. When the Dalai Lama visited San Francisco someone asked

Him "What if something big and mean and scary was after you?"

His answer: "Run!"

[FloridaJudy]

133. Nor has anyone ever been burned at the stake

for not believing in the Dharma.

[pork medley]

139. yes but people have been reduced to chattel in tibet

the dalai lama admits himself to having owned slaves before he was forced to flee :)

[AZBlue]

2. Thank you!

Very timely - much needed!!!

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

3. Very nice.

I especially like number 1. Kindness really matters.

[uppityperson]

4. thank you

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. Into my offline journal of wonderful DU sayings you go.

Thank you for that Atman!

:toast:

[SharonAnn]

23. Into mine, too. It's now 113 pages accumulated over the last 6+ years.

[emilyg]

6. K&R

simple.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

7. And another along those same lines... Georgia O'Keefe

Georgia O'Keefe

We each have the power to create joy and happiness through the simple gesture of caring, compassion, and respect. And the more you give, the more is returned to you....be gentle with yourself and others.

[dogindia]

8. if each one of us is creating our own world and being in joy is what

will allow us to create the most. What a gas......

k&r

[Dhalgren]

9. Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh.....

Thank you. Much appreciated...

[proud patriot]

10. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm

:-)

[Double T]

11. It is nice to be reminded of the really important things in life.

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread Atman.

[Atman]

13. You're welcome, to all.

It seems things have been getting pretty rough around here lately. I thought it was kind of timely...glad you all appreciated it!

:hi:

.

[TahitiNut]

14. Namaste.

http://members.aol.com/tahitinut/namaste.htm

[FloridaJudy]

15. Thank you.

Every once in a while I need to be reminded of what's most valuable.

May all beings be healthy.
May they be happy.
May they grow in understanding.

Lather, rinse and repeat until you believe it.

[IChing]

16. Thanks Atman

Compassion is the finest weapon and best defence.


If you would establish harmony,
Compassion must surround you like a fortress.


In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, delve deep into the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In work, be competent.
In action, be careful of your timing.

Furthermore,
A good soldier does not inspire fear;
A good fighter does not display aggression;
A good conqueror does not favor battle;
A good leader does not exercise force.

This is the value of commonality;
This is how to win the cooperation of others;
This to how to build the same harmony that is in nature.



--Lao Tsu

Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.
--Lao Tsu

[Maraya1969]

31. Hexagram #33 - Retreat. Interesting that you chose that one.

Any particular reason or am I just not getting it. Except maybe that we need to retreat from Iraq now.

[IChing]

35. Oh, you notice that discrepancy between the saying and the sign?

or was it? I just threw that to see what would come up on Atman's thought,
then just placed my other thoughts on Atman's excellent thread

Many times we need to retreat from our own world as the Dali Lama was saying
and reconnect. Retreat is not just a military term but sometimes a place
that humans go to in order to reconnect......Sorta of like a spa
for the mind.

[Cronopio]

136. Milarepa in his cave was closer to humanity than most of the people he shared this planet with. nt

[Morgana LaFey]

17. No. 6

brings to mind Garth Brooks's wondeful song: Thank God for Unanswered Prayers

Lovely list. Thanks.

[Gregorian]

18. I'm so pissed off and angry. I appreciate you posting this.

I have to tell you, I've been thinking about the Dalai Lama lately. But in an angry way. But I have to admit that almost everything in your post I have already learned and created on my own. In fact I used to joke that the best meditation was sleep. And to see that almost made me laugh.

Lately I am trying to live with not getting what I want. And it's quite difficult for most people to understand since what I want is rather unusual. In retrospect over the last twenty years, I realize that by not getting what I wanted, I did not stagnate. One part of me is angry, and the rational part of me is thankful. Instead of having a simple job and an apartment or house, I ended up scraping a subsistence and moving from place to place. A smorgasborg of experiences. And I ended up making a hell of a lot of money in the meantime, on accident.

But here I sit, at the mercy of two people. One who says she'll help me achieve a goal I have, and another who has what I want. And between the two, I have sat in a room for half of a year, waiting. The man is one of the wealthiest men in America. And he doesn't have time for little people like me. He can take a shit, but he can't pick up the phone and answer my pleas. And the woman, as I discovered on DU today, is an Ann Coulter clone. Everything about her. Her speech, clothing, hair, everything. And I'm at the mercy of these two people who cannot find it to do what I want. The aggravating part is that they say they are going to. It's not like they've told me to bug off. So I wait and wait, like a battered house wife. And what the man has is what I've waited my entire life for. So I am forced to continue on. And I'm finding myself nearly in a state of violence at times. I'm furious. It's the ultimate test. And so unnecessary. Sort of like George and Dick. Why does it have to be so unfair when it could be easy, I continue to ask myself.

And I've cursed the Dalai Lama for what I consider to be nothing more than just being good at not caring. Or ignoring. After all, anyone who could visit Bush and walk away like the Lama did, and be smiling, and saying that George is actually a nice guy, is a bit out to lunch. But I keep coming back to the reality that at some point we'll go crazy if we continue on this escalator of pain and suffering. I am. My head hurts. My sleep is poor. My relationships are dying. And since the golden carrot this guy has is all I ever wanted in life, if I can't get it I feel like life has nothing left for me.

So either the Lama is a dork, or he is more free than anyone. And I don't think he's stupid. I just wonder what good detachment does. How can we accomplish anything unless it means a lot? The answer to which is probably that accomplishing things is overrated.

So why did I post this? It seems that the world could be such a nice place, with so much less suffering, if people were only the tiniest bit considerate. I've always treaded lightly. And I've always been tread upon. And I'm tired. What I want is what the Dalai Lama wants. A home. But he's smiling, and I'm not.

[southerncrone]

24. You might consider

seeking some counseling. Some of your post sounds almost suicidal, please seek help for this! It might help to set things in proper perspective. Perhaps what you have always wanted is in reality the worst thing for you. Just sayin'.....

[Gregorian]

26. I know. I'm even scaring myself over this.

I've obsessed for so long about what I want that being this close is killing me. I could go on about it, but it's not worth it. But I will say that most people are enduring lives that are not good for them. Our modern society has left us with much less than we need, as human beings. I'm looking for a place to live that is not full of the crap that most people just take for granted. Car noise, for example.

I'll never be suicidal. But I'm far from relaxed and satisfied. It's a complex place that I'm in. I see how close I am to living like a real human being, and it's hard to accept losing that. There's no way I can even come close to explaining this in a simple post. But I appreciate your insight. That is what I love about DU. People listen and communicate. And we aren't like the rest of the drones in this society. We're doing our own things. It makes life a lot more difficult, but better in the long run.

[southerncrone]

27. Whew! Glad you cleared that up!

Also, glad you took my comments in the way I intended. After I posted that, I was afraid you might think I was presumptuous.

Agree that life today is full of crap, when it should be soooo good for us all. But we have allowed it to happen by putting our focus on the wrong things. Granted, we have had help with that from MSM, unchecked corporate invasion of our lives & manipulative laws/tax incentives, etc. We do however, still (for the time being) have freedom of choice. There are millions of choices for us on so many levels. Trouble is, we often get tunnel vision & can't see the forest for the trees. (Speaking of trees, perhaps an escape to the country might be just what you need.)

So close, yet so far away. Remember the adage about love (it also applies to other desires!): "If you love (desire) someone (something) set them (it) free, if they (it) come back (happens) it was yours all along, if it doesn't, it was not meant to be.

There is a Universal Law that you can obsess about something so much that you actually repel it. (Think of "stalkers" on the human relations level.) Relax & let things "take their course". The outcome will at the very least be a happier you, for the moment. And that is actually all we have anyway.

Best of luck w/your outcome. Make the most of what ever comes your way.:toast:

[Gregorian]

28. If you only knew.

I left for the country fifteen years ago. But what was country is no longer. I am now in search of extreme country. Haha. I'm looking for a very large piece of land. Something very difficult to find, let alone afford. In fact, I can't afford it. That's why I've had such a hard time. And that is why I've been so pissed off. But without going into that story, all I can say is that people love money too much. It is why we're in this mess. That and population.

And what you said in the rest of your post is what I am failing to do. Some days I sit patiently. Some days I freak out.

My fear is getting in my way. And that is also a long story. But for brevity's sake, if I could just stop pursuing this goal it might actually find me. Or perhaps it really is a poisonous goal. I don't think living on land with a pasture with sheep is poison. And that is where I get lost. I've always said that if I had a goal to find acreage in the business district of San Francisco, I'd be out of my mind. I'm not doing that. But what I am doing is a tall order. In 2007. The maddening part is that for the whole of humanity until just moments ago, we were able to do that. If we were male and white, etc. So I know it has never been easy. But perhaps the Dalai Lama is doing it best. After all, he is smiling. And like another forum I spend a lot of time at, an art forum, some young guys were talking this morning about how they may be broke, but they're happy. And even a toothless and gummy grin is better than a frown of white teeth. Hey, I just made that one up.

It's weird to have spent so much time thinking about this stuff. Why should I be so selfish that I am in pain over this, when others in Iraq are running from soldiers. But those kinds of questions are too deep to figure out. For now, I am living my life. It's selfish. And maybe even more painful than those we pity. I think the original post is a good one. I will learn more. And I will work on following those principals. Maybe my world and everyone else's world will be better for it. I'm fighting myself. I'm fighting what Dick Cheney is also fighting. Impatience and need. Maybe even greed.

[southerncrone]

30. Impatience & greed for the last few decades have been considered

the American Way. I firmly believe that greed & convenience are the downfall of our planet. Ever since the end of WWII these ideals have been promoted as aspirations to strive for. About 1980 the accelerator was pushed & all of this became grossly worse; it has been escalating ever since. We are now at a jumping off point because of this erroneous thinking. Population explosion & chasing the almighty $ are certainly hugh contributors to our current plight.

I understand about "what was country is no longer". My family will be fighting that very fight soon. There is still "country" out there, but it is getting harder to find & afford, at least "good" country.
Not desert, or flood planes. You have obviously traveled over much of this nation, so you probably have preferences on where you'd like to live. Maybe if you look to another area, you could find something that would work, too. I would love to have a LARGE piece of land, but difficult to find and afford, not to mention pay taxes on it yearly. I've always been a "people person" but have found I am tired of dealing w/people now. Maybe it is just that so many people are not very nice now, or maybe I'm just getting old, but I enjoy just escaping to my 26 acres. If I could, I'd have 2600 just to insure privacy! :hide: Alas, I must make due until other options present themselves.

I think Dick Cheney is fighting to keep his dirty little secrets from being exposed...totally different sent of demons!;-)

[Maraya1969]

115. These quotes have always helped me. From "The Course in Miracles

"Seek not outside yourself. For all your pain comes simply from a futile search for what you want, insisting where it must be found. What if it is not there? Do you prefer that you be right or happy?"





"A miracle is a correction. It does not create, nor really change at all. It merely looks on devastation, and reminds the mind that what it sees is false."




:hug:




http://www.megwarden.com/ACIM.html

[Gregorian]

140. I think I understand.

I'm not sure I want to understand. But as I grow wiser I realize that I am not always right.

You've forced me to remember something I'm having a hard time learning. That I may be wrong. I am so absolutely certain about what I am seeing that I cannot entertain that I may be wrong. Like gravity. But like gravity, I don't know. It sure looks like it works, but I don't know why it works. And there is something about it that no one knows yet.

I'm having a very hard time accepting that population and it's consumption of the beautiful land is not what I see that it is.

I will just continue to remind myself that there is mystery. Today I have discovered some amazing things. And some very disgusting things. I'm gravitating toward the mystery and away from the disgust. I hope that is the right way to move. And thanks for your thoughts. That's very kind.

[kineneb]

34. an possible explaination of the Dali Lama's actions

from another Buddhist, Thich Nhat Hanh (from:Living Buddha, Living Christ):

When you look deeply into your anger, you will see that the person you call your enemy is also suffering. As soon as you see that, the capacity of accepting and having compassion for him is there. Jesus called this "loving your enemy." When you are able to love your enemy, he or she is no longer your enemy. The idea of "enemy" vanishes and is replaced by the notion of someone who is suffering and needs your compassion.

---
It was not detachment, but compassion for someone who is grossly inadequate for the job, and very deep down inside knows it.

[Gregorian]

141. Believe it or not, I actually figured that one out on my own.

I have spent years thinking about this. And I've always known that "love thy enemy" might be one of the hardest things to do. And I've contemplated how it could be done. After using empathy and compassion, I realized that they also have pain and suffering. Even Dick Cheney.

I am surprised at the insights I'm seeing in this thread. And at my own ability to see.

Thank you! This leads me to believe that there are many good people. That the world is not as evil as it may seem.

I find this particular topic to be more important than perhaps anything there is. Enemies turned into allies.

[FloridaJudy]

150. Another one

A good Buddhist is supposed to pray daily for the health, happiness and enlightenment of all sentient beings. I must confess to being a very Bad Buddhist. I can usually find it in me to pray for venomous snakes, maggots and jackals - all of whom I find repellent, but who have their place in the natural order. But then I remember "Crap. That includes Dick Cheney and Ann Coulter doesn't it? How on earth can I bring myself to pray for their wellbeing?"

I find it useful then to remember that were people like that truly healthy, happy and enlightened, then they would no longer wish to cause harm to others. And that the point of praying is not to bring some sort of magical "salvation" to others, but to improve my own outlook and character.

And the nasty little part of my soul that thrives on Schadenfreude says "Whoa! If they ever got enlightened, the realization of the evil they've done would be crushing!" Karmic payback with interest.

I suspect the Dalai Lama doesn't think that last bit as often as I do, but even he admits he sometimes swats mosquitoes.

[bigmonkey]

87. Not quibbling here - non-attachment is not detachment.

The idea, as I've been taught, is to let go of attachments. This doesn't mean pushing them away, or destroying them -I think it's much more gentle. If you let go of something, it could well stay on its own, so to speak. As I see it, you could still have a strong interest in Democracy, for instance, but you would lose the fear.

I don't know if that's any help to you, but it helps me when I think about it that way, so I thought I'd mention it.

[Gregorian]

142. I think I understand.

I see it as not forcing the goal. Letting the goal come to me. I could rob a bank tomorrow. I could kill for the cash to buy what I want. Or I could spend a lifetime pursuing the proper channels in order to allow my dream to happen.

I think I understand. But I am far from patient. I worry. I hate. I fear. But now I see that anger and sadness and fatigue will result. There is so much to fear. And maybe before I die I will find a way to just be with the process. Man, it gets a bit fuzzy. But I think I understand.

I am so grateful to have this conversation.

[Maraya1969]

151. Oh I just thought of another thing...Wayne Dywer has a book and CD's

out called "Inspiration Your ultimate calling"

He starts off the first CD by saying: (paraphrasing) "What you want to say to yourself in order to become inspired is this." The good that I desire which is aligned with spirit (my emphasis) is on its way to me."

It gets confusing to me also. I have a dream of doing something and I waffle between thinking I should push and fight to get where I want or just envision it and take the steps with a sense that what will happen is right and good for me and others.

[Gregorian]

153. That's me.

I have spent almost 20 years in a state of panic over finding a home. But I've always been that way. When I was into sports cars, it was dual SU carburetors or turbochargers. That was my mantra. People got tired of hearing me repeat it. I was fearful I couldn't do it. In fact, just talking about it here makes me realize how ridiculous it was. Of course I could do it. But I was fearful about the same thing as I am now. That I wouldn't have the money to do it.

I just left my realtor's office. I've waited patiently/impatiently for five months. What should have been a few weeks turned into a marathon wait. I came here to buy land. And I'm doing the same thing. Trying to make it happen. All while it looks impossible. High prices, no inventory. So two weeks ago, I'm in my mountain biking forum, and one of the bigwig executives from Bank of America posts that he just finished a 50,000 acre land transaction. By the way, this is something I ought to post on this forum. It's a story you wouldn't believe. But it's the first time in history that a private corporation like BofA has purchased logging land to put into a conservation preserve. To keep it from being developed and logged. But to allow people to access it by hiking or biking. Bingo, the lights went on. The guy I want to buy land from didn't have the time for me. But now that I might be able to put together a deal to sell his land as a conservation preserve, like he wants to do, I may have found my way of getting a tiny piece of it in the process.

And after totally pissing my realtor off this morning for ignoring me and not returning my calls, I went to her office with literature I got after meeting with the bank and the foundation. And to my surprise, she said almost exactly what you just said in your post.

The problem is, all my life I have believed that things come when they are meant to come. But I'm afraid. And I spend much of my time in anger. And I've identified that the anger is the result of fear. And my fear is grounded. I see nonstop cars and airplanes and the resulting global warming. I see all of the things that are happening. I'm a mechanical engineer. I know how everything works. And it's frightening. And I don't know how to handle that fear. But the goal I have about land is perhaps on path. And suddenly I see how it all happened outside of my control. A guy on a biking forum. A realtor who I met accidentally.

Now all I need to do is not fear. I almost want to say that in a way, all I have to do is nothing.

I think I understand. Now if only I can practice the faith.

[rosesaylavee]

148. Been there.

One thing that comforts me when I am overwhelmed with anger or fear - I start reciting what I am grateful for - from the smallest thing such as: I am grateful for the pillow I rest my head on, the roof over my head, a working car, gas to drive the car, the ability to take a shower when I want to, etc.

Have had times in my life that I haven't had those things and more - but reciting the litany of what I am grateful for calms me and the act of concentrating on what is going right really does turn my head around eventually. And when it starts to slip back, I start reciting it again.

A few other points. Are you aware that stress removes important B vitamins from your body and brain? Lack of B affects emotions and sleep.

I wish you could walk away from the two people you mention. Peace to you.

[Gregorian]

154. Thank you so much.

I especially appreciate it when people communicate. And especially about difficult stuff like this.

Also, I had forgotten about the vitamin B thing. Now I have to give that a try.

About those two people. I had an argument today with one of them. The day after I told her the lack of communication was killing me, I left a message on her phone. She did not even respond. When people tell me they are too busy to respond, I know they are lying. Most people argue with that. But I know it's true. And to make things worse, after seeing the Ann Coulter video, I had never realized it, but this woman I know is a clone of Coulter. But I went into her office today and presented a plan that I have. And you know what? I may be closer to my dream right now than ever. It just may be that even though these people have pushed my buttons, they also have what I want. And I was the one being frantic. I think this is a perfect example of what this thread is about. Including "love thy enemy". Realizing that other people have faults. And realizing that I am the one in control of me. When a golden carrot is dangled, it can make life really difficult. I'm talking about the possibility that this transaction might net me 1000 acres of my own private redwood forest. I have this gut feeling that it's not going to happen. But what I've learned here is that I'm not going to drop dead if it doesn't happen. It's not worth pain and suffering. And I believe this is why Cheney and Bush are so screwed up. Greed. Fear. They're sorry beings. Nothing to be envious of.

I haven't been this excited in a long time. And it's partly because I met a fantastic person who is involved in taking logging property and turning it into a conservation preserve. And we think alike. And there are stories that go along with it. Stories about the famous logging protestors, and how they actually turned the mentality of corporations around.

Now back to practicing and studying. And vitamin B.

Thanks.

[rosesaylavee]

155. Have a book to recommend...

unless you have already read it. I read most of it and had to return it to the library this past week as it was overdue and being a newly released book, wasn't renewable yet.

It's called the Wild Trees and its the story of the people who have climbed the redwoods and sequoias in the rain forests of the NW and elsewhere. Very enjoyable book and some surprising info on what they found up in the trees. Or I thought so.

http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Trees-Story-Passion-Daring/dp/1400064899/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-1403547-2698053?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183072584&sr=8-1

[Gregorian]

156. I've seen a documentary on that subject.

In 1998 I lived up the road from the world's tallest redwood. There's a place called Montgomery woods that has never been logged. I would go into that forest and just be in what was like the world's largest cathedral. Absolutely monstrous trees. I was so lucky that I could ride my bike through these trees every day. A tiny unknown road. I could ride for two hours without seeing a car. Now you see why I get so upset when I have to live in this less than perfect society with cars zooming everywhere. I may never be able to get past that. It's my true fear of what they are all doing to the planet.

But I have seen videos of what they found in those trees. Pretty amazing. And being terrified of heights, I imagine the book must be thrilling.

There's still a lot of good stuff on this planet. I plan to discover much more. And without using gasoline to do it. You see, I'm on the road. In slow motion. I move to a place I like, and I enjoy it for a few years. Then I go to the next place. My realtor just checked out a farm for me today. It's at the Humboldt headwaters reserve. It also has old growth. But no bikes allowed. Still, it may be my next stop. Tonight I'm in a much better place than I was yesterday. I'm almost ready to float to wherever I am supposed to be.

[rosesaylavee]

157. Glad to hear it

One of the people who discovered the tallest is afraid of heights also. He's in the story as well.

Peace to you this evening.

[Kiouni]

19. Wise words from a fine man.

[samplegirl]

20. Thanks I needed this

Number 7 and number 9 especially.

[Bluebear]

21. Namaste, Atman.

http://www.summitlh.com/darjeeling-report/shiva/shiva.html

[Change has come]

22. K&R

:kick:

[southerncrone]

25. Thank you, Atman & IChing for your posts.

In this crazy, modern world of ours, we seem to loose site of what is REALLY important.....peace of mind.O8)

[Maraya1969]

29. I love #3

[Warren DeMontague]

32. Damn straight.

Thanks, I needed that.

[amitten]

33. Great post...thanks. n/t

[Decruiter]

36. Thank you. You've been around long time grasshopper, you speak

truth with much.

Thank you for sharing with us.

[Totally Committed]

38. Easily the loveliest and most timely post on DU in a very long time.

Thank you for a compassionate, accepting place to come and linger for a while.

Namaste, my friend.

And, peace to all.

TC

[WillyT]

39. Number 9, Number 9, Number 9...

"If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them."

:hippie:

[uberllama42]

40. This demonstrates why people gravitate toward any religious belief, I think

People accept whatever faith or denomination agrees with the beliefs they already espouse. This is why religious people interpret their sacred texts selectively and why Christianity has adopted the elements of so many indigenous belief systems as it has spread and sought to win converts.

I agree with everything on this list. It's all very good advice. But most of these are so trite that we have all agreed with them since we were five years old. I appreciate the reminder, sure, but I don't think that any of this is particularly profound or exciting. The exception is #10, which is contrary to what practically any other religious "authority" will tell you.

Again, I'm not contesting any of this, but it's nothing to write home about.

[Atman]

42. Exactly.

You are learning your lessons well, grasshopper. Indeed, why does it have to be complicated, new or earth-shattering?

.

[mondo joe]

48. Though notably there is nothing religious about the 10 items here.

One needn't gravitate to any religious belief for any of this.

[Breeze54]

41. Good rules to live by!

:kick: & Recommended!

I think I'll copy that and paste it on my bathroom mirror! ;)

[Maraya1969]

152. Maybe you should print it out first.

:)

[yankeeinlouisiana]

43. What beautiful words!!

From the Dalai Lama and Georgia O'Keefe!

I'm printing these out and posting them in my children's bedrooms!

Thanks!

:-)

[Lerkfish]

44. I appreciate this post, yet I also realize that if a christian had posted

a scripture the response would have been very different.

[durrrty libby]

47. So go ahead and start a thread with some inspirational scripture

[Lerkfish]

49. okeydoke...here's a link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1193842

I'll be happy to be proven wrong. My contention is that this thread will encounter a much different response posture.

For the record, I think THIS thread is great, its nice to see inspirational things from any source.

[Lerkfish]

50. better look at it quick, before it gets moved to the religion forum.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1193842

[durrrty libby]

51. Yeah, your link just didn't inspire me at all

It is all convoluted blessings and getting to an

imaginary place and striving to be like an imaginary being

Had enough of all that garbage in my childhood, but thanks anyway

[Lerkfish]

52. thanks for your input and your suggestion to post it before you trashed it as garbage

so, also thanks for proving my point.

[durrrty libby]

54. In my opinion it is garbage. Don't like my opinion? Then damn

me to fake hell :rofl:

[Lerkfish]

55. no, not at all. I appreciate your opinion greatly

in fact, its instrumental in my point, a point I'm not sure you have understood yet.

In fact, unlike some, I feel there is universal truths and widom contained within all religions and philosophies, and feel no reason to trash the beliefs of others. I guess you don't ascribe to that same position.

[durrrty libby]

57. I understand perfectly. You are trying to compare apples to danish

This thread is about a simple philosophy for living. No mention of god anywhere.

If you can't see the immense difference, then you have a huge blind spot.

[Lerkfish]

60. no I don't, actually.

I was amending the post you replied to as you were replying. please see the addendum to my previous post.
I do not have a blind spot at all, I'm accepting of ALL philosophies and religions as valid.
Also, the beatitudes are ALSO philosophy for living: peace, humbleness, etc.
If you cannot see the similarity, may I suggest you reread it with that in mind.

[mondo joe]

66. Had you wanted a true test, here's what you would have done:

Offer the exact same quote, but attribute it once to the Dalai Lama and once to some noted Christian leader.

[Lerkfish]

72. but that would be dishonest

and would prove nothing.

[mondo joe]

96. But your test proved nothing. So....?

[mondo joe]

65. Your mistake is your belief that the OPs are the SAME except for the religious association.

But they're not. They're different messages.

This OP is about living a good life. Yours is about getting points toward heaven, which I consider not only implausible but also quite self serving.

[durrrty libby]

68. Exactly, but the christians can't grasp that simple concept,

or they pretend they can't

They think previous believers would come back to the fold if we would just get over

some trauma, but that is bull-shit.

I am no longer a believer, because I grew up and discovered most of those people were

obnoxious hypocrites and I don't like them.

Oh yeah...and all the stuff they preach is garbage

Filling children's heads with the bible should be considered child abuse

[mondo joe]

69. I promise, if the Dalai Lama quote was a load about getting into heaven I'd have

found it just as uninspiring as the other post.

[Lerkfish]

73. but would you have been hostile about it in an equal way?

[mondo joe]

94. I wasn't hostile about the beattitudes post at all,.

[PurpleChez]

97. That is the crux of the biscuit.

I'm not a Christian, and certainly not an apologist for fundamentalist Christianity or anything of the sort. But I agree that some people feel justified in treating Christian-oriented posts differently than they would other religious comments. Particularly, they make gneralizations and level blanket condemnations (e.g. equating every Christian with Jerry Fallwell or Fred Phelps) that they would consider untennable in another setting. I'm certainly not saying that people shouldn't be allowed to express disagreement with Christian dogma (after all, I don't agree with Christian dogma), but I fear that some folks who would feel compelled to express their disagreement respectfully under different circumstances somehow feel that it's OK to respond to even the most innocuous Christian message by starting with insults and going downhill from there. I especially dislike when people state (implicitly or explicitly) that it's okay for THEM to issue blanket condemnations because, after all, they are right (and everybody else is wrong)--we'd flip out if we heard similar comments from the relgious right. I remember some months back during the brouhaha surrounding the "Mohammed" cartoons out of Denmark...some folks seemed to bend over backwards trying to excuse actions that would have been immediately and thoroughly condemned if they'd have been perpetrated by conservative Christians.

[Lerkfish]

71. right, toxic personal baggage in the past justifies your contempt in the present.

that's how bigotry works.

[durrrty libby]

80. My contempt is for any religion which has persecuted

people. Also, any and all religions involved in "holy wars"

or who have any history of believing they are better than others, are garbage

[mondo joe]

116. Don't worry - the bible has enoughtoxicity for the present. It doesn't

need a toxic past.

[Atman]

90. All due respect, those ARE completely different.

They're "religious."

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

That's more floating ghost talk, more akin to a threat than inspiration. Most of the ones you posted are pure religious mumbo-jumbo, wherein the Dalai Lama's words had no religious intonations whatsoever. The big difference is that Christianity rules by threat. "Fear" God. You'll burn in hell. Do as you're told or else.

I see nothing but contrast between my post and the religious list you linked to. But that doesn't mean it's without merit, it is just something completely different.

.

[Lerkfish]

93. I will persist in my reverence for all thought and philosophy

even if that respect is not returned.

take care, I've asked the mod to delete this subthread. sorry to have intruded.

[Atman]

104. All is good.

I saw your post saying you were "bowing out," but I had already posted in the order I was reading. It doesn't have to be deleted...though it certainly goes against the grain of the thread, that's for sure.

Don't get upset or bummed or feel you're being disrespected. Not at all. It is important to understand the thoughts and philosophies of others. If George W. Bush had...well, we've heard all that before. I think you just probably chose the wrong thread in which to post a Christian cheer.

.

[mondo joe]

62. The Dalai Lama has the advantage of not having attacked my civil rights.

So, y'know, I'm a little biased in favor of people who are decent.

[Lerkfish]

63. thanks. that continues to prove my contention:

(from another thread)

another conclusion is that there is open hostility against christians at DU from people who have negative baggage in their own life experiences regarding christian churches they attended or were forced to attend. Since Buddhist churches are not normally part of people's developmental life experience, its philosophy can be viewed with little or no existing negative baggage, and is therefore considered a "positive" thread, whereas it still attempts to proselytize towards the buddhist viewpoint. That proselytizing is viewed as "enlightenment", whereas an exactly similar thread from a christian is viewed as wearing ones religion on their sleeve, or trying to cram their viewpoint down the throat of others.

my experiment was to point out the different perceptions here at DU, and it was a successful experiment, proving my point in spades.


I would also point out that neither have progressive christians here at DU attacked your civil rights, or at least I know that I have not.

[mondo joe]

64. But you're quite wrong.

My issue has nothing to do with "negative baggage in their own life experiences regarding christian churches they attended or were forced to attend".

It has everything to do with the politicization of christianity as a bludgeon against civil rights, and a general distaste for "deities".

Buddhism hasn't played any such part in US politics, nor is it likely to, and there's not a damn thing in the quote from the Dalai Lama that rests on religion or gods.

[Lerkfish]

70. thanks for your input

we disagree, however.
You're still explaining why you treat christians and buddhists at DU unequally, My attempt to explain that discrepancy might not be YOUR motivation for doing so, but you still admit you do so.

[mondo joe]

95. But I don't treat Buddhists and Christians different;ly - at least not

based on their religion.

[Atman]

98. What is this "Buddhist philosophy" you speak of?

Re-read my OP. There is no "Buddhist philosophy." It's just some nice words about being a good person. No threats to burn in hell, or rewards of a home in the clouds. Your Christian post, though, was in fact filled with very religious ideas and "God" stuff.

The reason is simple...Buddhism is not (or at least, should not be referred to as) a religion. The Buddha himself would have been quited miffed at the very idea of a Dalai Lama, because an "organized church" is against everything Buddhism was/is actually about.

Read "Buddhism Without Beliefs" sometime. Very good, easy read that is a real eye-opener for Christians, non-Christians and especially the non-religious in search. Maybe it will help enlighten you as to the vast difference between our two posts.

Peace.

.

[PurpleChez]

112. as a novice buddhist I agree with the gist of your comments, but...

isn't there a conflict between the statement that the Buddha would be miffed at the idea of an organized religion and the tradition that the Buddha himself established orders of monks and nuns, set down rules for their conduct, instituted methods of instruction and teaching and whatnot. I'm not trying to find fault with your comments...it's just that I have read comments (and I wish I had kept notes on the source) that in Asian nations no one objects to thinking of Buddhism as a "religion," that it is only in the U.S. that we worry so much about religion vs. philosophy, if only because we want to make the distinction between Buddhism and other unquestionably theistic views. But it's all still new to me. I'm just getting back into the Buddhist swing of things after a long absense, and before that I was still a newbie. So, as I said, I'm not challenging your comments but, rather, welcoming your insights.

[Atman]

120. A buddha is simply an Enlightened or Awakened One.

Sidhatta Gotama was only one man, one "Buddha," not the Buddha as is popularly believed. Many Buddhists believe that no authority should be revered, however august: Buddhists motivate themselves and rely on their own efforts, not on a charismatic leader.(1) My readings have shown that there was not one Buddha, but many. It is not "the Buddha" who formed the structure of monks and nuns, etc., it was the other way around. They formed themselves and claimed they'd been called upon by the Buddha to do so, something which the Buddha would never have done. In later years, other orders formed, more followers misunderstood that they were following that which was not meant to be followed. Just lived. As such, there can really be no "organized" Buddhist religion.




(1)Karen Armstrong, "Buddha", Penguin Books

[PurpleChez]

131. Thanks for the response. I mean no disrespect, but....

I can't help thinking that if a similar argument were made by a Christian regarding Christian practice we would question if he were engaging in revisionist history in order to support a predetermined end.

I am certainly aware that "Buddha" means *any* enlightened one and that many Buddhists believe that *no* authority should be revered ("If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.") I respect -- and in some respects I share -- the outlook of the author you referenced above. This is where I wish I had references to those discussions I mentioned in the previous post which suggested that these sorts of distinctions are particular (if not actually unique) to American Buddhism, that in almost all other places and times those who self-identify as Buddhists haven't been particularly troubled by the idea that Buddhism might be "organized" or a "religion." I'm with you, at least insofar as I am not compelled to reverence Siddatha as the One True Teacher or anything of the sort (in fact, I have been quite turned off by some of the "intro to Buddhism" books I've found which seemed to want it both ways, saying in one sentence that the Buddha is not a religious figure to be revered and in the next launching into "all hail the One True Buddha, the Perfect Teacher, the Gift of Heaven, etc., etc."). Still, I'm not comfortable with the implication that 100s of millions of buddhists, across place and time, have been getting it wrong, but we finally got it right. But that's the cool thing about Buddhism in my mind...your experience leads you one way, mine might lead me in another, and we can still value each others' questing. (Jeez, I wish I could have thought of a better word.... 'Journey' maybe? Stilll...bleh....)

On edit: I just want it to be clear that I don't object to the POV of the quote you referenced. Just as I believe that the Jesus revered by Christians is an amalgamation of an historical figure and numerous myths, legends, etc., I have no trouble with the idea that the figure we call "THE Buddha" combines the historical person of a Shakya prince with legends of "enlightened" persons from before and since. And just as I honor the right of a progressive Christian to say that their Christianity doesn't condone homophobia I honor your right to define your own "Buddhist" experience. So I guess I agree with almost everything you said...so what's my point? Damned if I know.... (Sorry for being a spaz.)

[PurpleChez]

102. "....neither have progressive christians...attacked your civil rights...."

That's another crux of the biscuit. As I've already stated elsewhere I am not a Christian and definitely not a Christian apologist -- I consider myself a lay Buddhist -- but I believe nonetheless that if folks made generalizations about "all Muslims," "all Jews," or "all Buddhists" the way some do regarding Christians (e.g. equating all Christians with the troglodytes at Westboro Baptist Church) DUers as a whole would have a fit, and would fall over one another rushing to point out the narrowmindedness of it. Should DUers be allowed to voice disagreement with Christian dogma? Ab-so-freaking-lutely! I just think that said disagreement can often be expressed more constructively than it often is.

[Bluebear]

75. "We can live without religion" - what Christian verse would ever say that?

Also, note that this thread was almost a peaceful garden until someone had to butt in with their persecuted Christian routine.

[Lerkfish]

77. there is one

Passage Romans 2:14:
14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

[Lerkfish]

78. I was not attacking, but was rather attacked

I merely made a point without hostility, I was, in fact, appreciative of the thread.

but you prove my point admirably. The amount of dripping hostility against me in this thread is telling.

In fact, I emailed the admin this morning that they had my permission to delete this subthread. I sent that email at 10:59 EST. and before many of the posts to me became openly hostile.

I still agree with deleting this subthread.

[Bluebear]

79. No, your point was read as hostile by most who came across it.

You can say that you meant no hostility, and how "appreciative" of the thread you were, but it just doesn't ring true.

[Lerkfish]

81. we disagree, then, on my motivation

you seem to think you know it better than I.

good luck with that.

[Bluebear]

82. Even your responses here are snarky and hostile.

Try reading the original post again, pretend a Christian wrote it if you must. Or search for the prayer of St Francis of Assisi, anything to calm you.

[Lerkfish]

85. nice passive aggression

I'm not calm because I defend myself against hostility.

but enough. I've requested this subthread be deleted, but beyond that I cannot help.
It was not my original purpose to sidetrack the thread to this degree, but in the interest of the peacefullness of the OP, I will bow out now.

[mondo joe]

117. Oh get off the cross. You couldn't bear to have one little thread without

going on about how persecuted Chrisians are.

[uberllama42]

118. How can you speak as to the reaction of others?

I didn't find it hostile, and I think that anyone who does is grossly misreading the statement. I think it rings true just fine.

[Bluebear]

122. It's passive aggressive at best, to say "I appreciate the thread BUT..."

...and then go to whine how a Christian could not have posted it etc.

[Evoman]

124. Your point wasn't very well made.

I think that if you truly wanted to make a comparison, you should have posted some of the inspirational words of Christian leaders, not the bible. There are a bunch out there..even an atheist like me could appreciate it.

The problem is that your post wasn't nearly as inclusive as this post. Your post is about finding god...something that a lot of us can't relate to, not believing in it. This post was not like that.

Maybe something by MLK or another Christian leader that can be appreciated by secular DUers?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

127. I find myself saying this a lot, but here it goes again:

[Solon]

129. Yet if you posted an MLK speech, it would be lauded...

Why not compare like with like, and not make shit up, shall we?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

132. This is not the same as scripture...

It doesn't suggest that one needs to believe in a god to be a decent human being or to achieve happiness. The Beatitudes speak of the blessings one will receive from a god, not the better world one can create by showing kindness and developing empathy and awareness.

I suggest to you that the following Jesus quotes would receive a warmer welcome:

“He who rules his spirit has won a greater victory than the taking of a city.”

“Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.”

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Or perhaps these, from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.:

"Without love, benevolence becomes egotism"

"We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers."

"Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love."

[Highway61]

45. Thank you...I needed that

A few of my own favorites

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
- Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)


"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."
- Plato (427-347 B.C.)

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens."
- Jimi Hendrix

"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life."
- Frank Zappa

[pberq]

53. Beautiful!

The spirit of Gandhi lives on!

[Blue_Tires]

56. this buddhist thanks you

k+r

[redqueen]

58. :)

:hug:

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

59. Namaste from Ommm to Atman and All .... Lovely read in the message

Namaste: The Significance of a Yogic Greeting
=============================================

In a well-known episode it so transpired that the great lover god
Krishna made away with the clothes of unmarried maidens, fourteen
to seventeen years of age, bathing in the river Yamuna. Their
fervent entreaties to him proved of no avail. It was only after
they performed before him the eternal gesture of namaste was he
satisfied, and agreed to hand back their garments so that they
could recover their modesty.

Illustration : http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/HA91/ (Size
87 kb)

The gesture (or mudra) of namaste is a simple act made by
bringing together both palms of the hands before the heart, and
lightly bowing the head. In the simplest of terms it is accepted
as a humble greeting straight from the heart and reciprocated
accordingly.

Illustration : http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/ZJ23/ (Size
53 kb)

Namaste is a composite of the two Sanskrit words, nama, and te.
Te means you, and nama has the following connotations:

1). To bend

2). To bow

3). To sink

4). To incline

5). To stoop

All these suggestions point to a sense of submitting oneself to
another, with complete humility. Significantly the word 'nama'
has parallels in other ancient languages also. It is cognate with
the Greek nemo, nemos and nosmos; to the Latin nemus, the Old
Saxon niman, and the German neman and nehman. All these
expressions have the general sense of obeisance, homage and
veneration. Also important here is to note that the root 'nama'
is a neuter one, the significance of which will be elaborated
upon later.

The word nama is split into two, na and ma. Na signifies negation
and ma represents mine. The meaning would then be 'not mine'. The
import being that the individual soul belongs entirely to the
Supreme soul, which is identified as residing in the individual
towards whom the namaste is directed. Indeed there is nothing
that the soul can claim as its own. Namaste is thus the
necessary rejection of 'I' and the associated phenomena of
egotism. It is said that 'ma' in nama means death (spiritual),
and when this is negated (na-ma), it signifies immortality.

The whole action of namaste unfolds itself at three levels:
mental, physical, and verbal.

It starts with a mental submission. This submission is in the
spirit of total surrender of the self. This is parallel to the
devotion one expresses before a chosen deity, also known as
bhakti. The devotee who thus venerates with complete
self-surrender is believed to partake the merits or qualities of
the person or deity before whom he performs this submission.
There is a prescription in the ancient texts known as Agamas that
the worshipper of a deity must first become divine himself, for
otherwise worship as a transaction would become invalid. A
transaction can only be between equals, between individuals who
share some details in common. Hence by performing namaste before
an individual we recognize the divine spark in him. Further by
facilitating our partaking of these divine qualities, namaste
makes us aware of these very characteristics residing within our
own selves. Simply put, namaste intimates the following:

'The God in me greets the God in you
The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you'

In other words, it recognizes the equality of all, and pays honor
to the sacredness of all.

Translated into a bodily act, namaste is deeply rich in
symbolism. Firstly the proper performance of namaste requires
that we blend the five fingers of the left hand exactly with the
fingers of the right hand. The significance behind this simple
act in fact governs the entire gamut of our active life. The five
fingers of the left hand represent the five senses of karma, and
those of the right hand the five organs of knowledge. Hence it
signifies that our karma or action must be in harmony, and
governed by rightful knowledge, prompting us to think and act
correctly.

Illustration : http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/ZJ19/ (Size
60 kb)

By combining the five fingers of each hand, a total of ten is
achieved. The number ten is a symbol of perfection, and the
mystical number of completion and unity. It is true for all
ancient traditions. Ten is the number of the Commandments
revealed to Moses by God. In the Pythagorean system, ten was a
symbol of the whole of creation. Ancient Chinese thought also
regarded ten as the perfectly balanced number.

Another significant identification of namaste is with the
institution of marriage, which represents a new beginning, and
the conjoining of the male and female elements in nature.
Marriage is a semi-divine state of wholeness - a union between
the opposite principles of male and female necessary to create and
protect new life. The idea of human divine association was often
expressed in terms of marriage, as in the description of nuns as
"brides of Christ". Thus in the exhaustive marriage rituals of
India, after the elaborate ceremonies have been completed, the
new husband and wife team perform namaste to each other. Wedding
customs, full of symbolic meanings, attempt to ensure that
marriages are binding, hence fruitful and happy. Namaste is one
such binding symbolic ritual. The reconciliation, interaction and
union of opposites is amply reflected in this spiritual gesture.
It is hoped that the husband and wife team too would remain
united, as are the hands joined in namaste. By physically
bringing together the two hands, namaste is metaphorically
reconciling the duality inherent in nature and of which the
marriage of two humans is an earthly manifestation, a harmonious
resolution of conflicting tensions. Thus namaste, which
symbolizes the secret of this unity, holds the key to maintaining
the equilibrium of life and entering the area where health,
harmony, peace and happiness are available in plenty.

In this context, namaste is equated with the image of
Ardhanarishvara, the hermaphrodite form symbolizing the marriage
of Shiva and Parvati, or the coming together of the parents of
the universe, for the purpose of creation. In this form Shiva has
his beloved spouse engrafted in his body. It is conjectured that
by wresting from her husband one half of his body as her own, and
herself commingling in his physical frame, Parvati has obtained
an ideal, archetypal union with her husband. Indeed which couple
could be more devoted than the one which finds completion only by
merging into each other? By merging her creative aspect with him,
Parvati balances Shiva's destructive urge. Similarly when
Ardhanarishvara dances, the dance step is itself believed to be a
combination of two principal and antagonistic styles of dance.
'Tandava', the fierce, violent dance, fired by an explosive,
sweeping energy, is a delirious outburst, precipitating havoc. On
the other hand is 'lasya', the gentle, lyrical dance, full of
sweetness, and representing the emotions of tenderness and love.
It is in the lasya of the goddess that death is annihilated and
turned into transformation and rejuvenation, rebirth and
creation. The image of Ardhanarishvara is thus the perfect master
of the two contrary elements in the manifested universe. Such an
ideal, perfect marriage is the message of namaste. Thus is
'nama', the root of namaste, of neuter gender, as is
Ardhanarishvara, the androgyne.

Illustration : http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/ZC10/ (Size
60 kb)

Namaste recognizes the duality that has ever existed in this
world and suggests an effort on our part to bring these two
forces together, ultimately leading to a higher unity and
non-dual state of Oneness. Some of these dual elements which the
gesture of namaste marries together and unifies as one are:

God and Goddess

Priest and Priestess

King and Queen

Man and Woman.

Heaven and Earth

Sun and Moon

Solar bull and Lunar cow

Sulfur and Quicksilver (Alchemy)

Theory and Practice

Wisdom and Method

Pleasure and Pain

Astral body (consciousness) and Etheric body (sensation)

Mind and body

Pneuma (spirit) and Psyche (mind)

Hun (spiritual soul) and p'o (material soul) (Chinese)

Conscious and Unconscious

Animus (unconscious male element in woman) and Anima (unconscious
female element in man) (Jung)

Objectivity and Subjectivity

Extraversion and Introversion

Intellect and Instinct

Reason and Emotion

Thought and Feeling

Inference and Intuition

Argument and Experience

Talent and Genius

Silence and Cacophony

Word and Meaning

Schizophrenia and Epilepsy

Depression and Mania

Sexuality and Anxiety

Katabolism (breaking up) and Anabolism (building up)

Ontogeny (individual evolution) and Phylogeny (race evolution)

Right side of body (warm) and Left side (cool)

Front side of body (positive) and Rear side of body (negative)

Brain and Heart

Sahasara Chakra and Kundalini

Insulin and Adrenalin

Pingala (yellow solar channel in body) and Ida (white lunar
channel)

Hot breath and Cold breath (Yoga)

Exhalation and Inhalation (Yoga)

Linga and Yoni

Illustration : http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/ZJ13/ (Size
55 kb)

There is indeed no sphere of our existence untouched by the
symbolic significance of namaste.

Finally, the gesture of namaste is unique also in the sense that
its physical performance is accompanied by a verbal utterance of
the word "namaste." This practice is equivalent to the chanting
of a mantra. The sonority of the sacred sound 'namaste' is
believed to have a quasi-magical value, corresponding to a
creative energy change. This transformation is that of aligning
oneself in harmony with the vibration of the cosmos itself.

At its most general namaste is a social transaction. It is usual
for individuals to greet when they meet each other. It is not
only a sign of recognition but also an expression of happiness at
each other's sight. This initial conviviality sets the positive
tone for the further development of a harmonious relationship.
Namaste as a greeting thus is a mosaic of movements and words
constituting an intimation of affirmative thoughts and
sentiments. In human society it is an approach mechanism,
brimming with social, emotional and spiritual significance. In
fact it is said that in namaste the hands are put together like a
knife so that people may cut through all differences that may
exist, and immediately get to the shared ground that is common to
all peoples of all cultures.

Illustration : http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/ZJ18/ (Size
48 kb)

In this context, a comparison with the widely prevalent
'handshake' is inevitable. Though shaking hands is an extremely
intimate gesture, namaste scores over it in some ways. Primarily
is the one that namaste is a great equalizer. You do namaste with
God (and not shake hands!). A king or president cannot shake
hands with the large multitude they are addressing. But namaste
serves the purpose. It is the same gesture one would have
exchanged with a king when with him alone. So no incongruity
arises. In the absence of namaste, those facing a large audience
will have to make do with a wave of the hands, a much less
congenial greeting, and indeed which does not state the essential
equality of all people, but highlights the difference even more.
But on a parallel level it has been conjectured that both the
namaste and the handshake developed out of a desire on the part
of both the parties to show themselves to be unarmed and devoid
of malicious intention. The outstretched hand, and the palms
joined together, both establish the proponents as disarmed and
show that they come in peace.

Conclusion:

As much as yoga is an exercise to bring all levels of our
existence, including the physical and intellectual, in complete
harmony with the rhythms of nature, the gesture of namaste is an
yoga in itself. Thus it is not surprising that any yogic activity
begins with the performance of this deeply spiritual gesture. The
Buddhists went further and gave it the status of a mudra, that
is, a gesture displayed by deities, where it was known as the
Anjali mudra. The word Anjali itself is derived from the root
Anj, meaning "to adorn, honor, celebrate or anoint."

Illustration : http://www.exoticindiaart.com/product/ZN11/ (Size
125 kb)

According to Indologist Renov "Meditation depends upon the
relationship between the hands (mudras), the mouth (mantras) and
the mind (yoga)". The performance of namaste is comprised of all
these three activities. Thus namaste is in essence equivalent to
meditation, which is the language of our spirit in conversation
with god, and the perfect vehicle for bathing us in
the rivers of divine pleasure.

[hunter]

61. When a lion is dragging you out of your house by your head...

... you are probably already dead.

:shrug:

I'm a pacifist because at the core of my being I'm a berserker. I've had too many experiences where human predators have backed down because they saw the crazy shining out of me. I don't believe that's a bad thing.

At this point in his existence the Dali Lama is afforded many protections and luxuries unobtainable by most people. He can walk with george w bush.

But the guy who's circumstances have transformed him into a terror suspect, the guy the CIA is waterboarding today, cannot walk with george w bush.

Ignoring this reality may bring a person some kind of inner peace, and maybe that inner peace will ignite the same sorts of inner peace in others, but it's not the only path of enlightenment, and it's not a path I can walk because the dangers of hypocrisy are too great for me. I've made that peace with myself, I know who I am, and therefore I am not a student of this sort of Buddhist thought.

[glitch]

84. I don't think the advice is to ignore that reality. The advice is to see it for what it is.

And not constantly be reacting to shadows. If someone is preying upon you or someone who needs your protection, you do fight back. But you fight back at the source of predation, not at the shadows they may throw at you.
Human opponents can be fought effectively with compassion, sociopaths not so much. Fight smart, know your enemy, use the best tool for each occasion, one of which can be Love. If reality dictates love doesn't work on sociopaths, choose a different tool for them. The key is knowing reality and learning from it. IMO.

[Atman]

100. Good post.

Very well said. Thank you!

.

[glitch]

106. Thank you! nt

[hunter]

123. Even good people claim to be acting in kindness when they are not.

Being "kind" often fails as a motivation, in the same way the "golden rule" often fails.

It is very unlikely that one person will want to be treated as another person would treat themselves.

What one person sees as kindness, another person might not.

Honesty is a better motivation.

Personally, I'd much rather be knocked down by someone honestly angry with me, than to have them be dishonestly or hypocritically "kind" to me.

A person whose kindness is poisoned by dishonesty or hypocrisy can leave as much wreckage in their wake as a sociopath.

[fightthegoodfightnow]

113. I Agree

I call it indifference and selfishness.

I'm not willing to own inner peace and harmony if it means being indifferent to war, poverty and injustice. I have dedicated my life to FIGHTING those things. In fact, I find inner peace and harmony by FIGHTING to end those things.

I'm sure someone feels good about claiming to have 'risen to a higher level of consiousness' by ignoring me and my enemies. I'm happy for them. :sarcasm: (Oh, whoops, we can't have happiness without sadness and let me tell you..... I like happiness).

[Cronopio]

135. "... human predators have backed down because they saw the crazy shit shining about of me ..."

That's a useful tactic with an overwhelming price over time. Adapting to the threat principle validates and dignifies the threat principle, and makes it necessary to raise the standard higher (or sink it lower, depending on your point of view). Sometimes one just has to apply "crazy wisdom" in a good way and just say "no" to the threat programming.

"I'm a pacifist because at the core of my being I'm a berserker."

The strongest and most sincere pacifists are that way precisely because they are the most aware of their (and others') potential for violence. The peaceful and wrathful Buddhas have the same exact nature.

[tmlanders]

74. Thanks Atman

:kick:

[shadowknows69]

76. You are an avatar of light Atman

thanks for the recharge.

[cgrindley]

83. Hitchens has some good stuff on this guy

God is not great should be in everyone's beach bag.

[Cronopio]

137. The Buddha has some good stuff on Hitchens. nt

[porphyrian]

86. "Fuck pears." - George Carlin - n/t

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

88. Something to remember

thank you for posting.

om shanti shanti shanti

la illaha il Allah

http://www.firethegrid.com

[rumpel]

91. thank you for this post

:)

[Radio_Lady]

92. Thank you for this post. I'm going to read it on my radio show.

I'll send it along to friends and family, too.

In peace,

Radio Lady in Oregon

[Atman]

99. Sweet. Upload a clip for us sometime, if possible.

Is your radio show available online? I'd love to hear it sometime!

.

[Radio_Lady]

111. Please see the right column of my journal page -- with directions to hear the show.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Radio_Lady/

My weekly audio program airs every Monday afternoon at 1 PM Pacific Time/4 PM Eastern Time. (Please adjust for your time zone.)

If you're not in Oregon or southern Washington, there are Internet links to the LIVE 24/7 stream of OPB's Accessible Information Network there.

For more local folks (Oregon and southern Washington state), the show is also heard as an SAP (Secondary Audio Programming) feature of KOPB-TV, Channel 10, the PBS Station. If you need more information on how to set up your modern TV set to hear this 24/7 audio feature, please PM me.

[Mnemosyne]

101. Thank you for this, Atman. H.H. the Dalai Lama is

pure love and compassion and I try to honor his wisdom each day through my actions and thoughts.

Universal Love Prayer

from the Metta Sutta

May all beings be filled with joy and peace.
May all beings everywhere,
The strong and the weak,
The great and the small,
The mean and the powerful,
The short and the long,
the subtle and the gross:

May all beings everywhere,
Seen and unseen,
Dwelling far off or nearby,
Being or waiting to become:
May all be filled with lasting joy.

Let no one deceive another,
Let no one anywhere despise another,
Let no one out of anger or resentment
Wish suffering on anyone at all.

Just as a mother with her own life
Protects her child, her only child, from harm,
So within yourself let grow
A boundless love for all creatures.

Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.

Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth.

Namu Amida Buddha.


Metta Karuna Prayer

Oneness of Life and Light,
Entrusting in your Great Compassion,
May you shed the foolishness in myself,
Transforming me into a conduit of Love.
May I be a medicine for the sick and weary,
Nursing their afflictions until they are cured;
May I become food and drink,

During time of famine,
May I protect the helpless and the poor,
May I be a lamp,

For those who need your Light,
May I be a bed for those who need rest,
and guide all seekers to the Other Shore.
May all find happiness through my actions,
and let no one suffer because of me.
Whether they love or hate me,
Whether they hurt or wrong me,
May they all realize true entrusting,
Through Other Power,
and realize Supreme Nirvana.
Namo Amida Buddha



Prayer of the Four Immeasurable Minds


Through the working of Great Compassion in their hearts,

May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness,

May all be free from sorrow and the causes of sorrow;

May all never be separated from the sacred happiness which is sorrowless;

May all come to peace without too much attachment and too much aversion,

And live believing in the equality of all beings.

Namu Amida Butsu.



Namaste, Atman.


I so adore H.H. that I named 2 of my kitties in his honor - Their Kittiness's the Dalai and Malai Lamas. :) They are Himalayans.

[mzmolly]

103. Proud to recommend.

Thank you.

[gentlegiant]

108. Philosophy

is the talk on a cereal box. Religion is a smile on a dog.

[Atman]

109. What I am is what I am. Are you what you are or what?

Oh I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know if you know what I mean

.

[gentlegiant]

110. I yam what I yam

and that's all what I yam.

I think, therefore I yam. I think.

[seemslikeadream]

119. If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.

http://www.daibosatsu.org.nyud.net:8090/images/jizo.gif

[Freeusfromthechurch]

121. I'm ready for Consciousness to envelope the earth...

If you want to experience an amazing person, watch: Eckhart Tolle - Flowering of Human Consciousness

or read the book

by: Byron Katie
Loving What Is

The 2 people above change everything for me and my wife in a way we can't explain.

I'm freed from the church finally. lol

[hippiechick]

125. On DU ? Not a freakin' chance ...

... everyone seems to be taking great joy in tearing each other's lungs out, at the moment.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

126. Indeed. See the "Sicko is PHENOMENAL" thread. There's someone with a lot of fury there.

Not very Dalai Lama-ish, if you ask me.

[Cronopio]

134. Even the Dalai Lama doesn't come up to the "Dalai Lama" standard, by his own admission.

I always make it a point to approve the truth of the message, even if I don't approve of the messenger. It's one of the things that thankfully saves me from being a politician.

[Sock Puppet]

128. ...or criticizing their appearance.

Ommmmmmmmmmmm...........

[Susang]

147. Not everyone can be pretty

Or enlightened,for that matter. ;-)

Ohmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...................

[IChing]

130. A big yellow taxi

"Pave Paridise put up a Parking Lot"

[SalmonChantedEvening]

138. Oooohhmmmmmmmm lahoka! where the wind goes sweepin down the

Oh HI.

Sorry.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

145. Yay Buddhism.

Only "religion" that even remotely makes sense, though I don't believe in reincarnation.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

160. And you don't have to believe in God either!!

You can be a buddhist atheist quite easily.

[onehandle]

146. Sleep is the best meditation.

Calms your body. Cleanses your mind.

When I try to meditate, I drift towards sleep.

There is a reason.

[Cetacea]

149. Great stuff. Thanks!

The rain falls on my roof
hurry high butterfly
as clouds roll past my head
I know why the skies all cry
Aum Aum
Heaven
Aum

Mike Pinder

[XOKCowboy]

158. I think that Ommmmmmm is the perfect reply...

to some of the posts and polls lately. I deserve a couple also for some of my recent posts. I am but an egg.