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1.

> This fellow last nite was looking at all my pictures on my wall of
> some of my friends, some of which are somewhat famous teachers.
> And he said that since he met his teacher that he doesn't know about
> any other teachers or teachings, that he has dropped out of the
> spiritual circuit so to speak. I said, well that is like
> saying that once you meet one friend, that's enough, and you don't want
> any more friends. He said, hmm, good point.


I don't blame the dude for quitting the spiritual "scene" as it does get
kind of tiresome prostrating to all those different teachers. That's the
problem with teachers, you can't just be their FRIEND, you gotta be a
disciple or whatever. It must get lonely at the top!!

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2.

> Sometimes, in these cases, I get a sense that one is violating some
> unwritten social propriety by talking like a "guru" instead of just agreeing
> with the seeker's attitude. The seeker is embarrassed not at the truths
> offered (which he might agree with if they came from the mouth of his
> teacher or a book) but at not knowing what to say to someone who seems to
> have the "answer."
>

I suppose. When it's a teacher it's ok. They can hang out in the
"classroom",
but at a dinner table with a friend who is basically showing them school
is out,
they freak. I suppose when you think about it, that's why people put a
teachers *hat* on, because no one wants to listen to them otherwise!!!
:-)
Like my friend Cathy, how I told her the story of Maitreya, and how the
Buddha said
that in years to come, the Maitreya, (which means friend), would be how
the teaching
is spread. It goes from friend to friend, not from guru or teacher to
student.
Very simple.

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3.

Why if "All" is potentially all present, and "one" is asking, why can't
<anyone> answer?
I see more fearfulness than godlessness in most people. Just fear wins,
short
term :-)
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4.

That nonduality is a slippery rock, and anyone's who walked
along rocky shores knows there are all kinds of ways of
approaching a slippery rock.

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5.

>Yes why do people do this??? I mean why study for years
>and years about nonduality and then not be willing to see it, basically just
>SEE it when someone shows it to you? Instead they run away.

Because in a microsecond all those years and years of studying will be
seen
to have been fruitless and a complete waste of time.
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6.

It sounds as though it's possible to know the limitations of
the enlightened one and to predict their preferences. I'm
sure some realized ones remain solitary and silent and
others draw crowds and can't shut up. Somewhere in between,
no doubt, there are those who participate on mailing lists.
There's the same absorption into the Absolute.

Maybe I'm missing something critical, but just as God has
long ago stopped being the guy with the long flowing beard,
the realized one has ceased being the guy wearing the loin
cloth and sitting in a cave. God and Guru are those things,
yes, but everything else as well. There's no limitation that
I know of. At least I don't feel qualified to state what
they are.
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7.

Translation of the Bhagavad-Gita, by Barbra Miller.

The Seventh Teaching,
Knowledge and Judgement

Lord Krishna:

Practice discipline in my protection,
with your mind focused on me;
Arjuna, hear how you can know me
completely, without doubt.

I will teach you the totality
of knowledge and judgement;
this known, nothing else
in the world need be known.

One man among thousands
strives for success,
and of the few who are successful,
a rare one knows my reality.

My nature has eight aspects:
earth, water, fire, wind, space,
mind, understanding,
and individuality.

This is my lower anture;
know my higher nature too,
the life-force
that sustains this universe.

Learn that this is the womb
of all creatures;
I am the source of all the universe,
just as I am its dissolution.

Nothing is higher than I am;
Arjuna, all that exists
is woven on me,
like the web of pearls on thread.

I am the taste in water, Arjuna,
the light in the moon and sun,
OM resonate in all sacred lore,
the sound in space, valor in men.

I am the pure fragrance
in earth, the brilliance in fire.
the life in all living creatures,
the penance in ascetics.

Know me, Arjuna,
as every creature's timeless seed,
the understanding of intellegent men,
the brillance of fiery heros.

Of strong men, I am strength,
without the emotion of desire;
in creatures I am the desire
that does not impede sacred duty.

Know that nature's qualities
come from me?lucidity,
passion, and dark inertia;
I am not in them, they are in me.

All this universe, deluded
by the qualities inherent in nature,
fails to know that I am
beyound them and unchanging.

Composed of nature's qualities,
my divine magic is hard to escape;
but those who seek refuge in me
cross over this magic.

Vile, deluded sinners are the men
who fail to take refuge in me;
their knowledge ruined by magic,
they fall prey to demonic power.

Arjuna, four types of virtuous men
are devoted to me:
the tormented man, the seeker of wisdom,
the suppliant, and the sage.

Of these, the disciplined man of knowledge
is set apart by his singular devotion;
I am dear to the man of knowledge,
and he is dear to me.

They are all noble, but I regard
the man of knowledge to be my very self;
self-disciplined, he holds me
to be the hightest way.

At the end of many births,
the man of knowledge finds refuge in me;
he is the rare great spirit who sees
"Krishna is all that is"

Robbed of knowledge by stray desires,
men take refuge in other deities;
observing varied rites,
they are limited by their own nature.

I grant unwavering faith
to any devoted man who wants
to worship any form
with faith.

Disciplined by faith,
he seeks the deity's favor
this secured, he gains desires
that I myself grant.

But finite is the reward
that comes to men of little wit;
men who sacrifice to gods reach the gods;
those devoted to me reach me.

Men without understanding think that I am
unmanifest nature become manifest;
they are ignorant of my higher existence,
my pure, unchanging absolute being.

Vieled in the magic of my disipline,
I elude most men;
this deluded world is not aware
that I am unborn and immutable.

I know all creatures
that have been, that now exist,
and that are yet to be;
but, Arjura, no one knows me.

All creatures are bewildered
at birth by the delusion
of opposing dualities
that arise from desire and hatred.

But when they cease from evil
and act with virtue, they devote
themselves to me, firm in their vows,
freed from the delusion of duality.

Trusting me, men strive
for freedom from old age and death;
they know the infinite spirit,
its inner self and all its action.

Men who know me as its innner being,
innner divinity, and inner sacrifice
have disciplined their reason;
they know me at the time of death.
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8.

"song of the young war god," a navajo song.

i have been to the end of the earth.
i have been to the end of the waters.
i have been to the end of the sky.
i have been to the end of the mountains.
i have found none that were not my friends.
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9.

*War God's Horse Song*

I am the Turquoise Woman's son.
On top of Belted Mountain
beautiful horses - slim like a weasel!
My horse with a hoof like a striped agate,
with his fetlock like a fine eagle plume:
my horse whose legs are like quick lightning
hose body is an eagle - plumed arrow:
my horse whose tail is like a trailing black cloud.

The Little Holy Wind blows through his hair.
My horse with a mane made of short rainbows.
My horse with ears made of round corn.
My horse with eyes made of big stars.
My horse with a head made of mixed waters.
My horse with teeth made of white shell.
The long rainbow is in his mouth for a bridle
and with it I guide him.
When my horse neighs, different - coloured horses follow.
When my horse neighs, different - coloured sheep follow.
I am wealthy because of him.

Before me peaceful
Behind me peaceful
Under me peaceful
Over me peaceful-
Peaceful voice when he neighs.
I am everlasting and peaceful.
I stand for my horse.

(trans. Louis Watchman)
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10.

I think that the enlightened one also knows that all others are
enlightened
too....even if they don't know it yet.

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Authors Index
---------------
1. >, Petros
2. >Petros,
3. Eric
4. Jerry
5. >Petros, Tim
6. Jerry
7. Posted by Eric
8. Posted by aleks
9. Posted by andrew
10. Kristi

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