masters & miracles

[Guest guest]

>> >Devotee :

people are

>> > so materialistic that they do not believe in anything which

>> > can not be seen physically. The unbelievers can easily

>> > be converted towards the spiritual state if some miracles

>> > are exibeted before their eyes.

 

Well, here I have to share a story from personal history - since UFO's and

miracles caught my eye...

 

A few years ago, while I was still wearing my Vajrayana hat, I launched into

the practice of Vajrasattva - having noticed rather heavy self aversion and

knowing dimly that this was a good practice for atonement -At-One-ment. I

was also doing about five hours a day of transcribing for a Lama who was at

that time my teacher. I thought that by doing this work for him I might get

some glimmering into Lama secrets and also curry favor since at that time I

still believed that one had to work hard and do something good to be loved.

Actually, I began to notice about fifty tapes into the job, that he didn't

begin any teaching without directing compassion to all sentient beings and

then at the end of the talk all merit went to all sentient being and that

pretty well all the teachings were about this. While I was working away

alone, I began to notice what appeared to be "people" around me, although

they only had forms of light. Years before, I had been part of a

spiritualist group and we did "rescue work" meaning just directing those

recently died onward away from the material plane and on to light.

 

So -when I perceived these presences, I assumed they were "dead people" or

spirit and I began to consciously transmit the texts I was transcribing to

them, ever willing to be helpful, they sort of seemed like sentient beings

and I liked having company. And, I also was keeping the wheel of the

Vajrasattva Mantra habitually turning in mind which was doing wonders for

habitual self-pity.

 

Quite a while and many texts and mantras later I was in retreat with the

Lama -and during meditation I suddenly found myself flying through the

galaxies, the stars and planets of infinite space. Then, I seemed to land on

a planet surrounded by stars. There was absolutely nothing there, it just

seemed like a flat empty plane. But then suddenly I recognized appearing

before me what I had thought to be the "dead people", the forms of light

that had been accompanying me while I worked on the transcriptions. For some

reason, I began to tell them about Buddhism, as I know it, and then they

immediately manifested golden Buddhas and at the same time, I knew in my

mind that they knew all about "Buddhism" and that there were things

infinately even greater than this beyond anything we yet knew on earth. I

remember feeling somewhat embarrassed, very child-like and ignorant. And

then all of a sudden I was bathed in the most incredible light and love

beyond any words to describe.

 

And then I was back in the body, back in the temple. I have absolutely no

idea what it was I experienced or where I went to. The experience seemed to

last a long time but must have just been a few moments. Perhaps it was only

my imagination creating with the Lama's energy. But, the love I

experienced, more real than real, was a taste of what one day will be for

all of us.

 

This experience was not an attainment of any kind. Not sheaths or levels or

extraterrestials or anything. I continue to struggle with gloominess

wishing these Beings would just come and get me, but I know I have to walk

the full path, whatever that is and for however long it takes. I know the

beings of light are there for everyone even if I can't see them any more and

we can reach out to them with our mind and ask for help and guidance. The

miracle is the love, and the fact that evidently even a very ordinary person

with no mystical attainment or any real knowledge at all can be offered this

gift. And while I know a great assortment of practices that I busy mind with

trying to figure things out - all that matters is this love. When I am in my

worst place, all trying completely defeated, (not just somewhat defeated,

completely defeated), there it is. And one doesnt have to do or be anything

at all to find it. Except maybe, ask.

 

And this from a "Theravadan" - well, some things I don't tell my teachers.

The best things I hold in my heart.

 

Metta,

 

Joyce