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Post by P Shapiro on Sept 23, 2008 14:54:23 GMT -5
Hi all, I heard of this man Tathagata who says that he attained Supreme Enlightenment. He's got the 'third eye' (also known as the 'eye of wisdom') on his forehead and he says this is the proof of his enlightenment. His teachings and his message make sense to me, so I'm wondering if he could really be the true Enlightened being. What do you think, is there any substance in his teachings , does he speak Truth or is he just crazy. here's the link to his website: Enlightenment of TathagataWondering what you think..... I hope we can talk it over!! Thanks, Paul |
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Post by lightmystic on Sept 23, 2008 16:56:53 GMT -5
Very interesting. If he's Enlightened, which I would be very surprised, he doesn't understand it very well. Firstly, although third eye opening is often something that accompanies growth of awareness to some degree, it can never be said to define Enlightenment. If he thinks he has "gained" something special or unique then he doesn't understand anything about Enlightenment. Enlightenment is a letting go process, always less, not more. This may reveal some things one was not aware of before, but those things were already there. There is no gaining, and talk in terms of gaining symbolizes a clear lack of understanding. Enlightenment does not require any one thing in particular, and if it does, it's very person-specific. There are no objective ways to measure Enlightenment, as it has nothing to do with the personality (although it can certainly affect the personality as it start to sink in).
Secondly, Enlightenment, no matter how flashy it sounds, is always simple. If it cannot be portrayed simply and clearly, then it is not understood fully.
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Post by Anonymous on Sept 28, 2008 6:17:37 GMT -5
Claiming enlightenment is the very opposite of being enlightened.
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Post by Peter on Sept 28, 2008 8:52:05 GMT -5
The Buddha claimed he was Enlightened...so that makes him...?
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Post by Anonymous on Sept 28, 2008 9:29:16 GMT -5
A learned man with an Ego. But how would one know if he had claimed as such?
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Post by lightmystic on Sept 29, 2008 10:12:24 GMT -5
Claiming Enlightenment neither makes someone Enlightened nor does it prove that they are Un-Enlightened. Enlightenment is simply a word. The main test is what they believe Enlightenment to mean. That's always was clarifies it for me.
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Post by razorsedgezen on Sept 29, 2008 13:11:43 GMT -5
Is there some kind of optimum combination of words that can justify the thought, "Ah!, this is surely an enlightened being"?
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Post by lightmystic on Sept 29, 2008 13:32:35 GMT -5
Is there some kind of optimum combination of words that can justify the thought, "Ah!, this is surely an enlightened being"? Haha. Good point. |
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sophia
Full Member
...the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. ~Plato
Posts: 146
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Post by sophia on Sept 29, 2008 21:56:01 GMT -5
...I'm wondering if he could really be the true Enlightened being. enlightened being? I don't know anything about this man, but if he is enlightened, I would say he is AN enlightened being. I don't know a lot about enlightenment, either, but I have a strange feeling it does not belong to one man alone. |
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sophia
Full Member
...the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. ~Plato
Posts: 146
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Post by sophia on Sept 29, 2008 22:04:07 GMT -5
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Post by razorsedgezen on Oct 4, 2008 6:58:44 GMT -5
Yeah, it looks like Tathagata is no longer on the scene. May we all learn from his example.
About enlightenment...is it a thing? Or a state? Does it matter?
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Post by ANON on Oct 5, 2008 9:28:02 GMT -5
From Tathagata:
Q : Who is the greatest master in the world ?
A : ME. There has been nobody who is superior to me in the world in the past, and there will be nobody who is superior to me in the world in the future.
Interesting combination of enlightenment and ego.
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Post by lightmystic on Oct 5, 2008 12:40:49 GMT -5
From Tathagata: Q : Who is the greatest master in the world ?
A : ME. There has been nobody who is superior to me in the world in the past, and there will be nobody who is superior to me in the world in the future.Interesting combination of enlightenment and ego. Yes, except for the Enlightenment part. |
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Post by pshapiro on Oct 5, 2008 13:50:57 GMT -5
Yeah, it looks like Tathagata is no longer on the scene. May we all learn from his example. About enlightenment...is it a thing? Or a state? Does it matter? HI , I heard that Enlightenment is the opening of one's eyes to 'what is'. It means obtaining the ability to see 'what is', and seeing how 'what is' makes results through a single principle. So it's the state of being able to recognize an existent thing, how that thing came to exist through what matter, and what will occur as a result of the matter's problems in the future. The important thing is that the one who has attained Enlightenment can see 'what is' exactly as it is. Best I can explain.... Paul |
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Post by ANON on Oct 8, 2008 17:34:31 GMT -5
"Enlightenment" is just a popular buzzword in our times based on mythology of the past. "What is" is that unfiltered view that comes about when thoughts, ideas, concepts and conditioning do not get in the way. The "spiritual journey" is that quest to get those impediments out of way. It seems paradoxical that the tools one uses to help remove those impediments are the impediments themselves! Get lost in the paradox for some time and see if anything changes.
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