I don't see how Enlightenment is in any way connected with not having desires, from a theoretical level (MMY never said that); or experiential level...looking at various people whom I consider to be Enlightened; for example. 1. Various Buddhist teachers, and texts have people repeating the Bodhisattva vow, which entails Enlightened people using some type of subtle body to be used for the purpose of assisting others. For example, p. 118 of "The Seven Chapter Prayer of the Great Teacher Padmasambhava", p. 118, states part of the vow: "I vow that having attained the level of Buddhahood, I shall bring all beings to full Enlightenment, using whatever means are necessary for whomsoever is to be tamed". Therefore, this is definitely an avowed desire, requiring a body in the context of useful and skillful means toward an end. 2. The Dalai Lama definitely has desires: foremost on his is list is his stated desire to help the Tibetan people. 3. Terton Kansang Dechen Lingpa Rincoche, an Enlightened teacher from Tibet, has the desire to assist the monks and nuns of the Zangdokpalri monastery in Northeastern India. A pamphlet from his org states, "According to his visions of Padmasambava, Kunzang Dechen Rinpoche has established a nunnery and monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, one of the poorest though most beautiful areas in the world. The brochure is inviting people to donate money. This is definitely a worthy desire, don't you think? 4. Enlightened Kriya yoga Guru Sri Satyeswarananda Giri has desires. See: http://www.sanskritclassics.com/aboutbaba.html In 1982 after he initiated me into Kriya yoga, I asked him what his purpose was in coming to the U.S. He said it was to teach the "true" version of Kriya Yoga (he maintained that Yogananda was teaching it improperly); to set the record straight on the history of Kriya Yoga, and to teach the technique to worthy seekers. Those are all desires. 5. Enlightened teacher Kalu Rinpoche said, (through an interpreter) that he urged people to chant Om Mani Padme Hum. That's a desire. 6. Ramakrishna stated that he intended to incarnate again 200 years after his last incarnation. That's definitely a desire. 7. The next one...you may not agree that Jerry Jarvis is enlightened but I believe he is. He definitely has numerous desires. I worked with him at SIMS for several years, 1970 through 1973. For example, on one occasion I found a huge box of photos of people in some of the early courses...Idlewild, etc. I told Jerry about the box and he requested me to clean up the basement. That was a desire on his part. 8. Also, I believe Walter Koch was Enlightened. Once I was having a conversation with him and asked about the content of thought. He said "give up negative thinking". It was his desire to tell me that. 9. Take Ramana Maharshi. His brother was the "Shakti" to his "Shiva" role. Ramana asked his brother to be the manager of the ashram, who then carried out the work by doing it himself or dishing the work out to subordinates. It was Ramana's desire to have his Brother play that role.
To conclude, I see no cause and effect relationship, correlation, or connection whatsoever between 1. Being Enlightened and 2.not having desires. On the contrary, MMY is Enlightened (I believe); and every day on this forum, dozens of times, people mention his desires. So, wherever the idea comes from regarding desires, it doesn't come from MMY or any of the Enlightened people I'm familiar with. Which Enlightened people say they have no desires? If they said it, it was their desire to say it!!! (so figure that one out). To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
