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Buddhism

Started by Anonymous · · 👁 10 views · 351 replies

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Participants AJose Reyeshiddenpuma75Amanda Evans29swiftcobra15Karen Sanchez19Alex Rogers96Kyle Nelson2Jason Johnson4Anthony Rodriguez58Elizabeth Miller8Paul Campbell3Jack Harris3restlessmarlin6Timothy Murphy7
Karen Sanchez19 Karen Sanchez19 Regular
483 messages
joined Dec 2003
#141 ·
Absolute DNA-enlightenment, pure and simple!

You can just let the rest of it leak away and spill right into the Western Adriatic, Trazitelj Istna.
And then there are those specific Church posthumous panegyrics. Pure, unadulterated theater.
Let's get this show on the road!

Everything that Svinica wrote regarding St. Francis stands in direct opposition to your own claims. Honestly, if anyone else had penned such a narrative, you’d be the first to call them a liar.

What exactly constitutes the raw material for enlightenment? Where does it begin? Is it forged from something tangible, or is it merely an abstract concept we chase through the fog? I find myself questioning the very foundation of this pursuit. It feels less like a destination and more like a chemical reaction—one that requires specific, often volatile, ingredients to ignite.

A shallow, proselytizing dualist like you would tear him apart—much like that tragic Savonarola felt it in his own limbs.

So, what’s the deal here? Either you’re sitting on his actual, unfiltered manuscripts, or you’ve developed some sort of supernatural ability to read between the lines. Which is it?
Jason Johnson4 Jason Johnson4 Active Member
130 messages
joined Dec 2003
#142 ·
ENLIGHTENED MASTER said:But look, it isn't assigned to YOU. It isn't in the VASEM. It hasn't been handed down to millions of imitators and bigots of every stripe. That’s exactly why you can "WORK" and "CONDEMN" and "ASCETICIZE" all you want without seeing any actual "RESULTS."
🙂 👋

Actually, this is a good point. We can try to imitate things through some sort of indigo trance and attempt to "embody books," but honestly? It’s useless...

It’s like if someone scratches their elbow and, at that exact second, a plane flies from New York toward Europe. And instead of just moving on, we sit there obsessively scratching our elbows, wondering if the plane will fly over again if we just keep at it.😁
Jason Johnson4 Jason Johnson4 Active Member
130 messages
joined Dec 2003
#143 ·
Balkanijan Pig said:Basically, you just redirect your focus toward God, or your own inner self, or whatever the whole point of spiritual discipline actually is. If we could just pull that off 24/7, we'd be golden. 😬

As for God—yeah, right. 😢
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#144 ·
Why is it such a struggle for people to accept the idea that some individuals are just naturally wired for enlightenment? It’s like they have an innate gift for it. We don't blink an eye when someone is a mathematical prodigy, a physics genius, or a world-class athlete breaking every record in the book. In those cases, we recognize their sheer brilliance and don't feel the need to chase after them because we know we don't have that same DNA—if we did, we would have figured it out by now. But the second you bring up "spirituality," everyone suddenly insists that the playing field is perfectly level and anyone can reach any height. 😁
Paul Campbell3 Paul Campbell3 Regular
259 messages
joined Feb 2004
#145 ·
Jade said:but when we start talking about "spirituality," everyone suddenly thinks they’re some kind of enlightened guru who can do anything. 😁

And it doesn't stop there—then they act like nobody could possibly do it better than them! 😬
Karen Sanchez19 Karen Sanchez19 Regular
483 messages
joined Dec 2003
#146 ·
DNA-ENLIGHTENMENT

Now everyone fancies themselves a man of science.🙂

Well, if any of you actually MANAGE


TO FLATULATE 😂😂👍
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#147 ·
Jade said:Exactly. 🙂 He was just 17 when he hit this sudden, overwhelming fear of death. He dropped to the ground, asked himself, "Who am I?", and boom—enlightenment. He claims he hadn’t even touched a religious text before that moment and knew nothing about the subject. It wasn't until later, after people started recognizing him as a true teacher and master, that he actually started studying them.

That’s why I don't think his personal soul-searching applies to everyone else, even if it did spark enlightenment for him. 😉

I disagree. Following that initial experience and the push he got, he retreated into a cave, and according to him, it was after several years there that he achieved ultimate enlightenment. 😉
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#148 ·
The ENLIGHTENED MASTER said:Just an American:

As an American truth-seeker, MASTER John told you that the lineage of MASTERS without "roots" is infinite.

and blah blah blah etc...

Honestly, you seem way too worked up about this—why are you letting it get to you so much? 😂

I never claimed I’d become the next Francis or Mahavira just by praying or meditating; I said nothing comes from thin air. I’ll achieve whatever I can based on my own effort, my own capacity, and whatever tools I have at my disposal. My personal ceiling definitely isn't their ceiling. But if you want to hit any kind of peak performance, you actually have to put in the work.
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#149 ·
Jason Johnson4 said:Loki, thanks!

Now I’d love for you to weigh in on this:

Elvis Presley:
Even Albert Einstein—the guy you seem to hold in such high regard—says... hang on, let me check my notes... he says that

If you just walk away from the world, the idea of being "a musician" simply shifts into the idea of being "an ascetic." You aren't actually solving anything; the mental roadblocks are still there, they're just growing in a different setting.

Conversations from June 16, 1935

If the Ultimate Truth were conditional upon anything at all, it wouldn't be worth the effort to seek it.

I thought you might have figured that out during those pointless trips chasing after a green light in the distance.
The reason I bring up Albert Einstein is because back in the day, it seemed like everyone was in agreement about his genius. It isn't because I'm obsessed with him or treating him like some digital guru I need to follow. If there's any late great who truly blew my mind, it's Swami Vivekananda.
Paul Campbell3 Paul Campbell3 Regular
259 messages
joined Feb 2004
#150 ·
EM claims they’re pulling wins out of thin air—even if they were mostly just flailing around—while ExxonMobil insists there isn't a damn thing happening.
So, how the hell are they supposed to hit those green targets now? 😕
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#151 ·
Jack said:If that's the case, why does "spiritual work" pull at you? Why do you spend your time on it, or at least feel like it's what you ought to be doing?

I don't really have a choice. If you take even a tiny step back and look at the big picture, everything else in life feels incredibly fleeting. We all die. Everything ever created is eventually going to vanish. Every person we meet will pass away, everything we own will disappear—religions, nations, the profound and the trivial alike, our very bodies and personalities...

So, honestly, if it isn't spirituality, what else is there in this life that actually carries meaning? What other choice do we really have?
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#152 ·
Jason Johnson4 said:This is a great point. We could try to mimic this through indigo channels by attempting to "embody books," but honestly? It’s a waste of time...

It’s like someone scratches their elbow and, at that exact moment, a plane flies from New York to London. And instead of paying attention, we just sit there scratching our elbows, wondering if the plane might fly over again. 😁

And let's be real—imitating enlightenment isn't done through indigo channels by mixing together a couple ounces of philosophy, three ounces of logic, two ounces of women, and an ounce of Vedanta to create what we call "knowledge." I’d go as far as to say all knowledge is completely useless unless you’re actually working to experience it firsthand.
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#153 ·
Jason Johnson4 said:And as for God—He just isn't there. 😢

Just another "enlightened" guy acting smarter than most of the other "enlightened" crowd.
Well, if He doesn't exist, fine by me. When I say God, I mean the absolute highest concept you could possibly wrap your head around.
Jason Johnson4 Jason Johnson4 Active Member
130 messages
joined Dec 2003
#154 ·
Porky Pig said:I bring up Albert Einstein because it seems like everyone here is pretty much in agreement about his genius. It’s not that I’m obsessed with him or treating him like some digital guru I need to follow. If there's one late figure who actually left an impression on me, it would be Swami Vivekananda. [/B]

Loki, still playing the silent type, I see.

Honestly, I don't care who said it—I care about what was said. How on earth are you linking the "outrages" regarding monks getting married to this:

If THAT were conditional on anything—THAT wouldn't even be worth the effort.

In other words—what kind of metric are we using here to decide if someone is married or not?

Or are you just messing with me?
Jason Johnson4 Jason Johnson4 Active Member
130 messages
joined Dec 2003
#155 ·
Porky Pig said:Just another "enlightened" guy acting way smarter than most of the other "enlightened" crowd.
Honestly, if he wants to stay out of it, fine by me. I was talking about God—or whatever you want to call the highest thing your brain can actually wrap itself around.

No, it’s just that last night—or maybe today, I lost track—I finally realized how little I actually know. Neither I nor anyone else here really does. That said, when I say there's no God, I'm not even debating whether He exists or not. I mean we can sit here sulking like a bunch of little monkeys twenty-four hours a day, and "He" still isn't going to show up to fix things.
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#156 ·
Jack said:Why is it so hard for people to accept the idea that some folks might just be naturally gifted when it comes to enlightenment? Like, maybe it’s an innate ability. It’s easy enough to admit someone is a math or physics genius, or a world-class athlete breaking every record, or a legendary composer—we don't even bother trying to compete once we realize we don't have that specific DNA (and if we did, we'd probably know by now). But the second "spirituality" enters the conversation, everyone insists that anyone can reach the top through sheer will. 😁

Of course that's true. But none of those elite athletes or composers got there without putting in massive amounts of work. On the flip side, you might end up being a player on a minor league team instead of making the Olympic roster, but at least you'll be in shape—unlike those guys sitting on the couch shouting at the TV during the game. 👍

Still, I honestly think grit often matters more than raw talent. I know two brothers who play guitar—well, I know one intimately and the other just by sight. One is a total prodigy at everything he touches, but he drinks too much, doesn't care about anything, and stopped practicing altogether. Even though he's still incredible, he's basically just giving professional advice from the sidelines. The other brother is pretty average; back in school, he was kicked out of the choir because he couldn't carry a tune to save his life. He practiced 14 hours a day, and now he’s the best guitarist I know, and honestly a decent singer too (well, except for that crew over at Boeing, who could give anyone a run for their money). Around here, I haven't heard anyone come close to his level. He isn't playing gigs actively right now, but he's deep into music theory, writing harmonies and orchestral soundtracks, and plans to study composition formally once he has the time and cash. He does it all by feel, without any formal training.

Bottom line: you can reach the highest levels through pure hard work, and talent alone can definitely go to waste.
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#157 ·
Paul Campbell3 said:ExxonMobil claims this came out of nowhere, while they’re insisting there’s absolutely nothing to see here.
So, how are they supposed to pivot to being "green" now? 😕

Look, if they claim it happened by accident, they're full of it. If they say their "master technicians" somehow just stumbled upon it, I'm calling BS. I haven't heard of a single case where a pro just magically finds a massive leak without a reason—it feels like someone is just making excuses.

They should just admit it hasn't worked once before, because frankly, I'm not buying it. It's just plain shady. 👍

Don't try to tell me all those "experts" just happened to find it by luck when it's obvious we're looking at a total mess.🙂
Karen Sanchez19 Karen Sanchez19 Regular
483 messages
joined Dec 2003
#158 ·
I’ll strive for whatever I can reach, based on my effort, my capacity, and whatever else is at play.

Just let go of the need to achieve...

Enlightenment isn't about achievement. It isn't even the goal. If you treat it like a trophy to be won, you'll find yourself running in the exact opposite direction..

Even Ramón tells us as much.😁
Karen Sanchez19 Karen Sanchez19 Regular
483 messages
joined Dec 2003
#159 ·
JOSE REYES!!!!

Do you actually consider the followers of Ramón to be enlightened...
????
I don't have them memorized off the top of my head... let Guy list them out for us.😁
A Anonymous VeteranOP
3.6K messages
joined May 2005
#160 ·
Sitting Bull said:Ravana, you’re dodging the question again.

I don't care who said it; I care about what was actually said. How can you possibly link the "persecution" of monks getting married to this:

If it were conditional on anything—it wouldn't be worth the effort.

In other words—what kind of metric are we using here to decide if someone is married or not?

Or are you just playing dumb?

Look, if we're talking about a monk choosing to marry (I’ve lost the thread of the conversation a bit, so bear with me), the whole point is that he opted into a lifestyle defined by renunciation. To go and get married is basically the same as being unfaithful to that vow—actually, in my book, it’s way worse. Sure, he *can* get married. But if someone takes those vows, they shouldn't be hypocrites and lose their minds the second they see a skirt.

At the end of the day, it’s all mental constructs. But for Ramón, both this body and this entire world are just mental constructs. Ramón wasn't a monk or a layman; he never even thought about marriage because he was completely beyond all that. Is that me or you? As long as we’re still conscious of our bodies, as long as duality feels real to us, I think it's pretty pointless to use Ramón’s enlightenment as an excuse for self-delusion. In my current state, I’m not totally indifferent to women. If I were truly in a state beyond all appearance and duality, it wouldn't matter at all whether I got married or not. I could just pick one option and stick to it; I couldn't claim "it doesn't matter" because, in my mind, it *does* matter. If it really didn't matter, these questions wouldn't even exist, and I wouldn't even notice women, monks, or anyone being married.
For most of us, though, it's just not that simple.

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