DWQA QuestionsTag: divine mission
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A practitioner asks: “As a longtime Buddhist practitioner and now a mindfulness teacher myself, I continue to struggle with trying to make sense of some of the core teachings in Buddhism. One of the three “marks of existence” that all Buddhist practices are centered around understanding through increasingly direct and deep insight/realizations on the path to enlightenment is “no self” or “not self” (annata), which includes that there is no such thing as a permanent, unchanging entity or “soul.” It is said that in his quest for enlightenment, the Buddha looked deeply for the “housebuilder,” the one behind the whole thing, this experience of “I, me, myself,” the doer, and he couldn’t find one, and found instead that all phenomena, including the experience of a fixed entity called a self or soul, were simply the result of interdependent causes and conditions coming together temporarily, including even consciousness itself, which arises temporarily to meet with sensory experiences (which includes the 6th sense of mind) and that this consciousness we experience, too, dies with the body. Of course, there is something that experiences rebirth, as Buddhism was very, very clear on that … Since the goal, enlightenment, involves the ONLY permanent death … The cessation of rebirth. One of my primary teachers stated that what gets reborn is not a “soul,” but our “habits.” I am really hoping that Creator can shed some light on these things, since the teachings of the Buddha are what I resonate with the most, and yet I am also an LHP practitioner and do believe in the divine realm and love the idea of having/being an “immortal soul.” The LHP itself I do see as basically a lovingkindness/compassion/sympathetic joy/equanimity (Divine Abodes) practice, and therefore an extension of Buddhist practice. I accept that especially because the teachings of the Buddha were not written down until hundreds of years after his death that they could have become corrupted, and that given the depth of dark manipulation on Earth they most certainly were. However, this teaching, that there is no soul, that there is no self, is basically THE most important teaching in all of Buddhism. The Suttas (sacred ancient Buddhist texts) quote the Buddha as saying, “Nothing whatsoever is to be taken as I, mine, myself. Whoever has understood this has understood all the teachings.” How are we to make sense of this?”
ClosedNicola asked 4 years ago • 
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While on the topic of blessings and automobiles, Catholics are generous in the use of St. Christopher medals. From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Christopher “Legends about the life and death of Saint Christopher first appeared in Greece in the 6th century and had spread to France by the 9th century. The 11th-century bishop and poet Walter of Speyer gave one version, but the most popular variations originated from the 13th-century Golden Legend. According to the legendary account of his life, Christopher was initially called Reprobus. He was a Canaanite, 5 cubits (7.5 feet (2.3 m)) tall and with a fearsome face. While serving the king of Canaan, he took it into his head to go and serve “the greatest king there was.” He went to the king who was reputed to be the greatest, but one day he saw the king cross himself at the mention of the devil. On thus learning that the king feared the devil, he departed to look for the devil. He came across a band of marauders, one of whom declared himself to be the devil, so Christopher decided to serve him. But when he saw his new master avoid a wayside cross and found out that the devil feared Christ, he left him and enquired from people where to find Christ. He met a hermit who instructed him in the Christian faith. Christopher asked him how he could serve Christ. When the hermit suggested fasting and prayer, Christopher replied that he was unable to perform that service. The hermit then suggested that because of his size and strength Christopher could serve Christ by assisting people to cross a dangerous river, where they were perishing in the attempt. The hermit promised that this service would be pleasing to Christ. After Christopher had performed this service for some time, a little child asked him to take him across the river. During the crossing, the river became swollen and the child seemed as heavy as lead, so much that Christopher could scarcely carry him and found himself in great difficulty. When he finally reached the other side, he said to the child: “You have put me in the greatest danger. I do not think the whole world could have been as heavy on my shoulders as you were.” The child replied: “You had on your shoulders not only the whole world but Him who made it. I am Christ your king, whom you are serving by this work.” The child then vanished. Christopher later visited Lycia and there comforted the Christians who were being martyred. Brought before the local king, he refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods. The king tried to win him by riches and by sending two beautiful women to tempt him. Christopher converted the women to Christianity, as he had already converted thousands in the city. The king ordered him to be killed. Various attempts failed, but finally Christopher was beheaded. Therefore, he is the patron saint of travelers, and small images of him are often worn around the neck, on a bracelet, carried in a pocket, or placed in vehicles by Christians.” Is the story of St. Christopher, as recounted in Wikipedia, accurate?
ClosedNicola asked 4 years ago • 
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A viewer writes about a dream: “I was shown large living quarters. I lived there. Many rooms, many beds, all in little coves against or in the wall, small like catacombs, surrounding a large gathering area in the middle. A large circular thing on the floor – maybe a giant sundial on the outside…not sure. Multilevel rooms surrounded the round thing. It looked like it was carved out of reddish clay or stone—underground. This was underground. Rounded corners everywhere…as if molded with clay. Outside, we walked or moved in one direction around the circle. Others walked in the opposite direction. We were creating some kind of energy movement. This was a place of learning only; some stayed for one year, others longer. I wanted to leave too soon. My teacher followed me outside of the compound or learning/living area that was underneath and tried to talk me out of leaving. He had long, wavy, greyish hair. He wore a robe and sandals. So did I. I had three guides or friends there. I think their names began with an “H,” (Hamish, Horus? Maybe all of them or maybe just one). I said their names out loud because I wanted to remember them. I saw someone I know in this life, but he didn’t recognize me. Our dynamic was different in that life. He didn’t know me. He was also one of the students. I was a man. I saw pictures of the Hypogeum in Malta about 4 or 5 years after this dream, and I instantly recognized everything about it, and my heart was racing.” Was this a perception of her future visit to the Hypogeum, or a recollection of her being at the Hypogeum in another life?
ClosedNicola asked 4 years ago • 
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