Re: Being and Non-being « Result #1 Yesterday at 7:09pm »
Years ago I used to do Tai Chi for a while and it is great to experience some of that energy. A nice demonstration of the chi energy was given by a real master in this old documentary made by Bill Moyers.
Re: Being and Non-being « Result #3 on Dec 20, 2009, 2:54pm »
(What exactly does transcend mean in this context?) (http://www.adishakti.org/_/taoist_mystical_experience.htm) REST OF INFO HERE...
While the Taoist mystical experience also involves internal reflection, both immanence and transcendence occur. Tao not only lies within the human "veiled in our consciousness by the artificiality's of civilization" (Eliade 291), but transcends all that it has created - Man, Earth and Nature. As Sidney Spencer states in his book Mysticism in World Religion, "the Tao is the Source of all things; it is self-existent; it transcends time and space" (Spencer 99). Tao is spiritually elevated not only as the Way of Ultimate Reality, but as the Way of the Universe - Smith's second and significant meaning of Tao The Daoist concept of immortality does not mean you live physically forever. Immortality means you achieve spiritual integration of your authentic self (zhenren).
Your authentic Self is immortal because it has the power to survive the transition of physical death and continues its life in higher dimensions. This process requires integrating the physical body’s sexual essence (jing)it's western equivalent is DNA, the energy body (qi), and the spirit body (shen) into a functional state of total openness (wu) to the multi-dimensionality of the present moment. The spiritual power of manifestation hidden within the sexual essence is most critical to cultivating what is known as a “golden light body” or the authentic immortal Self. Without the sexual essence being properly cultivated, the crystallization of one’s spirit does not occur.
Taoism disavows a hierarchical view of the self, society, or cosmos. Unlike Confucianism, Taoism does not regard the self as an extension of, and defined by, social relationships. Rather, the self is but one of the countless manifestations of the Tao. It is an extension of the cosmos.
It should be emphasized that Chuang-tzu's conception of selflessness does not entail an ontological denial of the self--as in Buddhism, according to which there is no such entity to begin with. Life is not regarded as inherent misery, as in Buddhism; rather, sorrow as well as joy are taken for grant as part of life. Even death is accepted without lamentation, as an integral, though inevitable, part of endless cosmic change. Selflessness is really the philosophical attitude of being identified with the Tao--an attitude that leads to acceptance of both life and death. Further, it encompasses both tranquillity and activity, unlike the Buddhist notion of total quiescence in the state of Nirvana. The selfless person retains human attributes like sageliness and kingliness--unlike the Hindu metaphysical belief that personal identity is totally "lost" with the dissolution of the self in Brahman (cf. Graham, 1989, p. 176, on this point). When selflessness is attained, the distinction between "I" and "other" disappears. One may then act with complete spontaneity. The mind becomes like a mirror, free from obstinacies and prejudices. Thus one's thinking is to be liberated from not only external social constrictions but also internal psychological impediments. This idea of thought liberation--transcending one's egocentricity--occupies a central place in Chuang-tzu's writings (F. K. Hsu, 1963, pp. 400-405). He states: To be impartial and nonpartisan; to be compliant and selfless; to be free from insistence and prejudice; to take things as they come; to be without worry or care; to accept all and mingle with all--these were some of the aspects of the system of the Tao among the ancients.... Their fundamental idea was the equality of all things. They said: ".... The great Tao is all-embracing without making distinctions." (quoted from de Bary et al., 1960, p. 81) Here is a paradox indeed. Chuang-tzu's assault on analysis ("making distinctions") reflects the power of his own analytic faculty. As yet, there is virtually no research on the psychological consequences of Taoism. Nonetheless, it seems reasonable to say that psychological decentering and equalitarianism would be fostered. Psychological decentering is implied in the notion of selflessness, the distinction between "I" and "other" being absent (discussed further in the Psychological Decentering subsection below); it follows naturally from the perspective that the individual is humbled in the cosmic scale of things.
(What about reincarnation?)
Birth is not a beginning; death is not an end. There is existence without limitation; there is continuity without a starting point. Existence without limitation is space. Continuity without a starting point is time. There is birth, there is death, there is issuing forth, there is entering in. That through which one passes in and out without seeing its form, that is the Portal of God (Chuang Tzu)
(Are plants also the abodes of Shen?)\ The chinese fellow said that plants only had jing and Qi energy's there is no Shen/zhen energy which is the all en-compassing consciousness.
Greetings, I asked a Chinese fellow this question he owns a Vegetarian cafe. He said when Qi and Jing are out of balance then there is chaos and so Shen cannot transcend...but when Jing and Qi and shen are all in balance then there is transcendence.
Going back into this discussion i asked about plant clippings etc... He also said that Qi and Jing energies are the fundamentals for plant energy.
Sorry but no cushion of air yet, but with practice comes perfection(well perfection as we know it! because some individuals perfection may be of higher quality and quantity perfection compared to other individuals quality's and quantity's of perfection. Thus giving us distinctions and discernments of the different levels of quality and quantity's in perfection....but everyone can be perfect according to there own natural way of quality's and quantity's for that individual?.)
What exactly does transcend mean in this context? What about reincarnation? Is it the Shen that is considered the permanent self in this tradition. Traditionally, China accepted the idea of there being two souls, one was called po; I forget the name of the other. Suppose I should freshen up on this topic since I will be teaching world religions in the Spring. Anyway, if the spirit is not honored and fed at the yearly ancestral rites, it gradually fades out of existence. There is no belief in a permanent, undying soul in ancient Chinese religion. The idea of bringing things into balance, however, or harmony is fundamental to all forms of Chinese religious belief and practice. That seems to be the unchanging foundation.
Are plants also the abodes of Shen?
It is not really so much walking on air as being held up by some sort of chi energy. I once saw a group demonstrate what can only be described as "body armor" in Chicago. That too was the result of the cultivation of chi.
yes. perfection is a disputed and disputable conception. I prefer to use the word "accomplished" for the Sanskrit siddha which many translated as "perfected."
Joined: Jun 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 1,264 Location: Missouri Karma: 7
Rimsky Korsakov « Result #6 on Dec 20, 2009, 7:23am »
Another of my favorites these days. There is a corny version by Mario Lanza with different words. I think the original words are better, though neither really capture India like the music does.
"Do not count the diamonds in caves of stone Do not count the pearls in the southern sea Of distant India so full of wonders.
There is a wondrous stone, a ruby set in the warm sea; And on that stone there is a Phoenix, a bird with the face of a maiden Who keeps singly songs of paradise so sweetly Scattering her feathers and covering the sea. Whoever hears this bird will forget everything.
Do not count the diamonds in caves of stone Do not count the pearls in the southern sea Of distant India so full of wonders"...
A rough translation of the original words of the Russian song.
Compare those with with the Lanza version:
And still the snowy Himalayas rise In ancient majesty before our eyes, Beyond the plains, above the pines, While through the ever, never changing land As silently as any native band That moves at night, the Ganges Shines
Then I hear the song that only India can sing, Softer than the plumage on a black raven's wing; High upon a minaret I stand Upon an old enchanted land, There's the Maharajah's caravan, Unfolding like a painted fan, How small the little race of Man!
See them all parade across the ages, Armies, Kings and slave from hist'ry's pages, Played on one of nature's vastest stages. The turbaned Sikhs and fakirs line the streets, While holy men in shadowed calm retreats Pray through the night and watch the stars, A lonely plane flies off to meet the dawn, While down below the busy life goes on, And women crowd the old bazaars;
All are in the song that only India can sing, Softer than the plumage on a black raven's wing; Tune the ageless moon and stars were strung by, Timeless song that only could be sung by India, the jewel of the East.
Joined: Jun 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 1,264 Location: Missouri Karma: 7
Heitor Villa-lobos « Result #9 on Dec 20, 2009, 5:50am »
I have been haunted by this melody lately. Don't know why. There is a certain nostalgic melancholy about it appeals to me. Then, there in the middle nostalgia suddenly becomes transformed into a brighter expectation. Maybe is a metaphor for life, its sadnesses and trials and its transforming moments of hope or illumination. Anyway, I thought I would share it with the group.
There are many versions of this on youtube. This is an older one. Another one that I like in a completely different mood follows.
Re: Being and Non-being « Result #10 on Dec 19, 2009, 8:05pm »
Greetings, I asked a Chinese fellow this question he owns a Vegetarian cafe. He said when Qi and Jing are out of balance then there is chaos and so Shen cannot transcend...but when Jing and Qi and shen are all in balance then there is transcendence.
Going back into this discussion i asked about plant clippings etc... He also said that Qi and Jing energies are the fundamentals for plant energy.
Sorry but no cushion of air yet, but with practice comes perfection(well perfection as we know it! because some individuals perfection may be of higher quality and quantity perfection compared to other individuals quality's and quantity's of perfection. Thus giving us distinctions and discernments of the different levels of quality and quantity's in perfection....but everyone can be perfect according to there own natural way of quality's and quantity's for that individual?.)
Joined: Jun 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 1,264 Location: Missouri Karma: 7
Re: Greetings from London « Result #11 on Dec 19, 2009, 5:02am »
I should point out that the myth of the decline and corruption of CV in the 19th century was probably not the invention of a certain missionary organization to remain unnamed. It was actually invented by Christian missionaries to put down the local religious competition. To the Victorian eye anything the natives were doing was deplorable, especially if it involved sexy gods. Certain developing organizations at the beginning of the 20th century, to remain unnamed, merely picked up on the hype and incorporated it into their own propaganda.
This is not to say that there were no perversions and corruptions within the mainstream tradition and offshoots that did things and taught things considered repulsive to followers of the mainstream. That has been the case almost since the beginning of the CV tradition. Nevertheless, there was still a healthy and faithful core to the tradition.
That's some list. It was interesting to note Bhagavat Acarya's Krsnaprematarangini in a 1900 edition. Also interesting to see no.35 Giriscandra Gosha's 'At the Touch of the Philosopher's Stone'; what is that?
At the Touch of the Philosopher's Stone is an English version of Girish's Bengali play called Rupa-Sanatana on the story of the Goswamis meeting with Mahaprabhu and their departure from the service of the Nawab. I am not sure if Girish wrote the play or not, but it was a popular play in the 1880s and 1890s. Seeing another of Girish's plays on Mahaprabhu triggered Premananda Bharati's conversion to CV. I didn't notice any editions of the Bengali originals of Girish's plays in the catalogues I covered. Perhaps his collected works came out at a later time. He was a famous actor/playwright and also a close friend of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Those of you who know the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna will remember him.
Re: Greetings from London « Result #13 on Dec 18, 2009, 4:02pm »
That's some list. It was interesting to note Bhagavat Acarya's Krsnaprematarangini in a 1900 edition. Also interesting to see no.35 Giriscandra Gosha's 'At the Touch of the Philosopher's Stone'; what is that?
The same kind they fed you: the Caitanya tradition was in decline, was corrupt and polluted, no one knew or cared about the texts, etc., etc. Except for one spotless crusader, of course.
I hereby pronounce it alive and well in the 19th century. It was the crusader who tried to pollute it.
Here is the most recent version of the list of works in the BL.
Joined: Jun 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 1,264 Location: Missouri Karma: 7
Re: Greetings from London « Result #16 on Dec 18, 2009, 3:35am »
I have completed the second volume of the catalog of Bengali works in the BL and will post my list shortly. This means that I have most of the works up to 1910. It would have been nice to do volume three as well which brings us up to 1920. Ah well, next time if there is one. I have made some good discoveries and can get copies of works that I want to work on once I get back to the US. There are a few things on order that I hope to look at today. Today and perhaps tomorrow are the last days I will have to work in the BL. We return to the US on Wednesday and there is lots of packing and last minute business to keep us busy till then.
Several items published in the old Sahitya-parisat-parika have caught my I. I found a copy of the Radhika-mangala, for instance, by Uddhavananda Dasa. I made a copy of that and there is a small work attributed to Narottama Das called the Deha-tattva. First glance, suggests that it is not really by him, but merely written in his name. Still, I think I will make a copy just to see what people wanted to pass off as his. It may be a Sahajiya text or it may just be a simple text introducing its hearers to the world as conceived in post medieval Bengal (17-18th cents). There are a few other texts and essays on texts that I would like to make copies of before I leave. The old journal is a wealth of information and small Vaisnava texts. My sense is that we hardly know what the Caitanya tradition was like in the 19th and 20th centuries. We've been fed a line of baloney up till now. It was clearly lively and rich, engaged in the present, and looking towards the future with hope and expectation.
Joined: Jun 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 1,264 Location: Missouri Karma: 7
Re: Bhagavata Purana Chanted « Result #17 on Dec 17, 2009, 8:24am »
Bhagavata 1.4 Second Half. Suta's answers to Saunaka. He describes how Vyasa was dissatisfied after having divided the Vedas and composing the histories and puranas for those qualified to hear the Vedas. Vyasa goes off and sits alone on the bank of the Sarasvati and ponders, wondering if it is because he has not yet sufficiently taught truths relating to Bhagavan that he does not feel satisfied.
Joined: Jun 2007 Gender: Male Posts: 1,264 Location: Missouri Karma: 7
Re: Bhagavata Purana Chanted « Result #18 on Dec 17, 2009, 8:18am »
Bhagavata 1.4 First Half.
The questions raised by Saunaka based on what Suta said in the last chapter: Why did Vyasa write the Bhagavata Purana and how is it that Vyasa's son came to recite it before Pariksit sitting on the bank of the Ganga.
I am doing it a bit slower in an effort to chant it more correctly. There are some real tongue-twisters in this Purana. I am starting to notice certain repetitions in phrasing. Once I get those down, I should be able to do it faster. It is more exciting perhaps when I do it faster, but more prone to mistakes. I am way out of practice.
Great Nitai-ji. It seems that you are in London.... Wish you sweet holidays and many thanks for keeping up the torch of divine light.
Hi Harisarandasji. It is good to hear from you. I wondered what had happened to you since you had not logged in for a long time. I hope everything is good and you are enjoying some divine light yourself. I don't know if I have any torches of the stuff, but somehow things seem to go on. I am excited about chanting the Bhagavata. Would like to chant the whole text over the next year or so. It would be grand of the whole text were available chanted in the original language which reasonably good attention to meter and proper pronunciation. That is one of the things I hope to achieve, that and some comments on the overall structure of the text, its basic meaning and qualities. Drop by once in a while and see how things are going. Thanks for all you have done for this site in the past. It is much richer and diverse than it would otherwise have been. Please feel free to post whatever strikes your fancy as a contribution to the site.
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