Da Mo - Qigong/Buddhism

[Dvivid]

"No desires"...it's a hard subject to understand. Im reading on the subject. Its about not being 'attached'. You have to develop an internal, mindful relationship with your desires. You can live your daily life, engaged with your family, friends, and everything that you enjoy in the world, and you can desire things. The idea is to not be mindlessly 'attached' to your desires. Be mindful and aware in every waking moment. I have to study more to answer this question well. If anyone else experienced with Buddhism has insight, please offer it.

Meanwhile, I just found a great article I wanted to share. I will preface it by saying that the Dalai Lama is a great teacher. Enjoy the article below. He is the patron saint of Buddhist nerd science geeks. If only all our 'leaders' were so open-minded, and were so serious about seeking truth and compassion in the world:

In his lecture, the Dalai Lama spoke about the commonalities between eastern contemplative practices and contemporary science in terms of outlook and methodology; about areas of fruitful engagement between the two disciplines; and the importance of recognizing the interface between ethics and science.

“So what is a Buddhist monk doing taking such a deep interest in science?” he asked. The Dalai Lama noted that while the eastern contemplative tradition and modern science have evolved from different historical, intellectual and cultural roots, they share significant commonalities, especially in their basic philosophical outlook and methodology.

“On the philosophical level, both Buddhism and modern science prefer to account for the evolution and emergence of the cosmos and life in terms of the complex interrelations of the natural laws of cause and effect,” he said.

“From the methodological perspective, both traditions emphasize the role of empiricism. For example, in the Buddhist investigative tradition, between the three recognized sources of knowledge—experience, reason and testimony—it is the evidence of the experience that takes precedence, with reason coming second and testimony last. This means that, in the Buddhist investigation of reality, at least in principle, empirical evidence should triumph over scriptural authority, no matter how deeply venerated a scripture may be. Even in the case of knowledge derived through reason or inference, its validity must derive ultimately from some observed facts of experience.”

Because of this, he said that the empirically verified insights of modern cosmology and astronomy must compel us now to modify, or in some cases reject, many aspects of traditional cosmology as found in ancient Buddhist texts.

“Since the primary motive underlying the Buddhist investigation of reality is the fundamental quest for overcoming suffering and perfecting the human condition, the primary orientation of the Buddhist investigative tradition has been toward understanding the human mind and its various functions,” he said.

Need for Fruitful Engagement
The Dalai Lama recounted how much he has learned from engaging in conversations with neuroscientists and psychologists on such questions as the nature and role of positive and negative emotions, attention, imagery, and brain plasticity. “The compelling evidence from neuroscience and medical science of the crucial role of simple physical touch for even the physical enlargement of an infant’s brain during the first few weeks powerfully brings home the intimate connection between compassion and human happiness,” he said.

“. . . By gaining deeper insight into the human psyche, we might find ways of transforming our thoughts, emotions and their underlying propensities so that a more wholesome and fulfilling way of being can be found. It is in this context that the Buddhist tradition has devised a rich classification of mental states, as well as contemplative techniques for refining specific mental qualities.”

At the heart of eastern contemplative practices lie two key techniques, [b]the refinement of attention and its sustained application on the one hand, and the regulation and transformation of emotions on the other.[/b] “In both of these cases, I feel, there might be great potential for collaborative research . . .,” the Dalai Lama said.

Modern neuroscience has developed a rich understanding of the brain mechanisms that are associated with both attention and emotion, he said. The eastern contemplative tradition, given its long history of interest in the practice of mental training, “offers on the other hand practical techniques for refining attention and regulating and transforming emotion. The meeting of modern neuroscience and Buddhist contemplative discipline, therefore, could lead to the possibility of studying the impact of intentional mental activity on the brain circuits that have been identified as critical for specific mental processes.”

“In the least, such an interdisciplinary encounter could help raise critical questions in many key areas. For example, do individuals have a fixed capacity to regulate their emotions and attention or, as Buddhist tradition argues, their capacity for regulating these processes are greatly amenable to change suggesting similar degree of amenability of the behavioral and brain systems associated with these functions?”

“One area where Buddhist contemplative tradition may have important contribution to make is the practical techniques it has developed for training in compassion. With regard to mental training both in attention and emotional regulation, it also becomes crucial to raise the question of whether any specific techniques have time-sensitivity in terms of their effectiveness, so that new methods can be tailored to suit the needs of age, health, and other variable factors.” He further noted the importance of being sensitive to the definitions of terms, and what can be empirically studied when the traditions of eastern contemplative tradition and neuroscience are brought together.

“With these precautionary considerations, I believe, a close cooperation between these two investigative traditions can truly contribute toward expanding the human understanding of the complex world of inner subjective experience that we call the mind. Already the benefits of such collaborations are beginning to be demonstrated,” the Dalai Lama said.

“The Buddhist contemplative tradition may help to expand this field of scientific inquiry by proposing types of mental training that may also pertain to neuroplasticity. If it turns out, as the Buddhist tradition implies, that mental practice can effect observable synaptic and neural changes in the brain, this could have far-reaching implications.” For example, they could have great significance for our understanding of education and mental health. “Similarly, if, as the Buddhist tradition claims, the deliberate cultivation of compassion can lead to a radical shift in the individual’s outlook, leading to greater empathy toward others, this could have far-reaching implications for society at large.”

Ethics in Science
The Dalai Lama closed his remarks with a discussion of ethics. “ . . . I believe that the collaboration between neuroscience and the Buddhist contemplative tradition may shed fresh light on the vitally important question of the interface of ethics and neuroscience,” he said. “Regardless of whatever conception one might have of the relationship between ethics and science, in actual practice, science has evolved primarily as an empirical discipline with a morally neutral, value-free stance. It has come to be perceived essentially as a mode of inquiry that gives detailed knowledge of the empirical world and the underlying laws of nature.”

Scientific communities such as neuroscience play a vitally important role in this interconnected world, he said. “For whatever historical reasons, today you the scientists enjoy great respect and trust within society, much more so than my own discipline of philosophy and religion. Your knowledge is admired; your contributions towards the betterment of humanity as a whole are appreciated; and the intellectual integrity of your relentless search for truth is respected. So let me take this opportunity to appeal to you now to take the further step of bringing into your own professional work the dictates of the fundamental ethical principles we all share as human beings.”

“We must find a way of bringing fundamental humanitarian and ethical considerations to bear upon the direction of scientific development, especially in the life sciences,” the Dalai Lama told the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) meeting here. “I am speaking of . . . the key ethical principles, such as compassion, tolerance, a sense of caring, consideration of others, and the responsible use of knowledge and power—principles that transcend the barriers between religious believers and non-believers, and followers of this religion or that religion.”

“I personally like to imagine all human activities, including science, as individual fingers of a palm. So long as each of these fingers is connected with the palm of basic human empathy and altruism, they will continue to serve the well-being of humanity.”

“Today, I believe that humanity is at a critical crossroad,” the Dalai Lama said. “The radical advances that took place in neuroscience and particularly in genetics towards the end of the twentieth century have led to a new era in human history. Our knowledge of the human brain and body at the cellular and genetic level, with the consequent technological possibilities offered for genetic manipulation, has reached such a stage that the ethical challenges of these scientific advances are enormous.”

“ . . With the advent of the new genetics, neuroscience’s knowledge of the workings of biological organisms is now brought to the subtlest level of individual genes. This has resulted in unforeseen technological possibilities of even manipulating the very codes of life, thereby giving rise to the likelihood of creating entirely new realities for humanity as a whole.”

The Dalai Lama spoke on the “Neuroscience of Meditation” in the first of a new SfN lecture series titled “Dialogues between Neuroscience and Society” featuring leaders from fields outside of neuroscience whose work relates to subjects of interest to neuroscientists. The Dalai Lama has maintained a dialogue with leading neuroscientists for more than 15 years.

[url]http://www.mindandlife.org[/url]

[img]http://www.friendsoftibet.org/images/photos/people/dalai_lama/hisholiness.jpg[/img]

[smlak]

Here's an interview about the subject with an enlightened being:

http://www.leela.org/library/interviews ... n04p1.html

This should be interesting too:
http://www.leela.org/library/interviews/Pathways04.html

I also recommend any book or video by the following people (all said to be enlightened):

Jiddu Krishnamurti
Osho
Eckhart Tolle
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Ramana Maharshi
H. W. L. Poonja
Alan Watts
Eli Jaxon-Bear and Gangaji (speaking in the links above)

All their teachings are basically the same, just told from different perspectives.

The way I see it is that any method or technique that involves
"psychological time", meaning the struggle to get to some certain goal (in your mind) ain't really going to help. What I've been doing is just exploring myself, like what truly is the 'I'. And that's just being aware of everything that happens to and around me without 'the known', meaning any previously acquired information, belief or memory. Simply put, just being in the feeling of 'I am'.

[Dvivid]

I exist and I am thinking right now that I am thinking that I exist.

Who is the "I" who is watching me exist?!

[keniz138]

Dvivid...I am wondering do you practice zazen or qigong or both?

I do standing qigong and tai chi, but any sitting tiem is dedicated to straight up zazen.

[Dvivid]

I started with basic meditation when I was 11 in my Goju Ryu class. When I was 15, I found the book "The Three Pillars of Zen" and that lead to practicing zazen, and lots more studies.

Then I had some strange experiences, and felt a need to create movements in coordination with my breathing, and later discovered that this kind of art already existed for a long time: yoga, qigong, etc. I then tried to find out about qigong, but all the information was vague and contradicted itself. Then I found Master Yang, and understood clearly, thanks to his openness and systematic teaching. I moved to Boston, and started studying at headquarters and working at YMAA Publications. I now practice Embryonic Breathing and Small Circulation every time I sit (or stand)although oftentimes, I stop consciously "thinking" and circulating at all, which is the goal of qigong practice I believe.

Still, I read and re-read the theory and am working hard now to assimilate all of this information into myself. That's why I'm on this forum trying to help answer questions.

A great modern Zen/Chan teacher named Master Nan Huai-Chin says some things about how one shouldn't mess with consciously trying to circulate Qi, or practice Qigong, and that it will happen by itself naturally when you are sitting well in zazen and are healthy. I love his teaching VERY much, but I feel like I need the opposite approach in this one regard: to become healthier and sit better by using Qigong. Qigong has given me a tool to get 'out of my head' and into my mind/body feeling. Pure experience without conscious thinking.

Whatever works! Thanks.


David Silver
YMAA Assistant Qigong Instructor

[keniz138]

David, the reason I ask is that I have been sitting zazen for a few years now and have just recently begun qigong. I absolutely love it and have found myself doing it in the morning rather than doing zazen seeing as how zazen in the morning beofre sitting at a desk all day would often leave me stiff and cranky...my body loves the movement in the morning. I now leave my zazen practice to evenings for the most part.

What are your thoughts based on personal experience re: the progression of one's sitting meditation? Should I stick to straight zazen or should I incorporate small circ/emb. breathing into it. I don't want to mix too many practices here. Also, when doing seated qigong...do you use traditional zazen postures such as lotus/half lotus?

[Dvivid]

Yes, movement in the morning = good.

Embryonic breathing in fact was a part of internal cultivation in the early times of Buddhism in India and China. This has been lost from most meditation traditions, but you should realize that before Buddhism made its way to Japan, and this practice of zazen was 'created', it originated from a common root of Embryonic breathing/Small Circulation/Grand circulation.

Due to language barriers, and a lack of understanding, this 'internal cultivation' was misunderstood as being something more psychological or metaphorical, but it was in fact a physiological process which is ESSENTIAL for high levels of samhadi and the pursuit of enlightenment.

Reread Da Mo and see what he says about this 'cultivation'.

Enjoy!

Bye, gone on vacation.
DS

[a_nay1234]

Hey,

I can’t claim to know about Buddhism, but I know that this detachment from desire is in Christianity as well. Some of the monks were the best explicators of this because they were not so distracted by tangible things. I can explain it from that perspective and maybe that will shed light on the subject.

To start off with, it is not a matter of not having desires. To not have desires is to cease to be human. What is important is to not be trapped and enslaved by them. One may argue that we always have a will and can trump these desires, but that is simply not the case when a habit is built up to give way to desires. If the mind and will constantly give way to desires, then we are trapped by them and it takes a great deal of effort to change that situation.

Now, some clarifications need be made. There are two different types of desires, desires having their origin from our senses, and desires that are more rational. Ie, I can desire food, which is a desire coming from our sense desire (a desire to taste). I can also desire more rational things. Yet, more rational objects of our desire differ. For instance, I can desire money and I can desire justice (that I live a just life).

Now, most types of desires need to be regulated. The first type of desire (the desire for sense experience - taste, touch, smell, hearing, seeing) can be regulated by occasionally saying no to the experience. This is the basis of fasting in Christianity. The goal is to not be enslaved by sense desire (desire to taste food). Now, this is not to say that desire for sense is bad. No, it is completely natural; however, the desire should not overwhelm us or rule over us. We should rule over our senses, our senses should not rule us.

The more rational type of desire is more complex. Sometimes the object is worthy of our unlimited desire and sometimes it is not. Truth, justice, goodness are all examples of the first. Other things like money are not worthy of unlimited desire. To put it a different way, some things will govern our lives, others cannot. This is simply due to the nature of the object. So, we can desire money insofar that it is helpful to our situation, but we should not lust money such that it takes over our lives. In other words, it cannot be a guiding principle of our lives.

It becomes even more complex when we realize that money is not really desired for itself. It is desired for something else – what money can give. Sometimes, money is simply desired to buy things that satisfy our sensible cravings. You’ll not that this situation is really just an example of our sense desire ruling. Yet, in this case we use intelligence in order to procure more things to satisfy our sense desires. Sometimes, money can be used to bolster up ourselves and show how good we are to others (ie, pride). Other times, money is used to buy necessary things that help us live better. Yet, in any case, something like money should not be the governing principle in our lives. When it becomes so, it means that some sort of base desire is governing our lives (sensible desire, pride, etc).

This is by no means exhaustive, but I think it has shed some light on the topic.

Alex

[Dvivid]

Someone asked me:

Q: I have heard that there can be only one true master on Earth at one time. Is Li Hong-zi of falun gong the great master of our time?

A: Some backstory is required...I was lucky to have an excellent meditation teacher at age 11 in Karate class. In my youth I had some extraordinary meditation experiences - which is really what drew me toward 'the mystical Asian arts' in the first place. By 16 I was reading all the books on Buddhism I could find, and I was very serious in my pursuit of consciousness-expansion, and in "consciousness-experiments". I didn't "party" in my teens and early 20's; instead I was very serious about studying the mind. Since then, my interest in Buddhism and Qigong have collided as I've realized that the subjects are so interrelated, especially during my studies with Dr. Yang.

Many things factor into answering this question...My short overview is that Li Hong-zhi is a wise person, and great teacher in many respects. No, I don't believe that there can be "only one great master on the Earth at one time" in this context...Qigong teachers are like any other human. The more they practice, and the more inherent skill they have in their area of practice, the better...but they're no more magical than a great mechanic. Practice and wisdom leads to excellence in any discipline. The Buddhist concept of there only being one great master, or one Buddha on Earth at one time, does resonate with me as being true, since all things in the universe are cyclical. But, I don't believe that Li Hong-zhi is the Buddha of our era. There's lots of mechanics.

Li Hong-zhi teaches some excellent principles from the original form of Buddhism which did include exercises that would now be defined as 'qigong', although technically it was in India, and mostly isolated from China at the time. In India it's called the "microcosmic orbit" or "turning the wheel", in qigong its called Small and Grand Circulation. It seems though that the more Li Hong-zhi has been persecuted and criticized, the more his ego has flared and the more negative he has become...he displays more and more characteristics of being a bit out of control, bitter, and defensive.

Many of the things he teaches are truthful, but their definition is misunderstood and twisted by the media. And he seems very judgemental. Quite 'differentiating' for a Buddhist. Qigong is fairly simple, and the underlying theory is the same in all branches of qigong, since the human body is the same, so there isn't 'one system' that is superior.

I recognize and respect his efforts to return to the ancient way of Buddhism that included 'internal cultivation' - which is a physiological process of nourishing and reopening the physical 'third eye' organs, not only psychological. The third eye is related to the function of the pineal and pituitary glands, which have atrophied in modern humans. The other main physiological aspect of the 'internal cultivation' process is sublimating the Qi, prana, ki, whatever you want to call it. Bio-energy. As the thoughts settle and the mind becomes pure and you are able to experience reality in a non-dual way, and the Qi naturally ascends into the brain through the spinal cord, and reconditions the 'third eye' until it opens. This fact is lost in most of modern Buddhist society, and there are many branches of Buddhism that now claim their superior methodology of attainment... but they ignore the methods used by the "Buddha" of our time. Buddhists wait for this process to happen naturally over time during their meditation. Taoists utilize Qigong to make it happen.

Siddhartha Gautama was a young prince in a royal family in India who first experienced 'enlightenment' in 500 BC and became "Buddha". Buddha is a sanscrit word meaning 'miraculously aware', or 'awakened one'. As a young man he was naturally gifted, and a skillful archer and martial artist. His family was of the ruling 'warrior caste', kshatriya varna. He studied with many teachers, and was determined to see the true nature of reality, nearly dying in the process, until he attained enlightenment. We are all "Buddha" if we can see our true nature. One in 500 million people experience or attain this 'true enlightenment', but the word is thrown around casually in the world nowadays. I mention this only for context because it isn't commonly known or understood, and people usually relate "Buddha" to "God", and think of Buddhism as a theistic religion. It was not originally, but many forms of Buddhism have become theistic religions...

He summarized his teaching as, "I teach about suffering and the way to end it."

So, anyway, as I understand, the Buddha practiced some of the physical (qigong) exercises in his path to enlightenment that are taught in Falun Gong. "Turning the wheel." By the time Bodhi-damo brought these teachings to China in 500 A.D. 28 generations later, they were almost lost from Buddhism. Da Mo knew that Buddha's teachings were already fading and fortunately he transmitted a great deal during the last years of his life which he spent at Shaolin Temple in China. He 'preached' Buddhism there, and wrote two books that heavily influenced Chinese qigong practice, and were infused into Chinese self-defense techniques, and ultimately they transformed Chinese culture. And hence the Shaolin monks became empowered as the warrior monks, and Kung Fu (Gongfu) as we know it came into being. Da Mo is recognized as the second greatest teacher of Buddhism in our time.

I appreciate the Buddhist aspect of Li Hong-zhi's teaching. People call his 'Falun Gong' a cult, a sect, a religion...I say what's the difference? Judaism was a cult until it became a religion. Christianity was a cult before it became a religion. Same difference. And these organized religions stray so far from their original intention that the modern versions are convoluted dogma, rules, guilt tactics, frequently constructed from folk stories and 'pagan' myths (especially by the Christians) that pre-existed the start of the religion by centuries and millennia, and rewritten as Christian stories....

In my humble opinion, there is a singular universal consciousness that exists and its sole reason for being is for pure consciousness to exist. It is its nature to do so. It is manifested physically as the matter/energy/consciousness that all things consist of. We can see a tiny bit of the spectrum of this matter/energy/consciousness with our limited human sensory organs. Buddha sees all things. The universe, this indescribable playing field in which all matter/energy/consciousness exists, expanding in all directions, is infinite. It is impossible to truly conceive of infinity, but my favorite game is to try. Infinity plus 1.

Humans are self-aware. We are the sensory organs of the universe itself. Through us, the broad spectrum of sensory experience exists. But it has no more or less relevance than the broad spectrum of color that exists when you refract light with a prism. (Am I getting too abstract? This should probably be a conversation, not an email.) Does this mean human life is meaningless? There is no "God"? No happy man in the sky with harp music and nice people with feathers? No, quite the opposite. Human life is precious, and God is in all things. There are infinite stages/dimensions of existence, and beings other than that which we know to be human do exist. Call them angels, call them aliens - they are guardians, messengers, or guides to realization of the true nature of reality.

When the "ancient" religions discuss God, they are referring to this infinite awareness and our ability as beings in the universe to connect to it, and live in accordance with the underlying principles of the universe. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to judge or disrespect you or organized religions, because ultimately, their intentions are good, and that's better than most things in the world right now. But, look...the world is at war now in the name of religion. It seems "Thou shalt not kill" only applies to people in your own 'club'. I dislike clubs, I guess because it is my nature to aspire to non-duality? Buddhism teaches that all sentient beings are equally valid, and one should live a life of benevolence and compassion, and seek to end all suffering. Oneness. We are all in this together. Avoid 'attaching' too much to your cherished beliefs.

"Belief is the end of intelligence" - R.A.W.

I don't worship Buddha and I wouldn't call myself a Buddhist, or Taoist, and I don't claim to be an expert on the subject. (In fact, in classical Buddhism, there is no word 'Buddhist') But, I am an enthusiast, and have spent a long time researching this because of my own experiences, and I respect these principles and people greatly. Buddhist stories of attainment are so heroic! I feel so happy for Buddhas. No other discipline or system describes the universe with words that sound more truthful to me than Buddhism and Taoism. But, words are manmade. Ultimately, they fail to describe the infinite.

Classical Buddhism teaches that a Buddha comes into the world and suddenly all sentient beings are affected with increased awareness, and over time, that awareness fades...we are currently in the end of the "fade." Siddhartha Gautama is considered the 4th Buddha to have existed on Earth. The 5th is due any day now, in a year, or a millenium...Maitreya (http://www.maitreyaproject.org/en/maitreya/index.html). Some will consider this the second coming of Christ. Whatever words you choose to use to describe it doesn't really matter... It corresponds with the taiji concept of yin and yang. Extreme Yang manifests yin. And vice versa. One and zero. That is the fundamental nature of the universe. Matter, and anti-matter, or dark matter. Good times, dark times.

It seems to resonate well with the concept of cyclical changes in all natural things.

And, interestingly, in my humble research I have seen that many ancient cultures of the Earth, from all points on the globe; mayan, aboriginal Australian, African, many "native American" cultures, talked about the coming '5th world'. All sentient beings will suddenly attain the next level of awareness in the 5th world - when another Buddha arrives.

Or we could all just choose to attain enlightenment right now.

Ready...go!



"All composite things pass away. Strive for your own salvation with diligence."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha

BASIC PRINCIPLES:

The Four Noble Truths: that suffering is an inherent part of existence; that the origin of suffering is ignorance and the main symptoms of that ignorance are attachment and craving; that attachment and craving can be ceased; and that following the Noble Eightfold Path will lead to the cessation of attachment and craving and therefore suffering.

The Noble Eightfold Path: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

The concept of dependent origination: that any phenomenon 'exists' only because of the ‘existence’ of other phenomena in a complex web of cause and effect covering time past, present and future. Because all things are thus conditioned and transient (anicca), they have no real independent identity (anatta).

Rejection of the infallibility of accepted scripture: Teachings should not be accepted unless they are borne out by our experience and are praised by the wise. See the Kalama Sutta for details.

Anicca (Sanskrit: anitya): That all things are impermanent.

Anatta (Sanskrit: antman): That the perception of a constant "self" is an illusion.

Dukkha (Sanskrit: dukha): That all beings suffer from all situations due to unclear mind. Like me, right now!

Ancient Indian martial arts: http://www.lifepositive.com/body/martial-arts/marma-adi/kalarippayat-martialart.asp

[pizwatc]

For me, Buddhist teachings are never designed to convey an understanding of "truth". Inherent limitations of language, receptivity of the student, and complexity of the subject make even the most adept teacher incapable of conveying the truth through intellectual discourse. Consider something as simple as chocolate. I do not believe it is possible to intellectually convey what chocolate is to someone who has never tasted it. Therefore, the "chocolate teachings" which are useful are more akin to a map of how to acquire the experience of chocolate for yourself than a description of what chocolate is like for anyone else.
The same is true of Buddhism. The teachings are a map of how to acquire the experiences of reality which are more subtle, but also more powerful, than we normally come into contact with as we multi-task our neurotic way through life. If you want the experience, you have to practice and the map is only a guide to be questioned rigorously as to its utility at any given stage of your journey.
I hope this is useful. The same approach applies to Tai Chi. I once asked Madame Wang Jurong why a certain move was done a certain way. She replied by quoting her father, "Do it 5,000 times, then you will understand."