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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Religions & Faiths > Buddhism

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  #141  
Old 12-08-2022, 04:30 PM
Maisy Maisy is offline
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It's like a koan.

Haru said to his Master, "I am late because I got caught up in a discussion of spiritual things." The Master asked him, "What is there that is not spiritual?" Haru answered, "A discussion on spiritual things."

If I am awareness itself, that exists fully and is fully present before a mental image of any kind arises, one cannot be late or caught up!
In emptiness, there is no interpretation.

The Master told Haru, "Zazen starts promptly at 2PM! Don't be even a second late!" Haru asked, "What time am I not in Zazen?"
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  #142  
Old 12-08-2022, 10:37 PM
Still_Waters Still_Waters is offline
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QUOTE 138 EXCERPT:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maisy
I get the idea she was attempting tp push there but there is no doubt higher and lower energies exist and so it all depends what she meant by the word "spiritual."
The interesting part about koan-like statements is that they are often directed to a specific individual and, in this particular case, it very effectively triggered self-reflection in me.

Without knowing the history of the relationship, others would probably not be impacted in the same manner. That's why it's interesting to hear the reactions of others. They are most welcome and often very revealing.
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  #143  
Old 12-08-2022, 10:39 PM
Still_Waters Still_Waters is offline
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QUOTE 141 EXCERPT:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Maisy

Haru said to his Master, "I am late because I got caught up in a discussion of spiritual things." The Master asked him, "What is there that is not spiritual?" Haru answered, "A discussion on spiritual things."



I love that.

I also liked the second part culminating with "What time am I not in Zazen"?

Where did you find those stories?
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  #144  
Old 13-08-2022, 12:00 PM
Still_Waters Still_Waters is offline
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When one encounters extraordinary beings during one's life and extraordinary things happen that do not seem consistent with one's paradigm of the Reality, one is challenged to understand how such things are possible and change one's paradigm of the Reality accordingly.

Such happenings are koan-like in nature though they would not necessarily fit into the traditional category of koans.

EXAMPLE:

When I was walking towards the Ganges River in an open field during the Khumba Mela (1998) with a friend, an extraordinary sage appeared literally out of nowhere to answer (in 6 very effective words) a pressing question that we were discussing. He disappeared just as mysteriously. My friend and I wondered whether we had just had a shared hallucination, turned around, and went back to the ashram where our teacher was sitting on the dais with the sages of India. She immediately called us to her and we described what had happened and identified the sage as the one who had been at the Bandara (feast) the previous day and whom the spiritual hierarchy had acknowledged by bowing to him and touching his feet.

There was a long silence after we told our story and the other sages turned to my teacher as it would be inappropriate for any of them to involve themselves in a discussion between a teacher and a disciple. Finally, my teacher broke the silence and acknowledged what had happened. "You've been blessed. He does this from time to time. EVERYONE KNOWS THIS. Meditate on how such things are possible." The other sages nodded.

That in itself was an awesome "koan" to contemplate. Although everyone on the dais clearly knew that this sage did this from time to time, I had certainly not seen anything like this before.

QUESTION: How are such things possible?

NOTE: This phenomenon is known in other traditions as well as both Padre Pio and Anthony of Padua in the Christian tradition reportedly bi-located and so did Milarepa in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
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  #145  
Old 13-08-2022, 01:10 PM
Miss Hepburn Miss Hepburn is offline
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Angel1

Thank you SW for the previous story. Not many have experienced the magic of India or the blessings of these kinds of things.
So funny how things are called miracles when they are common place for a realized person. (Which we are becoming!!!)
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Through delusion you are perceiving yourself as a bundle of flesh and bones, which at best is a nest of troubles.
Meditate unceasingly, that you may quickly behold yourself as the Infinite Essence, free from every form of misery. ~Paramahansa's Guru's Guru
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  #146  
Old 14-08-2022, 02:14 PM
Still_Waters Still_Waters is offline
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QUOTE 145 EXCERPT:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn
Not many have experienced the magic of India or the blessings of these kinds of things.
So funny how things are called miracles when they are common place for a realized person. (Which we are becoming!!!)
When my teacher, a revered sage of India, called me to ask WHEN I would be joining her at the Khumba Mela, I didn't know what she was talking about and responded, "What's the Khumba Mela?" She laughed and simply said, "You'll figure it out". When I discovered that it's the largest spiritual event in the world and that many extraordinary yogis of the Himalayan caves appear there, I couldn't miss that opportunity. I was in my teacher's entourage and was able to be present at all the activities with these extraordinary beings instead of being outside in the crowd of millions. As you pointed out, "Not many have experienced the magic of India or the blessings of these kinds of things".

When one realizes how "things are called miracles when they are common place for a realized person", one is catapulted into a new and awesome understanding of the Reality. When one sees such "miraculous" things personally and others view them as "common place", it's literally mind-boggling.

NOTE: There is one thing I will add about the sage who appeared to us out of nowhere. He was present at the Bandara (feast) the previous day and, despite his clear signal that he did not want to be photographed, my friend took his picture anyway. When the picture was developed days later, everything in the picture was as one would expect with one EXCEPTION. Instead of the physical form of the sage, there was only an image of light where he was sitting.
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  #147  
Old 15-10-2022, 09:29 PM
pixiedust pixiedust is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Still_Waters
QUOTE 145 EXCERPT:
Why are they in India?
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  #148  
Old 16-10-2022, 03:02 PM
Still_Waters Still_Waters is offline
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Originally Posted by pixiedust
Why are they in India?
... because that's where these particular ones live ... in India.

Seriously, as you are probably very aware, such extraordinary beings (whom I call "hidden masters") are often right in our midst though most people don't recognize them since they outwardly appear quite ordinary .... until .... . The masses tend to gravitate toward the very necessary primary teachers who teach the alphabet and are often quite entertaining.

The most extraordinary "hidden master" whom I encountered was a black "homeless" sage right here in NYC with whom I had a mysterious 9-year connection as he would just appear and vanish at the most appropriate times. Drawn by his magnetism, I approached him at Grand Central Station while the masses passed him by with disdaining looks. It was one of the best moves I've ever made and he still remains one of my foremost ideals. Those passersby may never know the treasure that was available to them.
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  #149  
Old 17-10-2022, 12:09 AM
pixiedust pixiedust is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Still_Waters
... because that's where these particular ones live ... in India.

Seriously, as you are probably very aware, such extraordinary beings (whom I call "hidden masters") are often right in our midst though most people don't recognize them since they outwardly appear quite ordinary .... until .... .

I have my own versions, yes, indeed. I guess we all find what we seek, eh, Still Waters?

This forum is so different now. Good to see you still posting though once in a while.
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  #150  
Old 17-10-2022, 02:02 PM
Still_Waters Still_Waters is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pixiedust
I have my own versions, yes, indeed. I guess we all find what we seek, eh, Still Waters?

This forum is so different now.

You are so right. We all do indeed find what we earnestly seek. One of my intense young meditation buddies texted me after meditating intensely for only a year that everything that he meditates on now materializes in some way. He added that, now, he is becoming more mindful of what he wishes/prays for.

Based on your posts, I am quite confident that you have encountered your own versions of what I call "hidden masters".

... and, yes, "the forum is so different now". However, when I saw the e-mail notification about your post, it drew me out.
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