Thoughts on Buddhism

[Abracadabra]

I don't really mean to point the finger at you and make it totally personal. Sorry about that, I bet if we were to meet each other in person, we would get along great

I'm sure we would. I didn't take your comments to be an attack against me. I was just curious what caused you to come to those conclusions.

Perhaps I was using you as an example since you've apparently got a big target on your back now LOL Don't worry about it!

That is a problem on forums in general. It's like shark infested waters. If someone appears to have been 'cut' everyone smells the blood and joins in for a feeding frenzy. I'd post the rolf icon here but someone might take that wrong. I just think it's funny is all.

What I have observed from what you have written in this thread and my ever-growing understanding of Zen, this is where I got this notion from. The main point I'm trying to relate is this DUALITY which you apparently seem to be fixated on between spirituality and matter. Don't worry I am not criticizing you at all, I am totally guilty of this type of thinking also! (probably everyone is, except the most exceptional, the buddhas)

Well, not intended as 'defense', but rather just to offer an explanation to hopefully clear up this misconception, I don't make such a divide between the physical and spiritual. For me they are all one seamless whole.

Where the distinction between spirituality and physicality arises from is actually from the people I've been conversing with. They are the one's who seem to be fixated on this idea that there exist two totally different worlds. The world of "rationale" which they view as basically being anything that can be recognized and described by science. Versus a world of "irrationality", and world they claim does not exist because science has yet to discover it. (ha ha)

I try to point out that science has actually discovered aspects of seemingly 'irrational' reality even already via the observations and predictions of QM.

For me personally there is no "difference" between these worlds. They are all the same reality. So yes, when speaking with these other people I can see where it may appear that I divide reality up like they do, in truth I don't. I just have no choice but to speak in terms of their delusions of this dichotomy.

I don't personally subscribe to those distinctions myself.

For me, "All is spirit". There is nothing that is not spirit, including the spacetime fabric of this universe. So the dichotomy of thought in my conversations with other people is just a necessary evil required to speak with them on their terms.

The unity of the Tao can be used in all facets of thought and comparison. The mental idea of "spirituality" can also like the thought of God sometimes. We externalize them. When God is seen outside and far away from us in another realm, we are separated from the very thing we worship and desire, God, or spirituality. When spirit is unknown, out there in themysterious universe, we then feel alienated from it as we would a Christian god. Separate, not interdependent and the same as Buddha would teach to view spirit. This unifying power of buddha mind is what enables us to focus and bring together, hold together vast amounts of information, intelligence, imagination and emotions and anything we wish to place in the consciousness. I think it heals and fixes things too. The power of the dharma is truly such a fundamental understanding of human nature. The answer is within. Know thyself. Well, it seems that Buddha already knows all of us because he knows the entire human condition, and is well aware of how to benefit it. And this is his only want.....to benefit and enrich our "spirits".

I am completely in harmony with your thoughts above.

Take care, and always aim to quiet the restless mind.

Thank you. I personally don't view you as one of the sharks in the forum ocean. But even by your own admission, even you recognize when other people have attempted to place a 'target' on the back of another poster.

I would only hope that you don't go along with that kind of mob mentality.

I mean, I realize that Taoism suggests that we should go with the flow, but if the flow is going in a negative direction surely there must be wisdom in Taoism to help us contribute to a more positive flow of things.

If there is a flood of negativity and a trickle of positive flow, I say go with the trickle and maybe some day it will turn into a river.

By the way I watched that video you posted by David Icke. Isn't that precisely what he is suggesting? To create a river of love requires that we do it one peace at a time and not cave in to the mob mentality.