bodhichitta

Can you tell me more about these dalits. I have never heard of it.

Dear Tiri, I did a search for you and got some info: Milarepa Center 1344 US Route 5 South Barnet, Vermont 05821 Tel: (802) 633 4136 Fax: (802) 633 3808 Home page: www.milarepacenter.org Email: Milarepa@kingcon.com John Feuille Rechungpa Study Group 28 Wheelock Street. Montpelier, VT 05602 Phone: (802) 223 4608 Fax: (802) 223 4608 Email: pascale@adelphia.net Coordinator Pascale Philibert I don't think Robina is there anymore, but go ahead and e-mail them and find out at least some info on the Kopan place and perhaps also go to a teaching when another monk is there in Vermont and you can ask the question aobut your sitch as to any advice. may the Buddhas be with you...

The way that I understand it is that the universe is expanding and at some time will implode, just like what the Big Bang theory states. The only difference is that it happens again and again, not just once. This has been going on without beginning. This what Shakyamuni Buddha has stated I think. The Hindus say that the universes emanate from the pores of the Mahavisnu and when he takes a breath inward, they all implode back into his inward breath. Same as the Big Bang and same as what Buddha said only difference is that the Buddha would not consider this eternal deity as part of the scenario. It is possible that the original rishis that conceived of this map of the universes creation had direct perception of the inward and outward expansion of the universe because it is a rather conventional knowldege, but just could not explain it without the use of a conceptual deity, becasue they did not realize emptiness. Did you have luck finding an FPMT center near you?

White skin and blue eyes is the proof to the superiority of the aryan race. If Hitler says so then it must be true. All glories to blind fanaticism.

Come on now, read the thread. It is already been clarified that atma or atman is the self. And if you do not know what is vaishnavism, then I am afraid you will have to do more reading. What is guest?

What do you do for a living? How do you get income presently? Maybe there is way I can figure that you can get to India. I think if there is a way, it will be well worth the visit. By the way there is an FPMT center in Vermont and a nun named Robina Courtin will be speaking there. Perhaps she can be helpful in advising you at least philosophically. She is quite powerful. she is the one that made the Kopan suggestion. she runs the prison liberation project of N. America and she has incredible compassion and an iron fist. Try do a search for that center in vermont. Let me know if you come up with anything.

dear Tiri- We meet again my friend. I am sorry you have this torment going on. I hope that any suffering in you can end. It is why that so many lamas and lay people are doing there purification practice so that suffering such as yours can cease. during medicine buddha puja, the merits of the practice can be offered to whomever is on the prayer list and I think this can help you greatly. I would think your Lama Zopa can explain the matter can he not? Usually the lama can say what things can help in the immediate karmic scheme and what things will prevent causation for the future. Create more merit and do as many purification practices as you can. Receive empowerments from visiting Lamas. Where are you stationed? blessings to you

ahumm

Dear sir, I had not said Buddha was the only one to spread compassion. I don't know why you have misread. I also explained why I made such a bold challenge and apologized if I offended anyone. You have such a strong reaction from my stateements. That is usually the sign of someone whose faith is not strong so you must strengthen it by insulting others. You are trying to intimidate me from participation even though I had written that I am intereseted in learning. Please have some compassion. Either that or you have a very disturbed mind. I am sorry to have brought you disturbance. I hope you do not stay in that realm. Om mani padme hum

No my goal is not to convert. I am simply asking questions. If you notice, I asked things in a spirit of inquiry to learn more from others about how compassion teachings have unfolded in the world. I wasn't getting responses, so I got fiesty and asked in a challenging way. Then I got responses. I hadn't claimed in an ubsurd way that compassion comes from buddhism. If you read my question through, I was simply comparing the fullness of the bodhisattva vow to other compassion messages and making note of chronology. To some degree, where teachings came first, I think is important because it shows us how the message evolves as it gets borrowed from culture to culture. I am sure compassion was taught in Egyptian culture, but then in 500 BC, a realized Buddha gained direct realization of how to distibute compassion in a the fullest way possible. That is significant. No one needs to have a vilent reaction to my giving a statement based on chronolgy lest ye be threatened by truth that rocks the boat. It always is threatening to think we aren't the first ones when we thought so for so long. Now that I am studying Buddhism, it is quite amazing to see that vaishnavism has covered Buddha's teaching very cleverly by claiming him to be a minute avatar in a long succession. His quite clear propoundments of doctrine are heavily discredited. I don't see why if his teachings were so powerful and clear at such an early time. As for the Jains, jsut becasue they don't eat certain vegetables I don't think they surpasss Buddhism on compassion doctrine. The real power in Buddhism comes from the elaborate prayers and exact understanding of the conventional nature of things and the teaching on emptiness. Sorry if you think I offend anyone by sharing knowledge that I have acquired and submitting it to you all for analysis so i can find truth. om mani padme hum

Okay. The timeline goes like this...buddha appears 600 bc and propounds a philosophy to end suffering for all sentient beings until samsara ends. Mahaprabhu comes in 1500 ad to say some similar message of alleviating suffering. So we see who was first. I suppose if the vedas are taken into account, this information of avatars would refer to times quite ancient, but in the modern record Buddhas seems like the oldest avatar to propound such philsophy.

Hello? I just asked a loaded question a long time ago. Aren't there any pre-Buddha references in vaishnavism regarding compassion. Aren't there any scholars or at least fanatics out there? It looks like Mahaprabhu's message was borrowed from the Buddha and I just proved it by asking a question that nobody can answer. We might as well shut down the forum and become buddhist.

come to my thread

So your Lama Zopa is in kagyu lineage as opposed to the Lama Zopa of Gelupa tradition. Are you familiar with the controversy going on with Dorje Shugden. Some say he is a ghost and some say a buddha. It reminds me of the Bhaktipada episode.

I don't think the buddha proposes that awareness is permanent. Are you sure. Can you show me in writing what yur lama says. Who is your lama?