Amir Mourad - Spiritual Teacher

[zenmind]

What do you guys think of Amir Mourad ? I recently heard some of his discourses and he just blew me away.

[yogini]

Interesting !!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXEOW2OJrCc

[zenmonk]

He's a complete fraud who spams Buddhist and other groups and claims that Buddhists carry out human sacrifice and rape people.

[taoistwind]

Actually its true there have been tantric Buddhists and Hindu sects of the left hand path and "Buddhists" in Tibet who also practiced black magic who have done such things as human sacrifice and have raped people. Most Buddhists follow right hand path, a very small number of "Buddhists" follow the left handed black magic. I also have heard amir's talks and he often speaks highly about zen and buddhism, vipassana and has alot of respect for Gautama Buddha. Educate yourself before commenting about a master.

[tanukisan]

Amir seems to me to be one who is still searching, though he clearly believes he has "arrived"; at least, this was the case last time I checked his website. His intentions are good, and I feel that he genuinely believes he can guide people; but I also feel that belief arises from a misconception and an exaggerated idea of his own understanding.

There are things that we can learn from him, though they are more concerned with how he behaves, rather than what he says. He reminds us of the dangers of hubris; of believing that we are "awake" when all around us are "asleep" and thinking that makes us superior to them, even if that belief is largely unconscious.

He can also serve to remind us of the truth of Zen: "What it is cannot be spoken of, and that which can be spoken of is not it". Be wary of one who claims to know the truth and takes every opportunity to tell you so.

[anandakosha]

Been hearing this guy for a while; never heard him say or act anywhere that being enlightened is better and superior. he talks many times about "beginners mind" and keeping with "beginners mind" even after enlightenment. truth cannot be talked but what can be talked about is "finger pointing to the moon". I dont think that without teachers first talking about enlightenment that they can help others to their enlightenment. Zen has put always importance on satori - "Pointing directly to the mind of man, seeing into your nature and becoming a Buddha". Amir always points to seeing your infinite nature. This guy has helped me very much on my own path, his words are inspiring and i feel he talks from experience.

[tanukisan]

If you feel he is helpful on your path, that's fine; I have had a few disagreements with him and he has said things during discussions that I reflected in my post - for these reasons I feel he is not as clear as he believes he is. That does not mean he cannot be of use to others, but only up to a point. There are some excellent online sanghas that you might wish to look at; Plum Village is one run by Tich Nat Hahn, and there are one or two good people discussing Zen and Buddhist issues on FaceBook. You also might like to look at Barbara O'Brien's online newsletter at buddhism.about.com/?nl=1
Namaste.

[anandakosha]

Thanks, I like Buddhism but truth is not buddhist. I like Tich Nat Hanh too, he is nice guy but feel he is mostly speaking from knowledge of scriptures. I`ve been to amir`s classes and i recommend anybody who has chance to go see him, he is a rare kind of person, only talks from experience and beyond tradition.

[lukewarm]

Wonderful teacher, he seems to be one of the few who really "knows".

[yann]

People are always afraid of the giants because they challenge your ways of thinking and envy and jealousy blinds their hearts. Tanukisan sounds like one of those stingy and traditional Buddhists who start panicing whenever their beliefs are questioned. Ive always been very skeptical, but Amir is one of true gurus around. i might disagree once in a while with a few things but thats normal - mostly he hits the nail right on the head.

[dannon]

Jan 31, 2012 22:17:56 GMT -5 taoistwind said:

Actually its true there have been tantric Buddhists and Hindu sects of the left hand path and "Buddhists" in Tibet who also practiced black magic who have done such things as human sacrifice and have raped people. Most Buddhists follow right hand path, a very small number of "Buddhists" follow the left handed black magic. I also have heard amir's talks and he often speaks highly about zen and buddhism, vipassana and has alot of respect for Gautama Buddha. Educate yourself before commenting about a master.

Buddhism is the Middle Way. They have no concept of left and right. That is a very dualistic hindu concept. Also, even in the Hindu tradition this left and right in no way represents good or evil or white magic or black magic. If a Buddhist rapes or sacrifices anybody, even an animal, he is not a Buddhist. There is no place for animal sacrifice in Buddhism, anywhere. Buddhism is completely nonviolent. That is why it was so easy to invade Tibet. 

Amir seems to me to be one who is still searching, though he clearly believes he has "arrived"; at least, this was the case last time I checked his website. His intentions are good, and I feel that he genuinely believes he can guide people; but I also feel that belief arises from a misconception and an exaggerated idea of his own understanding.

There are things that we can learn from him, though they are more concerned with how he behaves, rather than what he says. He reminds us of the dangers of hubris; of believing that we are "awake" when all around us are "asleep" and thinking that makes us superior to them, even if that belief is largely unconscious.

He can also serve to remind us of the truth of Zen: "What it is cannot be spoken of, and that which can be spoken of is not it". Be wary of one who claims to know the truth and takes every opportunity to tell you so.

This is a very accurate assessment of him.
It seems like you are asking whether or not we think that he is worthy to idolize. No he is not worthy to idolize. Idolatry is a wrong turn. Bring your attention back to the quality of your own being. Any master or guru or saint is just as human as you. They fart, they burp. They get angry. They get sad. They just learn how to relate to it differently. 
Amir is very much on the path. I consider him an equal. A spiritual friend. But he won't have that relationship with anybody. He wants to be seen as the master. 
As for a spiritual critique of him and his teachings. He doesn't actually give teachings. He just tells what it is like to be enlightened. I have a problem with those kind of 'teachers'.... People need a path. Not somebody to idolize. They need to know what they can do to minimize their suffering, gain some insight or wisdom.... They need a path. 
So, in my opinion, enlightenment is not some expanded state of consciousness or a mystical high. Enlightenment is realizing thoroughly the true nature of ALL experience, even the most ordinary state of mind right now. Amir doesn't realize that. He is clinging to altered states of consciousness. 
The Buddha proved that. The first thing the Buddha tried was he mastered all the samadhis and jhanas of the form and formless states.... and he saw that they were all temporary states and he just went around the block and after the meditation was over nothing had changed. You can get yourself high and practice looking like a guru in the mirror, but it is temporary. 

What really matters is not who Amir is, even if he is am authentic guru (he has nothing new to say) but who you are and if you are committed to your path and practice regularly and are progressing. Nobody can do it for you. Not any guru. Beware the gurus who do not offer a path but rather just sit there telling you how enlightened they are and what it is like. 

I remember many times, and one time in particular, where people relate their insightful realizations into their true nature to Amir, and he says "It is not like that, once you REALLY awaken you see that it is like this...." and in this particular time this girl felt very invalidated and doubted herself and her own experience. That is dangerous. A real teacher never invalidates anybody or gets them to doubt their own experperience. Remember that! I had to go in and tell her secretly not to listen to Amir and that she was on the right track and just keep it up and allow her insight to deepen on its own. 

[maxdprophet]

Mar 5, 2016 21:36:40 GMT -5 dannon said:

Jan 31, 2012 22:17:56 GMT -5 taoistwind said:

Actually its true there have been tantric Buddhists and Hindu sects of the left hand path and "Buddhists" in Tibet who also practiced black magic who have done such things as human sacrifice and have raped people. Most Buddhists follow right hand path, a very small number of "Buddhists" follow the left handed black magic. I also have heard amir's talks and he often speaks highly about zen and buddhism, vipassana and has alot of respect for Gautama Buddha. Educate yourself before commenting about a master.

Buddhism is the Middle Way. They have no concept of left and right. That is a very dualistic hindu concept. Also, even in the Hindu tradition this left and right in no way represents good or evil or white magic or black magic. If a Buddhist rapes or sacrifices anybody, even an animal, he is not a Buddhist. There is no place for animal sacrifice in Buddhism, anywhere. Buddhism is completely nonviolent. That is why it was so easy to invade Tibet. 

Amir seems to me to be one who is still searching, though he clearly believes he has "arrived"; at least, this was the case last time I checked his website. His intentions are good, and I feel that he genuinely believes he can guide people; but I also feel that belief arises from a misconception and an exaggerated idea of his own understanding.

There are things that we can learn from him, though they are more concerned with how he behaves, rather than what he says. He reminds us of the dangers of hubris; of believing that we are "awake" when all around us are "asleep" and thinking that makes us superior to them, even if that belief is largely unconscious.

He can also serve to remind us of the truth of Zen: "What it is cannot be spoken of, and that which can be spoken of is not it". Be wary of one who claims to know the truth and takes every opportunity to tell you so.

This is a very accurate assessment of him.
It seems like you are asking whether or not we think that he is worthy to idolize. No he is not worthy to idolize. Idolatry is a wrong turn. Bring your attention back to the quality of your own being. Any master or guru or saint is just as human as you. They fart, they burp. They get angry. They get sad. They just learn how to relate to it differently. 
Amir is very much on the path. I consider him an equal. A spiritual friend. But he won't have that relationship with anybody. He wants to be seen as the master. 
As for a spiritual critique of him and his teachings. He doesn't actually give teachings. He just tells what it is like to be enlightened. I have a problem with those kind of 'teachers'.... People need a path. Not somebody to idolize. They need to know what they can do to minimize their suffering, gain some insight or wisdom.... They need a path. 
So, in my opinion, enlightenment is not some expanded state of consciousness or a mystical high. Enlightenment is realizing thoroughly the true nature of ALL experience, even the most ordinary state of mind right now. Amir doesn't realize that. He is clinging to altered states of consciousness. 
The Buddha proved that. The first thing the Buddha tried was he mastered all the samadhis and jhanas of the form and formless states.... and he saw that they were all temporary states and he just went around the block and after the meditation was over nothing had changed. You can get yourself high and practice looking like a guru in the mirror, but it is temporary. 

What really matters is not who Amir is, even if he is am authentic guru (he has nothing new to say) but who you are and if you are committed to your path and practice regularly and are progressing. Nobody can do it for you. Not any guru. Beware the gurus who do not offer a path but rather just sit there telling you how enlightened they are and what it is like. 

I remember many times, and one time in particular, where people relate their insightful realizations into their true nature to Amir, and he says "It is not like that, once you REALLY awaken you see that it is like this...." and in this particular time this girl felt very invalidated and doubted herself and her own experience. That is dangerous. A real teacher never invalidates anybody or gets them to doubt their own experperience. Remember that! I had to go in and tell her secretly not to listen to Amir and that she was on the right track and just keep it up and allow her insight to deepen on its own.

Like it or not, Buddhism is a religion too. And like all Religions, whatever nuggets of Truth may or may not be bandied about, power struggles arise as people use groups of people to exploit stuff. Some Buddhists think praying over and over will get you an iPhone, some think the buddha was born out of the side of his mother while white elephants floated nearby, many delight in all sorts of meaningless accessories to display their buddhist identification. In Sri Lanka, Buddhists are engaged in violent struggle.

[jay17]

Mar 8, 2016 13:44:33 GMT -5 maxdprophet said:

Like it or not, Buddhism is a religion too.

Only in the mindtanks of those that treat\label it as such...or those that ignorantly think all Buddhists or all people who appreciate and impliment soul change from Buddha's teaching treat their relationship with it as a religion.

[maxdprophet]

Mar 8, 2016 15:38:27 GMT -5 jay17 said:

Mar 8, 2016 13:44:33 GMT -5 maxdprophet said:

Like it or not, Buddhism is a religion too.

Only in the mindtanks of those that treat\label it as such...or those that ignorantly think all Buddhists or all people who appreciate and impliment soul change from Buddha's teaching treat their relationship with it as a religion.

and the same could be said of any religion

[jay17]

Mar 15, 2016 8:00:20 GMT -5 maxdprophet said:

Mar 8, 2016 15:38:27 GMT -5 jay17 said:

Only in the mindtanks of those that treat\label it as such...or those that ignorantly think all Buddhists or all people who appreciate and impliment soul change from Buddha's teaching treat their relationship with it as a religion.

and the same could be said of any religion

Current religions that are accepted all over the world as a religion...no.

Perhaps when a spiritual philosophy was in it's infancy, didn't have many followers, they may have not been classified as a religion, but as the philosophy developed, especially with the rituals, rules and customs of the belief system, it became classified as a religion.

And there's the issue of the definitions of 'religion'
1. The belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers, regarded as creating and governing the universe.
2. A particular variety of such belief, especially when organized into a system of doctrine and practice.
3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.

I think #1 matches any religion that worships a god\creator being.
The traditional idea of religion, a god as the head of the organisation.
Christianity as an example
#2 seems like the 30,000+ variants of it, catholics, protestants, baptists, etc

#3 seems to be different to #1&2 , in that the spiritual teacher does not have to proclaim he is a god\has become one, or has any contact with one, or his\her teachings has anything to do with any type of god\higher that human kind authority.

That's how i perceive Buddha's teaching, he simply discovered how to end internal suffering, and thus the subsequent harm\suffering we humans inflict on all other living things.

However, i am speaking of the original teachings, the founding fathers of these philosophies.

And like how Jesus was deified 300 years after his death by Constantine because the growing followers of Christ were undermining his power\the stability of his domain, so he decided to unite everyone under one religion, called christianity, with Christ as the actual son of god.  Though the Gnostic bible tells a completely different story of the teachings of Jesus than the commonly used bible of today. And in the same way, i have met a person who is part of a culture that has evolved into deifying Buddha, even though he never proclaimed any god-like status.

So in that sense, there are branches of Buddhism that are transforming\evolving into the traditional form of religion, people worshipping a god, praying to it, hoping it will solve their problems for them...yet that has nothing to do with Buddha's original teaching of self awareness, knowledge and development.

To these people who build alters to Buddha and pray to him, i imagine they have no prob calling their belief system a religion.
My relationship with buddha and his teaching will never be called that.

I am not a fan of having two completely different definitions of the same word. I find it can create confusion and misunderstanding. Words are easily created, so i don't see the rational in using one word to define two different things.
Unless, in this case, the people who decided to lump the likes of Christianity and Buddism under the singular category of Religion was due to them not knowing the differences in the two spiritual philosophies, in my mind being, one is about worshipping and submitting to the will of a god, while the other is simply about self development, without any external higher power involved.

I prefer to call my connection with Buddhism as a spiritual philosophy, not a religion, regardless of the dictionary definitions.
For that is a vital element of life is it not...to make up our own minds about things, regardless of what anyone else things or of how many subscribe to one specific idea.

Hence my statement, Buddhism is only classified as a religion by...Only in the mindtanks of those that treat\label it as such...or those that ignorantly think all Buddhists or all people who appreciate and impliment soul change from Buddha's teaching treat their relationship with it as a religion.