Bodhisattvas and others?

[jonesboy]

From the Avatamsaka Sutra

Great bodhisattvas have no attachment to Buddha and do not develop attachments;

they have no attachment to the teachings and do not develop attachments; they have

no attachment to lands and do not develop attachments; they have no attachments

to sentient beings and do not develop attachments. They do not see that there are

sentient beings, yet they carry on educational activity, civilizing and teaching ways

of liberation; they do not give up the practices of bodhisattvas with great compassion

and great commitment. Seeing buddhas and hearing their teachings, they act accordingly;

trusting the buddhas they plant roots of goodness, ceaselessly honoring and serving them.



They are able to shake infinite worlds in the ten directions by spiritual powers; their minds are

broad, being equal to the cosmos. They know various explanations of truth, they know how

many sentient beings there are, they know the differences among sentient beings, they know

the birth of suffering, they know the extinction of suffering; while knowing all acts are like reflected

images, they carry out the deeds of bodhisattvas. They sever the root of all subjection to birth.



They carry out practices of bodhisattvas for the sole purpose of saving sentient beings and yet

do not practice anything. Conforming to the essential nature of all buddhas, they develop a mind

like an immense mountain. They know all falsehood and delusion, and enter the door of omniscience.

Their knowledge and wisdom are broad and vast and unshakable, due to the attainment of true enlightenment.

This is the insight of practical knowledge of equally saving all sentient beings in the ocean of birth and death.

[sky]

(in Mahayana Buddhism) a Bodhisattva is a person who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so out of*compassion*in order to save suffering beings.


Seems to be a lot of different ideas as to what a Bodhisattva is....
Different schools have different ideas, but it doesn't really matter, a Bodhisattva is all goodness

[RyanWind]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

It is all about helping others.

I know what you mean by that. If I was going to make a statement like that, about some kind of "IT IS ALL ABOUT X," which is kind of misleading in a way to lump the entire reality and all of it's moving parts into a couple of words, but hmmm what would I say?

Right now, I would say, It is all about the divine. Take the person and personal out of it. It is not about me or you. It is about this, this presence that underlies the personal. That is there before we come into being, is there when we forget it and move away from it, and is there when we surrender and find it again, reflect it's light again. Reside in it's presence.

People can be motivated to "help others" for a lot of different reasons, not all of them good.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

I know what you mean by that. If I was going to make a statement like that, about some kind of "IT IS ALL ABOUT X," which is kind of misleading in a way to lump the entire reality and all of it's moving parts into a couple of words, but hmmm what would I say?

Right now, I would say, It is all about the divine. Take the person and personal out of it. It is not about me or you. It is about this, this presence that underlies the personal. That is there before we come into being, is there when we forget it and move away from it, and is there when we surrender and find it again, reflect it's light again. Reside in it's presence.

People can be motivated to "help others" for a lot of different reasons, not all of them good.

Just read up on the Bodhisattva vow.

We are talking Buddhism and Bodhisattva's.

The vow is important to move beyond the bliss, the light...

Lankavatara Sutra...


The exalted state of self-realisation as it relates to an earnest disciple is a state of mental concentration in which he seeks to indentify himself with Noble Wisdom. In that effort he must seek to annihilate all vagrant thoughts and notions belonging to the externality of things, and all ideas of individuality and generality, of suffering and impermanence, and cultivate the noblest ideas of egolessness and emptiness and imagelessness; thus will he attain a realisation of truth that is free from passion and is ever serene. When this active effort at mental concentration is succesful it is followed by a more passive, receptive state of Samadhi in which the earnest disciple will enter into the blissful abode of Noble Wisdom and experience its consumations in the transformations of Samapatti. This is an earnest disciple's first experience of the exalted state of realisation, but as yet there is no discarding of habit-energy nor escaping from the transformation of death.


Having attained this exalted and blissful state of realisation as far as it can be attained by disciples, the Bodhisattva must not give himself up to the enjoyment of its bliss, for that would mean cessation, but should think compassionately of other beings and keep ever fresh his original vows; he should never let himself rest nor exert himself in the bliss of the Samadhis.


But, Mahamati, as earnest disciples go on trying to advance on the path that leads to full realisation.


Also, remember Buddhism is a teacher based system.. so helping others is a natural outflow...

[RyanWind]

jonesboy: Just read up on the Bodhisattva vow.

Instead of doing that I went and got a vitamin C, it's orange flavor and really good. Deciding between making an almond butter sandwich or eating some lettuce.

jonesboy: We are talking Buddhism and Bodhisattva's.

Yes it is topic of this thread. I will go back to that subject.

jonesboy: The vow is important to move beyond the bliss, the light...

Seems kind of silly to take a vow about something when we really are not alive very long. But then we have marriage vows right. But then they say 50% of marriages end in divorce. I don't know anything about bliss and light, I just know what I am experiencing which is this thread right now.

jonesboy: Lankavatara Sutra...

Oh no I really have no interest in making now about a bunch of words. I feel more like doing something creative. I might work on a movie. Oh here come the words lol. You are going to make me read them! Ok since they are here I will read them.

jonesboy: The exalted state of self-realisation as it relates to an earnest disciple is a state of mental concentration in which he seeks to indentify himself with Noble Wisdom. In that effort he must seek to annihilate all vagrant thoughts ....

Ok that is as far as I got. To me, whoever wrote that has no idea what they are talking about. I hope they are happy and in peace whatever they are doing right now.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

jonesboy: Just read up on the Bodhisattva vow.

Instead of doing that I went and got a vitamin C, it's orange flavor and really good. Deciding between making an almond butter sandwich or eating some lettuce.

jonesboy: We are talking Buddhism and Bodhisattva's.

Yes it is topic of this thread. I will go back to that subject.

jonesboy: The vow is important to move beyond the bliss, the light...

Seems kind of silly to take a vow about something when we really are not alive very long. But then we have marriage vows right. But then they say 50% of marriages end in divorce. I don't know anything about bliss and light, I just know what I am experiencing which is this thread right now.

jonesboy: Lankavatara Sutra...

Oh no I really have no interest in making now about a bunch of words. I feel more like doing something creative. I might work on a movie. Oh here come the words lol. You are going to make me read them! Ok since they are here I will read them.

jonesboy: The exalted state of self-realisation as it relates to an earnest disciple is a state of mental concentration in which he seeks to indentify himself with Noble Wisdom. In that effort he must seek to annihilate all vagrant thoughts ....

Ok that is as far as I got. To me, whoever wrote that has no idea what they are talking about. I hope they are happy and in peace whatever they are doing right now.

Why do you post in the Buddhist section?

If you don't believe in the teachings or helping others understand Buddhism from a Buddhist perspective then why are you here?

I really don't get it..

Also the Lankavatara Sutra is the one sutra Bodhidharma said was important.. You know the founder of Zen...

[RyanWind]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

Why do you post in the Buddhist section?

If you don't believe in the teachings or helping others understand Buddhism from a Buddhist perspective then why are you here?

I really don't get it..

Also the Lankavatara Sutra is the one sutra Bodhidharma said was important.. You know the founder of Zen...

Well yes you don't get it because you are following your thoughts which seem confused and pointing all over the place. I post in the Buddhist section because I am a Buddhist. I believe in all the teachings. I am here because Buddhism is the main interest in my life. The Lankavatara Sutra is very important within Buddhism. Bodhidharma is very important too.

Are you sure you don't get something? You seem very passionate and convinced of the validity of your thoughts. When you say you don't get something, do you realize the only thing you have is your thoughts? There is nothing you are seeing beyond yourself. Even in your words, I only see myself. I am that which is the translator of external phenomenon. It comes to me as thought, my thought. I suppose if I read your thoughts the idea may be present I am seeing your thoughts, but of course this is a delusion as my "seeing" is determined by what MY mind presents to me as thought. IT really is all a bunch of scratches in the dirt, markings, letters, symbols, until our minds make it into something. And what it is made into is determined by us, our minds. No matter what is external, we are the ones that make it into something. And then we respond to what we made it into.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

Well yes you don't get it because you are following your thoughts which seem confused and pointing all over the place. I post in the Buddhist section because I am a Buddhist. I believe in all the teachings. I am here because Buddhism is the main interest in my life. The Lankavatara Sutra is very important within Buddhism. Bodhidharma is very important too.

Are you sure you don't get something? You seem very passionate and convinced of the validity of your thoughts. When you say you don't get something, do you realize the only thing you have is your thoughts? There is nothing you are seeing beyond yourself. Even in your words, I only see myself. I am that which is the translator of external phenomenon. It comes to me as thought, my thought. I suppose if I read your thoughts the idea may be present I am seeing your thoughts, but of course this is a delusion as my "seeing" is determined by what MY mind presents to me as thought. IT really is all a bunch of scratches in the dirt, markings, letters, symbols, until our minds make it into something. And what it is made into is determined by us, our minds. No matter what is external, we are the ones that make it into something. And then we respond to what we made it into.

That say's nothing..

You didn't answer my questions.. If the sutra is important why dismiss it?

I am just saying here is the teachings on the subject and providing the sutra.. You are the one saying whoever wrote it doesn't know what they are talking about.

Are you saying it is an important sutra in Zen but you know better?

[RyanWind]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

That say's nothing..

You didn't answer my questions.. If the sutra is important why dismiss it?

I am just saying here is the teachings on the subject and providing the sutra.. You are the one saying whoever wrote it doesn't know what they are talking about.

Are you saying it is an important sutra in Zen but you know better?

Dismiss it? I live it! I can't answer questioning thoughts of yours that create what they create. Your thoughts are your responsibility. What you chose to focus on in your mind is your responsibility. If something is confusing you, it is not external to yourself. It is just a creation of your mind. Nothing in the present moment is confusing, it is just recognizing your thoughts are inventing that out of nothing.

Here is an English commentary: "The most important doctrine issuing from the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra is that of the primacy of consciousness (Skt. vijñāna) and the teaching of consciousness as the only reality. In the sūtra, the Buddha asserts that all the objects of the world, and the names and forms of experience, are merely manifestations of the mind," which is what I said in my last post, But I didn't post my last post from memory or referring to any sutra. It came out of my realization of what I am and what this is. Like I said, I am living that sutra. I have the realization of what it says.

I have a feeling your mind will make that into something to resist, but believe me, it is nothing! I am nothing. I am just now a witness to whatever is arising and fading. I am meaningless to you. The only concern you have comes from your mind. There is nothing "out there" influencing your experience. Your entire experience is your responsibility.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

Dismiss it? I live it! I can't answer questioning thoughts of yours that create what they create. Your thoughts are your responsibility. What you chose to focus on in your mind is your responsibility. If something is confusing you, it is not external to yourself. It is just a creation of your mind. Nothing in the present moment is confusing, it is just recognizing your thoughts are inventing that out of nothing.

Here is an English commentary: "The most important doctrine issuing from the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra is that of the primacy of consciousness (Skt. vijñāna) and the teaching of consciousness as the only reality. In the sūtra, the Buddha asserts that all the objects of the world, and the names and forms of experience, are merely manifestations of the mind," which is what I said in my last post, But I didn't post my last post from memory or referring to any sutra. It came out of my realization of what I am and what this is. Like I said, I am living that sutra. I have the realization of what it says.

I have a feeling your mind will make that into something to resist, but believe me, it is nothing! I am nothing. I am just now a witness to whatever is arising and fading. I am meaningless to you. The only concern you have comes from your mind. There is nothing "out there" influencing your experience. Your entire experience is your responsibility.

Is being a witness to your experience the end state?

You are living the sutra? Then again why say the person who wrote it doesn't have a clue?

You are the realization of that Sutra? You are a Buddha?

Please tell me then what is the sustaining power of the Buddhas? Please teach us what Noble Wisdom is?

wow.