Posts by Anonymous

viviana said:Alright, I'll take the role of the little grape, key_4

😕

guest said:Now you finally see why I’m such a stickler for keeping these parallel discussions actually meaningful.

Look, guest, I have no clue how long you’ve been hanging out on this forum since I’ve only been here about a year myself. And honestly, looking at the sheer number of posts left here, it feels like trying to find a single crumb of a cracker after someone’s already inhaled the whole box... or maybe just a stray piece of baklava. But I have to admit, when I first stumbled upon your comments on a few threads, I assumed you were just some fanboy following the lead of the established "philosophers" around here (what a word, right?). I figured your participation was just your way 🙂 of trying to fit in with the crowd rather than being a true thinker. My bad. I say this now because after reading through more of your stuff, I was genuinely surprised—and let me tell you, you’re actually brilliant.
Nobody bothered to return my "hello," but whatever... I'll just be the one spreading a little positivity here, key_4

Jade said:It’s not even about putting in massive effort; it’s just about redirecting your focus.

Well, sure, but if you're redirecting that focus toward God, toward the Self, or whatever the whole point of spiritual discipline actually is... then yeah, if we could just pull that off 24/7, we'd be golden.😬

Jose Reyes said:HAKUIN - ZEN MASTER

He achieved Enlightenment without any "preliminary steps"—he was just out there fishing for perch in a lake.

Ever since he was a kid, Hakuin showed an intense spiritual bent. Following his mother’s advice, he spent time praying to various bodhisattvas, but eventually realized it wasn't getting him anywhere. After reading the biography of Gantov (a Chinese monk, Yen-t'ou Ch'uan-huo, 828-887), who, despite being an incredible saint, met a violent end, Hakuin became obsessed with a terrifying question: if even a man of such greatness couldn't escape tragedy during his life, how could anyone possibly avoid hell after death?
To quote Hakuin: "For three whole days, I lay restless in my bed, tormented by these thoughts. I began losing weight, starving myself within the monastic quarters. I couldn't even swallow a single grain of rice. It lasted five days, and I simply couldn't extinguish those hellish fires in my mind."

He actually considered walking away from the Buddha-like path entirely—deciding to just accept his fate and devote himself to literature and calligraphy instead. But then it hit him again: even if his art surpassed that of the greatest masters, he still wouldn't be able to cheat death. Despair took hold of him once more.

He languished in that state until he stumbled upon some old books. He took it as a sign and prayed to Budhi that these texts might show him a way out of his Misery. Among them was a book by Zekan Sakushinov, where he found a passage detailing the grueling sadhana practiced by Zen Master Jimyo.
Jimyo had been incredibly disciplined, refusing to let anything—not sleep, not even freezing temperatures—break his meditation.

Hakuin decided to follow in his footsteps.
Yet, the shadow of Gantov’s death still loomed over him. He tried searching for a teacher, but finding nothing useful, he retreated into a temple and vowed to fast for a week, hoping to solve the mystery on his own. Then, around midnight, the bell rang, and everything changed.

However, that experience ended up inflating his ego (which proves it wasn't true enlightenment, but rather a typical meditative experience caused by intense striving and sadhana). He sought validation from other teachers, but they told him straight up: that wasn't enlightenment. He eventually went to Shoj Rojina, a pretty blunt master who continued to refine him through zazen. Of all the teachers he visited—and many of whom he secretly felt intimidated by when they were mentioned—Shoj Rojina was the only one he truly accepted as his master.

Two years after studying under Shoj, Hakuin fell seriously ill due to overexerting himself with zen practice. He sought out the hermit Hakuyushi, who taught him certain Taoist exercises that helped him regain his health.

Later in life, he often wrote about the importance of physical health, attributing his legendary, massive work ethic to those Taoist practices.

After that, he continued wandering across the country, practicing and honing his understanding of zen, until he finally settled in Shoin-jiu, which is where his fame as a teacher truly began to spread.

Balkanian Pig said:Isn't self-inquiry actually a form of work and effort? Wasn't Raman supposed to guide you through it? How can you claim that neither effort nor a teacher is necessary?

It’s not really "work" in the traditional sense; it's more about redirecting your focus.
But let's be real—we need teachers for everything else in life. We need people to teach us how to speak, walk, write, read, do math, and so on. That’s just the reality of living in this material world. 🙂

urbanhawk85 said:Alright, I'll tell him to shoot you a DM!😳

Honestly, you're being such a child. Just keep laughing if it makes you feel better. Thanks for nothing.

Jose Reyes said:Mahavira - the founder of Jainism

He reached Enlightenment without any "preliminary steps" while he was out milking a cow.
Even though some depictions show him in the middle of milking, certain scholars argue that Mahavira actually attained Enlightenment while simply stepping out from behind a bush.

Vardhamana Mahavira (599–527 BC) was born (with a Buddha-like nature) as a prince, roughly during the same era as Buddha. At the age of thirty, he walked away from his royal life and, within a single year, gave away all his worldly possessions. During his twelve years living as an ascetic, he eventually gathered a following of as many as 400,000 followers.
He spent twelve and a half years in deep meditation, striving to master attachment, desire, and emotion, all while being careful not to harm any living creature—often sitting in stillness for incredibly long stretches. It was during this intense period that he achieved Enlightenment, or whatever term you prefer to use. So, he wasn't just some farmer who happened to stumble into enlightenment while doing daily chores like milking a cow.

For the next 36 years, he traveled barefoot across the land, preaching the very ideals he had mastered: the pursuit of moksha, or liberation from the endless cycle of birth and death.

From the writings of Saint Francis:

So, my brothers, let’s be incredibly careful. We have to make sure we don't lose sight of our faith or drift away from God just because we get caught up in chasing profits, finishing tasks, or looking for help. It's easy to let life's distractions pull us away. Instead, I’m asking all of you—both our leaders and everyone else—to live in love, which is the very essence of God. Let's clear away every obstacle and set aside every worry so we can love God as much as humanly possible. Let's serve Him and honor Him with pure hearts, doing whatever He asks above all else with total sincerity. We should always make a home for Him, for He is the Lord God Almighty—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He tells us: "Stay alert and pray at all times so that you may have the strength to face everything that is coming and stand firm before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36). When you rise to pray, say, "Lord, have mercy on us." Let’s worship Him with clean hearts, because we need to keep praying and never give up; that’s exactly the kind of devotion the Father is looking for. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth. Let's lean on Him as the shepherd and protector of our souls...

Let’s leave those raisins out of the baklava! 😁

Jose Reyes said:Francis Ashishki (St. Francis)

Enlightenment without any of those tedious "preliminary steps" in a clinical setting like Kaiser Permanente.

Alright, let's take a look at what the most famous biography of St. Francis has to say (written by St. Bonaventure):

Chapter 1: Life Guidance

Deep within the heart of young Francis, God's influence toward the poor had planted a seed of compassionate generosity. This quality grew alongside him from his earliest childhood, filling his heart with such profound kindness that, even though he wasn't a dedicated listener of the Gospel, he felt compelled to share his meager resources with anyone who asked—especially if they spoke of God's love.
There was once a merchant who was so caught up in his business that he turned away a poor man asking for alms out of pure love for God. As soon as he realized what he had done, he rushed after the man to offer him charity. In that moment, he made a solemn vow to God that from then on, as long as he lived, he would never refuse anyone who approached him seeking help for the sake of Divine love. He held onto this commitment with relentless fervor until the day he died, a practice that caused his devotion to God and his capacity for mercy to grow exponentially through his life of karma yoga. Later, having become fully clothed in Christ, he would reflect on how, even while still living in the world, he could never speak of God’s love without feeling his Heart swell with emotion.

We know he lived a completely worldly life until his illness forced a turning point. Honestly, I don't see why you’re calling that conversion "enlightenment." First off, St. Francis wasn't some yogi or a scholar chasing nirvikalpa Samadhi just to check a box. A Bhakta is interested in an unending relationship with God—that deep, soul-level love that often manifests through various states of ecstasy, or *bhavas*, which can be just as profound as Samadhi. There are different levels of this emotional intensity, like *maha bhava* or *prema*. For instance, those moments of spiritual ecstasy later in his life, including the ones near the end when he received the stigmata, were all *bhavas*. That was a spiritual awakening that served as the starting line for a lifelong journey of personal intimacy with God—a path defined by sacrifice, fasting, mortification, and constant prayer. It’s not like he just sat around doing nothing.

After recovering from his illness, he gave his clothes to a poor knight. That very night, he had a dream where he saw a massive hall filled with treasures. A voice told him that all of it would belong to him and his soldiers as a reward for the mercy he showed that knight out of his love for Jesus. According to his biography:

When he woke up that morning, his spirit wasn't quite ready to dive into the deep mysteries of the Divine. He hadn't yet mastered the ability to look past the physical world to see the underlying truth of things, so he figured an unusual vision must simply be a sign of incredible good luck. Since he still had no clue what God actually intended for him, he decided to head out to Virginia to seek out a local governor. He was pinning all his hopes on landing a position in the governor's service, praying he might achieve the military glory that his strange vision had promised.

So, after falling ill, he wasn't exactly acting like an "enlightened master" anymore.

On that road, he heard the voice of God asking him, "Francis, who can do more for you: a master or a servant, a wealthy man or a pauper?" When he answered that it was the wealthy man, the voice continued, "Why then, would you abandon your masters for the sake of a servant, or leave a wealthy God behind for a poor man?" "Lord, what should I do?" he asked. The reply was: "Return to your homeland, for the vision you have experienced carries profound spiritual significance. You are meant to fulfill a divine mandate, not a human one."

Vrativ eventually started pulling away from public life, retreating instead into deep, devout prayer, asking God for guidance on his true purpose. He began seeking out isolated spots for intense prayer sessions. There was this one episode involving a leper—at first, Vrativ felt a wave of revulsion, but remembering his sacred vows, he dismounted his horse, embraced the man, and gave him some money, which mysteriously vanished the moment he turned away. During one of those fervent prayers in the lonely wilderness of Arizona, Jesus appeared to him on a cross. In that moment of pure ecstasy, he realized he was being given a direct Gospel mandate: "If you wish to follow me, deny your Self, take up your cross, and follow me."

And that's enough for now, this is plenty.

Jose Reyes said:Franjo Ashishki (St. Francis)

Achieved Enlightenment without any "preliminary steps" while sitting in a hospital in Chicago.

HAKUIN - ZEN MASTER

Achieved Enlightenment without any "preliminary steps" while he was just out fishing at a lake.

MAHAVIRA - the Jain ascetic

Achieved Enlightenment without any "preliminary steps" while milking a cow.
Some scholars argue he was depicted during the milking process, though Mahavira actually reached Enlightenment while chasing a little rabbit behind some bushes.

Hmm, let's see.

About Dr. Škoro:

It’ll just end up discouraging you even more. You might start thinking, "If even a self-proclaimed 'expert' like this can't actually help me, what hope do I have?"

Honestly, I'm feeling pretty discouraged too...
Is there really nobody out there specialized for someone dealing with Eating Disorders? I truly believe a psychologist should be the first point of contact here. I'm certain this is primarily a psychological issue that just happens to trigger physical problems down the line.

Karen Sanchez19 said:Translation😕

Is this really how beautifully you translate things???

👍

Raman's work has already been translated into English; you can find it online...
😁

I wouldn't go so far as to say it's that beautiful, especially considering how quickly it was done.

It exists, sure, but I find this specific book way more practical because Bhagavan's answers are organized by topic. It lets me just flip to the "Guru" chapter or the "meditation" section and grab what I need instead of digging through a mountain of text trying to hunt down a specific point.

Karen Sanchez19 said:Are you seriously trying to pass that off as a quote from Raman or what?

I mean, obviously, that’s exactly what those Lame types and the Jads were hunting for, right?😕

Karen Sanchez19 said:I know 😎 😎

😂😂🙂

Here’s my take on why someone would claim Jesus was enlightened.

Like I said before, I’m mostly just speculating. I rely on the words of people I suspect might know more than I do—reading their biographies, studying their supposed quotes, and diving into their writings. I try to build a mental picture of what a true Master should actually look like versus who certain individuals claim to be. That’s really the limit of what the mind can do; anything beyond that is purely a matter of faith. And honestly, let’s face it, even those scriptures and biographies could just be made up...

The practice I advocate for involves verifying everything through personal experience (though that requires serious work 😁).

Intuition plays a role too, though sometimes it hits hard and other times it’s just a faint whisper of what might or might not be true.

Why do you think Raman is enlightened? I could sit down right now and write a book just like his. But I wouldn't have the power to impact people the way he does. A true Master is someone whose mere presence provides spiritual inspiration, not someone who just repeats what they’ve read or heard from others.
There’s also this idea that a teacher can only truly be a teacher if they can see your past and your future.

I’ve always been drawn to the standards set by Swami Brahmanandin (Maharishi's Guru), who headed off to the Himalayas at just nine years old to find a teacher. He believed a candidate had to be a perfect brahmachari (celibate from birth), capable of entering Samadhi at will, completely free of anger, and deeply well-versed in the sacred texts.

So, I have my own set of criteria based on religious texts, the lives of saints and yogis, and my own experiences dealing with various cults over the last few years. It might not be perfect, but it’s the best framework I have. Given how easy it is to find controversies online these days, I use this information to try and gauge a person's character as best as anyone can when they haven't yet crossed that spiritual threshold themselves.

If you were actually looking for a personal Guru, you’d need to spend several more years observing them in real life—watching their actions, their character, how they behave, how they affect people, their teachings, and their overall capability.

(Sri Aurobindo talks about two forces that influence yoga practice; one moves horizontally, the other vertically. I just can't wrap my head around it.)
-All forces originate from the Self, which doesn't have directions. But perhaps Sri Aurobindo is referring to the dynamic force that arises from concentration at the center of the head (or through Kundalini Shakti) versus the static force that comes from Vichara Jnana (self-inquiry) in the Heart.

(Bhagavan often speaks about Samadhi, or trance. I assume this means a total loss of physical consciousness. I'm terrified that I'll never be able to achieve that. Honestly, I'm even scared to go to sleep. Is it absolutely necessary before reaching Self-Realization?)
-(laughing) Well, you'd better grab some chloroform then! Samadhi is, in its very essence, the state of the Self. What exactly do you mean by a "total loss of physical consciousness"? You aren't imagining it's like falling into a state of catalepsy or a heavy sleep. In Samadhi, the mind is in a state of *jagrat*—awake—yet somehow free from all thoughts, enjoying the bliss of *sushupti* into which the mind has retreated. In Samadhi, the mind is so alert that it experiences Brahman. If it weren't completely awake, how could it possibly realize Brahman? In fact, it simply becomes Brahman. Does the word "trance" trigger those kinds of associations for you? If it does, then it's the wrong word for Samadhi.

(Do Karma Yogis and Bhaktas also pass through Samadhi?)
-Samadhi is an immersion into the Heart through concentration and mental control. Both Karma and Bhakta yogis reach Samadhi if they practice correctly. In reality, most of them eventually achieve liberation through Vichara.

(Mr. C is reading "Forty Verses" by Sri Bhagavan to himself in the hall. He's fascinated by the thirtieth verse. He reads it aloud and says, "Based on this verse, I see how the path must begin in the mind rather than the Heart, but Bhagawan always speaks about the Heart—maybe that's just the final stage of the practice?")
-Exactly: it has to start with the mind turned inward to counter the incoming thoughts and locate where the "I" actually resides. Once the mind dives into the Heart, we are overtaken by continuous bliss. From there, there is a sensation that isn't separate from pure consciousness; essentially, the head and the Heart become one.

Ugh, I can't keep translating this anymore. If you want me to keep going later, I can add more.

Jade said:At one point, Ramana mentions that religious texts are essentially written for the human intellect. They serve us only up until the moment we realize that the mind won't actually take us anywhere—that you simply can't force enlightenment through sheer mental effort or willpower. Once you hit that realization, you're free to set them aside. Ramana never pushed anyone toward a specific path, but he wasn't one to lecture people either, which is a huge distinction. As an awakened being, he understood that everyone acts according to their own capacity; everything is already unfolding as it must. He never tried to stop people from doing what they felt was right, nor did he demand they act against their own nature. Of course, things like meditation, prayer, and similar practices are great for calming the mind. We all know that a steady, focused mind is incredibly beneficial, but those tools alone aren't going to trigger enlightenment. You can learn to stay present and enjoy every single moment without meditation. 🙂 But that’s different from "awakening." That’s why Ramana suggests focusing the mind on the inquiry, "Who am I?" He explains that by doing this, you can condense all wandering thoughts into the core "I-thought" (the source of all other thoughts), which eventually dissolves itself. Personally, I find this self-inquiry fascinating, but whether it actually works like that... I don't know. It hasn't done much for me. 😁 I also remember reading that Ramana emphasized that anyone can practice self-inquiry anytime, anywhere. There's no need to run away from your family, leave your home, or change your lifestyle to do it.

But isn't self-inquiry itself a form of work and effort? And shouldn't Ramana have explicitly told you that? How can you say that neither effort nor a teacher is necessary?

3. practice:

-Patanjali’s opening sutras are truly the peak of the entire yoga system. Every form of yoga aims for one thing: the cessation of the Mind (those fluctuations in our consciousness). You can get there through various methods mentioned in the texts by mastering the mind—essentially clearing away the clutter to keep awareness pure. It takes work, though. In fact, that very effort *is* yoga.

(My question is: I assume this effort has to happen while we are conscious, which implies that liberation can only be achieved in an awake state?)

-Exactly. Consciousness is a prerequisite for controlling the Mind; otherwise, who is the one actually putting in the effort? You can't do this while you're asleep or under the influence of a substance. Furthermore, ultimate freedom must be reached in full awareness, because Reality itself is pure consciousness.

(Answering a question from someone experiencing heat in their head during meditation)
-If you try to force concentration using only the brain, you might end up with that sensation of heat or even a headache. Real focus should flow from a heart that is fresh and revitalizing. Just relax, and the meditation will feel effortless. Keep the Mind calm by gently letting thoughts drift by without clinging to them—don't strain yourself. You'll get the hang of it soon enough.

(Question: Isn't meditation just controlling the mind, which in turn requires meditation? Doesn't that sound like a circular loop?)
-They are interdependent. Truly, meditation involves managing the Mind—maintaining a subtle alertness toward incoming thoughts. In the beginning, the struggle to control everything feels much heavier than the meditation itself, but over time, the meditation takes over and becomes effortless.

(Your Grace is necessary)
-The practice is necessary; Grace is already here.

(Are there specific words I should repeat during meditation?)
-What is meditation if not the mental repetition of a concept? It is essentially a mental Japa that begins with spoken words and eventually dissolves into the Self.

(I'm trying to eliminate my false "ego" during meditation, but I haven't had any luck so far)
-How can an "I" eliminate itself? What you need to do is find the source of that "I" and dwell within it as your true Self. Your effort can only take you so far; the Divine will take care of the rest.

(I am a beginner at meditation. I pray to the Lord to guide me. You teach us to ask "Who am I?" Can I know where that path will lead?)
-It isn't just a question to be asked; you have to dive into its meaning. Many people meditate on specific energy centers in the body until they merge with them, but sooner or later, they inevitably have to turn toward investigating their own nature. Why not start by focusing on your true essence from the very beginning until you merge with the Source?

(As far as I can see, it seems impossible to realize the Self unless a person completely stops all thoughts from arising. Am I right?)
-Not quite. You don't have to block every single thought. When you are in a deep sleep, you are completely free from thought because the "ego-thought" is absent. The moment that "ego-thought" rises upon waking, all other thoughts tend to rush in. The smartest move is to catch that primary "I-thought" and dissect it—asking "what and who is this?"—thereby preventing other thoughts from distracting you. That is where the true power and efficiency of Thinker lies in mastering the Mind.

(Which form of meditation is the best?)
-The best meditation is the one that carries over into all three states of being. It should be so intense that it leaves no room even for the thought "I am meditating." At that point, both waking and dreaming states are fully absorbed, and even deep sleep can be considered a form of meditation.

(What is the difference between Sushumna Nadi and Atmanadi?)
-Sushumna is the central energy channel that functions during yoga practices—specifically dynamic meditation—to achieve siddhis (powers), and yogis claim it terminates in the crown of the head. Atmanadi, or the flow of the soul, is the current that rises from the Heart toward the crown during static meditation on the path of knowledge, leading directly to self-realization. Ultimately, the Sushumna must merge into the Atmanadi, which supports it.

(To be continued)

Sitting Bull said:Please, use his exact words!

1. Philosophy:
-A happy person doesn't get lost wandering through the endless mazes of philosophy; instead, they head straight for the source where all those ideas spring from.

2. Mentor:
-Virtually every sacred text points you toward spiritual mentors. In reality, a mentor is nothing more than the very goal the seeker is hunting for. Because the seeker's mind is turned outward, the Self takes on a human form—the mentor—to help turn that focus back inward. Rumi suggests that God, the Self, or the Mentor appears in human form to dispel our ignorance, much like how a hunter might use a deer as a decoy to catch a wild one. The mentor must manifest in a physical body to shatter the seeker's illusion of being "just a body."

-I never said there was no need for a mentor (answering a question)

(He is then asked what certain teachers say about him, given that he supposedly never had a mentor)
-It all depends on your definition of a mentor; they don't necessarily have to be a person... But a mentor is absolutely essential. The Upanishads teach that no one can lead a person out of the jungle of intellect and senses except for a mentor. Therefore, a mentor is indispensable.

(I was thinking specifically of a human mentor—the Dalai Lama didn't have one)
-Maybe I had one at some point. But wasn't I singing hymns to the Himalayas? What is a mentor? A mentor is God or the Self. Usually, a person prays to God to have their wishes granted. Then comes a time when they stop praying for desires and start praying for God Himself. At that point, God reveals Himself in some form, whether human or otherwise, to guide them in response to their prayers and needs.

But he also says:

-A master exists externally only as long as a person still identifies with their body. In that capacity, they are useful for teaching the Truth about oneself. Once a student experiences the Truth firsthand and shatters the illusion of the body, they realize that the Masters are just like them—the Supreme Consciousness, which is the Self. If masters exist outside of the Self, then they aren't "real" in the ultimate sense; they are merely external supports, because anyone who arrives will eventually depart—they are transient. The fact is, the Self, the Teacher, and God are one and the same.

I'll translate what he says about Meditation too, but there's a lot of material, so this is going to take a while.

Sitting Bull said:Please, just give me the exact wording!

I remember something similar regarding a guru. Raman once told a woman that she didn't actually need to physically visit him for them to be together. From the perspective of an enlightened being, that makes perfect sense—they are already everywhere at once.🙂