hey tart, are you a Gemini? reason I ask is that I also can easily see both sides of an issue. Anyway, I appreciate your comments. I stand by my assertion though that both of these immature fools use their anger towards Maharishi as a distraction for issues they would rather not face.
--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain <no_reply@...> wrote: > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "whynotnow7" <whynotnow7@> wrote: > > > > "What has been your experiences with Buddha, Buddhism, and Buddhist > > cultures?" > > > > Mostly positive and lots of exposure, in Borobudur, Bali, Hong Kong and > > here. I can go into more detail with you privately, but I am not here to > > try to prove my open mindedness re Buddhist stuff. > > Good. I misunderstood the point of our question. Given the context of your > question, i thought you were chastising me to not be blind to the evils of > Buddhism. And thus my response, "Not my experience". (though I had never > collected my thoughts about Buddhism before so the exercise was productive > and left a sublime sustained aftertaste. > > > > > In any case, this isn't about Buddhism vs. TM. This is about a confused, > > emotionally stunted person on here (Vaj), > > My take is a lot more along the lines of Curtis'. I hardly think Vaj is > perfect, as i hardly think I am -- so right off the start he and I have some > commonality. I find him a useful resource on a number of things. Not the > definitive word, but someone who introduces concepts, frameworks and sources > that I later explore and make up my own mind about. > > He has some quirks and a given schtich -- some of which I pass over. No value > to me, but it may be for someone -- who am I to judge. > > >who has a great deal invested in Buddhism, especially the Tibetan variety, > > Which is wonderful stuff IMO. > > >who has watched the Dalai Lama help to destroy Tibet. > > How has he done this? By not violently resisting the Chinese? > > >Instead of admitting such a gross failure, Vaj has decided that he wants to > >blame Maharishi for everything wrong, and try to tear down the positive > >experiences of those who practice TM. > > Seems like there is quite a stretch in your motivational analysis -- and it > has little practical value to me. But if useful to you, and does no harm to > others, go for it. > > >It is unconscionable and misguided, and I enjoy pointing out > > Why is that? Seems an odd pastime to me. So MUCH more productive, > entertaining and helpful pastimes. (Ha, listening to jewel who has popped up > on my random play "In the end, only kindness matters". (She sounds so great > on good speakers at high volume.) > > >the distraction lil' Vaj is creating to avoid owning up to following the > >Dalai Lama, > > I did not know he was student of DL. I thought he had several mentors > including Repoche this and that. And simply read and quoted a little DL. So > that GREAT if he is one of DL's adepts. Perhaps i can have him introduce me > someday. I "met" him in Sarnarth along with one million Tibetians and > Nepalese -- I would not have it any other way. But a personal meeting would > be sublime. > > >currently the world's greatest spiritual failure. > > > > If he is for you, great. I hope his failure serves as inspiration for your > own path. To me he is just God, just a slob like one of us, trying to find > his way home. While a great song line -- I do find it one of life's most > astonishing and holy ventures to actually, really, see God behind the mask of > everyone we meet. Some such visions are challenging, but ultimately > rewarding, i find. > > > > The other man child > > thats a good thing right? The experience and wisdom of a man (of some years, > ha) and the heart and mindset (as in fluid, flexible and creative) of youth. > Like George Strait sings, "I feel like I'm 25 .. most of the time." (And > that song has some amazing almost vedantic wisdom in it and nicely said.) > > >who indulges in this distraction is Bozotronic Barry, > > I hope that is a moniker that helps you see the best in Turq -- God in > another form, just a slob like the rest of us, trying to find his way home. > > >not for the same reasons as Vaj, but the dynamic is the same; doesn't own > >his shit.:-) > > > > Great line. Gives me the image of you meticulously maintaining a shit museum > -- owning every single piece from your life, making a shrine of each terd. > Me, I like to abandon shit as soon as it happens -- but thats me. > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > I am quite happy with my experiences of visiting Buddhist temples in > > > India and Thailand, and the museums there with Buddhist art and religious > > > objects. I passed so many exquisite statures of Buddha, he became alive > > > to me. Inside of me and outside of me. > > > > > > More so, I was very happy with my experience of stumbling into the week > > > long Kalichakra ceremony in Sarnarth when close to a million aspirants > > > from from Tibet and Nepal descended on vast field for the week long > > > ceremony. Watching, hearing, interacting and literally becoming one with* > > > this crowd was a wonderful experience. I was touched by and awakened to > > > many things by them. Some these pilgrims are the most gentle, kind, > > > devoted people that I have ever had the good fortune to meet and see. And > > > circling the stupas in Sarnarth at the place of Buddhas first teaching > > > was quite special for me. > > > > > > Bicycling out in the country and visiting 10 Buddhist temples, some very > > > simple and elegant in their starkness, around Chaing Mai was a great day > > > in my life. As was seeing some half constructed new monuments -- where a > > > 200-300 foot of stone had a half carved Buddha at the top, as if emerging > > > from a cave of rock. Exquisite visual metaphor. > > > > > > And the many young Buddhist monks in Thailand are a healing sight for > > > poor and weary western eyes. I love that there a culture, even in this > > > modern age, that encourages ALL of the young to take 1-3 years of > > > monastic life -- before entering into their worldly professions (or > > > continuing as monks.) > > > > > > And jack Keroeuc' s Dharma Bums is a classic IMO -- a western beatish > > > life interpretation and adaptation of living the Dharma. > > > > > > > > > And the sandpainting ceremony has become a powerful and elegant metaphor > > > in my life. While I know little of Buddhist practices or organizations, > > > when I pick up a book or scan an article, I am amazed and thrilled by the > > > depth and subtlety of experience expressed. And expressions so unique and > > > fresh relative to my background. > > > > > > Descending from the heights of Darjerling -- in a cab with bald tires > > > passing Buddhist temples alive with colors and flags on a windy day, > > > perched on steep moutain sides just below the mountain slope tea > > > plantations was breath taking -- or breath fulling. > > > > > > The few short interviews that i have seen from DL have given me insights > > > not present before. > > > > > > As much as anything, the 4-5 Tibetian Buddhist equisitly detailed and > > > beautiful mandalas and paintings of Tibetian gods and godesses that I > > > have are daily reminders of the hugely rich and varied culture that > > > Buddhism has enlivened. > > > > > > And MMY -- someone I understand that you respect -- was a large admirer > > > of Buddha -- as I experienced in my slices of time with him. > > > > > > A fully western colleague of japanese descent died suddenly -- and I > > > attended his funeral. It was a Buddhist service and was wonderful. The > > > chanting monks were to me, the same as the chanting hindu pundits that I > > > have had the honor to hear on three continents. And the incense, art, and > > > ceremony were signs of a deeply integrated culture. > > > > > > So yes, Buddha and Buddhism has touched my life in elegant, wonderful and > > > mystical ways -- though I have hardly touched the surface and am hardly a > > > Buddhist, nor learned in Buddhist ways or methods. I love all world > > > cultures and the seeds, branches, sometimes only faint smells, of > > > infinity running through them. > > > > > > What has been your experiences with Buddha, Buddhism, and Buddhist > > > cultures? > > > > > > > > > *in line to see the sand painting, the crowd became one, no one could > > > move by thier own volition, one just had to go with the flow. While > > > getting crushed was a possibility (and not something I anticipated when > > > stepping into the line) it was a wonderful and humbling experience.) > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "whynotnow7" <whynotnow7@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Blindness doesn't work either tart. > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, tartbrain <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, nablusoss1008 <no_reply@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "whynotnow7" <whynotnow7@> > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Vaj's MO is to always keep the focus on Maharishi's relatively > > > > > > > minor failings vs. having us notice the 400 pound gorilla in the > > > > > > > room. OK, Maharishi had girlfriends and did other unethical > > > > > > > things. Granted. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On the other hand, THE DALAI LAMA SOLD OUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY OF > > > > > > > TIBET. First he lost the country to China, then ran away as his > > > > > > > countrymen and fellow monks were systematically tortured, > > > > > > > imprisoned, and slaughtered, on the pretext of "fighting for a > > > > > > > free Tibet" (from a distance, of course). That was over FIFTY > > > > > > > YEARS AGO.I don't see Tibet getting any freer in the meantime, do > > > > > > > you? In fact just the reverse. By continually agitating for > > > > > > > rebellion, all the Dalai Lama has done is bring increasing > > > > > > > hardships to his former people and ensure that the Chinese > > > > > > > continue to crack down HARD on the Tibetan region. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From a review of Tim Johnson's new book, Tragedy In Crimson > > > > > > > (Nation Books ISBN1568586019): > > > > > > > "Tibet's exiled leader, the Dalai Lama, is a global moral figure > > > > > > > but with a tragic dimension he captures worldwide fame and > > > > > > > brings Hollywood figures to his side, but can do little to end > > > > > > > six decades of repression against six million Tibetans living > > > > > > > under Chinese rule." > > > > > > > > > > > > > > It is clear by now that Tibet will never be free. This is a > > > > > > > monstrous and huge injustice by the Dalai Lama. However if Vaj > > > > > > > can continue to turn our attention away from the millions > > > > > > > slaughtered in Tibet as the result of the DL's misguided > > > > > > > intentions and focus instead on how "TM doesn't work" and > > > > > > > "Maharishi charges too much for meditation", he is accomplishing > > > > > > > what he set out to do here on FFL and other forums. Don't look at > > > > > > > poor, miserable, downright fucked Tibet. Instead focus all that > > > > > > > misplaced anger and frustration on on MAHARISHI MAHESH YOGI. > > > > > > > Yeah, that's the ticket! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Vaj is a fraud and a liar. The guy never learned, practiced or > > > > > > > taught TM. He has learned though how to build a fantastically > > > > > > > distracting story about Maharishi and TM, attempting to mask > > > > > > > Tibet's destruction as a result of the egomaniacal intentions of > > > > > > > his hero, the Dalai Lama. Sorry Vaj, but WE SEE RIGHT THROUGH YOU > > > > > > > AND THAT KALI YUGA "MR. NICE GUY". Oh, and as Maharishi used to > > > > > > > say, JAI GURU DEV. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > That's an interesting analysis. > > > > > > Everyone knows that the 2 most fanatic critics of Maharishi and the > > > > > > TMO, Turq and Vaj are both so-called Buddhists, which is hardly a > > > > > > coincidence. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Intolerance of other religions and POVs is not the hallmark of > > > > > spirituality that I aspire to or seek. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >