The etheric body responding

Ponder for a while on these types of energy and creatively imagine their effect when, in due course of time and spiritual unfoldment, they can pour unrestrictedly into and through the etheric body of a human being. At present, the etheric body is responsive to energies from:

1. The physical world. These are not principles but are the feeders and controllers of the animal appetites.

2. The astral world, determining the desires, emotions and aspirations which the man will express and go after upon the physical plane.

3. The lower mental plane, the lower mind, developing self-will, selfishness, separateness and the direction and trend of the life upon the physical plane. It is this directive instinct which, when turned to higher matters, eventually opens the door to the higher cosmic etheric energies.

4. The soul, the principle of individualism, the reflection in the microcosm of the divine intention and—speaking symbolically—being to the entire monadic expression that which "stands at the midway point," the instrument of true sensitivity, of responsive ability, the spiritual counterpart of the solar plexus centre which is found at the midway point between that which lies above the diaphragm and that which is found below it.

(Alice A. Bailey, TELEPATHY AND THE ETHERIC VEHICLE,

 Lucis Trust 1950)

The unconscious and Zen Buddhism

"The 'unconscious' of the Zen Master is more logical or epistemological than psychological. It is a sort of undifferentiated knowledge of non-distinction, or transcendental knowledge.''

(''A Zen Life: D.T. Suzuki Remembered'',     

  edited by Masao Abe, 1986) 

Mount Meru

''With a new wave of pilgrims and travellers at Mt. Kailas, a pattern has repeated itself. The wheel has turned through another cycle. For the present writer at any rate, an essential value is beginning to be lost. What was, when I first wrote this book, so striking and fascinating about Kailas was its majestic solitude up there on the Roof of the World, safely protected by the snowy ramparts of the Great Himalaya from the excesses of modern secular society. It seemed a sanctuary for the spiritual values that have been so sadly lost elsewhere in our world."

(''THE SACRED MOUNTAIN, THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO TIBET'S MOUNT KAILAS" by John Snelling, 

East-West Publications, 1990)

Tenacious Climber

Arunachala-Shiva,

Arunachala-Shiva,

in summer, it rains on top of the Hill

in winter. the rain stops.

The three jewels

I take my refuge in the Buddha, and pray that with all beings 

I may understand the Great Way, whereby the Buddha-seed

                           may forever thrive.

I take my refuge in the Dharma, and pray that with all beings

I may enter deeply into the sutra-treasure, whereby our wisdom

                 may grow as vast as the ocean.

I take my refuge in the Sangha, and pray that with all beings

I may reign in great multitudes and have nothing to check

               the unimpeded progress of Truth.

(Avatamsaka  Sutra)

Early Buddhism

It is known that when Buddhism and Jainism came into existence, cities had been established, and that the political powers centered around them. The age of the rise of Buddhism, Jainism and other heterodoxies from the viewpoint of Brahmanism occurred in the age when cities came into existence as the term city (nagara) was not mentioned in the Veda.

(''INDIAN BUDDHISM, A Survey with Bibliographical Notes'' by  HAJIME NAKAMURA, 1980)

THE VIZIERS OF BASSORA

                                         

                                         IBN SAWY

                             These are maxims, brother,

                          Unsuited  to our Moslem polity.

                        They savour of barbarous Europe.

           But in Islam all men are equal underneath the King.

                                         ALMUENE

                     Well, brother Turk, you are excused.

(Sri Aurobindo, ''Collected Plays and Short Stories'' -         Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Pondicherry)

The Sacred Path of the Warrior

 "A great deal of chaos in the world occurs because people don't appreciate themselves. Having never developed sympathy or gentleness towards themselves, they cannot experience harmony or peace with themselves, and therefore, what they project to others is also inharmonious and confused.''

(SHAMBALA by Chogyam Trungpa, 1984)

Crazy Wisdom

 ''A saint in the Buddhist context -for example, Padmasambhava or a great being like the Buddha himself- is someone who provides an example of the fact that

completely ordinary, confused human beings can wake themselves up, they can put themselves together through an accident of life of one kind or another.''

(''Crazy Wisdom'' by Chogyam Trungpa, SHAMBALA 2003)

Ό Έλληνας Βούδδας

" Ό πρώτος ορατός Βούδδας είχε την κατατομή του Απόλλωνα. Κι όσο κι αν αργότερα τον κέρδισε η ασιατική ενδοχώρα, παραμένει πάντα -στό ύφος, την πτυχολογία, την κίνηση- μια κλασική μορφή που δεν έχει σχέση με τά περίτεχνα και φορτωμένα αγάλματα τού τυπικού ινδικού πανθέου. Ακόμη και στις Κινεζικές και Βιρμανικές μορφές του, ο Βούδας κρύβει ένα ελληνικό μέτρο.

  Ό πρώτος ματακλασικός Έλληνας στοχαστής, ο Πύρρωνας, γυρίζοντας από την Ινδία, δεν κήρυξε, όπως όλοι οι προκάτοχοί του δόγματα γνώσης - αλλά δόγματα λύτρωσης. Η Σωκρατική εξίσωση ''αρετή ίσον γνώση" αμφισβητήθηκε."

(Νίκος Δήμου,'' Ό Έλληνας Βούδδας'', Εκδόσεις Νεφέλη 1984)