Guest guest Posted January 6, 2000 Report Share Posted January 6, 2000 Wed, 5 Jan 2000 19:23:11 EST ZEN2WRK Re: RE:[NondualitySalon] Is it phony or what? In a message dated 1/5/00 6:53:26 AM Pacific Standard Time, hluthar writes: << So what's my point? Nothing holds. Reality is not to be found in Satsang with all its good feeling and relaxation and mellowness and truth. Reality is not found. It is known to be here and now. You see. Jerry --------------- Dear Jerry: Yes, but you are being here and now by way of the Satsangh...and you wouldn't appreciate the realness of this all, in the heartfelt way you do, except that you did listen to Vartman bore you to tears. So, each pebble in the road still makes your walk the way it is. Reality? I really do not much value reality anymore...I have had so much of it lately. I much prefer the gentle delights of kindly exchanges with people I choose to see as more wonderful and more perfect than they really are. And as long as I view them in this loving and ideal way, it's funny how often they approach this ideal. Of course, I am completely mad, and should not be listened to at all. My words are always the uncomfortable rebellion behind the clouds of unknowing, through the glass darkly and giggling wildly behind the saffron robes of quiet meditation. Love & Blessings, Zenbob Yes, Zenbob, I hear what you're saying. True. Hey, I love your pictures in the files section, by the way. Are they really you? Talk about photos and reality, valuing reality: I might value something like photos, but not reality. How can reality be valued? How can God or consciousness or the unchanging be valued? If God could be perverted, that must be the way, through valuing, for then worth, meaning or import are being assigned. Jerry _ NONDUALITY SALON WEBSITE http://www.nonduality.com http://welcome.to/nondualitysalon MAILING LIST //nondualitysalon HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MAILING LIST //ndhighlights PHOTOS, GRAPHICS, ARTWORK, OTHER FILES NondualitySalon/ NONDUAL PEOPLE http://www.nonduality.com/morea.htm NONDUAL DELIGHTS http://www.nonduality.com/context.htm CHAT ROOM http://www.eScribe.com/religion/nondualitysalon/chat New to Chat? http://dragon.minopher.net.au/WebEd/protocol.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 6, 2000 Report Share Posted January 6, 2000 In a message dated 1/6/00 2:51:18 AM Pacific Standard Time, umbada writes: << Hey, I love your pictures in the files section, by the way. Are they really you? Talk about photos and reality, valuing reality: I might value something like photos, but not reality. How can reality be valued? How can God or consciousness or the unchanging be valued? If God could be perverted, that must be the way, through valuing, for then worth, meaning or import are being assigned. Jerry >> Dear Jerry: I fear they are actual photos of my likeness, whatever that represents. Of course, "they" are not "me"...I have yet to fully understand what "me" actually and totally is. I am intrigued with your comments on valuing. You may be quite correct. I have not, per se, considered this before...in this light. As I do ponder this, it seems strangely ever more true. In valuing, we seek to raise one thing over another...when all things are necessarily interdependent upon one another (holographically speaking) in order to have the exact existence that they do. Of course, I think we all act with discretion, to choose things we prefer, like or find of finer quality than other things. That's also valuing...it's also quality control (LOL), and it does make a difference...as anyone who buys cars, wines, clothing, etc., can discern...and there are good and bad doctors...in the sense that some are skilled and careful (discretion again) and some are not. But in the sense that we seek to value the infinite or God, we do a grave disservice to all that is implied by such a Cosmic Existence. You have hit the nail and the nail screams. Valuing God is like trying to value the beach without giving praise to the ocean. One cannot value God and reject the universe, or any part thereof. When I hear people get frenzied over the "bad things" in the world, including people who are cruel or merciless, I remind them that such actions do harm, of course, but that they are inexorably linked to all that is perceived as valuable and good, too. Finally, for those who profess a deep Christian faith based on the Will of God, Creation, etc., I always ask, "if this person or event is so terrible in the greater scheme of things...why then does God ordain it? Why does God watch the sparrow fall, but not intervene? From a Christian perspective, all evil deeds that are "allowed" existence...by definition then are part of God's Master Plan...despite our ignorance and personal abhorrence of the deed or evil doer. My view is that just as most creatures live on the deaths of others to survive, any creator or creative intelligence responsible for the design of the earth cannot hold our same moral precepts to heart. Such an intelligence must know that competition and struggle are the necessary ingredients for the development of intelligence by living things...and even the evolvement into creatures that can discern compassion and love despite the struggles. So all is interlinked, interdependent and part of a greater harmony. As Buddhists believe, I too share the ideal that by virtue of our mental development and ability to discern right action from wrong actions, we evolve ourselves to a point of being able to transcend the cycle of life and death, birth and rebirth...if we so choose. I am not sure if there is any particular superiority in NOT being reborn, as opposed to being reborn. We should remember that Bodhisattvas are pretty darn evolved and choose willingly to be born again in order to teach or help others achieve enlightenment. To seek to avoid rebirth, is a sort of failure of compassion...an ultimate selfish act of personal indulgence. I could not really respect such a soul...those who choose to stay in the action seem more worthy to me. Of course, I have no grievance with those who might take a long vacation from rebirth and recharge their cosmic batteries, a bit. Blessings & Love, Zenbob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.