Who is enlightened here?

[nowornever]

I know that in some forums some participants are awake(approved officially by enlightened masters).
Dear enlightened beings here,
Could you give your nicknames here so that I will read your posts more carefully and learn from you a lot?
non

[Hanzze]

What does "I know" mean? What makes you knowing that? What means officially? What is an enlightened master? What do you aspect in reading a post from an enlightened being? Do you think that an enlightened being would have the idea to join a forum, even use internet? *smile*

[Lobster]

You could start learning from Monty Python . . . 

http://youtu.be/N-isGzfYUZ4

[nowornever]

For example STARDUSTER is enlightened in this forum http://www.zenguide.com/forum/index.cfm
For example DENKO and NONIN are awake in this forum http://www.zenforuminternational.org/viewforum.php?f=32

[Spiny le Norman]

For example STARDUSTER is enlightened in this forum http://www.zenguide.com/forum/index.cfm
For example DENKO and NONIN are awake in this forum http://www.zenforuminternational.org/viewforum.php?f=32

Somebody claiming to be enlightened on an internet forum doesn't mean that they are enlightened.  And of course one persons idea of enlightenment might be completely different from another, depending on their background and tradition.

Spiny

[Lobster]

Ah celebrity Buddhism. 
Let us only take advice from those who fulfill our fantasies . . . ? 

Well I am made of sterner stuff. 
The Buddha dharma works from my current state of ignorance (good in the beginning)
It works from my experience of Buddhism and other paths (good in the middle)
It works from my awakened or ideal state - The Buddha (good in the end)

Perhaps we need to wake up to the fact, that when the Buddha looked around, he saw
that everyone had a higher self (everyone was awake)

I saw this on a forum somewhere. It is similar to a technique used in a degree of Freemasonry:

Start approaching life and people as if everyone is trying to teach you something. You will find that you will become less frustrated with things. Like if the person in front of you in the self checkout lane is taking there sweet wee dilly time, ask yourself " What is this person trying to teach me?" Perhaps the person is teaching you that life is not always rush, rush. That person understands and is comfortable with taking their time.

Give it a try and see how you feel when you pretend everyone is enlightened but you!

[santamonicacj]

For example STARDUSTER is enlightened in this forum http://www.zenguide.com/forum/index.cfm
For example DENKO and NONIN are awake in this forum http://www.zenforuminternational.org/viewforum.php?f=32

...and Jerry Lewis is a genius in France!   

[nowornever]

Some of Denko's answers:

"To me it is fine studying other 'styles' of practice.
But it need to be actual practice - with a genuine teacher. Merely reading about (& getting inspired by) these things will just lead to further conceptual confusion/arguing."

"After all - there is only (this) one reality (but an awful lot of conceptual 'systems' about it)."
Nothing unusual & don't get attach to or think about it. After all, we are moving away from our self-constructed view of
reality' (& on to 'directly experiencing')."

"Yes. A competent teacher to guide you on."

"Bliss - or blissfull states - are not what we are after in zen buddhism. Bliss is, just like the 'ordinary' (delusive) state, heaven & hell, part of samsara. Therefore we move on towards final ultimate complete peace and freedom - which of course is always right here right now (we merely need to 'wake up (to it))."

"Consciousness is a dimension - and beyond time&space. This need to be experienced (in deep 'samadhi'). There is no way of 'understanding' it 'in advance'. It is not some sort of soul living beyond the body.
It neither continues nor not-continues - it is beyond / just is."

"Sorry for interrupting, but this to me all seems like theoretical 'buddhism'.
I urge you to look at the so-called karmic consequences of all your thoughts, words and actions - and then judge for yourself.
There is no formula for life as a Buddha."

Do you question them?

[GoGet]

Those are just quotes without any particular context.   IOW, it's meaningless.

They may be essentially right in these quotes-without-context, but that doesn't mean that they're "enlightened".

If anyone on an 'net forum says they're "enlightened", run for the frikkin hills.

Some of Denko's answers:

"To me it is fine studying other 'styles' of practice.
But it need to be actual practice - with a genuine teacher. Merely reading about (& getting inspired by) these things will just lead to further conceptual confusion/arguing."

"After all - there is only (this) one reality (but an awful lot of conceptual 'systems' about it)."
Nothing unusual & don't get attach to or think about it. After all, we are moving away from our self-constructed view of
reality' (& on to 'directly experiencing')."

"Yes. A competent teacher to guide you on."

"Bliss - or blissfull states - are not what we are after in zen buddhism. Bliss is, just like the 'ordinary' (delusive) state, heaven & hell, part of samsara. Therefore we move on towards final ultimate complete peace and freedom - which of course is always right here right now (we merely need to 'wake up (to it))."

"Consciousness is a dimension - and beyond time&space. This need to be experienced (in deep 'samadhi'). There is no way of 'understanding' it 'in advance'. It is not some sort of soul living beyond the body.
It neither continues nor not-continues - it is beyond / just is."

"Sorry for interrupting, but this to me all seems like theoretical 'buddhism'.
I urge you to look at the so-called karmic consequences of all your thoughts, words and actions - and then judge for yourself.
There is no formula for life as a Buddha."

Do you question them?

[nowornever]

Not enough?


"Angelic Fruitcake,

Denko has given you excellent advice. Let me add that when you're looking for a teacher, by either researching online or by word of mouth, and when you find one who looks interesting, ask to meet with her or him privately. When you do, tell the teacher up-front about your medical condition and ask how you can best practice with the person given your issues.

Most teachers, like Denko, will be sensitive to your condition and will work with you within the constraints of your situation. If you come across one who isn't, that's not the teacher for you.

I wouldn't advise restricting your contact with a teacher on-line. Of course, you can learn from what a person has written and said, but face-to-face meeting is essential for Zen Buddhist practice.

My best to you.

Hands palm-to-palm,

Nonin"


"Meido has given excellent advice above, which is based on "body and mind are not two." If mind is tense and rigid; body is tense and rigid; if body is tense and rigid, mind is tense and rigid.

Zen Buddhist practice manifests through the body. Shortly after I began to practice with my master, Katagiri-roshi, I told him that mind was so busy during zazen, I couldn't concentrate on breath. His response was to focus on posture, to go through every aspect of my sitting posture to be sure that I was sitting up straight, that nothing was too tense or too lax, etc., that everything was was properly aligned, and then, to return to breath, and to repeat this process whenever necessary. This is essentially the same advice that Meido has given.

I would add that an understanding of how mental states come and go and how to handle them when they come up is essential to not getting embroiled in them. When anger arises, or depression, or joy, for that matter, let it come, experience it, and then let it go. What we do, however, is continue to cultivate a state such as anger, wrestle with it, and expand it so that we remain embroiled in it, sometimes for a long time.

Years ago, when I was practicing with Katagiri-roshi, I was driving home from work on a Friday and pulled into the alley behind my apartment building. In older sections of Minneapolis, where I was living, there are alleys between the streets and garages, and parking places are entered from the alleys. Everyone knows not to block the alleys, for then, residents can't park their cars.

On that day, I pulled into the alley, and a big truck was blocking it. I looked to my right and there were three men sitting on boxes in a garage doorway smoking cigarettes. I lifted my hands, silently asking, "What gives?" No response. I pointed to the truck and again lifted my hands. No response. Then, anger arose in me! I gave them the one-finger salute, jammed my car into reverse, squealed my tires as I backed out into the street, shifted into first, squealed my tires again and drove off around the block, intending to enter the alley from the other end. As I made the turn into the next street, I thought, "Look at yourself! A moment ago, you were in a great mood after leaving work early on a Friday with a whole weekend ahead of you, and now, you're mad as hell and driving like a raging lunatic!" I then chuckled to myself and said the hell with it, drove around the block laughing at myself, parked my car, and went up to take a shower. At another time, I might have carried that anger all the way into my apartment, slammed the door, stalked upstairs, through my clothes off, and even picked an argument with my roommate because he didn't do something he said he would.

This was a very important experience for me because from it, I learned that if I let negative mental states go soon after they arose, I wouldn't become embroiled in them.

The nature of any mental state is momentary. If we let it come without suppressing it and let it go quickly without clinging to it, it will end very quickly. If we do become embroiled in it, the key is still, "let it go." This can be difficult, however, and Katagiri-roshi was fond of saying, "If you can't let it go, throw it away. During zazen, returning to the body is "throwing it away." At other times, Meido's advice above is "throwing it away."

Hands palm-to-palm,

Nonin"

[catmoon]

Well, Spiny is the only enlightened one I know of here. His inerrant insight and perfected compassion leave no scope for flaws. Most of us just bask in the glory of his radiant emanation, too awestruck to ask questions, really.

He has a message for all of humanity, regardless of race, gender, wealth or spiritual understanding, free to any who ask. I can't claim to understand it, but apparently it involves purchasing time-share condos in Puerto Vallarta.

[Lobster]

Not enough?

Each of us starts from where we are.
If someone with certain experiences inspires or improves your being and integration with life and dharma.
then you have become a student.
Teachers are everywhere. The ability and humility to learn is the rarity.

I tend to return to basics
http://viewonbuddhism.org/where_beginner_study_practice_meditation.html

Enough already 

[Monkey Mind]

Well, Spiny is the only enlightened one I know of here. His inerrant insight and perfected compassion leave no scope for flaws. Most of us just bask in the glory of his radiant emanation, too awestruck to ask questions, really.

He has a message for all of humanity, regardless of race, gender, wealth or spiritual understanding, free to any who ask. I can't claim to understand it, but apparently it involves purchasing time-share condos in Puerto Vallarta.

I'm more enlightened than Spiny. We held and arm-wrestling competition to determine it, I won.

As for people on other forums who claim to be enlightened: if they don't know the secret handshake, then their just fibbing.
As to which members of this forum are enlightened: we'd have to show you the secret handshake to prove it, but then it wouldn't be secret anymore.

[Bodhisatta2012]

Who is enlightened here?

It depends.  Where is here?

[nowornever]

Here is the place where you live rightly and harmoniously.