Government-linked intel agency forecasts U.S. population to decline drastically by 2025, 1-in-3 Americans will be wiped off map

15 May

Global Geopolitics

https://www.intellihub.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/forecasrt_2025.png

Does the Deagel.com forecast know something we as citizens of the United States don’t? Why would it forecast the reduction of more that two-thirds the country’s population by 2025?

(INTELLIHUB) —  The government-linked intelligence agency Deagel.com has released an updated forecast for the year 2025 which shows some rather shocking projections of what the grim future may look like here in America within just 7-years time.

What’s most shocking about the report is the fact that Deagel.com predicts the U.S. population to be down about two-thirds by the year 2025, where only 100 million people would inhabit the once great nation.

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Buddha Nature

8 May

Road to Spiritual Freedom

Here is a beautiful story.

In Northern Thailand there was a statue of the Buddha. In artistic terms, it was nothing special; not very well adorned, plain, and made of clay. But it was a holy object, and it stood for over 500 years with generations of monks carefully tending it. Then, in the early 20th century, this statue was moved to make way for a new temple. Underestimating the weight of the statue, the crane brought in to lift it dropped it, and some of the clay was chipped away. The monks hurriedly covered the statue to protect it from the elements. Late that night, a monk who believed the statue was divine entered under the tarp with a flashlight and began inspecting the damage. When he shone his light into a crack in the clay, he exclaimed in loud surprise. For what he saw reflecting back at…

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Zen vs. Yoga?

4 May

A Way in the Woods

Zen and Kundalini Yoga: A Contradiction?

I shared some of my favorite Kundalini mantra music with a Buddhist friend the other day. He loved it, but then gingerly asked whether I “consider it to be compatible with Buddhism”. He asked about the music, but he was really asking about the paths, in general. “Maybe I should just forget about all that and just enjoy it for what it is”, he then mused. And did I have any thoughts?

Of course, I did. And he already knew the answer—”you said it”, I told him. “You should absolutely enjoy it because only the dualistic mind sees a difference. All paths are one and truth is truth”.

I have another Buddhist friend, a musician, who grew up with gospel. To my best knowledge, he would never consider shunning this inspirational music that he loves so much just because it’s Christian. What an idea!…

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Buddhism and Yoga: Where the Paths Cross

4 May

A Way in the Woods

 

Phillip Moffitt, Anna Douglas, Stephen Cope and Sarah Powers

We asked a panel of people who practice both yoga and Buddhism how the two can work together.

In the forests of Vedic India, pupils gathered around teachers who instructed them in the path of liberation called yoga, meaning “union.” One such student, in the 6th century bce, was a young mendicant who came to be known as the Buddha. Three centuries after that, the teachings of yoga were compiled by Patanjali as the Yoga Sutras, and another two millennia later, the teachings of both Buddha and Patanjali have found a new home in the West. We asked a panel of people who practice both yoga and Buddhism how the two can work together.

Shambhala Sun: What would you say to one of the millions of Americans doing yoga who is interested in also practicing Buddhism? Why would you recommend…

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Buddhism and Karma

29 Apr

A Way in the Woods

Karma is a word everyone knows, yet few in the West understand what it means. Westerners too often think it means “fate” or is some kind of cosmic justice system. This is not a Buddhist understanding of karma, however.

Karma is a Sanskrit word that means “action.” Sometimes you might see the Pali spelling, kamma, which means the same thing. In Buddhism, karma has a more specific meaning, which is volitional or willful action. Things we choose to do or say or think set karma into motion. The law of karma is a law of cause and effect.

Sometimes Westerners use the word karma to mean the result of karma. For example, someone might say John lost his job because “that’s his karma.” However, as Buddhists use the word, karma is the action, not the result. The effects of karma are spoken of as the “fruits” or the “result” of…

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’Warming up mighty early’ across parts of US

15 Mar

’Warming up mighty early’ across parts of US.

Matias de Stefano Presents “The Keys of Ater Tumti” (Part 2/3): Transcript, First Part

27 Feb

Matias de Stefano Presents “The Keys of Ater Tumti” (Part 2/3): Transcript, First Part.

via Matias de Stefano Presents “The Keys of Ater Tumti” (Part 2/3): Transcript, First Part.

Reflections on Synchronicity.

27 Feb

Reflections on Synchronicity..

via Reflections on Synchronicity..

Imagine Your Mind- My Personal Koan

27 Feb

Imagine Your Mind- My Personal Koan.

via Imagine Your Mind- My Personal Koan.

The Fireballs of February – NASA Science

22 Feb

The Fireballs of February – NASA Science.

38 Ways To Win An Argument

22 Feb
Much of Arthur Schopenhauer's writing is focus...

Image via Wikipedia

SCHOPENHAUER’S 38 STRATAGEMS, OR 38 WAYS TO WIN AN ARGUMENT

 

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), was a brilliant German philosopher. These 38 Stratagems are excerpts from “The Art of Controversy“, first translated into English and published in 1896.

Schopenhauer’s 38 ways to win an argument are:

1.

 

Carry your opponent’s proposition beyond its natural limits; exaggerate it. The more general your opponent’s statement becomes, the more objections you can find against it. The more restricted and narrow his or her propositions remain, the easier they are to defend by him or her.

2.

 

Use different meanings of your opponent’s words to refute his or her argument.

3.

 

Ignore your opponent’s proposition, which was intended to refer to a particular thing. Rather, understand it in some quite different sense, and then refute it. Attack something different than that which was asserted.

4.

 

Hide your conclusion from your opponent till the end. Mingle your premises here and there in your talk. Get your opponent to agree to them in no definite order. By this circuitious route you conceal your game until you have obtained all the admissions that are necessary to reach your goal.

5.

 

Use your opponent’s beliefs against him. If the opponent refuses to accept your premises, use his own premises to your advantage.

6.

 

Another plan is to confuse the issue by changing your opponent’s words or what he or she seeks to prove.

7.

 

State your proposition and show the truth of it by asking the opponent many questions. By asking many wide-reaching questions at once, you may hide what you want to get admitted. Then you quickly propound the argument resulting from the opponent’s admissions.

8.

 

Make your opponent angry. An angry person is less capable of using judgement or perceiving where his or her advantage lies.

9.

 

Use your opponent’s answers to your questions to reach different or even opposite conclusions.

 

10.

 

If your opponent answers all your questions negatively and refuses to grant any points, ask him or her to concede the opposite of your premises. This may confuse the opponent as to which point you actually seek them to concede.

11.

 

If the opponent grants you the truth of some of your premises, refrain from asking him or her to agree to your conclusion. Later, introduce your conclusion as a settled and admitted fact. Your opponent may come to believe that your conclusion was admitted.

12.

 

If the argument turns upon general ideas with no particular names, you must use language or a metaphor that is favorable in your proposition.

13.

 

To make your opponent accept a proposition, you must give him or her an opposite, counter-proposition as well. If the contrast is glaring, the opponent will accept your proposition to avoid being paradoxical.

14.

 

Try to bluff your opponent. If he or she has answered several of your questions without the answers turning out in favor of your conclusion, advance your conclusion triumphantly, even if it does not follow. If your opponent is shy or stupid, and you yourself possess a great deal of impudence and a good voice, the trick may easily succeed.

15.

 

If you wish to advance a proposition that is difficult to prove, put it aside for the moment. Instead, submit for your opponent’s acceptance or rejection some true poposition, as thoug you wished to draw your proof from it. Should the opponent reject it because he or she suspects a trick, you can obtain your triumph by showing how absurd the opponent is to reject a true proposition. Should the opponent accept it, you now have reason on your own for the moment. You can either try to prove your original proposition or maintain that your original proposition is proved by what the opponent accepted. For this, an extreme degree of impudence is required.

16.

 

When your opponent puts forth a proposition, find it inconsistent with his or her other statements, beliefs, actions, or lack of action.

17.

 

If your opponent presses you with a counter proof, you will often be able to save yourself by advancing some subtle distinction. Try to find a second meaning or an ambiguous sense for your opponent’s idea.

 

18.

 

If your opponent has taken up a line of argument that will end in your defeat, you must not allow him or her to carry it to its conclusion. Interrupt the dispute, break it off altogether, or lead the opponent to a different subject.

19.

 

Should your opponent expressly challenge you to produce any objection to some definite point in his or her argument, and you have nothing much to say, try to make the argument less specific.

20.

 

If your opponent has admitted to all or most of your premises, do not ask him or her directly to accept your conclusion. Rather draw the conclusion yourself as if it too had been admitted.

21.

 

When your opponent uses an argument that is superficial, refute it by setting forth its superficial character. But it is better to meet the opponent with a counter argument that is just as superficial, and so dispose of him or her. For it is with victory that your are concerned, and not with truth.

22.

 

If your opponent asks you to admit something from which the point in dispute will immediately follow, you must refuse to do so, declaring that it begs the question.

23.

 

Contradiction and contention irritate a person into exaggerating his or her statements. By contractiong your opponent you may drive him or her into extending the statement beyond its natural limit. When you then contradict the exaggerated form of it, you look as though you had refuted the orginal statement your opponent tries to extend your own statement further than you intended, redefine your statement’s limits.

24.

 

This trick consists in stating a false syllogism. Your opponent makes a proposition and by false inference and distortion of his or her ideas you force from the proposition other propositions that are not intended and that appear absurd. It then appears the opponent’s proposition gave rise to these inconsistencies, and so appears to be indirectly refuted.

25.

 

If your opponent is making a generalization, find an instance to the contrary. Only one valid contradiciton is needed to overthrow the opponent’s proposition.

 

26.

 

A brilliant move is to turn the tables and use your opponent’s arguments against him or herself.

27.

 

Should your opponent surprise you by becoming particularly angry at an argument, you must urge it with all the more zeal. Not only will this make the opponent angry, it may be presumed that you put your finger on the weak side of his or her case, and that the opponent is more open to attack on this point than you expected.

28.

 

This trick is chiefly practicable in a dispute if there is an audience who is not an expert on the subject. You make an invalid objection to your opponent who seems to be defeated in the eyes of the audience. This strategy is particularly effective if your objection makes the opponent look ridiculous or if the audience laughs. If the opponent must make a long, complicated explanation to correct you, the audience will not be disposed to listen.

29.

 

If you find that you are being beaten, you can create a diversion that is, you can suddenly begin to talk of something else, as though it had bearing on the matter in dispose. This may be done without presumption if the diversion has some general bearing on the matter.

30.

 

Make an appeal to authority rather than reason. If your opponent respects an authority or an expert, quote that authority to further your case. If needed, quote what the authority said in some other sense or circumstance. Authorities that your opponent fails to understand are those which he or she generally admires the most. You may also, should it be necessary, not only twist your authorities, but actually falsify them, or quote something that you have invented entirely yourself.

31.

 

If you know that you have no reply to an argument that your opponent advances, you may, by a fine stroke of irony, declare yourself to be an incompetent judge.

32.

 

A quick way of getting rid of an opponent’s assertion, or throwing suspicion on it, is by putting it into some odious category.

33.

 

You admit your opponent’s premises but deny the conclusion.

34.

 

When you state a question or an argument, and your opponent gives you no direct answer, or evades it with a counter question, or tries to

 

change the subject, it is a sure sign you have touched a weak spot, sometimes without knowing it. You have as it were, reduced the opponent to silence. You must, therefore, urge the point all the more, and not let your opponent evade it, even when you do not know where the weakness that you have hit upon really lies.

35.

 

This trick makes all unnecessary if it works. Instead of working on an opponent’s intellect, work on his or her motive. If you succeed in making your opponent’s opinion, should it prove true, seem distinctly to his or her own interest, the opponenent will drop it like a hot potato.

36.

 

You may also puzzle and bewilder your opponent by mere bombast. If the opponent is weak or does not wish to appear as ife he or she has no idea what you are talking about, you can easily impose upon him or her some argument that sounds very deep or learned, or that sounds indisputable.

37.

 

Should your opponent be in the right but, luckily for you, choose a faulty proof, you can easily refute it and then claim that you have refuted the whole position. This is the way which bad advocates lose a good case. If no accurate proof occurs to the opponent or the bystanders, you have won the day.

38.

 

A last trick is to become personal, insulting and rude as soon as you perceive that your opponent has the upper hand. In becoming personal you leave the subject altogether, and turn your attack on the person by remarks of an offensive and spiteful character. This is a very popular trick, because everyone is able to carry it into effect.

(abstracted from the book:Numerical Lists You Never Knew or Once Knew and Probably Forget, by: John Boswell and Dan Starer)

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how-to-imagine-the-tenth-dimension – StumbleUpon

22 Feb

how-to-imagine-the-tenth-dimension – StumbleUpon.

Neuroscience Sheds New Light on Creativity – Rewiring the Creative Mind | Fast Company – StumbleUpon

22 Feb

Neuroscience Sheds New Light on Creativity – Rewiring the Creative Mind | Fast Company – StumbleUpon.

RSOE EDIS – Avalanche in USA on Monday, 20 February, 2012 at 03:45 (03:45 AM) UTC. EDIS CODE: AV-20120220-34238-USA

20 Feb

RSOE EDIS – Avalanche in USA on Monday, 20 February, 2012 at 03:45 (03:45 AM) UTC. EDIS CODE: AV-20120220-34238-USA.

The Heart Sutra

10 Feb
English: Painting of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattv...

Image via Wikipedia

bō  rě  bō  luó mì duō xīn jīng
般  若 波 罗  蜜  多 心   经

guān zì zài pú sà,  xíng shēn bō  rě  bō  luó mì duō shí,  zhào jiàn wǔ yùn jiē kōng,
观  自 在 菩 萨,  行   深   般  若  波 罗  蜜  多  时,   照   见  五  蕴  皆  空,
dù  yī  qiē  kǔ   è      shě  lì  zǐ      sè   bù  yì kōng, kōng  bù yì  sè,
度 一  切 苦  厄。 舍 利 子,  色  不  异  空,    空    不 异 色,
sè  jí  shì kōng, kōng jí  shì sè.    shòu xiǎng xíng shí, yì  fù   rú shì.
色 即 是  空,    空   即 是 色。  受    想    行   识,  亦 复 如 是。
shě   lì  zǐ,  shì zhū  fǎ kōng xiāng, bù shēng bù miè, bù gòu bù jìng,
舍  利 子, 是  诸  法   空    相,   不   生    不 灭,  不  垢  不  净,
bù zēng bù jiǎn, shì gù kōng zhōng wú sè, wú shòu xiǎng xíng shí, wú yǎn ěr bí shé shēn  yì,
不  增   不 减,  是  故   空     中   无  色, 无   受    想    行   识,  无  眼 耳 鼻 舌   身  意,
wú sè shēng xiāng wèi chù fǎ, wú  yǎn  jiè,  nǎi zhì wú yì shí jiè,
无  色   声    香    味   触 法, 无  眼   界, 乃  至 无 意 识 界,
wú wú míng, yì  wú wú míng jìn, nǎi zhì wú  lǎo  sǐ,  yì wú lǎo sǐ  jìn.
无  无   明,   亦 无  无   明   尽,  乃  至 无  老  死, 亦 无 老 死 尽。
wú  kǔ  jí  miè dào, wú zhì yì wú dé, yǐ wú suǒ dé gù.
无  苦 集  灭  道,  无 智 亦 无 得, 以  无 所 得 故。
pú tí sà duǒ,  yī  bō  rě   bō luó  mì duō gù, xīn wú  guà  ài. wú guà ài gù,
菩 提 萨 埵, 依 般 若  波  罗  蜜  多  故, 心  无   挂 碍. 无  挂 碍 故,
wú yǒu kǒng bù, yuǎn lí diān dǎo mèng xiǎng, jiū jìng niè pān.
无  有    恐   怖,  远  离 颠   倒   梦      想,   究  竟  涅  槃。
sān shì  zhū fó, yī  bō  rě  bō luó mì duō gù, dé  ā  nuò duō luó sān miǎo sān pú tí.
三  世   诸 佛, 依 般 若 波  罗 蜜  多 故, 得 阿  耨  多   罗 三   藐   三  菩 提。
gù  zhī bō  rě   bō  luó mì duō, shì dà shén zhòu, shì dà míng zhòu,
故  知 般  若 波  罗  蜜  多, 是  大  神    咒,   是 大   明    咒,
shì wú shàng zhòu, shì wú děng děng zhòu. néng chú  yī  qiē kǔ, zhēn shí  bù  xū.
是  无    上     咒,   是 无   等    等     咒。   能   除  一  切 苦,  真  实  不  虚。

gù shuō bō rě  bō luó  mì duō zhòu. jí shuō zhòu yuē:
故  说   般 若 波 罗  蜜  多   咒。 即 说   咒    曰：
jiē  dì  jiē  dì,  bō  luó  jiē  dì,  bō  luó sēng jiē  dì,  pú tí  sà  pó hē
揭 谛 揭 谛, 波  罗  揭 谛, 波  罗   僧  揭 谛,  菩提 萨 婆 诃。

 

bō  rě  bō  luó mì duō xīn jīng
般  若 波 罗  蜜  多 心   经

 

观(guān)自在(zìzài)菩萨(púsà)，行(xíng)深(shēn)般若(bōrě)波罗蜜多(bōluómìduō)时(shí)，照见(zhàojiàn)五(wǔ)蕴(yùn)皆(jiē)空(kōng)，度(dù)一切(yíqiè)苦(kǔ)厄(è)。舍利子(shèlìzi),色(sè)不(bù)异(yì)空(kōng),空(kōng)不(bù)异(yì)色(sè)；色(sè)即(jí)是(shì)空(kōng),空(kōng)即(jí)是(shì)色(sè)。受(shòu)、想(xiǎng)、行(xíng)、识(shí)，亦(yì)复(fù)如是(rúshì)。舍利子(shèlìzi)，是(shì)诸(zhū)法(fǎ)空(kōng)相(xiāng)：不(bù)生(shēng)、不(bù)灭(miè)；不(bù)垢(gòu)、不(bù)净(jìng)；不(bù)增(zēng)、不减(bùjiǎn)。是(shì)故(gù)空中(kōngzhōng)无色(wúsè)。无(wú)受(shòu)、想(xiǎng)、行(xíng)、识(shí)；无眼(wúyǎn)、耳(ěr)、鼻(bí)、舌(shé)、身(shēn)、意(yì)；无色(wúsè)、香(xiāng)、声(shēng)、味(wèi)、触(chù)、法(fǎ)。无(wú)眼界(yǎnjiè)，乃至(nǎizhì)无意识(wúyìshí)界(jiè)；无(wú)无(wú)明(míng)，亦(yì)无(wú)无(wú)明(míng)尽(jìn)；乃(nǎi)至(zhì)无(wú)老(lǎo)死(sǐ)，亦(yì)无(wú)老(lǎo)死(sǐ)尽(jìn)。无(wú)苦(kǔ)、集(jí)、灭(miè)、道(dào)。无(wú)智(zhì)亦(yì)无(wú)得(dé)，以(yǐ)无(wú)所(suǒ)得(dé)故(gù)。菩(pú)提(tí)萨(sà)埵(duǒ)，依(yī)般(bō)若(rě)波(bō)罗(luó)蜜(mì)多(duō)故(gù)。心(xīn)无(wú)挂(guà)碍(ài)，无(wú)挂(guà)碍(ài)故(gù)。无(wú)有(yǒu)恐(kǒng)怖(bù)，远(yuǎn)离(lí)颠(diān)倒(dǎo)梦(mèng)想(xiǎng)、究(jiū)竟(jìng)涅(niè)磐(pán)。三(sān)世(shì)诸(zhū)佛(fó)，依(yī)般(bō)若(rě)波(bō)罗(luó)蜜(mì)多(duō)故(gù)。得(dé)阿(ā)耨(nòu)多(duō)罗(luó)三(sān)藐(miǎo)三(sān)菩(pú)提(tí)。故(gù)知(zhī)般(bō)若(rě)波(bō)罗(luó)蜜(mì)多(duō)，是(shì)大(dà)神(shén)咒(zhòu)，是(shì)大(dà)明(míng)咒(zhòu)，是(shì)无(wú)上(shàng)咒(zhòu)，是(shì)无(wú)等(děng)等(děng)咒(zhòu)。能(néng)除(chú)一(yí)切(qiè)苦(kǔ)，真(zhēn)实(shí)不(bù)虚(xū)。故(gù)说(shuō)般(bō)若(rě)波(bō)罗(luó)蜜(mì)多(duō)咒(zhòu)，即(jí)说(shuō)咒(zhòu)曰(yuē)：“揭(jiē)谛(dì)！揭(jiē)谛(dì)！波(bō)罗(luó)揭(jiē)谛(dì)！波(bō)罗(luó)僧(sēng)揭(jiē)谛(dì)！菩(pú)提(tí)娑(suō)婆(pó)诃(hē)！”

 

Heart Sutra

 

When Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara was practicing the profound Prajna Paramita, he illuminated the Five Skandhas and saw that they are all empty, and he crossed beyond all suffering and difficulty.

 

Shariputra, form does not differ from emptiness; emptiness does not differ from form. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. So too are feeling, cognition, formation, and consciousness.

 

Shariputra, all Dharmas are empty of characteristics. They are not produced, not destroyed, not defiled, not pure; and they neither increase nor diminish. Therefore, in emptiness there is no form, feeling, cognition, formation, or consciousness; no eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, or mind; no sights, sounds, smells, tastes, objects of touch, or Dharmas; no field of the eyes up to and including no field of mind consciousness; and no ignorance or ending of ignorance, up to and including no old age and death or ending of old age and death. There is no suffering, no accumulating, no extinction, and no Way, and no understanding and no attaining.

 

Because nothing is attained, the Bodhisattva through reliance on Prajna Paramita is unimpeded in his mind. Because there is no impediment, he is not afraid, and he leaves distorted dream-thinking far behind. Ultimately Nirvana! All Buddhas of the three periods of time attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi through reliance on Prajna Paramita. Therefore know that Prajna Paramita is a Great Spiritual Mantra, a Great Bright Mantra, a Supreme Mantra, an Unequalled Mantra. It can remove all suffering; it is genuine and not false. That is why the Mantra of Prajna Paramita was spoken. Recite it like this:

Gate Gate  Paragate  Parasamgate  Bodhi Svaha!

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ANGELS

10 Feb
18th century rendition of a guardian angel.

Image via Wikipedia

ANGELS

Parade Magazine is a weekly publication that is delivered in the USA to a very large number of families every week with their Sunday newspaper. On January 5th, 1986, this magazine published an article titled THE BEST AND WORST OF EVERYTHING. The article was a review of the year 1985. Within that article, under the heading Best International News was the following report:

Six Soviet cosmonauts said they witnessed the most awe-inspiring spectacle ever encountered in space – a band of glowing angels with wings as big as jumbo jets. According to “Weekly World News“, cosmonauts Vladimir Solevev, Oleg Atkov and Leonid Kizim said they first saw the celestial beings last July (July, 1985), during their 155th day aboard the orbiting “Salyut 7” space station. “What we saw”, they said, “were seven giant figures in the form of humans, but with wings and mistlike halos, as in the classic depiction of angels. Their faces were round with cherubic smiles.” Twelve days later, the figures returned and were seen by three other Soviet scientists, including woman cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya. “They were smiling”, she said, “as though they shared in a glorious secret.”

It is indeed sad that such a wonderful event was not in the headlines of the news in every newspaper around the world. Was it absent from the headlines of the world because we, the people of the world have become so cynical? Perhaps it was because the Angels were seen only by Soviet Cosmonauts and no one at that time wanted to give the Soviets credit for being the ones chosen to see such an important event. Perhaps the news media felt that no one would believe it and that they would be ridiculed for printing the story. If any one or more of those possible reasons are correct, then it is a sad commentary on our times.

There are Angels, of course. They exist as beings on a higher level plane (higher frequency) than the physical plane on which we live. There are a number of levels of Angelic existence, including Angels, Arch-Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim. We now are seeing them represented almost everywhere. Beings of a Spiritual nature have been written about in literature for many years. As an example of a similar phenomenon, beginning for the most part, in the decade of the sixties (but also in subsequent years), we began to see many depictions of the Unicorn. This was brought about partly because of the changeover from one Age (Pisces) to another (Aquarius) and the closeness in time of events that were then a number of years away, but were related to the changeover, as certain cycles began to close and others began to open. As time passed, these events were to accompany that changeover as it took place. There are also other factors that were involved (karmic, et al), and some of those events have now already begun and are, of course, affecting the entire planet. Returning, however, to the subject of the phenomenon we were discussing, it might also be interesting to note that The Unicorn is considered by some to be a symbolic representation of the Universal Christ.

                       

As previously stated, more recently, there has been a great interest in Angels, accompanying an increase in depictions of Angelic Beings, both in pictures and figurines as well as other media, just as it was for Unicorns. These things are happening as another important sign of the times. They are inspired by Higher Positive Forces to help prepare our planet and those of us who live on it for the changes to our world which have been touched upon in other writings at this website. These changes, as you know, have already begun.

It is very likely that you have heard the term Guardian Angel in reference to Spiritual Beings whose work is to watch over and protect human beings. There have also been numerous references to them in the literature of the world. There is a beautiful song about Guardian Angels that was sung by Mario Lanza on an album of Christmas songs that he recorded. That is only one example of many. Perhaps you can think of others. Some people believe that the term Guardian Angels came from the fact that we all have two Spirit Guides, one at each shoulder, to guide us as They see need. This, of course, does not exclude their guiding us in such a way as to protect us from danger also. Because of this, some persons believe that these Beings may have been the origin for the name Guardian Angels (although, in the author’s experience, these particular Spirit Guides are actually unseen Ascended Masters rather than Angels) while others believe that the Guardian Angels are separate and distinct from the two Guides at our shoulders. Knowing which point of view is correct is not nearly as important as the knowledge that we are watched over by Higher Positive Forces. Of course, this does not mean that harm will never come to us. There are things that we (at a higher level) choose to endure in order to learn (at the conscious, physical level) the associated lessons. These Higher Forces will not interfere with those decisions made at that level.

As earlier indicated, there have been a number of relatively recent depictions of Angels in literature and other art forms, including television and motion pictures. One that has become very popular is the motion picture It’s A Wonderful Life. In another film, one of the more beautiful scenes depicting an Angel was near the end of the motion picture Date With An Angel when the Angel swooped down in a burst of brilliant white light to protect Her Charge, a young man who was being put upon by the other characters in the film. The television series Highway To Heaven told a number of beautiful and inspiring stories about an Angel doing work on Earth, and one of the more recent television series Touched By An Angel told a number of such stories also. If Angels can actually appear in human form, perhaps we should all take care; we may be entertaining Angels unawares.

When you were reading, at the beginning of this essay, the article from Parade Magazine quoted herein, did you then wonder or have you since wondered about the glorious secret that the Angels knew that caused them to smile as they did? The impression received by the cosmonaut that the Angels shared a glorious secret was not by accident. Such an important idea would not be left to chance by Beings who showed themselves for a very important purpose. They wanted to be seen so the people of the Earth would know that all is well in the world (or plane) of Spiritual Beings, that God is alive and well, thank you (if there were any here who might have had their doubts about that fact), and finally, in case we didn’t get the message from the motion picture 2010, “Something is going to happen; something wonderful” that we of this planet will not want to miss. The author has written, in other essays at this website, about The Light At the End of the Tunnel. A more than significant part of what constitutes that Light is the presence (and the future benefits of the Work) of the Universal Christ, in a state of Oneness with the young person who is to become recognized as the Master of the Aquarian Age, now living and maturing on this planet while preparing for the Work that lies ahead for this very special Person. Work which will lay the future Spiritual Foundation for the people of this planet. Work that will help the people of this planet change their personal priorities from those of seeking and holding wealth, power and material things, to focus instead on the real importance that God deserves in our lives and to focus also on bringing about, at all levels, a state of international Brotherhood and Sisterhood among humankind, where the well-being of our brothers and sisters, our fellow human beings, takes priority over the acquisition of wealth and power. Do you suppose that any one or more of these things just might be part of the “glorious secret” that the Angels shared? You know, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised! In fact, knowledge of the presence of the Universal Christ, once more in human form on our planet, would be enough to make me smile too! How about you?

 

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Buddha Wisdom

10 Feb

Translated by Gerhard Herzog

When the holy Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara had truly grasped the transcendent wisdom, he realized that visible form is only illusion. The same applies to its perception, to its names and categories, to discriminative intellect and finally even to our consciousness. They are all illusion. With this realizaton he was beyond all sorrow and bitterness.

Disciple Sariputra! The material is not different from the immaterial. The immaterial and the material are in fact one and the same thing. The same applies to perception, concepts, discriminative thinking and consciousness. They are neither existing nor not existing.

bo ruo bo  luo mi duo xin jing

般 若  波  罗  蜜 多  心  经

唐三藏法师玄奘奉诏译

guan zi zai pu sa  xing shen bo ruo bo luo mi duo shi  zhao jian wu  yun jie

观   自 在  菩 萨，行   深   般 若  波 罗  蜜 多  时,  照   见   五  蕴   皆

kong du yi qie ku e  she li zi  se bu yi kong kong bu yi se  se ji shi kong

空， 度 一 切  苦 厄。舍 利 子！色 不 异 空， 空   不 异 色，色 即 是  空，

kong ji shi se  shou xiang xing shi yi fu ru shi she li zi  shi zhu fa kong

空   即 是  色。受   想    行   识，亦 复 如 是。舍  利 子！是  诸  法 空

xiang bu sheng bu  mie bu gou bu jing bu zeng bu  jian shi gu kong zhong wu

相。  不 生    不  灭，不 垢  不 净， 不 增   不  减。 是  故 空   中    无

bo ruo bo  luo mi duo xin jing

般 若  波  罗  蜜 多  心  经

唐三藏法师玄奘奉诏译

guan zi zai pu sa  xing shen bo ruo bo luo mi duo shi  zhao jian wu  yun jie

观   自 在  菩 萨，行   深   般 若  波 罗  蜜 多  时,  照   见   五  蕴   皆

kong du yi qie ku e  she li zi  se bu yi kong kong bu yi se  se ji shi kong

空， 度 一 切  苦 厄。舍 利 子！色 不 异 空， 空   不 异 色，色 即 是  空，

kong ji shi se  shou xiang xing shi yi fu ru shi she li zi  shi zhu fa kong

空   即 是  色。受   想    行   识，亦 复 如 是。舍  利 子！是  诸  法 空

xiang bu sheng bu  mie bu gou bu jing bu zeng bu  jian shi gu kong zhong wu

相。  不 生    不  灭，不 垢  不 净， 不 增   不  减。 是  故 空   中    无

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Something To Think About!

10 Feb
English: BANK-now Logo Deutsch: BANK-now Logo

Image via Wikipedia

Something To Think About!
  
Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest:
 
Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in
your private account for your use. However, this prize had rules,
just as any game has certain rules.

The first set of rules would be:

Everything that you didn’t spend during each day
would be taken away from you.

You may not simply transfer money into some other
 account.
You may only spend it.

Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your
account with another $86,400.00 for that day.

The second set of rules:

The bank can end the game without warning; at any
time it can say, It’s over, the game is over! It can close the
account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?
You would buy anything and everything you wanted,
right?

Not only for yourself, but for all the people you
love, right?
Even for people you don’t know, because you
couldn’t possibly spend it all on yourself, right?
You would try to spend every cent, and use it all,
right?

ACTUALLY, this GAME is REALITY!

Each of us is in possession of such a magical
bank. 
We just can’t seem to see it.

The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!

Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds
as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is
NOT credited to us.

What we haven’t lived up that day is forever lost.
Yesterday is forever gone.

Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank
can dissolve your account at any time….WITHOUT WARNING.

SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Aren’t they worth so much more than the same
amount in dollars?

Think about that, and always think of this:

Enjoy every second of your life, because time races
by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, and enjoy life!

Here’s wishing you a wonderfully beautiful day!!!

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Astronomers Combine Hundreds of Images of Carina Nebula to Reveal Thousands of Stars in Stellar Nursery

9 Feb

memoirs on a rainy day

carina-nebula-landscape-hubble

Astronomers have combined hundreds of images, including ones in the infrared spectrum, to provide the most detailed view of the Carina Nebula, a stellar nursery located about 7,500 light-years from Sol.

Read more @ SciTechDaily

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My Daily Tweets 02.08.12

9 Feb

memoirs on a rainy day

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Today’s Affirmation, Thought & Meditation for February 9th

9 Feb

Rescued dog bites TV anchor during broadcast

9 Feb

Rescued dog bites TV anchor during broadcast.

The Universal Christ

7 Feb
English: Resurrection of Christ

Image via Wikipedia

THE UNIVERSAL CHRIST

The concept of time and the measurement, by humankind, of its passing, have been present on this planet for millennia. For as long as this has been so, (and perhaps even before then) there have come among us, at various intervals, those persons whose lives have been so exemplary that they have blessed and changed the lives of those around them to such a degree that their ideas and ideals continued, in a positive way, to affect the lives of others long after they had left this mortal shell behind and gone on to higher realms. The names of many such persons have long been lost in the mists of time as the Ages have rolled by. More recently, the names of some have been remembered, repeated by word of mouth, then later written down, century after century, to the present day. Further along, I will mention just a few.

Depending upon the culture and traditions under which one has lived, the names and times of those special persons may differ, but many of the stories, I suspect, are similar to one degree or another. The author has lived under western tradition with rather strong Judeo-Christian influence in the upbringing process. The focus in that area therefore, should not be surprising. A life under other traditions would likely have brought forth the names of different personalities as examples of the above, but the concept would be the same and some of the stories perhaps even somewhat similar.

Each human person is born with the “seed” (for lack of a better word) of the Universal Christ within themselves. To what degree that seed begins even to germinate within a person, much less completes that process and begins to grow toward maturity, depends upon the decisions made by that person within their lifetime, and by decisions made by that personality in previous incarnations, the sum total of which constitutes the previous preparation and the potential for growth, of the individual person being considered. A very small number of those persons, because of many right decisions over many lifetimes, are born with the potential in a particular lifetime to experience the growth of the Universal Christ within them to such a degree, that they actually experience a Oneness with the manifestation of the then fully mature, Universal Christ Spirit within themselves. They experience Christhood, or become Christed.

This is an extremely difficult Path for someone to follow in their life to the degree necessary to experience such a manifestation of Christhood. As you might imagine, there have been exceedingly few who have had such a blessing. This author does not pretend to know all their names. It can be said however, that among those have been Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha and Jesus, to name just some of those select few.

There are, without question, many people today who feel that it is impossible to attain such a high Spiritual State in our modern times. If you have access to a Judeo-Christian Bible however, you will be able to see otherwise. The Universal Christ Spirit, who had created a state of Oneness with the Master Jesus (who was, therefore, the Christ), taught that greater things than those which had been done, would be done. This is stated in the Judeo-Christian Bible, the Book of John 14:12, and its meaning is: that which the Master Jesus had attained (and even greater things), others could, and would attain also. It would be worthwhile to state here that contrary to the understanding of many followers of Christianity, this does not exclude Christhood. Most people who have read that Biblical verse, don’t realize that such things are still possible today.

It must be stated however, that prior to the most recent thirty year period, only one person among those who received this very special blessing of Christhood was actually born into a state of Oneness with the fully mature Universal Christ Spirit. The Master Jesus was the first person who became One with the mature Universal Christ Spirit at the moment of birth. All of those who lived before the Master Jesus, had attained that state of Oneness at some later point in their lives when they became worthy and ready to receive that blessing.

Now, once again, the consciousness and understanding of humankind has been raised sufficiently and the need is such, that the Earth is ready for another of God’s Messengers to come and once again unveil and reveal to us yet another, even higher level of truth that will help to bring us to yet another higher level of understanding of God’s Universe. This Person’s Message will not be for the Jews or for the Arabs or for the North or South Americans or for the Africans or the Europeans; it will be for ALL of them and for ALL their people; it will be for ALL the World. For that purpose, there is now another who has, like the Master Jesus, been in a state of complete Oneness with the Universal Christ Spirit since the moment of birth. That Person’s name or place of residence, or when the Work that will be done by that Person will begin in earnest, I do not know, nor does any other living person, with the possible exception of the two parents of the Person, who may know that their child is the Christ, but even that is not certain. This person is One with the Universal Christ Spirit, just as the Beloved Master Jesus was in His time. Furthermore, just as the Beloved Master Jesus was the Master for the Piscean Age, this Person, who is alive, growing, maturing and preparing on our planet today, is the Master for the Aquarian Age. When this Person’s Ministry, or Work begins in earnest, that Work will include laying the Spiritual Foundation for future humankind. When that Work is done, this Master for the Aquarian Age will then leave us and Those who are so chosen, will remain here for a time to build upon that Spiritual Foundation that has been laid down. This will allow humankind, in the years following, to continue on the Path away from the materialism of today and back to a far greater sense of love and brotherhood and sisterhood; even more importantly, to stay on the Path back to God, the Father of all things.

As it was in the time of the Master Jesus, those who will not recognize this Avatar as the Universal Christ, those who will persecute and despise the Master most, will be those among the most “religious” of our day. Those persons who expect the return of the man Jesus, rather than the return of the Universal Christ Spirit, who once again, as it was with the Master Jesus, has come with the birth of a human child, and in a state of Oneness with the Spirit of that Child, just as it was done before, and just as it will be done again, at least one additional time in the future. Sadly, even if the man Jesus were to return today to this Earth, neither would those same people recognize Him, and so would they therefore persecute and despise Him again today as others like them did almost two thousand years ago. Perhaps these doubters need to see a bright Halo around the top of His head to show them a “sign” before they will believe, but such a Halo is not visible to normal physical eyesight. If it were, they certainly would not have crucified the Master Jesus when they did because there would have been no doubt to all who saw Him that He was a very special Man. Such a Halo, however, is visible only to “Those who have eyes to see” and so therefore will a great many of the most “religious” of the day fail to recognize the presence of the Beloved Universal Christ Spirit… yet again!

The Beloved Master Jesus has completed His Work upon our planet. He first served as the Master of the Piscean Age, the Man whose Spirit was One with the Universal Christ Spirit. He then has acted in a Spiritual capacity for approximately the last two thousand years as our Planetary Logos. The man Jesus (who was One with the Universal Christ; and who therefore, was the Christ, as stated earlier) has no need to return to this Earth in physical form. When it was spoken that He would return, the He of whom it was being spoken was the Universal Christ Spirit Who, in a state of Oneness with the Spirit of the man Jesus, occupied that Body at that time. It was the return of the Universal Christ Spirit that was being spoken of then, not the return of the man Jesus (for additional emphasis, let me re-state that because Jesus was One with the Universal Christ Spirit, this means that Jesus was the Christ ). When the Master of the Aquarian Age has completed all needed Work here in the physical body, That Person will then become our Planetary Logos and the Beloved Master Jesus will go on to become the Holy Solar Logos, the Spiritual Force behind our physical Sun in this Solar System. The Universal Christ Spirit is the Spiritual Force behind the Great Central Sun of God’s Universe. This is the way of such things.

For some who read what has been written here, these words will seem to have no basis in truth and will be considered instead, as blasphemy. For a growing number of people around the world, however, what is written here makes perfect sense and some may even find, as they read, that these words, which are truth for them, strike a resonant chord within their being. It is for these latter that this has been written. It is for them and for others who may be somewhere in between in their thinking, and in their searching for answers that will somehow make sense to them, that these words have been written. It is for the entire Planet, however, that the Master of the Aquarian Age, the Universal Christ, has come, and it is for the entire Planet that this Master will work to lay the Spiritual Foundation for the future of our world and all of us who reside upon it. This Spiritual Foundation will then become the basis for the future of society for all of humankind on the planet Earth for more than a thousand years to come, and The Universal Christ… will once again be the Cornerstone.

 

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The Thirty-one Planes of Existence

5 Feb
The Buddha and His Dhamma
Image via Wikipedia

For the readers digestion and personal perception.

 

The inescapable law of kamma guarantees that each and every one of our actions — whether it be of body, speech, or mind — has consequences in line with the skillfulness or unskillfulness of that action. We can often witness this process first-hand in our own lives, even if the effects may not be immediately apparent. But the Buddha also taught that our actions have effects that extend far beyond our present life, determining the quality of rebirth we can expect after death: act in wholesome, skillful ways and you are destined for a favorable rebirth; act in unwholesome, unskillful ways and an unpleasant rebirth awaits. Thus we coast for aeons through samsara, propelled from one birth to the next by the quality of our choices and our actions.

The suttas describe thirty-one distinct “planes” or “realms” of existence into which beings can be reborn during this long wandering through samsara. These range from the extraordinarily dark, grim, and painful hell realms all the way up to the most sublime, refined, and exquisitely blissful heaven realms. Existence in every realm is impermanent; in Buddhist cosmology there is no eternal heaven or hell. Beings are born into a particular realm according to both their past kamma and their kamma at the moment of death. When the kammic force that propelled them to that realm is finally exhausted, they pass away, taking rebirth once again elsewhere according to their kamma. And so the wearisome cycle continues.

The realms of existence are customarily divided into three distinct “worlds” (loka), listed here in descending order of refinement:

  • The Immaterial World (arupa-loka). Consists of four realms that are accessible to those who pass away while meditating in the formless jhanas.
  • The Fine-Material World (rupa-loka). Consists of sixteen realms whose inhabitants (the devas) experience extremely refined degrees of mental pleasure. These realms are accessible to those who have attained at least some level of jhana and who have thereby managed to (temporarily) suppress hatred and ill-will. They are said to possess extremely refined bodies of pure light. The highest of these realms, the Pure Abodes, are accessible only to those who have attained to “non-returning,” the third stage of Awakening. The Fine-Material World and the Immaterial World together constitute the “heavens” (sagga).
  • The Sensuous World (kama-loka). Consists of eleven realms in which experience — both pleasurable and not — is dominated by the five senses. Seven of these realms are favorable destinations, and include our own human realm as well as several realms occupied by devas. The lowest realms are the four “bad” destinations, which include the animal and hell realms.

It is pointless to debate whether these realms are real or simply fanciful metaphors that describe the various mind-states we might experience in this lifetime. The real message of this cosmology is this: unless we take steps to break free of the iron grip of kamma, we are doomed to wander aimlessly from one state to another, with true peace and satisfaction forever out of reach. The Buddha’s revolutionary discovery came in finding that there is a way to break free: the Noble Eightfold Path, which equips us with precisely the tools we need to escape from this wearisome wandering, once and for all, to a true and unshakeable freedom.

The information on this page was assembled from a variety of sources. In the interests of economizing space I have not attributed each fact to its respective source.

I. The Immaterial World (arupa-loka)

Realm Comments Cause of rebirth here
(31) Neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññanasaññayatanupaga deva) The inhabitants of these realms are possessed entirely of mind. Having no physical body, they are unable to hear Dhamma teachings. Fourth formless jhana
(30) Nothingness (akiñcaññayatanupaga deva) Third formless jhana
(29) Infinite Consciousness (viññanañcayatanupaga deva) Second formless jhana
(28) Infinite Space (akasanañcayatanupaga deva) First formless jhana

II. The Fine-Material World (rupa-loka)

Realm Comments Cause of rebirth here
(27) Peerless devas (akanittha deva) These are the five Pure Abodes (suddhavasa), which are accessible only to non-returners (anagami) and arahants. Beings who become non-returners in other planes are reborn here, where they attain arahantship.Among its inhabitants is Brahma Sahampati, who begs the Buddha to teach Dhamma to the world (SN 6.1). Fourth jhana. (See, e.g., AN 4.123.)
(26) Clear-sighted devas (sudassi deva)
(25) Beautiful devas (sudassa deva)
(24) Untroubled devas (atappa deva)
(23) Devas not Falling Away (aviha deva)
(22) Unconscious beings (asaññasatta) Only body is present; no mind.
(21) Very Fruitful devas (vehapphala deva) Beings in these planes enjoy varying degrees of jhanic bliss.
(20) Devas of Refulgent Glory (subhakinna deva) Third jhana (highest degree). (See, e.g., AN 4.123.)
(19) Devas of Unbounded Glory (appamanasubha deva) Third jhana (medium degree)
(18) Devas of Limited Glory (parittasubha deva) Third jhana (minor degree)
(17) Devas of Streaming Radiance (abhassara deva) Second jhana (highest degree). (See, e.g., AN 4.123.)
(16) Devas of Unbounded Radiance (appamanabha deva) Second jhana (medium degree)
(15) Devas of Limited Radiance (parittabha deva) Second jhana (minor degree)
(14) Great Brahmas (Maha brahma) One of this realm’s most famous inhabitants is the Great Brahma, a deity whose delusion leads him to regard himself as the all-powerful, all-seeing creator of the universe (DN 11). First jhana (highest degree)
(13) Ministers of Brahma (brahma-purohita deva) Beings in these planes enjoy varying degrees of jhanic bliss. First jhana (medium degree)
(12) Retinue of Brahma (brahma-parisajja deva) First jhana (minor degree). (See, e.g., AN 4.123.)

III. The Sensuous World (kama-loka)

Happy Destinations (sugati)

Realm Comments Cause of rebirth here
(11) Devas Wielding Power over the Creation of Others (paranimmita-vasavatti deva) These devas enjoy sense pleasures created by others for them. Mara, the personification of delusion and desire, lives here. · Ten wholesome actions (MN 41)· Generosity

· The development of virtue and wisdom (AN 10.177)
(10) Devas Delighting in Creation (nimmanarati deva) These devas delight in the sense objects of their own creation.
(9) Contented devas (tusita deva) A realm of pure delight and gaiety. Bodhisattas abide here prior to their final human birth. This is where the bodhisatta Maitreya (Metteya), the next Buddha, is said to dwell.
(8) Yama devas (yama deva) These devas live in the air, free of all difficulties.
(7) The Thirty-three Gods (tavatimsa deva) Sakka, a devotee of the Buddha, presides over this realm. Many devas dwelling here live in mansions in the air.
(6) Devas of the Four Great Kings (catumaharajika deva) Home of the gandhabbas, the celestial musicians, and the yakkhas, tree spirits of varying degrees of ethical purity. The latter are analogous to the goblins, trolls, and fairies of Western fairy tales.
(5) Human beings (manussa loka) You are here (for now).

Rebirth as a human being is extraordinarily rare (SN 56.48). It is also extraordinarily precious, as its unique balance of pleasure and pain (SN 35.135) facilitates the development of virtue and wisdom to the degree necessary to set one free from the entire cycle of rebirths.

 · The development of virtue and wisdom (AN 10.177)· The attainment of stream-entry (sotapatti) guarantees that all future rebirths will be in the human or higher realms.
* * *

States of Deprivation (apaya)

Realm Comments Cause of rebirth here
(4) Asuras (asura) The demons — “titans” — that dwell here are engaged in relentless conflict with each other. · Ten unwholesome actions (MN 41)
(3) Hungry Shades/Ghosts (peta loka) Ghosts and unhappy spirits wander hopelessly about this realm, searching in vain for sensual fulfillment.Read Ajaan Lee’s colorful description of this realm. · Ten unwholesome actions (MN 41)· Lack of virtue, holding to wrong views (AN 10.177)
(2) Animals (tiracchana yoni) This realm includes all the non-human forms of life that are visible to us under ordinary circumstances: animals, insects, fish, birds, worms, etc. · Ten unwholesome actions (MN 41)· Lack of virtue, holding to wrong views. If one is generous to monks and nuns, however, one may be reborn as an “ornamented” animal (i.e., a bird with bright plumage; a horse with attractive markings, etc.; AN 10.177).

· Behaving like an animal (MN 57)
(1) Hell (niraya) These are realms of unimaginable suffering and anguish (described in graphic detail in MN 129 and 130). Should not be confused with the eternal hell proposed by other religions, since one’s time here is — as it is in every realm — temporary. · Ten unwholesome actions (MN 41)· Lack of virtue, holding to wrong views (AN 10.177)

· Murdering your parents, murdering an arahant, injuring the Buddha, or creating a schism in the Sangha (AN 5.129)

· Being quarrelsome and annoying to others (Snp II.6)

Sources:

  • Buddhist Dictionary, by Nyanatiloka Mahathera (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1980).
  • The Buddhist Religion: A Historical Introduction (fourth edition), by R.H. Robinson & W.L. Johnson (Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 1997).
  • The Long Discourses of the Buddha (Introduction), translated by Maurice Walshe (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1987).
  • A Manual of Abhidhamma, by Ven. Narada Thera (Kuala Lumpur: Buddhist Missionary Society, 1979).
  • The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha (Introduction), translated by Bhikkhu Ñanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1995).
  • Teacher of the Devas (Wheel Publication 414/416), by Susan Elbaum Jootla (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1997).
  • The Three Worlds (wall chart), compiled by Ven. Acaro Suvanno (printed for free distribution by devotees and Mr & Mrs Lim Say Hoe and family).

 

 

Mictlantecuhlti

1 Feb
English: Christ_and_Buddha_by_Paul_Ranson

Image via Wikipedia

Dear Friend,

 

These papers are sent to you with the deepest desire that you may find the answers that allow you to ask the questions which bring you closer to personal peace and satisfaction in your life. There is no intent to destroy personal conviction: only hope that this will be examined.

It is my prayer that your personal search will lead you to an understanding that compels you to share the love of your own heart. There are few amongst us, even if we have material security that is content with the teaching from our childhood. As a child, they served us well. As adults, of complex drives and emotions, we must begin as children again with an open heart and find the answers that will serve us now.

May Heaven be yours through all enlightening Cosmic Consciousness?

 

 

Mictlantecuhlti

 

 

Today began with a question. Much to my surprise there was one I had failed to ask. As the answer came, one upon another question followed. Fortunately, these answers came also. The question for Purpose began my search. “Life has a purpose,” “We have a purpose,” “Cosmic Purpose.” One hears so many espousals of purpose. When does one hear purpose defined? Is there some embarrassment about having a profound statement with no profound definition?

Looking at the trees, flowers, birds, streams, fields, and beasts, we have no problem with purpose. Cosmic Purpose, if you will, must en-compass all. That light within, of which every enlightened person has acknowledged, Jesus’ “Kingdom of God is within you,” Emerson’s “genius within yourself,” even Buddha’s “no-soul” must be of Cosmic origin. We can all conceive of a Cosmic Oneness whether we conceive a personal God or Creator. The “Creator” suggests a beginning, which in turn suggests a limited being. But in the concept of Cosmic Oneness there is no being capable of negatives as we may assign a personal God. No beginning, no end, what purpose then? The Cosmic Is. All nature, all of the natural laws, all the rhyme and reason in existence, all of us has that light within us. Nothing can exist outside of the Cosmic Oneness or Cosmic Knowledge, the knowledge of every cell of all nature.

If Buddha had been understood by all cultures, more men may have understood Jesus–and so on up through civilization, as we know it today. Buddha stressed that the truth of men’s Nirvana was realization of selflessness. Jesus stressed that the Kingdom of God was within every man. This appears to be a contradiction, each, of the others teachings. But how so? Buddha lived before Jesus and Jesus probably studied the Buddha‘s teachings. Each was a Master beyond dispute. Could each have separate truths? Surely not. The fault was not with the Masters but with the students. Buddha taught that man’s own self-created a soul for his immortality. Jesus taught that the pleasures of this world lead men to selfishness. I suggest that both Masters knew the same truths-that to know God you must bypass the ego, the pride, the delusion of self to find the Cosmic Oneness that is in each of us.

“Soul” must either be Devine or in need of “Saving.” It cannot be both. What mortal man would attempt to “Save” what is already Devine? My thought is to rid ourselves of a need to “Save our souls.” The soul being Devine in nature does not need evolving either. What mortal man would attempt through evolving, to improve upon the Devine? My choice is to rule out the use of the word “Soul.” Man has too many connotations of too many opposing positions for the word to mean much of anything universally. What then of Cosmic Knowledge within each of us? That Devine light of our wisdom that we are privilege to, but is not of our mortal being.

Picture this next. I have passed thru transition (my physical body has died). There are others with me. Are we minute specks of Cosmic Knowledge floating independently until we must rejoin this-worldly life by the first breath of a newborn infant? Cosmic Knowledge is Cosmic Oneness and the idea of independent souls is incongruent. Ah. Yes. This spark of Divine must surely, at transition, be absorbed into the Cosmic Oneness. My own reason will not allow for the possibility of my select bit of evolved “Soul” to be picked out of Oneness and rejoined in an earthly body. Again, Cosmic Knowledge is Cosmic Oneness and independent souls are incongruent. Let us, also, conclude that pearly gates and streets of gold are purely allegorical.

The whole concept of Reincarnation (repeated rebirth and evolving consciousness), Karma (punishment and reward according to deeds done), Soul (That which is Divine within us), Hell (the suffering and pains), Heaven (peace of mind through knowledge) must be applied to this life and only this. What purpose then, we physical bits of flesh with a spark of Divine within? What purpose trees, streams, birds, fields, flowers and beasts? Continuity. Cosmic Oneness – no beginning-no end continuity. The trees have no question of the cosmic yet they die and new ones replace them, The Cosmic Plan goes on. Trees have no means of escaping, yet do not question the Cosmic Knowledge when a forest fire approaches. Streams dry up and new ones spring-up and they question not by what plan man pollutes them. Birds may fly as man may not and still do not question man’s intelligence to control his own atmosphere.

Man would appear to have been given the intelligence of the Cosmic to be allowed so much freedom. He may reason as is not done among the other species of the Divine Plan. What purpose man? Continuity. And by reason Responsibility. Evolution of the species would predict that man will soon destroy his own civilization of his own free will. The Cosmic goes on and will absorb all that was on loan, while man destroys. In man‘s desperation for immortality, with creation of his soul and trappings, he has managed to delude himself into the destruction of his only existence.

Had we turned to the “Kingdom of God within” or attained “no-soul” or listened to “the genius within” there would have been no need to destroy a beautiful civilization that could have been. With an experience of Pure Love what need of nuclear arms, with an appreciation of basic material requirements, what greed for robbing the earth of precious minerals, polluting the air, streams and fields. Surely Hell is the darkness of our ignorance.

What degrees of pleasure we derive from our perverse concept of soul. Our minds are saturated with misconceptions. By the analogy to follow let us put away the idea of our personal possession of a soul that assures our relationship to God and Heaven; let us put away the assumption that It belongs to us at all.

Imagine that a smoke fills the room, not densely, not smothering, but merely a softly enveloping, comforting mist. Perhaps we breathe a soft scent and find it pleasant. Our experience is personal and ours alone. No one can interpret this for us and what we benefit is ours alone. At the same time that smoke is of one smoke, whether we are one, five or twenty individuals within the room. Each of us experiences the one smoke and makes of it what we will from our personal perception of it. Yet, it belongs to none but is of the one.

If God, Cosmic Oneness, or Cosmic Knowledge is accepted as similar to the smoke, then how easy for us to understand brotherhood. If the One in me, the One in you, the One in him, the One in her is all the same, what is ours personally? Simply, our use of it. This Divine entity is complete and perfect, of course: the One Knowledge of all things past, present and future. What greater gift than the Divine Oneness for our personal use. Maybe we are more than a little greedy in wanting anything else. But all is considered in the Cosmic Plan. Pity us, if we had been given charge of that which is Divine and dominion thereof, as well as our control over this beautiful earth of God’s creation, complete with every pleasure and necessity. Pity us, if we had the power to corrupt and destroy the Divine as well as the material.

Out of knowing the Cosmic Oneness within us, through what we call Cosmic Consciousness, we come to understand how we may love God above all else, as the only good and pure that is us. And also, we come to understand how we may love our enemies as well as our neighbors. All that is worth-while in any man is of the One. In this light, sin becomes a useless word. What need have we to judge, criticize, condemn, hate, cheat, kill, covet, malign, and so forth.

Recently a friend went through serious surgery (serious as all such assaults upon our bodies and consciousness must be). All liked minded friends were asked to assist during this period, with whatever talents we might offer. Our friend is recovering quite satisfactorily and seems appreciative of all services offered and no doubt received during his comparatively helpless state in physical, conscious and subconscious ability.

Upon learning of this condition necessitating surgery, the sadness was acknowledged that might be, if it were not successful. Having seen the light of this friend’s own understanding too recently to drink from his companionship, I sensed a great personal loss if this personality be taken from us, through death of this physical body, whether from disease or surgery.

Now, that all is well, my friends, I must confess to have contributed nothing to the fact of his still being with us. Through Attunement now without offense, I will be able to record the explanation for this action that might otherwise appear to be cold indifference. And for sake of simplicity, “Friend” will be used rather than his name.

May I doubt the Divine within Friend more than I question the Divine within myself? Is it not one-Divine Cosmic Oneness?  How may I attempt to circumvent the Cosmic Plan? By what knowledge is Friend laid upon the operating table? Not by his personal decision, that was only in that he chose those odds as opposed to those of the disease. Not by the decision of the doctors; they only offer opinions. That life flowing through Friend’s body is of Divine decision. None other gives or takes away. This seems sufficient logic to the recorder, however, we humans have such compelling emotions; we need more. There is no more only our selfish questions and selfish motivations. Imagine that we had such power to determine Friend’s staying with us. What glorious destination may we have deprived him in the Cosmic Plan? The human in me sheds a tear at our mourning and our ignorance. If, indeed, Friend has shared in awareness of his own Divine Identity within, the cessation of earthly life can be no disappointment to him. Even allowing that, in that case, only offers more Hell of human ignorance.

It is quite frightening on a mortal level to know we aspire to powers of which we understand so little responsibility in attaining. But as all Cosmic Knowledge provides for the continuity of its own Plan, man cannot elevate himself above the gods. All we may receive is Knowledge through the Cosmic Oneness. There, only, may we relieve our human suffering in the name of our fellow beings.

Some men speak of a personal experience of God, wherein, Knowledge of nature, the universe, of all things is made known to them. The experience comes by Divine discretion through a vision of objective light. Perhaps, we can name this experience “illumination,” as the word light seems to be a key factor determining a rare occurrence of God revealing itself to man, ofttimes without request or preparation on the part of the beneficiary. Having no personal experience with “illumination” through light, I leave that discussion, for the moment, to those who understand its significance.

When men must do, they light candles, they pray, they chant, they burn incense, they perform rituals, they meditate and so forth. When men must know, they attune. Only a totally sincere request for knowledge brings attunement. No thought to be doing, no thought of self, nothing but pure desire for Truth may accomplish attunement.

Attunement may be considered either a gift of or a result of Cosmic Consciousness (often confused with illumination). Through our desire for Truth we come to know that all Truth is Knowledge. By way of the Cosmic Oneness that pervades all beings we have access to Cosmic Knowledge and come full circle through attunement. Attunement is merely the occasion that we turn aside from the mundane world and focus on the Cosmic Oneness within. All Heaven is within us; when we have need, we may all seek it. Perhaps, the difficulty is in realizing that we need “It” rather than ourselves. As long as we do something and continue trying, that Knowledge within is forgotten or at worse discovered.

Personal experience has shown that many paranormal happenings seem quite normal though usually not experienced by everyone. It doesn’t occur to me that the Divine within would be limited to objective reason. Perhaps, one’s own definition limits where one allows their “God” to exist and of what “He” is capable. A Paranormal experience, whether it be telepathy, psycho kinetics, clairvoyance or of a visual, auditory or physical nature or anything else in its wide realm, should not be confused with attunement.

Due to the simplicity of the process, it is easy to comprehend why many never attain attunement. Most cannot form a request for knowledge purely for knowledge only. Through the privilege of Cosmic Consciousness, we may become objectively conscious of the Cosmic Knowledge already within. For example: If an event or happening concerns me deeply, what use is attunement, if only questions are answered. The question cannot be “Why me?” or the plea cannot be “Make this go away.” But one may, with guaranty, ask for Cosmic Knowledge which in turn brings peace of mind through understanding. What greater answer do we require?

There is so subtle a distinction here with motivation, that this writer must regularly put away the desire to inform his readers; ask  sincerely for that knowledge, then in turn record after the attunement has been  successful.

As I walked through the garden this morning, it was my desire to be filled with the beauty and awe of all God’s creations that were represented there in their natural state. Of course, this was possible. And of the man-made paths beneath my feet, was not offensive. What glory, what love that we overlook on our usual path to “riches”. What stupidity. It has come to my attention this morning that all that is necessary for Heaven, Peace and Happiness, has already been said. The further writings will only be elaborations, for the purpose of putting away centuries of accumulated words. Words clog our brains, distract our hearts and continually delude us. Words seldom express our knowledge or our feelings. It is enigmatic that I must write so many more words in order to rid us of this clutter. How many writers have tried to express their heart’s deepest thoughts and failed because of the dependency on and confusion of all these useless words. May I not sound redundant, but we were given The Word, which is ever useful, ever clear, and everlasting. So, therefore, through the light of my own Cosmic Consciousness, there is no question that my Purpose will be accomplished.

Let there be an end to the words that prevent the children seeing the kingdom of God. Let there be an end to all the institutions that use mighty words of guilt and sin that prevent man knowing the God within. These papers cannot be another interpretation of scriptures or doctrines. The damage of the past efforts, in that respect, is evident in all the pain and suffering of the very supporters of the mistruths and stumbling blocks. Let us go into ourselves and know the Oneness and Truth that dwells there, that no chance is taken with mortal confusion.

Clearly, it has all been said. Now is the time for man at his highest conscious development to put away the distractions and elaborations. Each one, within himself, to know and to love and to find that peace and happiness.

May Heaven be yours through all enlightening Cosmic Consciousness?

Mictlantecuhtli

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Evil Has A Name

21 Jan

Nae's Nest

There is an evil taking over
An enemy to be feared
Slowly he slips in
Taking what you hold dear

Like the thief in the night
He is unexpected
Helping himself
To great treasures
Sometimes left neglected

Things you can not hold
But are felt inside
Things you can not see
But unable to hide

This evil steals faith
Forcing you to doubt
Taking your belief
Drawing it all out

It takes away all love
Leaving you empty
Feeling all alone
Deserted and unhappy

Finally it rips away hope
Casting you in darkness
Utterly alone
Forever helpless

This evil has a name
He who causes disrepair
I pray you avoid him
His name is despair

by Renee Robinson

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Today Is The Day

21 Jan

Nae's Nest

Tomorrow is the day

That could make or break

Tomorrow is the day

My heart fears

Tomorrow is the day

I will get some news

Tomorrow

There’s always tomorrow

This is so untrue

Someday tomorrow will end

I wonder what will happen then?

Someday is a day

I hope in the distant

Someday is a day

I hope I never see

Someday is a day

That signifies my existence

Someday tomorrows will come to an end

Someday

Today is a day

I live to the fullest

Today is a day

I am grateful to have

Today is a day

That could be my last

Today is a day

To enjoy

by Renee Robinson

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Trapped

21 Jan

Nae's Nest

Hello?  Are you there?  Anyone? Hello? Hello?

Please somebody! Anybody! Help me! Help!

I am trapped

Unable to breathe

I am in the dark

All alone

Help please!

I am sinking

Sinking in sand

Help! Please!

Someone!

Grab my hand!

Pull me out

I need help

I can’t do

It by myself

Please! Anyone?

Save me, I beg

A vile

 creature

Put me in here

I can’t see

I am in fear

Please! Help!

My tears stream

I am broken

Utterly alone

Can’t you hear my scream?

Isolation

No human contact

Losing my mind

Help! Please

I need mankind

Locked away

In this damp place

A kind of hell

Perhaps another world

I can’t tell

I am begging

Hear my plea!

Please come

Please rescue me

Oh God! NO!

He’s coming back

I can’t get away

Help!

He’s going to attack

He lashes with his tongue

His hands!

His hands…

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Embiggening the science

21 Jan

Watts Up With That?

Josh of cartoonsbyjosh.com writes:

See Judith Curry’s great post about what looks like an interesting new book by David Weinberger Too Big to Know: Rethinking Knowledge Now That the Facts Aren’t the Facts, Experts are Everywhere, and the Smartest Person in the Room is the Room.

Feels like familiar territory.

Here’s the cartoon:

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Unseen Hand

21 Jan

Nae's Nest

My sky is bruised, someone kicked it

My days are nights, a purple blackness

Losing track of time, along with my mind

What has happened, I don’t understand

Have we been bombed?  Was there an attack?

Am I all that is left? Is this a fact?

I hear an echo, a deep loneliness

I am all that is here, taking up space

There is a dampness, upon my face

I can hear a drip, maybe water?

Maybe human life? trying to follow

Follow the sound, where is it?

Bumping into walls, they seem to be closing in

There must be a way out, or a way in

The drip is getting closer, I think it is near

I try calling out, “Can anyone hear?”

The drip is getting closer, yes there it is

I can feel it, dripping on my head

Looking up into the purple sky, A swollen cloud…

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