| | There is a particular practice that, in my experience, leads to a kind of permeable ego that sensitive people can see and feel and be inspired by. The advaita vedanta practice of self-enquiry, as taught by Ramana Maharshi and Nasargadatta results in the experience of "I AM," to use Ramana's terminology. I call this experience the "no-dog," as the witnessing consciousness of this experience has no stake in the personal concerns of the practitioner. It has, as the saying goes, "no dog in this fight."
At any rate, it is easy to see, hear, and feel when someone is manifesting the no-dog, as they look and sound distinctly otherworldly. Here are some youtube examples of people doing this as a teaching tool:
http://tinyurl.com/cjsj2q
http://tinyurl.com/dfn6mr
http://tinyurl.com/cwps54
As these talks were videotaped, these teachers were manifesting Tozan's Third Rank of Enlightenment. Does that mean that they are stuck at the Third Rank? Not necessarily. For all we know they might be at the Fifth Rank, but deliberately manifesting the "stink of enlightenment" for the benefit of their students.
As an aside, I would prefer that teachers spelled it out clearly, e.g. "I'm about to manifest a particular point of view as a teaching tool. I'm not always like this. It isn't the only way to manifest or to think about enlightenment. But let's spend the next hour 'stinkin' it up,' because I want you to get a taste of non-duality." |