Anattā (no self)

Originally Posted by Gem

People were asked to turn in their phones and other stuff and just keep clothes and toiletries, but not everyone would, so I happened across a few phones and journals and so on. People sneak in ciggies etc so mainly I just told people it's against the rules and I could take their phones, ciggies or whatever and return them after retreat. After being caught they hand them over, so no problem. If people start disturbing others by talking to them or acting up and drawing attention, that becomes an issue, so I let teach know. The rules are there only to create optimum conditions for meditation, so I saw my role as preserving those conditions rather than policing rules. I had to brief the teacher every night after everyone else was done, so I just let them know what happened during the day. Other than running around after everyone like the messenger boy, I was tasked with cleaning the bathrooms and looking after the hall, so I had the worst jobs as well. I was run off my feet from 5am til 10pm and more that a few times people come ringing my bell in the middle of the night. It's a hard life, but I was happy with it.

Cleaning the toilets in monasteries were some of the most joyful moments in my life.

Seemingly odd, especially for a cosmopolitan seeker, but true.

It's an honor to serve practice environments which help fulfill the practice of awakening.

JL

[Gem]

Originally Posted by janielee

Thanks sky123...interesting.

I like this version - it makes sense.

One has no choice; you are there, an open person. Then the situation presents itself and teaching happens. That is what is called "Buddha activity."

I wonder if Rain95 intentionally doctored that one .. sad.

Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism is a popular book from quite a while ago - it would be in print version and unlikely to have different versions - as it was printed in English.

Thank you so much for revealing this truth.

JL

Semantics aside, all the quotes say the same thing, mostly word for word.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by janielee

Cleaning the toilets in monasteries were some of the most joyful moments in my life.

Seemingly odd, especially for a cosmopolitan seeker, but true.

It's an honor to serve practice environments which help fulfill the practice of awakening.

JL

Exactly, living in service is a great happiness

Originally Posted by Gem

Semantics aside, all the quotes say the same thing, mostly word for word.

Yes exactly - except Rain95 took the word "teaching" out. It's not an accurate word to use, in Buddhism, don't you know, according to Rain95 so she's "corrected" the Rinpoche and doctored the interpretation for little benefit to anyone really IMO - except the desire to argue Buddhas don't /didn't teach Buddhism or meditative practices etc.

JL

Originally Posted by Gem

Exactly, living in service is a great happiness

Yes.

////////

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by Gem

People were asked to turn in their phones and other stuff and just keep clothes and toiletries, but not everyone would, so I happened across a few phones and journals and so on. People sneak in ciggies etc so mainly I just told people it's against the rules and I could take their phones, ciggies or whatever and return them after retreat. After being caught they hand them over, so no problem. If people start disturbing others by talking to them or acting up and drawing attention, that becomes an issue, so I let teach know. The rules are there only to create optimum conditions for meditation, so I saw my role as preserving those conditions rather than policing rules. I had to brief the teacher every night after everyone else was done, so I just let them know what happened during the day. Other than running around after everyone like the messenger boy, I was tasked with cleaning the bathrooms and looking after the hall, so I had the worst jobs as well. I was run off my feet from 5am til 10pm and more that a few times people come ringing my bell in the middle of the night. It's a hard life, but I was happy with it.

Yea I was talking about my time as a Benedictine monk so of course we had no phones, had nothing really, a toothbrush and a robe. I also had to get up early, at 4:30 AM each day. Funny experience is we would get new people coming sometimes, to try the life, and one time this new guy pulls me aside and asks if I want to get high. Turns out he hid some pot on the grounds somewhere. I told him no thanks. Well a little while after that we gather in a hallway to walk together to the chapel for Sext and he is very stoned. We were in two lines side by side and he was next to me at the front. And he kept making noises as he was trying to suppress laughing. His face was bright red. This was a time of silence. Suddenly he just leaves the line and goes to his room. Disappears for hours.

I later asked him if he got in trouble and he said no, he just told them he felt sick. I don't think he ever got busted for having and using pot. He lasted about a year. It's kinda funny as the older monks would gather and discuss if someone would be allowed to stay and take the next vows or not when a monk reached that point in time and they discussed him all day... like 10 hours lol. That must have been quite a debate. In the end, they approved him to take the next step, his two year vows, but he left anyway.

[sentient]

Originally Posted by janielee

By the way I think sentient is being very kind to you in this thread. You might want to pay attention - he's the sweetest one here!

No – not the sweetest – just timid according to my ‘totemic nature’ (but that is another story & it is not Buddhism).


Rain95

As Chogyam Trungpa said, "One has no choice; you are there, an open person. Then the situation presents itself " Now some person fully in ego can come along and project their state of being and consciousnesses onto Buddha, and assume oh he is teaching like me, he is sharing what he is carrying around as knowledge. Buddha did not bring conceptual carried knowledge into his experience of now. That's why when Buddha was asked, "Are you a God or a man?" Buddha's answer was "I am awake." Descriptions, conceptual interpretation was meaningless to him. So as Chogyam Trungpa said, Buddha was not a teacher. He was not "something." He was not a role. He was himself. But yea we can make him into anything we like, call him a teacher, but that is what we make him to be, what he is to us, not what he was.

When people act this way described – he/she is recognized as the Elder. Or that is the 'Shaman's "power".

But what is it called in Buddhism - Mahamudra ---?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCotuy5Y8u8
Though I am not endorsing him as the best teacher of Mahamudra, since I have only heard him speak of it, but have not - as yet - seen him in ‘action’ of it (so there was a bit of a contradiction).

The highest realization we can talk about in Buddhism – where subject, object and action become one.
Where one is spontaneously, intuitively and effortlessly one with all things at all times and places is called Mahamudra.

*

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by janielee

Yes exactly - except Rain95 took the word "teaching" out. It's not an accurate word to use, in Buddhism, don't you know, according to Rain95 so she's "corrected" the Rinpoche and doctored the interpretation for little benefit to anyone really IMO - except the desire to argue Buddhas don't /didn't teach Buddhism or meditative practices etc.

JL

Wrong again! But yea why do you keep talking about posts from days ago?

Go look at my post #1291. Here it is:

Originally Posted by Rain95

The teaching just happened. He did not have the desire
to teach or not to teach. He spent seven weeks sitting under
the shade of a tree and walking along the bank of a river.
Then someone just happened along and he began to speak.
One has no choice; you are there, an open person. Then the
situation presents itself and teaching happens.

Now sky's post # 1355

Originally Posted by sky123

He did not have the desire to teach or not to teach. He spent seven weeks
sitting under the shade of a tree and walking along the bank of a river. Then
someone just happened along and he began to speak. One has no choice; you
are there, an open person. Then the situation presents itself .

Sky took out the word teaching there, not me. Not that I care.
I'm not sure why anyone cares. It's the meaning that matters
not the words!

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by janielee

except the desire to argue Buddhas don't /didn't teach Buddhism or meditative practices etc.

JL

If you want to continue discussing this topic with me, I'd suggest you go read the original post again that started it on page 126. Nowhere there do I say what you are claiming. Post #1257. The post that launched 1000 attacks lol.
Really I have no idea why. It seems so innocent and peaceful!

But I'm tired of thinking so if you want to discuss the subject more be prepared for Krishnamurti quotes.
But yea learn what the subject is, go read post #1257 if you have an interest in what I was discussing.

[muffin]

Originally Posted by Rain95

I'm not sure why anyone cares. It's the meaning that matters
not the words!

Good afternoon Rain

Just bit of mindless fun, helps the time tick by