[FairfieldLife] Re: Religious aspects of the TM puja; Connecting to the Guru God

[grate . swan]

--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <curtisdeltabl...@...> 
wrote:
>
> --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, grate.swan <no_reply@> wrote:
> >
> > Does it upset you when you are a guest at a sumptuous meal and the host 
> > offers grace before the meal. I may be shallow, but I focus on  the meal 
> > and not on my hosts particular beliefs or traditions. And I don't somehow 
> > feel tainted or duped. 
> 
> This has nothing to do with the schools question.  My answer is no I don't 
> feel badly unless my host is a shitty cook.  I close my eyes and think of my 
> hostesses rack or if that is not an option, I find something of interest from 
> my well stocked mental masturbatory Rolodex.
> > 
> > Thanksgiving. Is that a religious holiday? Am I being secretly taught a 
> > religion if I take the holiday off, and eat a thanksgiving meal?  Who were 
> > the pilgrims offering thanks to? Oh my God! It was God! Run!
> 
> No it is not a religious holiday.  I think of it as giving thanks to the 
> relatives who have gathered for another year. The Indians at the first one 
> were being thankful that their new guests would never betray their 
> trust...and the Pilgrims were thankful that the Indian's wouldn't catch on 
> till the next shipment of gunpowder comes.
> 
> > 
> > Curtis doesn't like me to equate the fruit of meditation with actual fruit. 
> > And I am sure I am transgressing his beliefs with my meal analogy. But to 
> > me, it fits quite well. I am getting something quite secular -- a meal -- a 
> > useful meditation technique -- at the HUGE cost of listening to someone 
> > give thanks prior to the "meal". I don't get the outrage.
> 
> So how would you feel if your child in public school was forbidden from 
> eating all day during the month of Ramadan?  Would that be okaydokey?
> 
> > 
> > I practiced TM for some time. I don't know much about Hinduism. My Indian 
> > friends sort of tolerate my delusion that somehow I have something in 
> > common with them and their religion. But I can't be a Hindu in traditional 
> > Hinduism. White boys not allowed. So why would another white boy or worse 
> > white girl -- who can never be a hindu, teaching something to another white 
> > boy who can never be a hindu, somehow make teaching TM a religion. 
> 
> You not being born in the caste system has nothing to do with the beliefs 
> being religious or not.  Think of the difference in knowledge between how we 
> "know" how to build a computer and how a person "knows" that Jesus is their 
> savior.
> 
> > 
> > And don't even get me started on Christmas or Easter. If schools give these 
> > as holidays, aren't they complicit in some great religious conspiracy to 
> > dupe our poor cloistered youth? These holidays  CLEARLY have religious 
> > roots.
> 
> I am against too much Christian religion display in schools because I live in 
> a multicultural area.  You can't give a display to everyone so I say keep it 
> secular and enjoy Christmas at home. With most of the symbols being pagan and 
> my background growing up with them, I love Christmas but I don't want to see 
> a nativity scene at schools.
> 
> > 
> > No more Easter egg hunts on the White House lawn.
> I would just as happy to see that go.  Not going to happen till we get our 
> first non Christian president.
> 
>  Clearly a violation of church and state. Not only that, it has roots in 
> pagan religions! Pagan! As do Christmas trees. No more lighting of the 
> Christmas tree on TV at Rokerfella square or the White House.
> 
> I would just as happy to see that go.  Not going to happen till we get our 
> first non Christian president. The US used to be such a Christian nation that 
> it didn't matter so much.  That is changing.
> 
> > 
> > And the damn World Series. Those religious nut players actually give thanks 
> > to GOD before the game. The horror! Our poor kids!  Getting duped again by 
> > the omnipresent religious conspiracy.
> 
> I hate prayers from players during games because it reveals the most idiotic 
> theology I can imagine, a God who cares about sports outcomes!
>  
> > 
> > (I know you did not explicitly bring up some the points I am riffing on. ) 
> 
> Actually your riffs are typical of Bill O'reilly and the Christian right with 
> a anyone who dares speak out about Christianity not being shoved down the 
> throats of non Christians. 

Boy thats a leap! You think I am trying to shove christianity down non 
christians throats. I give a rats ass about christianity. I don't like it in 
fact. it appalls me. You appear to be seeing things in my words that are not 
there. (must be the devil has gotten to you)


You would enjoy his rap around Easter and Christmas when he plays this routine 
the most.

Bill o'reily makes me puke.

  Check out the cultural shift of our country's increasingly diverse religions 
from recent census numbers.  This issue is not going away, it will get more 
intense.

My point exactly . Embrace diversity.

 
> 
> > 
> > 
> > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <vajradhatu@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Most of the puja is blatantly religious. For example, the puja  
> > > contains the traditional shodashopachura pujana -  the puja of 16  
> > > offering. The puja of 16 offering is common in Hindu worship as a way  
> > > to "receive" or connect to a particular God. In this case the God is  
> > > the Guru, the Guru God or Guru Deva; "Guru Dev":
> > > 
> > > आवाहनं समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > aavaahanaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering invocation to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > आसनं समर्पयामि श्रीगुरु  
> > > चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > aasanaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering a seat to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > स्नानं समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > snaanaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering a bath to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > वस्त्रं समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > vastraM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering a cloth to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > चंदनं समर्पयामि श्रीगुरु  
> > > चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > cha.ndanaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering sandal paste to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > अक्शतान् समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > akshataan samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering full unbroken rice to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I  
> > > bow down.
> > > पुष्पं समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > pushhpaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering a flower to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > धूपं समर्पयामि श्रीगुरु  
> > > चचरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > dhuupaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering incense to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > दीपं समर्पयामि श्रीगुरु  
> > > चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > diipaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering light to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > अच्मनियम् समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > achmaniyam samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering water to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > नैवेद्यं समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > naivedyaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering fruit to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > आच्मनीयं समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > aachmaniiyaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering water to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > ताम्बूलं समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > taambuulaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering betel leaf to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > श्री फलं समर्पयामि  
> > > श्रीगुरु चरण कमलेभ्यो नमः
> > > shrii phalaM samarpayaami shriiguru charaNa kamalebhyo namaH
> > > Offering coconut to the lotus feet of the blessed guru, I bow down.
> > > उपचारस् - upachaaras
> > >
> >
>