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Monday June 11th


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Yes UG is not enlightened. Which is the point and is the joke. As I
recall 'his' book called The Mystique of Enlightenment (which is a
compilation of conversations) UG said should have been called The
Mistake of Enlightenment!

My own personal view is that there is no 'Enlightenment' thing, that
no one ever was enlightened, ever will be, or ever will need to be!
So this joke sits very well with me, as it does with others who share
this view. UG is our hero, the one who said it in plain terms. I dare
say you won't share this view as the desire for enlightement seems to
be about the last thing to go, supported by the idea that there are
great people like UG who have something we don't. Still I've said it
anyway and I could be completely wrong of course. Perhaps someone
would like to come up with a case for 'Why we need to be enlightened'
that should produce some stirring emails!!

The UG stories verge on the ridiculous at times. Did you see the
Monty Python film 'The Life of Brian'? Its a bit like that! The joke
to me seems to be that Enlightenment is not Enlightenment and No
Enlightenment is Enlightenment :-)Work that one out!!

Love and best wishes,
Gary

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Questioner: What is enlightenment?

Jean Klein: The instantaneous insight that convinces you there is
nothing and no one to enlighten.


(Who am I; the Sacred Quest - Jean Klein- page 114)

Love,
James

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Michael Lovell:



a quote from Nisargatatta Maharish that resonates here.

"Enlightenment is when the connection between the Witness and the
personality snaps."


love all
michael

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Yes I resonate strongly with that too. It was after a prolonged and focused
spell of 'Witnessing' that I realised that the whole thing was only serving
to perpetuate the very division that needed to be ended. After dropping it
completely it became clear that there was no separate 'witnesser', no me and
my personality. You could say that there is only personality, however
personality as we generally know it is based on conflict, division between
how we are and how we should be. So one could say total ego is no ego :-)
and visa versa. I find this single mindedness liberating. (I use the word
'I' carelessly of course).

Love,
Gary
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Dan:

Intellectual guessing games
are like stagnant pond scum seemingly
covering Love's omnipresent vivid functioning
(but "really" covering nothing) ...

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Here are the top ten reasons
"why we need to be enlightened"

1) Because it give us a reason to smile in the morning.
2) Because it is better for self-esteem than being deluded.
3) Because it's always good for a laugh at parties.
4) Because knowing that I'm not yet enlightened
is a good explanation for doing stupid things,
and for persistent, nagging self-doubt.
5) Because it allows people like U.G. and you
to have something to rant about.
6) Because it has a catchier sound than saying
"I need to be endarkened."
7) Because it gives a focus for an otherwise
absurd existence.
8) Because it gives absurdity to an otherwise
mundane existence.
9) Because it has a lofty, supernatural feeling
that makes the imagination of poets
and artists soar (or perhaps sore --
if you consider many silly New Age
paintings).
10) Because being enlightened never gets old.

With a knowing glint in my eye at all times,
Dan


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10 ways to become enlightened. Any of the 10 will work. I'm sure there
will be many more lists!!

1. Eat only brown rice or clear soup.
2. Sit no more than 17.5 ft. from an enlightened entity every
day in satsang for a three 2-week retreats.
3. Have no thoughts about enlightenment.
4. Have no thoughts whose object is "I."
5. Have no thoughts that proceed from an "I."
6. Have no thoughts.
7. Be told by an enlightened entity that you are enlightened.
8. See that there is no such thing as enlightnment.
9. See that there is no thing.
10. Never use personal pronouns. Say "here," "there," "this form," "that
radiance" instead.

Love,

--Greg

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We are now starting a Haiku contest given the incredible talent here. David
Hodges once explained what a Haiku is and I vaguely remember.

For purposes of simplicity we will call a poem having 3 lines a Haiku, (but
to qualify, it has to be very deep or perceived as such).

I will start first.

If it itches
and your finger reaches
scratch it.

Harsha

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jerry:

23 tall skinny potatoes
supersize that
38 tall skinny potatoes

Jan B:

6 billion meatburgers
with GM garlic onions and lettuce
environmentally fried

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My essay "Haiku and Empty Space" is here: http://www.outermost.com/haiku.html

Here are some Haiku I have written during the past year or so:

Sunlight on old brick wall:
I am no good
For anyone

Rescuing me from myself
Is high on the list
Of no one in particular

I wake up shaking
From this dream:
Thank god i have such an enemy!

She loved me for a while
But departed:
Too much love to be staying.

City Friday night
Car alarms and sirens,
Hold hands, you bar girls!

If the dream I had last night
Had a message
It still hasn't reached me.

I sit and write -
Steps on the landing -
My neighbor's voices!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mark:

Mother Kali IS!!!!!!
And she has no patience now.
She IS impatient.

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Sarlo:


My talk takes a walk
Pedestrian doggerel
Careful where you step

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mark:

Never, never, never
Was there any intent
to make fun of HARSH.


Otter is crazy
He's a mad man of no good,
But his love is new.


My dog stops to talk,
I'm lost on the sidewalk here,
But I'm not homeless

Countertransference
Is always fun
Until the drugs wear off.

NO one is home
because the house burned down.
Oh crap!!!!!!

Man, the boat is covered
With lice and ticks.
There ain't no justice here.

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