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atomikfunksoldier
T'was born oftrue in the yearof the cock!
Registered: 04/07/03
Posts: 1,500
Loc: a human-infested anthill
Last seen: 20 years, 6 months
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the mindless western ape
#1498557 - 04/27/03 06:18 PM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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I think its funny how modern-westerners (north americans/euros) romanticize eastern culture and mysticism into this pure little flawless ideal that doesnt exist.
Its also funny when westerners "ape" eastern spiritual practices in order to attain something they dont understand that doesnt even exist. (enlightenment)
just my opinion though........thoughts?
-------------------- enjoy the entertaining indentity i have constructed for you while you can.
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Sole_Worthy
Stranger
Registered: 04/20/03
Posts: 463
Loc: over here
Last seen: 2 years, 5 months
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Are you saying enlightenment does not exsist?
-------------------- get it all together get like birds of a feather
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gedezia
backlash
Registered: 04/24/03
Posts: 60
Loc: heaven
Last seen: 19 years, 5 months
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: Sole_Worthy]
#1498597 - 04/27/03 06:36 PM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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maybe a distinction should be made and emphasized between tangible knowledge (what one can word and fill up message boards with) and silent knowledge. an absolute truth is that everyone knows infinitely more than what is usually available to them much of the time. hence inner silence, a different point of reference.. or whatever. words can make one feel very enlightened, but they have a tendency to fail you in the end; assuming youre going anywhere.
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Dogomush
Barbless Aryan
Registered: 10/05/02
Posts: 1,286
Loc: The Canadian west coast
Last seen: 19 years, 25 days
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: gedezia]
#1499035 - 04/27/03 09:30 PM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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I've been finding myself making this point many times everyday on these boards lately. It's a pretty common thing to believe among hippies I know. The East... especially India is really spiritual... yeah right. When's the last time you visited a town without a church?
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infidelGOD
illusion
Registered: 04/18/02
Posts: 3,040
Loc: there
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: Dogomush]
#1499452 - 04/27/03 11:41 PM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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Yeah I don't think "western" Buddhism is close to the real thing... but it seems to be what's in right now... people talking about chi and chakras and shit...
I guess esoterica is the new cool.
It's the world we live in. Just you wait... But to tell the truth I'd rather follow a degenerate, bastardized form of Eastern thought.... at least it's better than Christianity.
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tekramrepus
Registered: 02/20/02
Posts: 2,253
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: infidelGOD]
#1499498 - 04/27/03 11:52 PM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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Im grateful that we live in times where we can easily access previously hidden and sacred practices and beliefs of spirituality.
Enlightenment definatly exists - but its already with us. Its just a matter of wether or not we can become aware of it in ourselves. Techniques like meditation are very useful, not only for enlightenment - but for healing, awareness, ego death , etc.
Now I agree that many people are Searching for something externally, and are further deluding themselves. This happens and has always happened.
The ultimate journey is the journey within, once you have faced that, anything that happens on the outside does not appear so threatening.
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Murex
Reality Hacker
Registered: 07/28/02
Posts: 3,599
Loc: Traped in a shell.
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: tekramrepus]
#1499712 - 04/28/03 01:00 AM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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I'm not into any one specific religion/culture, but I have activated chatkras before I knew what they were. I won't give in to any cultures' ways (religious too) just cuz they see simillar things than me on my path- that would be the worst thing (imo) I could do.
The only correct way to enlightenment, is within yourself, not someone else.
-------------------- What if everything around you Isn't quite as it seems? What if all the world you think you know, Is an elaborate dream? And if you look at your reflection, Is it all you want it to be?
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thestringphish
vajrayana
Registered: 04/17/03
Posts: 521
Loc: on my way to another plac...
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: Murex]
#1499762 - 04/28/03 01:24 AM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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Most buddhism is not close to the real thing, if you compare the religion of modern buddhism from anywhere with the actual teachings of the buddah, it's incredibly funny how twisted it has become, From simple guidlines on a way of life to bring about peace and enlightenment(which does exist, saying it does not is like a person who has never experienced love saying love does not exist, just ignorant) a full blown religion has emerged, complete with idols, alters, and priests. Completley rediculous, but the same thing happens with most major religions. Christianity, Jaineism, Confucionism(that ones really absurd in how it got twisted), etc...
I've always wondered why The Buddah is depicted as a jolly fat man? He fasted for so long before he atained enlightenment he was skinney as a toothpick, so why is he fat in the idols? The only explanation is mabey it's supposed to be him before he left his material life, but why would that image be idolized? To me these images look more like Bodhidharma, without the facial hair. Or mabey it's just an Asian Santa Clause
Anyone know what the deal is with the fat Buddah idols?
-------------------- Ken Wilbur "this is life changing" welcomehome
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atomikfunksoldier
T'was born oftrue in the yearof the cock!
Registered: 04/07/03
Posts: 1,500
Loc: a human-infested anthill
Last seen: 20 years, 6 months
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yes, the funniest thing about buddhism is that buddha basically said
"dont follow me, there are infinite paths to enlightenment"
but humans are DUMB. not me though, and not you (wink)
-------------------- enjoy the entertaining indentity i have constructed for you while you can.
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cleaner
Stranger
Registered: 04/02/03
Posts: 508
Last seen: 19 years, 4 months
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All this talk about east is good west is bad, or west is the shit india is the nuts All of this is crap. There are good AND bad, damb AND smart, enlightened AND profain people in every race in every corner of the earth. However, what we sould be concerned about is the majority of population - the domesticated apes who truly and madly belive that the whole universe revolves around them.
--------------------
Edited by cleaner (04/28/03 05:55 AM)
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quemo
dontknowitall
Registered: 12/19/02
Posts: 137
Loc: worldcitizen
Last seen: 19 years, 10 months
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: cleaner]
#1500343 - 04/28/03 09:48 AM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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hear hear!!
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Madtowntripper
Sun-Beams out of Cucumbers
Registered: 03/06/03
Posts: 21,287
Loc: The Ocean of Notions
Last seen: 7 months, 20 days
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: quemo]
#1500380 - 04/28/03 10:16 AM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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I dont think theres anything wrong with people here (The West) looking for some manner of spirituality in the East. They obviously cant find what they're looking for in this society, and so what if the things they find arent "Original" or "Proper". If it makes that individual person find a bit of peace and spirituality in themselves, who are you to knock them?
-------------------- After one comes, through contact with it's administrators, no longer to cherish greatly the law as a remedy in abuses, then the bottle becomes a sovereign means of direct action. If you cannot throw it at least you can always drink out of it. - Ernest Hemingway If it is life that you feel you are missing I can tell you where to find it. In the law courts, in business, in government. There is nothing occurring in the streets. Nothing but a dumbshow composed of the helpless and the impotent. -Cormac MacCarthy He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. - Aeschylus
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Dogomush
Barbless Aryan
Registered: 10/05/02
Posts: 1,286
Loc: The Canadian west coast
Last seen: 19 years, 25 days
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Some people get lots out of mushrooms, others just get funky nights with weird colours. Some find meaning everywhere, some have to follow trends to India to find meaning. I live in hippy land so I encounter people all the time who talk about how India is so amazing and their religions are so much more spiritual and all that, but I think it's just how you look at things. India is trendy and we have it in our heads that India's the only place you can find yourself, but to me that's laughable. You just gotta look around and pretty soon you'll find all the meaning and spirituality you could ever want right underneath your nose. If you gotta fly around the world to find yourself, then what's the point? It makes me think of people who search for the ultimate product. One day soon, they are going tofind the car that leaves them more satisfied than ever before and they can finally die knowing they've fulfilled their purpose on this planet. But you're right, who am I to knock them, really?
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atomikfunksoldier
T'was born oftrue in the yearof the cock!
Registered: 04/07/03
Posts: 1,500
Loc: a human-infested anthill
Last seen: 20 years, 6 months
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: Dogomush]
#1501289 - 04/28/03 04:10 PM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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my only problem with the hypothetical (based on reality) people I am talking about is.....they create a romanticized, ignorant ideal of a culture that doesnt really exist, and then they follow this ideal blindly, and I think its silly.
it seems that, to north americans.....these so called "spiritual" cultures are just consumable products. products they can simplify and then consume to become "spiritual"
-------------------- enjoy the entertaining indentity i have constructed for you while you can.
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infidelGOD
illusion
Registered: 04/18/02
Posts: 3,040
Loc: there
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Enlightenment for the masses. Packaged for individual comsumption by America Inc.
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atomikfunksoldier
T'was born oftrue in the yearof the cock!
Registered: 04/07/03
Posts: 1,500
Loc: a human-infested anthill
Last seen: 20 years, 6 months
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Re: the mindless western ape [Re: infidelGOD]
#1501328 - 04/28/03 04:18 PM (20 years, 10 months ago) |
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yeah.....and then people seeking spiritual cultures over-run these countries and completely mutate them from being beautiful peaceful places into north american theme parks.
-------------------- enjoy the entertaining indentity i have constructed for you while you can.
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