The Crisis of Understanding

[Guest guest]

Da Free John:

 

There is no moment of this usual birth that is not in the form of

desire, of thought, and of separate self sense. Nothing is going on but

these, which are the usual qualities of human beings. And none of these

truly arises separately. They are a complex event, a single event. And

that event is the usual condition and limit of human beings. If you

begin to become aware of your activity, your state, your condition from

moment to moment, you see there is nothing but this. Nothing but

desire, thought and separate self sense. The ones who are regarded by

the various traditions to have been enlightened sages, or else saints,

or even true yogis, were those who had become extremely sensitive to

this fact. At some point, usually relatively early in life, they became

incapable of distraction and fell into their ordinary state, which is

fear. When there is no distraction, there is only fear. The great ones

are those who have utterly passed throught their fear. They rec-cognized

it, knew it again. Other people are of the same nature as these great

ones. They are perhaps momentarily insensitive. They are " capable " of

binding distraction. And the differences between all beings and all

disciples are the differences in their capability for binding

distraction. The kinds and degrees of distraction - these are the

differences. These qualities " create " the differences. And the

experience of individuals in this great process of Satsang is one in

which their capability to be bound by distraction is undermined,

frustrated, turned about. Therefore, periodically, every individual

passes through a time of crisis, of great resistance and fear.

Ultiimately, every disciple and every devotee must go through the same

process the guru has already gone through. Perhaps not precisely in

the same apparent form, but, within the pattern of his or her own

conditions, that same process must occur.

 

You must know that everything I am doing is a means to bring about this

crisis. I desire this crisis in you. I don't want it " not " to happen.

I don't want to console you. I don't want you to be happy in your

unconsciousness. I want you to become sensitive to your actual state. I

want you to know very well what you are always up to. I want you to

become capable of seeing yourself under all kinds of conditions. I want

you to see the machine of your ordinary activity. And I want it all to

collapse. I want it to come to an end. I want the death of all that.

If that death does not occur, there will be no release, no real

enjoyment for any of you. There will just be the continual round, the

self- " creation " of this unconscious event of life and death, that is

already distracting you. I look to " create " the various means necessary

to serve this crisis, because to serve this crisis is to serve

understanding, to serve the joy and true bliss of liberated realization,

of " radical " understanding.

 

 

 

--

Happy Days,

Judi

 

http://www.users.uniserve.com/~samuel/judi-1.htm

TheEndOfTheRopeRanch

[Guest guest]

Realization, Judi <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> Da Free John:

>

> There is no moment of this usual birth that is not in the form of

> desire, of thought, and of separate self sense. Nothing is going on

but

> these, which are the usual qualities of human beings.

 

 

Happy Days, Indeed!

or,

The Crisis of Standing Under Da

 

 

Many of the published accounts and other documents referenced below

can be found online at

http://lightmind.com/library/daismfiles/

 

The following list of events represents a very small sampling of the

questionable " crazy wisdom " activities of guru Adi Da, aka Franklin

Jones, Bubba Free John, Da Free John, Da Love-Ananda, Da Kalki, Da

Avabhasa, Ruchira Avatar Adi Da Samraj, etc. These are just the " tip

of the iceberg " when it comes to describing the insanity he has

created. On the other hand, these questionable events and examples of

abusive behavior do not represent the full range of Adi Da's

personality. Like anyone else, his intentions and actions are all

over the board, good and bad, up and down, by whatever measure one

wants to use. He is not a diabolical and systematic tyrant who is

only out to hurt people. Rather, what fundamentally drives and

characterizes Adi Da is (1) the agressive pursuit of the fulfillment

of his every personal impulse and desire, regardless of the cost to

others, and (2) the obsessive ongoing creation and embellishment of

the myth of the Adi Da icon, so that he (as a created idol) will be

worshipped and adored by everyone (including himself) as the greatest

being in the world, and so that he will also have the power to

control and to save everyone and everything in the world.

 

The fulfilment of these fundamental drives obviously involves and

requires other people to accomplish them.

 

Unfortunately, those other people end up getting used and abused in

the process.

 

The events here were made known during the " dissident " period of the

mid-1980's by a group of disaffected former members, whose names

appear below each event, along with the newspaper or TV show, if any,

where the statement was made. Obviously, these accounts are very

brief, and no doubt are imperfect descriptions of what happened. Much

here could be amplified or corrected, and hopefully will be over

time. However, an undeniable pattern emerges here from the many

different sources quoted.

 

Adi Da takes advantage of those around him who grant him their

consent to be exploited because they believe that every act of his is

done for their spiritual benefit and enlightenment. Any consent given

by those who participated in all of this was tainted by the fact that

they thought they were dealing with God Incarnate, and that any

refusal of his requests and demands was by definition a failure to

engage the spiritual process.

 

Let's take a look at some of the details:

 

One woman, D.G., had been sexually abused as a child, and the

experience left her with deep emotional wounds. Allegedly in order to

cure her of her anxieties, Adi Da commanded her to perform oral sex

on a line of three men, one after the other, and then he himself had

sex with her and sent her off. D.G. felt hysterical and full of

duress during the acts and after it was all over. She ended up

wandering alone out into a parking lot where she found an open car to

go into and cried herself to sleep. This traumatic event upset her

for many years.

(Mill Valley Record 4/10/85, S.F.Chronicle 4/9/85, Lake Co. Record

Bee 4/11/85, and conversations with D.G. in 1985).

 

It was common knowledge in Adi Da's community that Adi Da had on a

number of occasions beaten his wife N. At one raucous party, Adi Da

pulled a chunk of hair from her head and bruised her face, giving her

a black eye. He also threw her down a flight of stairs during a

fight, causing bruising and injury.

(seen by Jackie Catalfo and others, reported in Mill Valley Record

4/3/85, SF Chronicle 4/4/85).

 

Adi Da has had sex with possibly 100 or many more women (who knows

exactly?) since he assumed the role of guru. Some of these were

teenaged girls, and many others were very young adults. These girls

had come seeking spiritual truth and guidance, and many gave

themselves to him in the context that he was God and his commands

should be followed absolutely even if they involved sex with him.

There are real issues here about the basis for any " consent " that may

have been given by those involved. Many of the women were married or

in committed relationships to other devotees when Adi Da took them

sexually. If their husbands felt bad about this, they were told that

jealousy and anger were egoic reactions that must be surrendered to

the guru. Adi Da's sexual escapades were common knowledge in the

early days, but even after he purportedly gave up this type

of " teaching " after the mid-70's, his sexual promiscuity continued

for many years and was hidden from everyone but his inner circle.

Much of the sex, at least as described by a number of the women, was

anything but tantric, nor could it be considered particularly loving

in the ordinary human sense. Certainly, many times it was a drugged

and drunken " wham, bam, thank you, mam " performance, after which the

women were dumped off like the day's dirty laundry.

(These facts were confirmed by many in various articles and TV shows,

conversations with Jackie Catalfo, Miller, Lucania, and others.

Eventually in 1985 Adi Da's group admitted his continued sexual

promiscuity).

 

Adi Da gave herpes to a significant number of women, so many that it

cannot be claimed to be merely an innocent accident or mistake. One

must admit he was reckless and negligent at a minimum, because he

knew he had active lesions and was contagious, yet infected women

anyway. Beyond mere negligence however, he was surely sick and

deranged as well because he has claimed he gave others the disease

for their spiritual benefit. He told one teenaged girl in the mid-

70's, J.K, (and perhaps others) that he gave her herpes as " prasad (a

divine gift) from the Guru to help her work out her bad cunt karma. "

(On the Today Show " Mary " says Adi Da gave her herpes. M. Miller on

Ch. 7, and in conversations in 1985 re: his and Adi Da's mutual ex-

" wife " J.K.).

 

Adi Da many times would " divorce " or " marry " different couples at his

discretion and according to his whims, frequently against the

interests of the parties involved. On one single occasion he married

30 or more couples, and then had his lieutenants go around to make

sure the " marriages " were consummated as per his commands. He also

broke up many couples, sometimes en masse so that the women could

be " tried out " by him and his close buddies in order to audition them

and see who was fit to become Adi Da's wives.

(numerous articles include: Lake Co. Record Bee 4/11/85 and Andrew

Parker legal declaration, as well as in Adi Da's book " Garbage and

the Goddess " (written under the name " Bubba Free John " ), and per

conversations with Jackie Catalfo and Sal Lucania, 1985).

 

Adi Da " married " 14 women on New Years Eve, 1976, and over time has

had varying numbers of " wives, " including September 1976 Playboy

Centerfold Julie Anderson. Most of his " wives " have been cycled

through and cast off over time. Many or most of the " wives " Adi Da

acquired for himself were married or in serious committed

relationships with other men, and had come to Adi Da's community to

be disciples " as a couple " . Adi Da would tell the women to leave

their husbands or boyfriends and become his sexual partners as a form

of spiritual service to him, while telling the men it was their

spiritual duty to surrender their mates to him.

(Lake Co. Record Bee 4/11/85, M. Miller lawsuit and numerous TV

shows, conversations with S. Lucania and numerous others in 1985).

 

Throughout the years, Adi Da was fond of orchestrating group sexual

events that he could either participate in, or which he could watch

while masturbating or perhaps receiving oral sex. The events were a

form of entertainment for Adi Da that at times involved humiliating

or demeaning those involved, allegedly as a form of spiritual

instruction for them. At his Fiji " hermitage " , Adi Da has often

required that devotees perform various odd sex acts at his request,

including the requirement to urinate or defecate on their sexual

partners or perform anal sex. He has required heterosexuals to

participate in homosexual orgies for his viewing pleasure and self-

gratification in Fiji and Hawaii. He has commanded a devotee to

defecate on a glass table and made another person get under the table

to watch. Adi Da has also been observed to have his wives urinate on

him in front of other people. Adi Da's continuing obsession with

these kinds of activities, which were often things that the people

who were required to do them had absolutely no interest in doing, or

which they were disgusted by, hardly seem to be a form of " spiritual

teaching. " They seem to be nothing other than a reflection of Adi

Da's own fetishes. It is interesting to note that Adi Da teaches that

fetishism, obsessive eroticism, and masturbation are the reflection

of ego-based, unenlightened, self-possessed sexuality. In the sexual

arena, as in many other areas of life, Adi Da's life in the

antithesis of his teachings.

(Beverly O'Mahony, Today Show and 1985 conversations about her Fiji

observations. Sal Lucania, Heather and Neil Lupa, and Jackie Catalfo

also confirmed this in 1985 conversations).

 

On one occasion of Adi Da's then-nightly sex entertainment theater in

the early 80's, he had a number of couples hanging around and

partying with him. He sent away all the men to go watch a movie at

another location. Then Jones decided that he wanted the women to

perform certain acts for him so he could get off. He gave blow by

blow directions for a woman, H., to have a dildo thrust into her

repeatedly with such force as to cause her internal damage, as three

women held her down. As a result she had to seek medical treatment,

as well as continuing therapy for some time afterward.

(This woman, H. was interviewed and reported this on AM San Francisco

TV Show, Mill Valley Record 4/3/85, SF Chronicle 4/4/85).

 

Adi Da has forced members to participate in pornographic movies to

suit his every voyeuristic interest, or on other occasions would

actually participate himself, depending on the occasion. Often those

forced to participate were unwilling and uninterested in doing so.

Some were threatened and/or coerced into performing, and many women

came out of the experience deeply upset, crying, and humiliated.

(Mill Valley Record, April 3, 1985, plus a number of articles quote

several people saying this, as well as devotee interviewed on The

Today Show).

 

Sal Lucania pulled Adi Da off the top of a prostrate 16-year-old he

was humping. Adi Da claimed he didn't penetrate her, but Sal says

this is ridiculous and refutes this.

(Lake Co. Record Bee, 4/11/85 and conversations with Sal Lucania

1985).

 

In Fiji, Adi Da noticed that a woman had bruises on her face, and he

asked her husband, " do you enjoy beating your wife? " The husband

responded, " well ­­ as a matter of fact I do. " Adi Da said, " well,

whatever turns you on! " Adi Da was often known to claim that women

needed to be beaten from time to time, and that while men learned

from philosophical discourse and conversation, women learned

from " theater " or " incidents " (e.g. from actual events). Men

throughout Adi Da's group repeated this with pride. Apparently,

beatings were one type of " theater " women could learn from. This Fiji

incident is consistent with many other occasions over a period of

years where Adi Da would espouse the need for women to be hit or kept

in line. Many men in his community used this teaching of Adi Da's as

a justification to beat their wives and girlfriends.

(Beverly O'Mahony who observed Fiji event, and M. Miller, S. Lucania

in 1985 described many occasions where Adi Da condoned hitting women).

 

Adi Da has required that his followers observe a strict vegetarian

diet and that they abstain from alcohol, drugs, sugar, and

cigarettes. He asserts in his writings that this dietary discipline

reflects a natural impulse towards balance that is reflective of the

enlightened disposition, such as his own, allegedly. He has also said

that as people mature in spiritual practice they transition to a very

minimal diet, consisting of mostly raw fruits and vegetables. He has

even said that in some rare cases spiritually mature people can live

on breath alone. During a few historical periods, and on a few

occasions per year, Adi Da's strict dietary rules were lifted for

students, but mostly they were expected to keep a strict discipline.

However, for at least the first 15 years of his teaching work (the

editor is unfamiliar with more recent times), Adi Da himself indulged

in profoundly excessive drug usage and alcohol consumption, cigarette

smoking, caviar, meat, and exotic and junk food eating on a fairly

consistent basis for most of the period in question. Periodically, he

would alternate with periods of exaggerated austerity, fasting or

eating mainly raw fruits and vegetables. After a short time he

always " fell off the wagon " and starting breaking the dietary

disciplines, and was partying again before too long. His pattern of

indulgence and bingeing, followed by strict dieting and abstinence is

so very common in substance abusers. Adi Da's continuing inability to

live the disciplines he required of others was hidden from his

followers by Adi Da and his inner circle. For example, Heather Lupa

would secretly bring him entire chocolate cakes to his room to binge

on during a time when he claimed to be living on only raw fruits and

vegetables. This was hidden from even most of those in the inner

circle. Adi Da claims his bulging belly, displayed in so many

photographs, extends grotesquely due to the huge amount of " life

force " being conducted through his " vital center " in the stomach.

(Mill Valley Record April 3, 1985, attested to in numerous articles

and attested to by Miller, Kahn, Masters, Bev O'Mahony, the Lupa's

and others).

 

In Adi Da's books he criticizes and denounces drug usage, and forbids

the use of drugs by devotees. However, in actual practice he

consistently used drugs himself over the years. He used and abused

drugs such as marijuana, hashish, peyote, psilocybin, nitrous oxide,

exotic hallucinogens such as ketamine, and especially, amyl nitrate

( " Rush " ). He often used these drugs to great excess. This didn't just

occur during the " teaching lessons " of the mid-70's as Adi Da and his

group have often claimed. This drug abuse continued at least into the

mid-1980's. Beyond that time the author has no information. Adi Da's

obsessive use of Rush during sex is particularly interesting in light

of the fact that he claims to have mastered tantric yoga and the

conservation of orgasm, and teaches that practice. Why should someone

who teaches that sex should not be engaged as a way to " throw off the

life force " through orgasm be a Rush abuser. Rush is a vasodilator

that is used to increase erection strength and intensify orgasm.

Also, if Adi Da has mastered kundalini yoga and has fully awakened

the internal nadis and psychic and subtle body mechanisms, why does

he continue to need all these drugs to stimulate himself? If he

believes there is something positive about drug use, why does he

teach against it and then hide his usage from people? As usual, we

see a lot of contradictions here.

(outlined in many 1985 newspaper articles, in conversations, and on

the Today Show, by Pico Panico, Sal Lucania, Miller, Catalfo, Lupa,

others).

 

Adi Da spends tax-exempt money on travel, properties, and

extravagances to suit his every whim. He lives like a king and enjoys

total freedom from any kind of financial obligations, since

technically he owns nothing. All the money he controls is in

a " religious " corporation and in a number of other trusts that have

been set up for him. His followers provide him with everything he

asks for. December 1984 saw $20,000 in jewelry for his wives go to

Fiji. He has well over $1 million in exotic and Disney art in his

possession. Poverty­stricken devotees with nominal incomes are

consistently badgered into donating their last penny to Adi Da and

his organization. Many go into debt to donate money to support Adi Da

and his entourage.

(per conversationsith devotees in 1985, legal declaration of Padi

Masters, in charge of personal shipments to Adi Da from the mainland;

and see also Mill Valley Record 8/7/85 and SF Examiner 8/4/85).

 

Adi Da's extravagant spending habits kept his community in a

difficult financial condition for many years. At one time, in order

to help mitigate the financial problems, he required all followers to

be corralled like cattle into a San Francisco skid row blood plasma

donation center to donate twice a week. The money went directly from

the center into the organization's operating budget, i.e. into Adi

Da's pocket by way of paying for his and his wives' living expenses,

travel, gifts and extravagances, etc. Many of the people should not

have been donating plasma twice per week for so long, and had trouble

passing the tests given by the blood center because they were getting

depleted and sick, or experiencing dizziness, etc. However, they were

given large doses of iron and other vitamins so they could continue

to pass the physical and chemical tests so that they could continue

to donate plasma and keep the money coming in.

(see Mill Valley Record 4/3/85).

 

Adi Da often required that devotees work a number days and nights at

a time without sleep in order to complete the endless barrage of

projects, books and other monuments of self-glorification that he

planned. Periods of overwork often lasted months on end, as people

were stretched beyond the point of fatigue, putting in phenomenal

numbers of hours in addition to working a regular job during the day.

Some were required to commute the 2 1/2 hours each way from San

Francisco to Clearlake after work and then go back before the next

morning almost daily for periods of time to fulfill Adi Da's

unreasonable demands. There was great risk involved with driving the

winding mountain roads to Clearlake, especially when fatigued. It was

only a matter of time before a devotee would be killed " commuting for

Adi Da " (which finally happened when a little boy, Derek, was killed

in an accident). The excessive, never-ending work schedule definitely

helped to keep people so fatigued and occupied that most close

devotees had little time or energy left over to pursue activities or

experience influences outside the sphere of the group.

(conversations with numerous devotees, 1985).

 

In the early years devotees used to give their entire paycheck

directly to JDC to receive just a few dollars per month spending

money for their own, while Adi Da lived a life of extravagance and

partied. When asked if he ever felt bad about this, Adi Da laughed

hysterically and said he couldn't believe the questioner would care

about this. This story was often proudly repeated by devotees as an

illustration of how Adi Da was free of conventional morality. Clearly

he was. He also said, " why waste your money on the poor, they'll only

spend it on food and shelter. " (Sal Lucania reports this conversation

with Adi Da, Miller and many others confirm this story was often

repeated).

 

The pressures and difficulties of maintaining the illusion of godhood

appear to have been too much for Adi Da to handle at times. In 1986,

after a year or two of damaging media attention and the onslaught of

several lawsuits against him, he seems to have experienced some type

of breakdown. He said he could no longer endure the stresses of

teaching, which he blamed on the " abuses " of his devotees as usual.

He said he came to the point of wanting to die. After that, he

experienced numbness in his limbs, body, and spine, had convulsions,

lost consciousness, and says he actually died (not just a " near death

experience " ) and then came back life. As usual he described this

event, like others, in extremely grandiose and self-serving

mythological ways which purported its great cosmological significance

for all of humanity. The obvious explanation, that he had simply

experienced some type of breakdown or medical problem, was completely

overlooked.

(event described in " The Divine Emergence of the World Teacher " and

elsewhere)

 

Adi Da and his inner circle withdrew from the U.S. mainland and daily

interaction with the community of followers at large in the late 70's

and early 80's, allegedly to allow Adi Da to live in hermitage. He

said he was now free to abandon the teaching style that had required

him to adopt the degenerative habits and lifestyle of his immature

followers as a teaching demonstration to show them the error in their

ways. He could now " stand free as himself " rather than reflect the

limitations of others. The general members of the community were led

to believe that he was henceforth living as a renunciate in

hermitage. In fact, Adi Da continued to party hard, indulging to

excess in promiscuous sex, drugs, and junk food, but took great care

to hide this from those back on the mainland who were paying for his

extravagant lifestyle.

 

When Adi Da's indulgent hidden life was exposed in the media in 1985,

he and his hierarchy at first said it was all a lie, but then

admitted the allegations were true and that Adi Da's behavior had

been hidden from general members because they were " not spiritually

mature enough to hear the truth " (in newspaper interviews in

April,1985). The excuse as to why members had been deceived is

evidence of the contempt in which the rank and file members are held

by Adi Da and his inner circle. Additionally, the fact that the

deception was systematically carried out for years is evidence that

Adi Da felt he had something to hide. He knew that his continued

inability to live the disciplined life he required of others would be

taken as a sign by many that he had not transcended his ego as

advertised. His habits would be even harder to explain after he

proclaimed he had abandoned his former teaching method that required

him to reflect others' shortcomings to them. No doubt he worried that

financial supporters and peripheral members who were not sufficiently

immersed in his myth might be scared off, or worse yet, might expose

him as a fraud.

 

Children, including many who were under 10 years old, were provided

with alcohol and encouraged to drink in large quantities during

parties with Adi Da's inner circle and elsewhere in his community.

This occurred on many occasions, and over a period of many years.

(Joe Kahn, Beverly O'Mahoney, NBC Today Show, 1985)

 

The first time 10 year old Jessica Constantine met Adi Da, he

commanded her to strip naked in front of a large group of adults,

also naked, who were partying. She refused and ran away. Adi Da told

some of his devotees to chase her down, and they brought her back and

forced her to strip, against her will.

(Jessica Constantine, NBC Today Show, 1985)

 

Like the man says, it is CRAZY wisdom.

 

All of the philosophy in the world, and the endless excuses of Adi Da

and his devotees cannot explain away the pattern that emerges from

these events.

[Guest guest]

Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

 

>

>

> Happy Days, Indeed!

> or,

> The Crisis of Standing Under Da

>

**** <<snipped>>

 

You know the day I stopped worrying about what everyone else was doing

and looked at was I was doing myself instead is the day I got

enlightened.

Or as Da put it, " The idea is not to take offense with me, but finally

and at long last, is take offense with yourself " .

 

Judi

[Guest guest]

Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> Realization, Judi <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> > Da Free John:

> >

> > There is no moment of this usual birth that is not in the form of

> > desire, of thought, and of separate self sense. Nothing is going

on

> but

> > these, which are the usual qualities of human beings.

>

>

> Happy Days, Indeed!

> or,

> The Crisis of Standing Under Da

>

>

> Many of the published accounts and other documents referenced below

> can be found online at

> http://lightmind.com/library/daismfiles/

>

> The following list of events represents a very small sampling of

the

> questionable " crazy wisdom " activities of guru Adi Da,

 

 

<SNIP>

 

Hiya Bob,

 

Halleleuja!!!

 

Wow!!!

 

You know Bob, one of these days I am going to get on the Guru-

Bandwagon.

The fringe benefits seems stupendous.

 

Yooooo hoooooo

Pant, Pant, Pant

 

Zip-A-Dee-Dah-Doo

 

Sandeep

[Guest guest]

Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

>

> You know the day I stopped worrying about what everyone else was

doing

> and looked at was I was doing myself instead is the day I got

> enlightened.

 

 

.......and the swallows returned to Capistrano!

 

 

> Or as Da put it, " The idea is not to take offense with me, but

finally

> and at long last, is take offense with yourself " .

 

 

.....that's pretty convenient for him, eh?

[Guest guest]

Realization, " sandeep1960 " <sandeepc@b...> wrote:

> Hiya Bob,

>

> Halleleuja!!!

>

> Wow!!!

>

> You know Bob, one of these days I am going to get on the Guru-

> Bandwagon.

> The fringe benefits seems stupendous.

>

> Yooooo hoooooo

> Pant, Pant, Pant

>

> Zip-A-Dee-Dah-Doo

>

> Sandeep

 

 

 

.......well, given the way time works relative to the speed of light

et al, you are actually riding along quite merrily now!

Just remember:

The Company retains the option at any time, and without prior consent

of its members, to modify or withdraw any stated benefit or benefits,

should it deem necessary for the general profitability of the major

holding entity or any of its subsidiary shareholders.

 

Kplaa!

[Guest guest]

> > Or as Da put it, " The idea is not to take offense with me, but

> finally

> > and at long last, is take offense with yourself " .

>

>

> ....that's pretty convenient for him, eh?

 

Thanks for a well-written expose.

And yes, attempts to hide and cover-up are typical

of manipulations for power, just ask the CIA :-)

 

This is just the human condition, with plenty to

go around: denied splits, projections, abuse, idealizations,

manipulations, and addictive tendencies.

 

It is not that this is " my " condition and not " yours " --

nor vice versa -- this is who I am, this is the world that is

who I am ...

 

Can we " see " with open eyes?

 

No " I " is exempt,

No exempt " spiritual teachers " to be idealized

and no exempt " disciples " who will be given

" realization " by someone else doing something to them,

or for them ...

 

No rose-colored nor darkened glasses, just " open eyes " ,

honesty without the distortions of ignorance.

 

" I can take offense with you,

and I expect you to take offense with you.

If you take offense with me, then that proves

you need to take offense with you. "

 

Yes, it's imbalanced.

Also imbalanced are long monologues with the

only permissable role for the audience: rapt attention.

 

A version of trance induction, and trance is the typical

state in dysfunctional families.

 

Together we can enact a drama of abuse and salvation...

 

Or not ...

 

Nothing has been hidden that will not be revealed.

 

Peace,

Dan

[Guest guest]

Realization, " dan330033 " <dan330033> wrote:

> Nothing has been hidden that will not be revealed.

 

 

 

.....yes, Dan:

 

there seems to be no end to the interesting phenomena of " enlightened

ego " floating around these days -- those who have caught a glimpse

and then go back to referencing it to a presumed " center " all over

again, talking ridiculously about " my enlightenment " , or the day " I

awoke " , and then roping in the earnest gullibles in the audience to

park in their corrals. This would all be quite silly if it didn't

involve the demand that others line up like little lambs behind the

Good Shepherd.

One would think that perhaps we have reached a level in

the " spiritual " maturation or evolution process whereby we could

begin to enter into true mutuality of transmission, but there are

apparently still many who require that they be approached as " The

Teacher " , and of course the students create the teachers, and so the

old game is perpetuated.

 

" Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily..... "

[Guest guest]

Hi Merrily, Merrily --

 

> there seems to be no end to the interesting phenomena of

" enlightened

> ego " floating around these days -- those who have caught a glimpse

> and then go back to referencing it to a presumed " center " all over

> again, talking ridiculously about " my enlightenment " , or the day " I

> awoke " , and then roping in the earnest gullibles in the audience to

> park in their corrals.

 

Yes. There is real difficulty involved when attempting to

communicate what can't be transferred. The difficulty being

that whatever is communicated will only be the content of

the communication. And the referencing to a " me " who is

communicating to a " you " will inevitably be implied by any

activity of human communication, including even communicating

by and through silence.

 

Yet, not to communicate would be to attempt to

renounce being human, which would be possibly even more ridiculous

than attempting to communicate. So, be who you are, and

communicate however that works for you, whether it's to

a person, the wind, or a garbage can.

 

Although there is nothing to do or say, there is not

the option of not communicating.

 

If there is no center of reference, then there is no being

fooled by oneself or anyone else, nor has any communication

ever referred to a center - regardless of contents of thought,

memory, feeling, or speech.

 

>This would all be quite silly if it didn't

> involve the demand that others line up like little lambs behind the

> Good Shepherd.

 

You don't think that's silly? Hmmmm... sounds pretty

absurd to me. You know the destination that a shepherd

has for sheep -- a shearing at the very least :-)

 

> One would think that perhaps we have reached a level in

> the " spiritual " maturation or evolution process whereby we could

> begin to enter into true mutuality of transmission, but there are

> apparently still many who require that they be approached as " The

> Teacher " , and of course the students create the teachers, and so the

> old game is perpetuated.

 

Once one is aware of games being played, the game

is already under way. In other words, you are

already a player if you are aware of people playing.

Then, no choice but to " play through " ...

 

The only end of game is to be prior to any game

activity, in which case, nothing has ever begun,

and there isn't any center of

reference anywhere, for anyone ...

 

At the same time, the center of reference is everywhere,

at the center of everything, always ...

 

>

> " Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily..... "

 

At least someone's having a good time :-)

 

-- Dan

[Guest guest]

Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> >

> > You know the day I stopped worrying about what everyone else was

> doing

> > and looked at was I was doing myself instead is the day I got

> > enlightened.

>

>

> ......and the swallows returned to Capistrano!

>

***** I have no idea what you're talking about?

 

>

> > Or as Da put it, " The idea is not to take offense with me, but

> finally

> > and at long last, is take offense with yourself " .

>

>

> ....that's pretty convenient for him, eh?

 

***** His point, same as mine, is about " self " realization. Know

thyself. Pull the beam out of your own eye.

The truth is within. Etc, etc, etc. How many times and how many ways

down thru the ages does it have to be said before you catch the clue?

 

Like this person asked me this morning, " How important is a guru? "

And I said, " For what? Your suffering is your own. Deal with it. "

 

Judi

[Guest guest]

Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

How many times and how many ways

> down thru the ages does it have to be said before you catch the

clue?

 

 

......precisely my point to you, Judiboo!

[Guest guest]

Realization, " dan330033 " <dan330033> wrote:

> Yes. There is real difficulty involved when attempting to

> communicate what can't be transferred. The difficulty being

> that whatever is communicated will only be the content of

> the communication. And the referencing to a " me " who is

> communicating to a " you " will inevitably be implied by any

> activity of human communication, including even communicating

> by and through silence.

 

 

 

.....neither of your points is necessarily " my experience " .

communication can transcend its content and catalyze a broader vision.

referencing to a center is not inevitably implied (although it

commonly is in conventional exchanges)in communication, especially

when either or both parties are not fixating or identifying with such

an imaginary critter.

 

>

> Yet, not to communicate would be to attempt to

> renounce being human, which would be possibly even more

ridiculous

> than attempting to communicate. So, be who you are, and

> communicate however that works for you, whether it's to

> a person, the wind, or a garbage can.

 

 

.....nothing was said about renouncing communication. the point was

about claiming ownership of awakeness.

 

 

 

>

> Once one is aware of games being played, the game

> is already under way. In other words, you are

> already a player if you are aware of people playing.

> Then, no choice but to " play through " ...

 

 

......not.

you have a choice to hit the delete button and walk away.

 

 

>

> The only end of game is to be prior to any game

> activity, in which case, nothing has ever begun,

> and there isn't any center of

> reference anywhere, for anyone ...

 

 

....perhaps for you. in fact, you are already prior to any game, but

may not have integrated that realization. for some, the end of that

particular game mentioned above might involve a whole different set

of options. why put any limitation on how life wants to flow by

claiming it only works a certain way?

 

>

> At the same time, the center of reference is everywhere,

> at the center of everything, always ...

 

 

........yep!

 

>

> >

> > " Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily..... "

>

> At least someone's having a good time :-)

 

 

.......why not? :-))

[Guest guest]

Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> How many times and how many ways

> > down thru the ages does it have to be said before you catch the

> clue?

>

>

> .....precisely my point to you, Judiboo!

 

**** Cut the crap, you don't have a point, and because you're such

a " little " jealous fuck you spend your time going around whining and

bitching. You're not a nice person, so go fuck yourself.

I'd call you stupid, but in your case it's an understatement.

 

Judi

[Guest guest]

Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> Realization, " sandeep1960 " <sandeepc@b...> wrote:

> > Hiya Bob,

> >

> > Halleleuja!!!

> >

> > Wow!!!

> >

> > You know Bob, one of these days I am going to get on the Guru-

> > Bandwagon.

> > The fringe benefits seems stupendous.

> >

> > Yooooo hoooooo

> > Pant, Pant, Pant

> >

> > Zip-A-Dee-Dah-Doo

> >

> > Sandeep

>

>

>

> ......well, given the way time works relative to the speed of light

> et al, you are actually riding along quite merrily now!

 

San:

 

Yeah, but cyber-sex ain't the real stuff.

 

 

 

> Just remember:

> The Company retains the option at any time, and without prior

consent

> of its members, to modify or withdraw any stated benefit or

benefits,

> should it deem necessary for the general profitability of the major

> holding entity or any of its subsidiary shareholders.

 

 

San:

 

Yeah, but the CEO is not subject to that dictum.

 

 

 

Pant, Pant, pant

 

Sandeep

[Guest guest]

Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> > Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> > How many times and how many ways

> > > down thru the ages does it have to be said before you catch the

> > clue?

> >

> >

> > .....precisely my point to you, Judiboo!

>

> **** Cut the crap, you don't have a point, and because you're such

> a " little " jealous fuck you spend your time going around whining

and

> bitching. You're not a nice person, so go fuck yourself.

> I'd call you stupid, but in your case it's an understatement.

>

> Judi

 

 

......flattery will get you nowhere, my dear!

 

LOL!!!! Really!!! LOL!!! (and such creative invective -- my oh my:

has the vernacular really sunk so low?)

 

you say that i don't have a point, and that is eggs ackley " my "

point, but you are so busy being offended that you demonstrate the

very issue that i raised;

the ridiculous claims of liberation folks like you love to fart off

as if such smelly fiction were actually perfume!

 

Happy Holidays!

[Guest guest]

Realization, " sandeep1960 " <sandeepc@b...> wrote:

> Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> > Realization, " sandeep1960 " <sandeepc@b...> wrote:

> > > Hiya Bob,

> > >

> > > Halleleuja!!!

> > >

> > > Wow!!!

> > >

> > > You know Bob, one of these days I am going to get on the Guru-

> > > Bandwagon.

> > > The fringe benefits seems stupendous.

> > >

> > > Yooooo hoooooo

> > > Pant, Pant, Pant

> > >

> > > Zip-A-Dee-Dah-Doo

> > >

> > > Sandeep

> >

> >

> >

> > ......well, given the way time works relative to the speed of

light

> > et al, you are actually riding along quite merrily now!

>

> San:

>

> Yeah, but cyber-sex ain't the real stuff.

>

>

>

> > Just remember:

> > The Company retains the option at any time, and without prior

> consent

> > of its members, to modify or withdraw any stated benefit or

> benefits,

> > should it deem necessary for the general profitability of the

major

> > holding entity or any of its subsidiary shareholders.

>

>

> San:

>

> Yeah, but the CEO is not subject to that dictum.

>

>

>

> Pant, Pant, pant

>

> Sandeep

 

 

 

.....well, you (on the other hand, so to speak) --

i kiss your big nose and talk about you when you're asleep to the

Star-Cream Beauty Who loves to Play!

She tells me in soft whispers that there is nobody quite compares to

you, and i find myself nodding, but wanting to reach my hand under

Her blouse and squeeze softly, and kiss Her forever and ever Amen!

[Guest guest]

Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> > Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> > > Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> > > How many times and how many ways

> > > > down thru the ages does it have to be said before you catch

the

> > > clue?

> > >

> > >

> > > .....precisely my point to you, Judiboo!

> >

> > **** Cut the crap, you don't have a point, and because you're such

> > a " little " jealous fuck you spend your time going around whining

> and

> > bitching. You're not a nice person, so go fuck yourself.

> > I'd call you stupid, but in your case it's an understatement.

> >

> > Judi

>

>

> .....flattery will get you nowhere, my dear!

>

> LOL!!!! Really!!! LOL!!! (and such creative invective -- my oh my:

> has the vernacular really sunk so low?)

>

> you say that i don't have a point, and that is eggs ackley " my "

> point, but you are so busy being offended that you demonstrate the

> very issue that i raised;

> the ridiculous claims of liberation folks like you love to fart off

> as if such smelly fiction were actually perfume!

>

***** You prove my point.

 

Judi

[Guest guest]

Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> > Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> > > Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> > > > Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> > > > How many times and how many ways

> > > > > down thru the ages does it have to be said before you catch

> the

> > > > clue?

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > .....precisely my point to you, Judiboo!

> > >

> > > **** Cut the crap, you don't have a point, and because you're

such

> > > a " little " jealous fuck you spend your time going around whining

> > and

> > > bitching. You're not a nice person, so go fuck yourself.

> > > I'd call you stupid, but in your case it's an understatement.

> > >

> > > Judi

> >

> >

> > .....flattery will get you nowhere, my dear!

> >

> > LOL!!!! Really!!! LOL!!! (and such creative invective -- my oh my:

> > has the vernacular really sunk so low?)

> >

> > you say that i don't have a point, and that is eggs ackley " my "

> > point, but you are so busy being offended that you demonstrate the

> > very issue that i raised;

> > the ridiculous claims of liberation folks like you love to fart

off

> > as if such smelly fiction were actually perfume!

> >

> ***** You prove my point.

>

> Judi

 

*******

No wonder you're not enlightened, I couldn't stand looking at myself

if I was you either.

 

Judi

[Guest guest]

Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> No wonder you're not enlightened, I couldn't stand looking at

myself

> if I was you either.

 

 

 

......here we have yet another charming example of the fruits of self-

proclaimed Realization.

Anybody still up for a swim in that cess pool?

 

Or perhaps it's time we gave the " I'm enlightened and you're not "

folks the old heave ho for once and for all, climb out of the

kindergarden sand box, and started talking to each other with the

love & respect which emerges from recognizing each other as the

unique manifestation of Divinity that we each Are.

Comparative mind loves to focus on the separative strategies and

assumptions of independence, even to the point of absolute ego

reification masquerading as some kind of enlightened state. After a

while, it's rather easy to spot in the blatantly transparent Judi-

type judgemental pronouncements that, alas, are all too common in

venues like this.

Kids just don't want to grow up! LOL!!!

 

 

" Merrily, merrily.... "

[Guest guest]

> ....neither of your points is necessarily " my experience " .

> communication can transcend its content and catalyze a broader

vision.

 

Who said they were or should be?

 

A broader vision is a limited goal.

 

What is unlimited isn't a goal, and isn't

the content of communication.

 

> referencing to a center is not inevitably implied (although it

> commonly is in conventional exchanges)in communication, especially

> when either or both parties are not fixating or identifying with

such

> an imaginary critter.

 

As long as the one party and the other party

seem like entities who can fixate, identify,

and disidentify -- then there is stuckness

in a conceptual reality taken as truth ...

 

> ....nothing was said about renouncing communication. the point was

> about claiming ownership of awakeness.

 

And there never has existed someone who could claim

ownership of awakeness. There is only one awake,

and that one never fell into a lesser state,

and thus has never claimed anything ...

 

If taking an illusion as reality, then there is the problem

of an illusion taking an illusion for an illusory ride --

all of which is itself an illusion ...

 

> .....not.

> you have a choice to hit the delete button and walk away.

 

And then, when the delete button hits the one

who thought to make a choice and walk " somewhere else " ?

 

> ...perhaps for you. in fact, you are already prior to any game, but

> may not have integrated that realization. for some, the end of that

> particular game mentioned above might involve a whole different set

> of options. why put any limitation on how life wants to flow by

> claiming it only works a certain way?

 

Where has it ever been limited?

Who ever arose apart from it, who could limit it?

 

> .......yep!

 

Yep, yep!

 

>

> >

> > >

> > > " Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily..... "

> >

> > At least someone's having a good time :-)

>

>

> ......why not? :-))

 

Exactly! :-))

[Guest guest]

Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> Realization, " judirhodes " <judirhodes@e...> wrote:

> > No wonder you're not enlightened, I couldn't stand looking at

> myself

> > if I was you either.

>

>

>

> .....here we have yet another charming example of the fruits of

self-

> proclaimed Realization.

> Anybody still up for a swim in that cess pool?

 

I prefer the rejoinder: I'm rubber and you're glue.

Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you.

 

> Or perhaps it's time we gave the " I'm enlightened and you're not "

> folks the old heave ho for once and for all, climb out of the

> kindergarden sand box, and started talking to each other with the

> love & respect which emerges from recognizing each other as the

> unique manifestation of Divinity that we each Are.

 

Aren't you the one who said there aren't any fixed rules,

and options may vary ... :-)

 

> Comparative mind loves to focus on the separative strategies and

> assumptions of independence, even to the point of absolute ego

> reification masquerading as some kind of enlightened state.

 

There is no enlightened state, or, if there is,

it's only a partial reality.

 

Nothing ever went into any state.

Call that " enlightenment " or " original ignorance " ...

there's no place for a label to grab hold ...

 

> After a

> while, it's rather easy to spot in the blatantly transparent Judi-

> type judgemental pronouncements that, alas, are all too common in

> venues like this.

 

Having never entered any state, where will such a judgment

attach?

 

> Kids just don't want to grow up! LOL!!!

 

A kind of strong reaction. Are you sure that judgment

didn't grab ahold of something?

 

> " Merrily, merrily.... "

 

" Life is butta ... "

[Guest guest]

Realization, " dan330033 " <dan330033> wrote:

>

> A broader vision is a limited goal.

 

 

......Dan, my Man:

Non-dual does not mean not dual!

 

 

 

> Exactly! :-))

 

 

((-:

[Guest guest]

Well, Bob,

There just might be no choice but to drop

dual and nondual altogether!

 

> .....Dan, my Man:

> Non-dual does not mean not dual!

[Guest guest]

Realization, " dan330033 " <dan330033> wrote:

> Well, Bob,

> There just might be no choice but to drop

> dual and nondual altogether!

>

> > .....Dan, my Man:

> > Non-dual does not mean not dual!

 

 

....Haha, Danny Boy!

 

Dropping ashes on the Buddha!

 

which reminds me of a little story:

 

Bing Go was one of the greatest Zen Masters during the Song Dynasty

in China.

When he was twenty years old, his teacher gave him a koan:

'Where was I before I was born, and where will I go after I die'.

He later wrote that, as he pondered the question, he felt altogether

dazed by his own delusions.

 

After three years passed and Bing Go was unable to attain any break-

through, he went to see the famous Zen Master Shor Am. Bingo told him

of his failure to penetrate the koan, and asked for his help.

'We have been told', said the Master, 'that all beings have Buddha-

nature. This is the teaching of all Buddhas, past, present, and

future. However, when a monk came to Zen Master Rin Tin and asked if

dogs have Buddha-nature, Rin Tin said `No!'. What does this `No'

mean?'

Bing Go was speechless. As he struggled to come up with an answer,

the Master took his cane and whacked him a good one on the shoulder,

and then kicked him out.

 

Frustrated and nursing a bruised collarbone, Bing Go returned to his

temple. He couldn't get Shor Am's question out of his mind when

suddenly, like a match lit in a dark cave, an awakening spread until

it filled his whole being. The answer to his original koan was now

crystal clear.

The next day, as he was working in the monastery fields, Shor Am came

to visit. He said:

'Good Morning. How is your search coming along?'

Bing Go replied:

'If a man stops searching, he will surely find what he is looking

for. "

Quickly the master grabbed him by his shirt and shouted:

'Who is dragging this corpse around?'.

Although Bing Go had understood the question perfectly, he again went

drop-jaw and could only stare like a moron.

The Master pushed him away and left.

 

The poor guy was so troubled by this new failure that he couldn't

sleep for days. Then, one night, his first teacher appeared to him in

a dream and asked:

If you've been drinking beer all day long, why do you still claim you

haven't touched a drop?' When he woke up, he found that all his

doubts and confusion had coalesced into one mass, which weighed on

his heart like a huge rock. For five days he walked about in a

stupor. On the sixth day he wandered into the great hall of the

monastery, where the monks happened to be commemorating the death of

the fifth patriarch of the I' Tchi school. For the occasion, they had

hung up a portrait of the patriarch, on which he himself had

inscribed the following stanza:

 

After all is said and done

I've finally got a hunch –

when all is said and done

for most

it all comes down to

`What's for lunch?'

 

As Bing Go read the last word, a realization burst upon him.

'At that moment', he later wrote, 'I felt as if the whole universe

had been chopped up into tiny pieces and the whole earth leveled

flat. There was no I, there was no world. It was like one mirror

reflecting another. I asked myself several koans, and the answers

were transparently clear.'

 

The next day he went to see Shor Am.

The Master asked him:

'Who is dragging around this lifeless body of yours?'

Bing Go shouted: `Wahoo!'

The Master took hold of his stick, but Bing Go snatched it out of his

hand and said:

`No way, man – you can't touch this today!'

Shor Am asked:

'Why not?'.

Bing Go got up and walked out of the room.

 

Some time later, another Zen Master visited Bing Go and said:

'Congratulations, I hear you have attained the great enlightenment'.

Bing Go smilingly replied:

'Thank you.'

The Master asked:

'Can you maintain this state at all times?'

'Yes, indeed'.

'While you are working, or sleeping, or dreaming?'

'Yes, even in dreams'.

'How about in dreamless sleep, where there is no sight or sound or

consciousness. Where is your enlightenment then, Pal?'

Seeing that Bing Go couldn't answer, the Master said:

`Son -- let me give you a little piece of advice: when you are

hungry, eat. When you are tired, rest. The minute you wake up every

morning, ask yourself:

`Who is the master of this body, and where does he hang out?'.

This ought to clear things up for you.'

 

Bing Go went to work on this question without interruption, even

skipping breakfast sometimes. One day, after about five years or so,

a friend invited him along on a pilgrimage up north somewhere. On

their way they stopped off at a motel. Exhausted, the friend fell

asleep immediately. Bing Go sat in a corner and meditated. At one

point, his friend farted in his bed. Bing Go heard the noise, his

mind blew, and the whole universe was flooded with daisies. He

understood not only his own koan, but all the koans handed down by

Ixnay and the patriarchs. He felt like a distant traveler who had

finally come home. At this moment of great awakening, he composed the

following stanza:

 

 

'The man who has come to this

is the man who was here from the beginning.

He does what he always did.

Nothing has changed, except

now, I have a good idea for a game!'

[Guest guest]

A wonderfully-told tale, HeartbeatSeven!

Hey, are you by any chance related to the

well-known sage, OceansEleven?

 

At any rate, your insightful rendering of

fine enlightenment stories reminds

me of the awakening of the great teacher

Darho Thi. She was said to have come

to a perfect understanding after her

search along an endlessly spiralling path

led her to realize she never really left home.

Her understanding came at the instant she heard

the sound produced by her own shoes, leading her

to ask the now well-worn koan: " What is the sound

of one heel clicking? " One of her students remarked,

upon the instant of knowing, " But it all seemed so

real. You were there. And you, and you. "

 

Peace,

Dan

 

 

Realization, " hrtbeat7 " <hrtbeat7> wrote:

> Realization, " dan330033 " <dan330033> wrote:

> > Well, Bob,

> > There just might be no choice but to drop

> > dual and nondual altogether!

> >

> > > .....Dan, my Man:

> > > Non-dual does not mean not dual!

>

>

> ...Haha, Danny Boy!

>

> Dropping ashes on the Buddha!

>

> which reminds me of a little story:

>

> Bing Go was one of the greatest Zen Masters during the Song Dynasty

> in China.

> When he was twenty years old, his teacher gave him a koan:

> 'Where was I before I was born, and where will I go after I die'.

> He later wrote that, as he pondered the question, he felt altogether

> dazed by his own delusions.

>

> After three years passed and Bing Go was unable to attain any break-

> through, he went to see the famous Zen Master Shor Am. Bingo told

him

> of his failure to penetrate the koan, and asked for his help.

> 'We have been told', said the Master, 'that all beings have Buddha-

> nature. This is the teaching of all Buddhas, past, present, and

> future. However, when a monk came to Zen Master Rin Tin and asked if

> dogs have Buddha-nature, Rin Tin said `No!'. What does this `No'

> mean?'

> Bing Go was speechless. As he struggled to come up with an answer,

> the Master took his cane and whacked him a good one on the shoulder,

> and then kicked him out.

>

> Frustrated and nursing a bruised collarbone, Bing Go returned to his

> temple. He couldn't get Shor Am's question out of his mind when

> suddenly, like a match lit in a dark cave, an awakening spread until

> it filled his whole being. The answer to his original koan was now

> crystal clear.

> The next day, as he was working in the monastery fields, Shor Am

came

> to visit. He said:

> 'Good Morning. How is your search coming along?'

> Bing Go replied:

> 'If a man stops searching, he will surely find what he is looking

> for. "

> Quickly the master grabbed him by his shirt and shouted:

> 'Who is dragging this corpse around?'.

> Although Bing Go had understood the question perfectly, he again

went

> drop-jaw and could only stare like a moron.

> The Master pushed him away and left.

>

> The poor guy was so troubled by this new failure that he couldn't

> sleep for days. Then, one night, his first teacher appeared to him

in

> a dream and asked:

> If you've been drinking beer all day long, why do you still claim

you

> haven't touched a drop?' When he woke up, he found that all his

> doubts and confusion had coalesced into one mass, which weighed on

> his heart like a huge rock. For five days he walked about in a

> stupor. On the sixth day he wandered into the great hall of the

> monastery, where the monks happened to be commemorating the death of

> the fifth patriarch of the I' Tchi school. For the occasion, they

had

> hung up a portrait of the patriarch, on which he himself had

> inscribed the following stanza:

>

> After all is said and done

> I've finally got a hunch –

> when all is said and done

> for most

> it all comes down to

> `What's for lunch?'

>

> As Bing Go read the last word, a realization burst upon him.

> 'At that moment', he later wrote, 'I felt as if the whole universe

> had been chopped up into tiny pieces and the whole earth leveled

> flat. There was no I, there was no world. It was like one mirror

> reflecting another. I asked myself several koans, and the answers

> were transparently clear.'

>

> The next day he went to see Shor Am.

> The Master asked him:

> 'Who is dragging around this lifeless body of yours?'

> Bing Go shouted: `Wahoo!'

> The Master took hold of his stick, but Bing Go snatched it out of

his

> hand and said:

> `No way, man – you can't touch this today!'

> Shor Am asked:

> 'Why not?'.

> Bing Go got up and walked out of the room.

>

> Some time later, another Zen Master visited Bing Go and said:

> 'Congratulations, I hear you have attained the great enlightenment'.

> Bing Go smilingly replied:

> 'Thank you.'

> The Master asked:

> 'Can you maintain this state at all times?'

> 'Yes, indeed'.

> 'While you are working, or sleeping, or dreaming?'

> 'Yes, even in dreams'.

> 'How about in dreamless sleep, where there is no sight or sound or

> consciousness. Where is your enlightenment then, Pal?'

> Seeing that Bing Go couldn't answer, the Master said:

> `Son -- let me give you a little piece of advice: when you are

> hungry, eat. When you are tired, rest. The minute you wake up every

> morning, ask yourself:

> `Who is the master of this body, and where does he hang out?'.

> This ought to clear things up for you.'

>

> Bing Go went to work on this question without interruption, even

> skipping breakfast sometimes. One day, after about five years or so,

> a friend invited him along on a pilgrimage up north somewhere. On

> their way they stopped off at a motel. Exhausted, the friend fell

> asleep immediately. Bing Go sat in a corner and meditated. At one

> point, his friend farted in his bed. Bing Go heard the noise, his

> mind blew, and the whole universe was flooded with daisies. He

> understood not only his own koan, but all the koans handed down by

> Ixnay and the patriarchs. He felt like a distant traveler who had

> finally come home. At this moment of great awakening, he composed

the

> following stanza:

>

>

> 'The man who has come to this

> is the man who was here from the beginning.

> He does what he always did.

> Nothing has changed, except

> now, I have a good idea for a game!'