Who was The BUDDHA?

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"The PATH of NO EXPECTATIONS"

"Individual people stumble over pebbles, never over mountains."

~ Emilie Cady

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"The PATH of NO EXPECTATIONS"

• Why Are You So Unhappy?
• “Expectations” / Disappointments & Other Demands

• Old Wounds of Disappointment & Unmet Idealisms

• Zen-founder Bodhi-Dharma & his first disciple

• "Hsin Hsin Ming" Zen's most beloved teaching-poem

The Great Way is not difficult / have no preferences !

To read Here just begin to SCROLL ▼DOWN

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( 7a ) CONTROL . . . < click over there

• CONTROL – Letting Go & Calling Off The Struggle

• How a Monkey Gets Caught in a Coconut Trap

• On Trying To FIND "Yourself" – The Big Pursuit

• Expectation-Softening, Learning-Quotes & Stories

~ a mind without

urgency

~ a mind without

demands

or else it's . . .

"The Ego-Entitlement Demon" expressed as

~ "The I-Must-Have-It-Mind" ~

a mind that will eat me up alive !.. because

"I have important 'preferences' to maintain..."

"I must always be In Control..."

"I must always be Right..."

"I am not very conscious that I am this way"

♦ "The PATH of NO EXPECTATIONS"

Becoming User-Friendly with Disappointment, Flaws, Failure, Upset and even Universal Betrayal

♦ "The PATH of NO EXPECTATIONS" – developed by our former Buddhist monk Akasa Levi.

– It is a rational, sane, scientific, 'experience'-based Wisdom-approach utilizing Insight Meditation Practice

and Compassionate Critical-thinking as "A Path of No Expectations" - for 'allowing' an intuitive, natural,

spontaneous 'Awakening into Awareness' to simply happen! ( after it happens: ‘practice’ does still continue )

"Why are you so unhappy?
Because 99.9 per cent
Of everything

You think about,
And of everything you do,
Is for yourself –
And there isn't one."

~ Wei Wu Wei

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“Expectations”

Disappointments

& Other Demands on the Ever-Present Moment

“Buddha taught the total Impermanence of ALL Conditioned Things:

Desiring, Obsessing, Grasping, Clinging & Attaching brings Suffering.

One of my primary ‘practices’ is: I cheerfully, EXPECT to be Disappointed.

But truly ‘Cheerfully’. But if by chance, it is a surprising and truly delightful

event for me in my mind, I fully enjoy it for those brief moments – but when

I see I am starting to adhere to the experience – sticky like fresh coconut paste.

‘Mindfulness’ tells me “don’t go get attached” - or you will be disappointed again.

How is it, you Americans say, ‘Back to square one’. Back to my breath. Start again.

This is where the “No Surprise” mantra comes in.” Choose you attachments carefully.

~ Bhante Ananda Maitreya

"All philosophies are 'mental fabrications'.

There has never been a single doctrine

by which one could enter

the True-essence of things."

~ The Buddhist Yogi Nagarjuna

India, 1st century AD

( well, now isn’t that disappointing ! )

. . . And then my teacher disappointed me ~

“Sorry, but you can’t become “A Buddhist” – that’s just

merely a ‘label’ or a ‘name’ – a big identity-‘concept’ held in the mind.

Most spiritual teachings or rituals are like that: very useful good ‘words’.

A ‘name’ and a ‘form’ ( nama-rupa ). Very convenient ‘labels’ & ‘beliefs’.

The Truth: ‘You’ simply Are as you are – present – for this very moment.

Now, living in Peace within this ‘moment’ is still not becoming

a ‘Buddhist’ either – but truly becoming a living Buddha ! Instantly.

For just this moment. How long is a ‘moment’ ? “

~ Bhante Ananda Maitreya ( 1896–1998 ) “A Buddha for The Moment “

Don't try to use what you learn

from Buddhism to be a 'Buddhist' –

– instead, use it to be a better

"Whatever-you-already-Are"

~ His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama

( down in Section #9 – and also in the Archive on 'Great Doubt' –

there is more about what keeps The Buddha 'kosher' and honest,

non-authoritive, non-hierarchical, non-proselytizing, non-coercive,

very iconoclastic, peacefully anarchistic, selflessly-individualistic,

free, radical, kind and universally compassionate. Please go look! )

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The genuine essence of an 'Adventure'

is that one just really doesn't know the outcome.
The essence of an evolving 'Spiritual' Adventure

is that one shouldn't need to know the outcome -
and that one absolutely can’t know the outcome!

And that there really aren't any 'outcomes'.

~ Alexander Carpenter ~

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"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns –

I am thankful that thorns have roses." ~ Alphonse Karr

" There is

No 'Way'

That It Is

Supposed

To Be ! "

~ Sri Anagarika Munindra

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Beware

But ~ Be Aware of All "EXPECTATIONS" Arising in Your Mind ! ! !

– even of this 'method' presented here - if it ‘promises’ to do it for you . . .

'The Old Bruises of Unmet Idealisms'

'The Old Wounds of Disappointment'

'The Old Scars of Discouragement'

'The Old Wounds of Abandonment'

'The Old Wounds of Resentment'

'The Old Wounds of Grieving

Heck, They're Only Just "Thoughts"

But They'll Just About Kill-off Anything.

~ Ka Ching

" If you are irritated by every rub,

how will you ever be polished ? " ~ Rumi

"EXPECTATIONS Disappoint . . .

The 'nice' well-mannered students soon left. Only the misbehaved

stayed. Maharaj was definitely physically and philosophically wild.

Besides, this teacher even looked bad-ass mean like Bodhidharma !

Some of the best teachers disappoint: they test your faith, make you

sorta’ fight to actually stay the course. It does separate the wheat from

the chaff. Maharaj, glowering with anger, was always tossing people

out of the room. “Maharaj doesn’t want you to come back here – ever”

And yet, the rare “few” seekers always did return. Maharaj would laugh

and twinkle galore – like a never seen before ‘new’ friend had just arrived.

Jeez, you might think that Maharaj was having a senior moment, or pissed

off or quite provocative - a skinny old man chain smoking bede cigarettes,

throwing oranges at students like the crazy ole' monkey he looked like –

and that his sharp unyielding Non-Duality teachings were too confusing –

all that is – IF you happened to overlook that perpetual loving, truly wise

enlightened embrace in his eyes that let you, us – and also himself –

really KNOW that this present moment was absolutely perfect just As It Is -

and sorta’ funny too ...and he made such smart, mystical, but real sense."

~ a satsang student's comments after being

with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj in Bombay for

awhile in 1978. Maharaj died in 1981 at age 84.

When I see I am Nothing – that is Wisdom.

When I see I am Everything – that is Love.

And between these two, my life flows.

~ Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Most of the really great Asian teachers are now gone –

those of Asia & India that lived in a pre-global world.

It is recommended that you catch the 'Old School'

of teachers, wherever they live - even here in America,

as soon as you can before all that's left are derivatives.

more on Nisargadatta Maharaj ~

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

" I wouldn’t join a club that would have me for a member " –

– translates itself to me as: I'm just not that worthy . . .

Because I wouldn’t ‘take in’ & really ‘value’ the teachings

of any spiritual teacher fool enough to have me for a student ...

~ Guy Indabak

"The wilder a boy was,

the higher Pa would praise him...

Pa praised me –

Pa would've praised you too."

~ Kris Kristofferson

"The Lotus has its roots in the mud,

Grows up through the dirty deep water,

And rises to the surface.

It blooms into perfect beauty and purity in the sunlight.

It is like the mind unfolding to perfect joy and wisdom."

~ The Lotus Sutra

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What is Karma ? action/reaction, cause & effect

Every action has consequences: gotta' pay attention !

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“Karma” means you don’t get away with nothing, dharling !

No matter what the good reasons, rationalizations or justifications –

special circumstances or situations, even good excuses ALL count...

Does it still have a charge on it for you? Or them?...

Everything always counts till it doesn't, dharling.”

~ Mme. Ruth Denison - http://fr.dharma.org/ij/archives/1997a/ruth.htm

and http://www.sandyboucher.net/dancing.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Denison

So you'll finally Know what it means: a short-read up on Karma

and Buddhist Karma at ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma

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a section on karma, and what really is reincarnation & rebirth –

will eventually be added to the Archive – meanwhile . . .

Oh For The Life Of A Sardine

by Charlie Chaplin from the film "Limelight" 1952

When I was three my nurse told me

About reincarnation ...

And ever since I've been convinced,

Thrilled with anticipation

That when I leave this earth

It makes my heart feel warm

To know that I'll return

In some other form.

But I don't want to be a tree

Sticking in the ground –

I'd sooner be a flea.

I don't want to be a flower

Waiting by the hour

Hoping for pollens to alight on me.

So when I cease to be

I want to go back, I want to go back,

I want to go back to the sea!

Oh for the life of a sardine!

That is the life for me!

Cavorting and spawning every morning

Under the deep blue sea.

To have no fear for storm nor gale.

Oh to chase the tail of a whale!

Oh for the life of a sardine!

That is the life for me!

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That's all any of us are: amateurs.

We don't live long enough to be anything else.

~ Charles Chaplin

'SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES'

and Entitlement Expectations

'Entitlement' - I thought you said 'Enlightenment'

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"When you just stop 'e x p e c t i n g'

Realizations & Reality to manifest for you

through a very 'special experience',

or with a 'specific' definable form,

or through a secret ‘esoteric teaching’,

or even a highly 'enlightened' teacher –

you will then discover True Reality

showing up within every experience

and shining through all manifest forms."

~ metta zetty

“Experience this very moment

– here right now –

and you can discover the joy

that includes everything –

the love that includes hate

the peace that includes the war”

~ metta zetty

The brilliant Buddhist Non-Attachment

"Teachings On Emptiness"

can 'save' you

from being caught up

in any ‘notion’ whatsoever –

'spiritual' or otherwise.

But IF you get caught in the

'Notion’ of Emptiness itself,

Nothing can save you !

~ Thay

~ TAO ~

The Tao does not speak.

The Tao does not blame.

The Tao does not take sides.

The Tao has no expectations.

The Tao demands nothing of others.

The Tao is not Jewish.

Accept misfortune as a blessing.

Do not wish for perfect health

nor a life without problems.

Otherwise, what would you talk about?

~ both ‘Sayings of a Jewish Buddhist’

"Praise and blame,

gain and loss,

pleasure and sorrow ~

come and go like the wind.

To be happy –

rest like a Giant Tree,

in the midst of them all."

~ The Buddha

“good enough meditation”

There is a big crucial difference here ...

in our type of Mindfulness Meditation.

Cultivating a 'generous mind' –

that simply says

it's 'Good Enough'

to be present in the moment

when I am present in the moment.

That’s enough.

I simply practice a

“good enough meditation”.

But I do practice !

~ Sensei Yvonne Rand

"Enlightenment does not come from

some spiritual shakti pat on the head.

You might still remain a complete dummy.

The Buddha's style of Enlightenment

only comes through 'Understanding'.

When you understand fully - you 'get it' -

What you painfully didn't understand.

What you didn't understand falls away

and you are free of it.

Now apply that to everything -

and you'll be free of it all.

And it'll all still be around for you to enjoy 'it',

but just not be so attached to it."

~ Bhante Ananda Maitreya

To Become Enlightened

Is to be comfortable with the flow of life.

If you're feeling sad, you're not trying to talk yourself out of it.

If you're feeling happy, you're not trying to hold on to that feeling.

Everything simply 'is what it is' - without the additional charge

of 'stories', past associations, traumas and conditioned patterns

intruding on the experience of each moment. You are simply 'here'.

You will still have desires, but they won't turn into cravings.

You will still have resistances, but they won't turn into aversions.

You'll become fully present with each emotion, each experience.

You'll find that any emotion, no matter what it is –

when fully experienced – becomes 'equanimity'.

~ Kiara Windrider

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The Story of Bodhi-dharma and his First Disciple ~

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When the eccentric old Indian Zen-master Bodhi-dharma

relocated to China in the 6th century AD – the young monk who

was to be the future Second Patriarch of Zen came to visit him

in his cave. Bodhi-dharma would not even talk to him.

To show that he was genuinely sincere in his quest, the young

monk cut off his left arm and presented it to Bodhi-dharma.

Now, seeing this,

Bodhi-dharma spoke at last & asked him, "What do you want?"

The young monk said, "My mind is not rested.

Please pacify it for me."

Bodhi-dharma said, "Now bring me your mind and I will pacify it."

"But I cannot find my 'Mind' when I go look for it."

"THERE," said Bodhi-dharma, "I have pacified it for you."

The young monk was doubly stumped – and Enlightened !

He went on to become the renown Second Patriarch of Zen.

In the "beginner's mind" there are many possibilities. ~ The Tao

Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter.

If your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things – this is the best season of your life.

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"After a few years of meditation practice

we can even learn how to

occasionally ignore ourSelves.

And what a relief that can be !"

~ Wes Nisker

The ignorant mourn the deaths of loved ones.

The wise mourn that they themselves are still alive

and still in love with their illusory "selves."

~ Chinese Aphorism

To be FREE of Desire and Attachment –

is to be Free OF “The Attachment” to

'Being Free' of Desire and Attachment.

~ Ram Dass, our good friend & spiritual elder ~ who also said

"If you think you’re Enlightened – spend a week with your family."

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