I have to say there is much to be said for solitude as opposed to "group" spirituality. — Janus
How many times my mum said that! "So it goes". That's just the way it is. And we can do nothing about it. — GraveItty
Platonism believed that we're a fusion of soul and body. A lot of people will say it's 'bronze age mythology'. But my view is that all of those ancient texts are symnbolically or allegorically conveying truths about the human condition, as you go on to acknowledge. — Wayfarer
But did you meet anyone whom did not seem phony to you?
Because if not, then how can a "actual" enlightened subject ever recognize another one? — Manuel
One of the things that interest me is our deeply-held tradition that each body "contains" or "manifests" or "incarnates" exactly one soul. — hanaH
Because if not, then how can a "actual" enlightened subject ever recognize another one? — Manuel
And everyone knows it. I don't have it, I've never pretended to have it, I absolutely would not want it, and I've only seen it twice. But I knew when I saw it, and so did everyone else. Nobody fucks with those men; at least not with any quarter. — James Riley
When seen in this light, there is really no need for anyone to feel insecure or jealous or to mount their steed and coming charging at me with demands for logical proof of something I never teased them with in the first place. I don't pretend to the Dali Llama or some sage or zen master. Those boys are a different animal. — James Riley
I do however also understand others who have not had this experience, ask for some articulation, and when it is not given, I understand the skepticism that comes with that. But, it is what it is. Not much too do about that. — Manuel
Your word "enlightened" sometimes says way too much. It can conjure all kinds of attributes (especially in the insecure or jealous mind) that simply are not possessed by one who has come to know something that cannot be articulated. — James Riley
When one enlightened subject meets the other, there is really no need to engage because there is nothing to say, even if it could be articulated. — James Riley
translated as nous (preserved in vernacular English as uncommon common sense, 'she has nous, that one'.) It is nous which 'sees what truly is', and it is that which is associated with the immortal aspect of the being. — Wayfarer
Or the intelligible is immaterial and eternal. Or the immaterial is eternal and intelligible. How do mortal beings connect to something immortal? Through some hidden immortal and immaterial part of themselves. — hanaH
If, however, this organ is immaterial and private, we really can't be rational or scientific about it. I'm not saying that mind is only brain and behavior, but it makes sense that we'd prioritize those aspects of the concept in rational-scientific investigations — hanaH
don't think leather ybags of firewater on a couple of stalks have evolved so that every moment of their brief lives is a pleasure. If you like, the world is open sore. But it's less open and bleeding than it used to be. And we can and are trying to improve things every day (well some of us, sometimes.) — hanaH
If you did have what it takes - what is it you are meant to have? — Tom Storm
My experience was, I believed that through meditation, a state of insight would spontaneously arise which would melt away all my negative tendencies and weaknesses. — Wayfarer
And I went to a Buddhist youth organisation conference around that time, and sadly realised that I thought a lot of well-intentioned Buddhists were also phony. — Wayfarer
But nobody ever told me I didn't have what it takes, I figured that out all by myself.
Although through all this, something inside has definitely shifted, even despite my many typical middle-class and middle-aged failings. I guess at the end of the day, I have to acknowledge that I really do have faith in the Buddha, even though the western intellectual side of me doesn't want anything to do with 'faith'.
Because if not, then how can a "actual" enlightened subject ever recognize another one? If there is no way to tell, then everyone is only pretending to have something they in fact do not. — Manuel
The world is more open and bleeding than it used to be. We try to improve things every day, but it seems to get worse every day. — GraveItty
My approach to religion/spirituality was all about finding The Truth, the How Things Really Are (and at first, my quest was conceptualized as trying to answer the question "Which religion is the right one?"). I was sure that once I'd figure out what The Truth is, everything else would fall into place. — baker
(Why do you think religious/spiritual people tend to affiliate themselves with right-wing political options?) — baker
There is a lot of movement in this sentence of yours, almost of - or maybe exactly of - oppositions. Maybe intentional on your part. Good on you if so! But anyway, I invite you to look back at it. For example, how can being be realized? Or the Supreme Being be exemplified, or that as "culmination" of a path, or self realized? Not a criticism, because I suspect it's all accurate and right, but I have some trouble with a sublation of it all in my own personal mind - a fancy way of saying I can't make sense of it in terms I am accustomed to.The 'realised being' both comprehends and exemplifies the Supreme Being. That is the culmination of the spiritual path, or 'self realisation'. — Wayfarer
The world has got much better in the last few centuries — hanaH
Yeah, we still have problems, — hanaH
We can, if we please, gossip about our feelings. But if we aren't just comparing feelings, we should discuss a metric for the state of the world. For example, Pinker uses various stats to argue that it is improved. One can of course object to his or any framework, criterion, or metric. It's up for endless debate and revision. — hanaH
Why should we gossip about our feelings? I'm not that interested in the feelings of others nor do I wish to state mine exorbitantly. — GraveItty
One can endlessly debate about the wonders and achievements of science but it's just one view amongst others. — GraveItty
In some religions/spiritualities, the standard answer to the above is "It takes one to know one".
— baker
So then it is evident to someone who's on the outside when a "fake" is speaking to someone who is enlightened?
Or do you need to be around such people to tell? — Manuel
Can an outsider spot a fraud, — Manuel
or do they camouflage themselves well?
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