Having established these facts, it is important to understand that a realised monastic is not limited to his or her social role, and that realised members of lay society are equally not limited to their role. There exists enlightened freedom that functions through specific social roles, but which remains completely ‘free’ of any limitations as defined by those roles.
Tag: Daoism
Meditation Posture (Vajrasana)
Simple preparation on sand for the full ‘lotus’ position, also referred to within Chinese Buddhist (and Daoist) traditions as the ‘Vajrasana’ (金剛座 – Jin Gang
Distorted Zen – By Thomas Cleary
There are many differences between Chinese Ch’an and Japanese Zen – here the esteemed translator Thomas Cleary – focuses on the misunderstanding regarding ‘breathing’ as applied within the Japanese Zen schools, and how this deviates from Chinese Ch’an and Chinese Daoism.
Transcendental Illness
However, illness for many (even within privileged societies) is an everyday reality, particularly if there is no cure, or the case that medicines can only ‘control’ the situation for a time. Even in China where Daoism is an ancient medicalised spirituality, people who are ill keep themselves as ‘free’ of angst as possible, and seek to detach a ‘clear’ mind from an ill body as much as possible.
George Galloway’s Comments on Buddhism
Criticism is an important and central aspect of Buddhism. However, the Buddha taught that such a process should be ‘truthful’ if it is to be effective.
Daoist Transformation of Death
Shen is the realisation and permanent identification of consciousness with universal ’empty space’ to such a degree that when the physical brain ceases to function, the ‘practitioner’ becomes the state of ’empty space’ – which is the universe that includes all things. This is why advanced Daoist practitioners are able to enter this state whilst still in their bodies, so that the actual ‘act’ of dying becomes a formality whereby ‘breathing’ ceases altogether and qi energy permanently integrates with ‘jing’ and ‘shen’ – leaving the physical body behind forever.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 