Re "Take the so-called "Bodhisattva Vow." Essentially, it is declaring to oneself and to the world one's intention to not allow oneself to become enlightened oneself until all sentient beings are enlightened.":
There is only the One Self - so there are no "others"! To become enlightened is to realise that truth and therefore to see that there is no one who is *not* enlightened and so no one who needs to be enlightened! "Subhuti, it is just the same when a disciple speaks of liberating numberless sentient beings. If they have in mind any arbitrary conception of sentient beings or of definite numbers, then they are unworthy of being called a disciple. Subhuti, my teachings reveal that even such a thing as is called a 'disciple' is non-existent. Furthermore, there is really nothing for a disciple to liberate." "A true disciple knows that there is no such thing as a self, a person, a living being, or a universal self. A true disciple knows that all things are devoid of selfhood, devoid of any separate individuality." DIAMOND SUTRA ---In fairfieldlife@yahoogroups.com, <emptybill@...> wrote: Alert! Alert! Now it can be told. What I think is "hard-wired" into the human psyche is ego, and hubris, and that's what I think is at the root of such goals, noble as they may seem. However, such a post is NOT "the result of ego and hubris" but is an oracular advent naturally appearing in the universe. I'm in awe! ---In fairfieldlife@yahoogroups.com, <turquoiseb@...> wrote: --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Michael Jackson wrote: > > just hard-wired into the con artists who claim to be able to do it. I am less harsh than you are, Michael, in that I suspect a lot of people who have such laudable goals "mean well," at least at the beginning. What I think is "hard-wired" into the human psyche is ego, and hubris, and that's what I think is at the root of such goals, noble as they may seem. Take the so-called "Bodhisattva Vow." Essentially, it is declaring to oneself and to the world one's intention to not allow oneself to become enlightened oneself until all sentient beings are enlightened. Sounds good on the surface, but step back for a moment and consider the HUBRIS of such a statement. To make it, you have to believe 1) that you have the *ability* to help bring all beings to enlightenment (can't get more hubristic than that), 2) that it is your *right* to modify these sentient beings life in accord with how you think they should be, and 3) that the universe actually gives a shit what you believe or what you "vow." Maharishi's quote below is in the same ballpark IMO. What gives him the *right* to define what "fully- developed citizens" are. Are they "people who meditate?" Do they include the toadies in the organization he founded who can only do what they're told, *whatever* they're told (like smuggling money across international borders)? IMO, one should always be wary of overly lofty goals. They are often trotted out for their "Wow factor," and to *distract* people from the here-and-now daily activities of those who profess them. As one spiritual teacher used to say, "Listen to what people say, but watch what they DO." After he gave this dictum to his students as a "rule of thumb," he was probably more surprised than anyone else when they started leaving in droves, after realizing that he failed to "walk his own talk." > -------------------------------------------- > On Fri, 11/8/13, anartaxius@... anartaxius@... wrote: > > So far, on the mat and counted out. This is > pretty much the goal of every organisation that wants to > better the world. Interesting that the dire situation at > hand never seems to get resolved. I suspect most religions > began with such laudable goals in mind. Could it be that > this inability to fulfill such a goal is hard-wired into the > universe? > > ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com mailto:FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, > dhamiltony2k5@ wrote: > >"We will count ourselves > successful only when the problems of today's world are > substantially > reduced and eventually eliminated and the educational > institutions of > every country are capable of producing fully developed > citizens." > > -Maharishi, from the > founding catalog of Maharishi International University, > 1974 >
