radams@cerritos.edu (05/22/91)
Some recent posts have raised an interesting question.
How do we know if someone is an enlightened master or not? Do we check to
see if he or she has a phd. in enlightenment? Do we check to see if what he
or she says is in accordance with some particular buddhist doctrine? Do we
look for a halo over her or his head? Do we look for certain displays of
powers? Surely, the above criteria is ludicrous. Perhaps we might rely more
on intuitive perception: Do we feel a raising of consciousness or a deep
feeling of peace in the presence of this person? Is this person putting on
shows or does she or he sincerely try to help people to see the Reality or
Self within without trying to draw attention to herself or himself. Does
she or he claim to be a great incarnation or avatar, or displays modesty
and humbleness instead and also displays evenmindedness and calmness in
all circumstances no matter how histerical the people around him or her are
(such as in an emergency or crises). I don't think that any of us can
come up with an infallible method of telling if a person is a master or not,
but perhaps we can use some common sense and intuitive perception in making
this judgement for ourselves. Paramahansa Yogananda once said that a master
will display certain characteristics, some of which can be measured by
scientific means: for example he says that masters can silence their
heart beat (ie. completely stop) and breath for hours at a time at will
and this can happen automatically in certain states of samadhi. Now I am not
talking about the highest states of consciousness, since the greatest masters
seem to have to lower their consciousness a tad bit so as to still be a
participant in this drama of delusion - just enough so as to be in the world
but not of it - in order to help the rest of us. And many of the greatest
masters tended to withdraw from alot of outer activities towards the end
of their lives and thus enter into higher states of nirvikalpa samadhi
(oh dear, someone is going to accuse me of reading books again! ;-) which
was not as possible when carrying out their selfless mission to help others.
Roger Adams
radams@cerritos.edu To those in whom love dwells,
Cerritos College the whole world is one family.
11110 Alondra Blvd A Hindu Proverb
Norwalk, California 90650
USA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------jwl@mvutd.att.com (James W Lacey) (05/23/91)
In article <1991May22.065357.27444@nas.nasa.gov> radams@cerritos.edu writes: >Some recent posts have raised an interesting question. >How do we know if someone is an enlightened master or not? ....... A bodhisattva noticed a hot dog vendor on the street corner. He walked over to the hot dog vendor, and asked, "Can you make me one with everything ?" -- |Jim Lacey | |my own opinions | |att!cbnewsl!jlacey |
japlady@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Rebecca Radnor) (05/23/91)
Hmm, gum boo, I like that. Yes, the frantic search for the gum boo
vaccine is the gum boo, thats why the zen teacher Dogen said to establish
your practice in the midst of delusion, not enlightenment. In fact, the
whole notion of illusion vs. insight, practice vs. enlightenment is ....
As if practice, a teaching, a teacher is like a pair of glasses you put on
in order to see better.
There was this student who "made up his mind" to be mindful in
everything he did. The next day he went to his teacher and said "I'm a
total failure. My mind wanders like a monkey. There wasn't even a moment of
minfulness!"
To this the teacher replied, "The secret to the enlightened life is to
succeed failure with failure. You understand? The best way to describe an
awakened person's life is ONE BIG MISTAKE."
So it is with the gum boo. Do you have the gum boo disease? Go
completely with gum boo. Eat gum boo. Sleep gum boo. Type gum boo.
Gumboogumboogumboogumboo. Only this much!
So, is your teacher elightened? gum boo
Not enlightened? gum boo.
Is Krishnamurti right? Wrong? A fool? Gum boo
Is this posting a bunch of bull? gum boo
Sincerely,
Your most ignorant gum boo man
J. Cha.
--
Rebecca Radnor \\ I know everything,
Northwester University \\ I know nothing,
Anthropology Department \\ I used to put sticks under the back porch
\\ and wait for them to petrify.asanders@decwrl.dec.com (Alan Sanders) (05/23/91)
| A bodhisattva noticed a hot dog vendor on the street | corner. He walked over to the hot dog vendor, and asked, | "Can you make me one with everything?" -Jim Lacey "There you go," said the hot dog vendor. The bodhisattva took a bite. "Delicious!" he exclaimed.