Ask a Bodhisattva Anything

Tashi delek! Now that you have achieved bodhicitta (awakening to Buddha-mind) what are you doing within the material world to carry out your goals? Will, or have you made the six Bodhisattva Vows, which show compassion for all sentient beings throughout all lifetimes? Though you are not a Buddhist, it is possible for these things to help you advance further along on your journey of realization. Namaste!

reply to post by Buddha1098

This year I sat at home and shed a tear not because my team lost, but because I felt empathy for what Roberto Luongo felt.

How could you cry for this guy, and disregard the sheer happiness felt by his adversary? Or how could you not empathize about many of the great moments that led up to this instead. Or a lotta-buncha other things revolving around this, that benefit others?

Wouldn't it be like crying for you not becoming 'fully' enlightened? This could be concieved of as a failure of completion or an achievement in helping others. Depends on how you look at it. I would think someone 'enlightened' wouldn't be affected adversely by such pettyness.

reply to post by JohnySeagull


I feel empathy for anyone who experiences pain whether they are a professional ice hockey player or an african child slave who is forced to harvest cocoa pods for our luxury. I just wish people were as excited about helping that african kid as they are about millionaires playing hockey.

I still feel emotion, I'm human, but it doesn't effect me negatively because I'm conscious of my emotional state and I can get back to joy by making the choice to stop feeling the emotion.

awww....a baby bodhi . j/k

trust in your way. keep going. there are many others fully realized, some ancient but still embodied on this earth now. you are at the tip of the iceberg my friend, many treasures and further wisdom await. keep going. remember this.

I have come into contact with master jedi's, who are fully awake in the form and have been cultivating internal practice for years and years, across the span of human history. we are like ghosts but when you come into contact with one of us you will know it instantly. a telepathic recognition will occur.

it is even grander than what you have already glimpsed.

A very nice thread, thanks OP.

I can attest to a similar experience. I saw myself in the future/past. I know that we are part of a bigger picture and that God/Tao/One is real because I felt it/saw it. Albeit a very, very small part of it, rather I think I saw my higher self, but considering how small we really are in our awareness here on Earth, feeling our greater self is what many would think God is.

You are not alone my friend. We are all the same person in the end. The illusion is that we are separate. And Maya is indeed very alluring and you get so easily lost in it. I sometimes have to remind myself of what is really important in life... you can forget so easily...

reply to post by ipsedixit


Thank you. I should have said that I'm not really looking to be a teacher or a guru. If someone asks me my opinion of something I'll give it but I understand it's just my opinion, I'm probably wrong. =)

I've always assumed it was my crown chakra that opened because I touched the divine, but i'd agree that Sartori is the term that the Zen Buddhist would use to describe what happened.

reply to post by Buddha1098

On December 21 of 2010 I became enlightened.

here's a song for you Buddha1098...
www.youtube.com...
if you happen to run into Guanny - tell her I know she 'borrowed' my sweater, and - I want it back

(I hope Bodhisattvas get to keep their sense of humor)

:-)

reply to post by AnotherSon

I'm glad I shared this on ATS. I debated for a long time because I didn't want it to denegrate into an "You're not enlightened, I AM." thread as so many on here do. I just wish I could connect with people locally that have had the same experiences.

Thank you for sharing your experience.
Namaste my friend

reply to post by Buddha1098


Comparing the 'pain' of getting benched for losing a game to forced child labor is a bit far-fetched to me. Which makes me wonder how you could have time for anything but feeling bad for others.

Originally posted by dudeawesome
reply to post by Buddha1098

 

Comparing the 'pain' of getting benched for losing a game to forced child labor is a bit far-fetched to me. Which makes me wonder how you could have time for anything but feeling bad for others.

The difference between things, after a certain point of progress in awareness, becomes less important. Killing an ant or a human are of equal importance/value, if you can see where I get at.

reply to post by Pericle


I get it, but what if 1 was killed and the other was tortured, murdered, and desicrated? I don't see the equality there.

Originally posted by dudeawesome
reply to post by Pericle

 

I get it, but what if 1 was killed and the other was tortured, murdered, and desicrated? I don't see the equality there.

I would say the one tortured is worse, but that is a subjective interpretation. Dying, some say, is the best thing that can happen to our soul.

Such deeds are both bad and reflect a very negative mind set and low awareness. I do not see why you want to compare them and say one is worse than another. Both are equally bad in consequences. Making distinctions only complicates things, life is so simple, we always like to mess it.

reply to post by Buddha1098


I personally don't believe you need to meditate for long periods of your life to attain enlightenment or sit there chanting a mantra.Enlightenment is in every one from the start you just need to CHOOSE to be a better person. Which we all know is like living your life full of rules for ones self, which people hate. It also takes more control to be nice and a lot more effort and energy. I am not saying it is a wast of time because mantras and certain aspects of religion can give the week minded the strength and confidence in ones self to be a better person.

reply to post by dudeawesome


I don't see crying as an adverse reaction to another person's emotional pain. If you do that's cool, we can agree to disagree.

reply to post by dudeawesome


He didn't get benched for losing a game, he had the rancor and malice of 40 years of futility heaped on him. I empathized with him.

Yes forced slave labour is far worse than losing a professional hockey game. I'm not buying chocolate or anything for that matter that isn't fair/direct trade, ethical, and sustainable. It's what I can do to affect change, and I accept that as long as you mere mortals (tongue firmly in cheek) keep choosing luxury and apathy over compassion and sacrifice there isn't much else I can do.

Liberation isn't about being free from emotion, it's about not being controlled by them.

Originally posted by Pericle

Originally posted by dudeawesome
reply to post by Buddha1098

 

Comparing the 'pain' of getting benched for losing a game to forced child labor is a bit far-fetched to me. Which makes me wonder how you could have time for anything but feeling bad for others.

The difference between things, after a certain point of progress in awareness, becomes less important. Killing an ant or a human are of equal importance/value, if you can see where I get at.

edit on 20-9-2011 by Pericle because: (no reason given)

Well Said

OP, you should read my first post on the bottom of page 9.

reply to post by Buddha1098


Have you ever been diagnosed with, hospitalized for or treated for any type of mental illness?

Have you ever been arrested?

Who are the "enemies" of whom you spoke?

reply to post by TheFlash


I don't have an existing mental illness nor have I ever been diagnosed or hospitalized for one.

I've never been arrested.

My uncle who I worked with in the family business made my life miserable so that I would quit so that he didn't have to share the business with me.

I'm going for lunch with him tomorrow btw.

reply to post by Qi Maker


Sorry I missed that one.

I've heard that a lot since I've posted this. Keep going. Don't stop.. My question is stop what or go where? I'd like a prescription for what I'm supposed to do beyond becoming more conscious. Meditate? Channel? Go Astral?

I posted this in the hopes I could help others but really I think I'm the one who is going to benefit the most from this post by finding so many liberated beings to help me on my journey.

What would you do for a next step?