Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Not Important 3/6/22 2:52 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? T DC 3/6/22 4:12 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Adi Vader 3/6/22 5:41 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? George S 3/6/22 8:49 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 3/7/22 12:09 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 3/7/22 12:27 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Jacob Smith 3/15/22 2:32 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? finding oneself 3/18/22 4:54 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Chris M 3/15/22 7:26 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 3/15/22 10:30 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 3/15/22 1:35 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 3/18/22 5:15 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Griffin 3/31/22 1:24 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Chris M 4/1/22 5:45 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 4/4/22 12:56 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö 4/1/22 7:17 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Papa Che Dusko 4/1/22 10:30 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö 4/3/22 2:44 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Papa Che Dusko 4/2/22 3:32 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 4/4/22 4:35 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Papa Che Dusko 4/5/22 2:03 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 4/5/22 11:47 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? Chris M 4/6/22 7:35 AM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 4/10/22 10:53 PM
RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle? terry 4/17/22 1:56 AM
Not Important, modified 2 Years ago at 3/6/22 2:52 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/6/22 2:52 PM

Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 8 Join Date: 3/6/22 Recent Posts
This is highly speculative but the thought struck like lighting so please be open minded:

Hypothesis:
The current invasion of Ukraine by Russia ultimately might have been triggered by Putin going through a dark night of the soul and projecting his pain outwards on the state and people of Ukraine

In more detail (following the Progress of Insight Map):
  1. Crossing of the A&P: At some point during the pandemic and Putins isolation he crossed the A&P. My hypothesis would be that this was either caused by an infection with COVID (which he obviously wouldn't admit publicly to) or by the Vaccination and its side effects. I personally have seen many cases in my personal surrounding who have been pushed into dark night territory by either.
  2. Dissolution: After A&P came the period of dissolution. He losing his usually sharp mind, being less able to concentrate, being irritable. He gets fed information by his advisors and slowly but surely started to belief his own propaganda or at least parts of it
  3. Fear: At some point he was pushed over into paranoid fear. This might have been caused by any minor act by the West / USA / NATO. The fear that has been lurking in the back of his mind that he might lose his power some day through the emmergence of democratic protests gets the better of him. The threat of Ukraine opening to the West fills his mind and body completely
  4. Misery: Not sure how that might have looked for him. His mused signs of tremor and declining physcial health might have contributed but honestly I am just guessing at this point
  5. Disgust: The most clear stage to me which actually sparked the thought. In one of his last speeches before the invasion he showed his emotions very clearly in his face which prior he never did having been trained by KGB to hide them thoroughly. To me it was plain disgust and hate directed at Ukraine and the West
  6. Desire for Deliverance: Not sure if he might be there yet but if the military operations proof to continue to go southwards due to very diluted initial conditions (see dissolution above) than he might be there soon.
Unpopular opinion (maybe):
Spiritual progress by Putin might not be at all unlikely. People like Putin / Trump / Modri / Xi Jinping / Hitler / Stalin ... might have been around the block quite sometime reincarnation-wise. At some point in their lives they might accidentally reach Streamentry (most likely closer to the end of their lifes) but never make it much farther than that just to be reborn again and repeat their ways.
Many of the great armed conflicts of our history could ultimately might have been triggered by a tortured soul being stuck in a dark night cylce without any spiritual footing to help them through it.

Curious to hear your thoughts on this.
T DC, modified 2 Years ago at 3/6/22 4:12 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/6/22 4:06 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 516 Join Date: 9/29/11 Recent Posts
I would say likely not - Putin's just an asshole. 

Tempting as it may be to humanize him in this situation, it may just muddy the real issue, which is the inhumanity of Putin's actions and the suffering (and bravery) of the people of Ukraine. 

And I might add that hard / weird times on the path can make people act a little strange, but anything approaching crimes against humanity points to deeper issues.
Adi Vader, modified 2 Years ago at 3/6/22 5:41 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/6/22 5:41 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 268 Join Date: 6/29/20 Recent Posts
People are sometimes dangerously ambitious, violent, acquisitive, vindictive, paranoid, aggressive for no reason other than the fact that their actions in response to the environment have strengthened those aspects of their personality.

It has nothing to do with insight knowledges in my opinion.
George S, modified 2 Years ago at 3/6/22 8:49 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/6/22 8:41 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 2722 Join Date: 2/26/19 Recent Posts
According to this article, he's unconsciously acting out childhood trauma, unfortunately on a bigger stage than most:

https://acestoohigh.com/2022/03/02/how-vladimir-putins-childhood-is-affecting-us-all/

'In Putin’s mind, he feels threatened by Ukraine and considers himself a victim. He must defend himself, just the way he had to do by learning judo as a child, and thus has come up with a plethora of reasons to justify his invasion. But it’s clear he’s acting out the suffering, deprivations, and existential threats experienced by his family and community during the Second World War, experiences buried so deep in his mind that he’s not conscious of them. and he is now inflicting those same circumstances on the families in the cities of Ukraine.'
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terry, modified 2 Years ago at 3/7/22 12:09 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/7/22 12:09 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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putin wanted to be a secret police agent from little kid time

tried to join the kgb at 16

tried again at 24 after training as a lawyer and was accepted

came into office as fixer and henchman to keep from prosecution the yeltsin family mob

started two wars in chechnya solely to avoid elections and boost popularity

currently is rehabilitating stalin and reinstituting soviet style repression

learned how to encircle and starve out cities there and in syria, loves the tactic

attack completely consistent unstoppable gradual dismemberment and digestion of ukraine

now putins sock puppet trump no longer delivering, no need for us at all

nuclear threat is to freeze west with fear while crony capitalism is promoted worldwide

meanwhile the real threat of global warming is gleefully ignored by all participants

got to keep the price of gas low so by pigging out we can ignore reality and obligation


putims evil is equivalent to that of a hitler, an attilla
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terry, modified 2 Years ago at 3/7/22 12:27 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/7/22 12:27 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 2424 Join Date: 8/7/17 Recent Posts
pity this busy monster, manunkind
​​​​​​​(ee cummings)


pity this busy monster, manunkind,

not. Progress is a comfortable disease:
your victim (death and life safely beyond)

plays with the bigness of his littleness
--- electrons deify one razorblade
into a mountainrange; lenses extend
unwish through curving wherewhen till unwish
returns on its unself.
A world of made
is not a world of born --- pity poor flesh and trees, poor stars and stones, but never this
fine specimen of hypermagical
ultraomnipotence. We doctors know

a hopeless case if --- listen: there's a hell
of a good universe next door; let's go
Jacob Smith, modified 2 Years ago at 3/15/22 2:32 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/15/22 2:32 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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it would be quite an interesting hypothesis if all the political leaders (and maybe all humans) are on some level of the POI. Xi and Putin and Joe and all the rest....
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Chris M, modified 2 Years ago at 3/15/22 7:26 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/15/22 7:26 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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Every human being is, by definition, somewhere on the path of insight, even if they've never heard of it.

Just sayin'
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terry, modified 2 Years ago at 3/15/22 10:30 AM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/15/22 10:30 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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A MAN LIKE PUTIN
(john oliver)

A man like Putin, may seem like he's strong
But if you think that, know that you're wrong
A man like Putin, sure has good luck
Because journalists die and he's rich as fuck
A man like Putin, only wants power
He'll fake a tape of your golden shower
And that's something you don't want to see
Your orangey face, all covered in pee

And critics like Oliver, better run far
Because he'll track you down, and he'll shit on your car

[John interrupts to ask Putin not to shit on his car]

Beware of Putin, he's ruthless and shrewd
If you're not careful, we'll all end up screwed
A man like Putin, is really bad
If you need that explained, it's just so fucking sad!
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terry, modified 2 Years ago at 3/15/22 1:35 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/15/22 1:35 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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sapolsky posted this a few days ago, on us vs them in conflicts...easy to demonize our enemies, they are dirty rats....yes putin qualifies as human but when you think about it, that is worse than a dirty rat...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk5RDy6xFJQ
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finding oneself, modified 2 Years ago at 3/18/22 4:54 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/18/22 4:54 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 356 Join Date: 1/7/14 Recent Posts
We also have the benefit of tremendously productive/creative and helpful people who crossed the A&amp;P. Who would not have become who they are otherwise.<br /><br />It would be cool to know h<br />who they are definitively but I have some guesses.
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terry, modified 2 Years ago at 3/18/22 5:15 PM
Created 2 Years ago at 3/18/22 5:15 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 2424 Join Date: 8/7/17 Recent Posts
"There is no greater love than if someone gave their soul for their friends."
~vladimir putin
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Griffin, modified 1 Year ago at 3/31/22 1:24 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 3/31/22 1:24 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 271 Join Date: 4/7/18 Recent Posts
Might Will Smith be stuck in a dark night cycle?
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Chris M, modified 1 Year ago at 4/1/22 5:45 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/1/22 5:45 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 5104 Join Date: 1/26/13 Recent Posts
Let's just agree now that everyone going through any kind of "bad" stuff, having any troubles of any sort, is angry, is sad, or unhappy, is going through the Dark Night.

​​​​​​​emoticon
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Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö, modified 1 Year ago at 4/1/22 7:17 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/1/22 7:17 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 7134 Join Date: 12/8/18 Recent Posts
I'd say his stuck in one of the lower realms. Hell realm or hungry ghost realm. 
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Papa Che Dusko, modified 1 Year ago at 4/1/22 10:30 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/1/22 10:30 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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Same realm as the Wall Street mentality! 

These minds suffer greatly and cause great suffering. 

​​​​​​​May all beings, above, bellow and all around, be free from suffering, awaken, be happy. 
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Papa Che Dusko, modified 1 Year ago at 4/2/22 3:32 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/2/22 3:32 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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Linda ”Polly Ester” Ö, modified 1 Year ago at 4/3/22 2:44 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/3/22 2:44 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 7134 Join Date: 12/8/18 Recent Posts
Yes. May he be free from suffering and thereby stop doing harm. 
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terry, modified 1 Year ago at 4/4/22 12:56 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/4/22 12:56 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 2424 Join Date: 8/7/17 Recent Posts
there's no dark side of the moon really...
as a matter of fact its all dark...

​​​​​​​(pink floyd)
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terry, modified 1 Year ago at 4/4/22 4:35 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/4/22 4:35 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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​​​​​​​HISTORY WILL TEACH US NOTHING
(sting)

If we seek solace in the prisons of the distant past 
Security in human systems we're told will always always last 
Emotions are the sail and blind faith is the mast 
Without the breath of real freedom we're getting nowhere fast 

If God is dead and an actor plays his part 
His words of fear will find a place in your heart 
Without the voice of reason every faith is its own curse 
Without freedom from the past things can only get worse 

Sooner or later just like the world first day 
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away 
Sooner or later just like the world first day 
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away 
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away 

History will teach us nothing 
History will teach us nothing 

Our written history is a catalog of crime 
The sordid and the powerful, the architects of time 
The mother of invention, the oppression of the mild 
The constant fear of scarcity, aggression as its child 

Sooner or later 
Sooner or later 
Sooner or later 
Sooner or later 

Convince an enemy, convince him that he's wrong 
Is to win a bloodless battle where victory is long 
A simple act of faith 
In reason over might 
To blow up his children will only prove him right 
History will teach us nothing 
Sooner or later just like the world first day 
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away 
Sooner or later just like the world first day 
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away 
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past away 

History will teach us nothing 
History will teach us nothing 

Know your human rights 
Be what you come here for 
Know your human rights 
Be what you come here for 
Know your human rights 
Be what you come here for 
Know your human rights 
Be what you come here for
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Papa Che Dusko, modified 1 Year ago at 4/5/22 2:03 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/5/22 2:03 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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I guess Putin is not the only threat these days! What does UN secretary mean by "our politicians are liars!" (Im being sarcastic)

https://youtu.be/9xBVD8r0aHQ
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terry, modified 1 Year ago at 4/5/22 11:47 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/5/22 11:47 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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   I was watching old russian rt tv documentaries before you tube recently censored them and it is clear that russian propaganda would like us to believe, as they do, that global warming will be a very good thing for russia. Siberia is vast, chock full of resources and will bloom while the rest of the world dries up and blows away, two outcomes the putin regime finds highy desirable.

   Putin wants the west to ignore carbon pollution and keep on burning coal, gas and oil, believing it will weaken the west and strengthen russia. 

   The average russian  has a wealth of $800, total assets. Even the average indian has $1100. Mcdonalds and coke leaving the russian market will not be noticed. Gas and oil prices are way up. Win win.

   Putin doesn't want to divide the west, he wants to unite them in self destruction. Admittedly not particularly difficult.
 
   Putin has been invading countries for political, social and economic gain for decades. Ess oh pee. Politidally he is the new man of steel, a badass macho man who tolerates no dissent. Socially the world is talking about russia, afraid of russia, and ideology and vodka once again substitute for peace, bread and land. Economically, as long as the world values the burning of carbon russian oligarchs will remain among the walthiest and most powerful of the worlds masters, like the sauds (I yearn for the day arabia is no longer saudi, and mecca no long wahabi). Putin stands up for "ethnic" russians (including russian speaking ukrainians) like hitler stood up for ethnic germans, by invading their countries. 

   Putin is utterly convinced that democracies are incapable of action and will always substitute talk for force. He loves to provoke the west and has now succeeded in making germany rearm and abandon climate mitigation strategies, a spectacular success for his latest invasion. Now he can retire from the field and only stoke the conflict enough to keep the west preparing for war instead of peace.

   As long as russians are the last men standing, the world can burn.

   We will bury you.
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Chris M, modified 1 Year ago at 4/6/22 7:35 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/6/22 7:35 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

Posts: 5104 Join Date: 1/26/13 Recent Posts
Gee, that has worked so well in the past. Just ask Putin's predecessors  emoticon
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terry, modified 1 Year ago at 4/10/22 10:53 PM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/10/22 10:53 PM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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from conze, buddhist scriptures


2b. The Bodhisattva As The Preacher Of Patience

Nothing is indeed unbearable to those who have made forbearance all their own, and who are great in the correct appreciation of the true nature of things. This is shown by the following story: At one time the Bodhisattva was an ascetic, eminent for his moral conduct, his learning, his tranquillity, his self-discipline, and the control he had over his mind. He had understood that life in the home is indeed attended by a great many faults and calamities: that it is governed by a perpetual concern with material gain and sensual pleasure, and in consequence is not conducive to tranquillity; that it is constantly assailed by the dust and dirt of passions, such as greed, hate, delusion, impatience, anger, self-intoxication, conceit, and niggardliness; that it is apt to reduce the ability to maintain religious standards, and that it offers a field for covetousness and unfriendliness to others; and so, beset by opportunities for bad actions, it offers little scope for Dharma. The homeless life, on the other hand, he had found to be a happy one, for it is free from those faults, having abandoned all concern with material property and sense-objects. He had taken it upon himself to observe patience always and under all circumstances, he often spoke in praise of patience, and this was the virtue which he continually stressed in his expositions of Dharma. People in consequence invented for him the name 'Kshantivadin' ('Preacher of Patience'), and his original family name went quite out of use.

That great-souled man lived in the middle of a forest, in a place delightful for its solitude, and beautiful like a lovely garden - with flowers and fruits at all seasons and a pond of pure water adorned with pink and blue lotuses. And his presence conferred on this place the auspiciousness of a hermitage. The deities who inhabited that grove thought highly of him, and people often visited him in quest of spiritual bliss and spiritual virtue. And on this multitude of visitors he bestowed the supreme favour of expounding the subject of patience in suitable sermons which gladdened their ears as well as their hearts.

Now it so happened that the king of that part of the world, oppressed by the summer's heat, set his mind on playing in the water, a very pleasant thing to do at that time of the year. So with his harem he betook himself to that forest, which had all the qualities one looks for in a park, and amused himself to his heart's content. Then, tired from all this sporting about, and drowsy, he went to his splendid couch, which was luxuriously kit out, and fell asleep.

Thereupon the women, enchanted in their hearts by the beauties of the forest and unable to fill their eyes sufficiently with them, saw in the withdrawal of the king an opportunity to ramble about in casual groups, the noise of their rattling ornaments blending with the buzzing sound of their chatter. Roaming through the enchanting forest, the king's women came to Kshantivadin's hermitage, went into it, and their eyes fell on that most excellent sage, a sight making for peace and happiness. There he sat cross-legged under a tree, auspicious and meritorious to behold, the visible manifestation of Dharma. His deep profundity inspired awe, he shone with the lustre of his austerities, and he radiated a splendid stillness because, as a result of his diligent practice of trance, his senses remained unmoved even in the presence of sublime objects of meditation. The glow of his spirituality subdued the minds of the royal wives; when they saw him they at once shed their usual boisterousness, affectation, and frivolity, and adopted a disciplined, modest, and respectful demeanour. He in his turn addressed them with pleasant words of welcome, etc., and showed them the civility due to guests. Thereafter, he extended to them the hospitality of the Dharma, and, in response to their queries, talked to them in terms which womenfolk can easily grasp, careful to illustrate his meaning by examples and similes.

Meanwhile the king's sleep had dispelled his fatigue, and he woke up. With a frown on his face he asked the female attendants who guarded his couch, 'Where are my wives?' The attendants replied: 'They are now, your Majesty, embellishing some other part of this forest. They have gone off to see what else it contains.' On hearing this, the king rose from his couch, and, accompanied by his female warriors and eunuchs, marched off into the wood. To get to the hermitage he had only to follow the path which his wives had traced out in their juvenile wantonness, and which was marked by bunches of flowers, piles of twigs, and the red dye of betel leaves on the ground. But no sooner had the king seen Kshantivadin, that great seer, surrounded by his royal wives, than he was seized by frenzied wrath. This was due to the bias he felt against him as a result of an enmity nursed during previous lives. In addition, drowsiness still deranged his composure and jealousy dulled his judgement. He had but little power to appreciate the true nature of the situation, and in disregard of all the rules of self-control and polite behaviour, he submitted to the evils of anger. Sweat broke out over his body, his colour changed, he trembled all over, he frowned, and his eyes, dark red, became dull, revolved, and stared. Gone were all his loveliness, grace, and charm. He shook his golden bracelets, rubbed his be-ringed hands, and scoldingly said to the best of Seers: 'Hey, you!

Who is it that scorns our Majesty,
by lifting his eyes to our harem wives?
Concealed in the garb of a Muni -
a low-class meatseller's behaviour!'

And scornfully the king continued: 'Now you will have an opportunity to show your passion for patience!' And, as one cuts a lotus from its stalk, so he cut off with his sharp sword the Sage's right hand, which in a prohibitive gesture was slightly extended towards him, with its long and delicate fingers raised aloft.

Though his hand was cut off, he yet felt no pain,
so firm his adherence to patience;
His pain lay in seeing the terrible fate this butcher,
accustomed to pleasure, would meet in the future.


But the Bodhisattva kept silent, because he regarded the king as someone who was beyond help and who could not possibly be won over by kindness. He sorrowed for him as for a patient whom the doctors have given up. The king, however, spoke to him in a threatening manner:

And so your body will be carved to pieces till you die!
Stop this pose of piety! Your roguish cunning shall be stopped!


But the Bodhisattva said nothing, because he knew him for a person who could not be won over by affection, and recognized that he would persist anyhow. So the king in the same manner cut off the other hand of that great-souled man, and thereafter both his arms, his ears and nose, and his feet.

No sorrow and no anger felt the Muni, when that sharp sword his frame demolished.

This engine of the body must run down, he knew, and years of practice had accustomed him to patience.

And when he saw his limbs drop off, this holy man, unbroken, firm and patient, felt but exaltation, No pain at all.

What gave him anguish was to see the king so far estranged from Dharma.

Those who are great in true insight, whose minds are governed by pity, heed not the ill that befalls them, but that which troubles their fellows.

But the king, having done this terrible deed, forthwith succumbed to a violent fever; He rushed from the garden, and the great earth, opening wide, devoured him.

The best of Sages, however, who, thanks to his reliance on forbearance, had throughout remained firm and unshaken in his fortitude, ascended to heaven, as a temporary reward for his patience.
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terry, modified 1 Year ago at 4/17/22 1:56 AM
Created 1 Year ago at 4/17/22 1:56 AM

RE: Might Putin be stuck in a Dark Night Cycle?

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from the center wthin, kubose




LOOK WITHIN


In the world news we hear about victims of war, starvation,
terrorism, and other unspeakable things. Some people might
ask, "Why do such terrible things happen?" There are many
causes. Perhaps there are a thousand causes. We don't have to
look just at the world news. We have plenty of suffering and
cruelty in our own home towns. And we don't have to look only
at our home towns—how about in our own lives and our own
homes? There are no homes without problems. Let's look into
our own hearts and minds. Any hate? Greed? Stupidity?

It is easy to see somebody else's faults. Our eyes are opened
toward the outside but they are closed toward the inside. We
see external things but we do not look within. We feel we are
victimized and controlled by our environment. Why do we get
upset? Why do we complain idly? It is because of external
factors. "He did that, and that's why I became like this."
We are always blaming other people, always blaming conditions,
and always blaming something else. We never look deep
inside ourselves because we do not live our own lives. Many
people have not found their centers, their true selves. When we
look within we become aware of our own brutality, our own
ignorance, unkindness, and immorality. When we see these
qualities in the world we criticize and condemn. But what
about ourselves?

Buddha's teaching was to look into one's own life instead
of looking outward at the world of others. When one looks
within, one becomes more humble and more kind. Supposing
one thinks deeply and looks into one's life and concludes,
"Well, I have no unkindness, no ugly thoughts, no brutality.
I am good and I want to do something good for others." Well,
what good can one really do for others? Some people are so
altruistic. Others are so selfish. Either extreme—altruism or
selfishness—is wrong. In both, one has forgotten to live his
own true life. Neither an inferiority complex nor a superiority
complex helps us to live freely.

We should live like the sun. The sun has no intentions such
as, "Unless I come out and shine upon the world, people will
be cold and sad—so I should shine for the sake of the people."
The sun just is. The sun shines and everybody is happy. How
nice! It is the same with flowers. A rose never imitates any
other flower; a rose is always a rose, a lily is always a lily.

Be yourself. Listen to the inner voice. Buddhism teaches
us to live an authentic life which is truth itself. You must live
your life. This does not mean that you must detach yourself
from others. Although you live in a relative world and have
to do things with other people, you still can be the master of
the situation anytime, anywhere.

Some people go to their temple with a "Well, I'm just a
guest, I'm just visiting" attitude. That's all right, but since you
are there the temple is yours. Be useful. Be the center of the
whole temple, the center of the whole congregation. If someone
needs help, why not take the initiative and help. When
you are the center, there is tremendous joy and creativeness.

Don't be just a visitor in life. Be aware of what is needed.
Don't be an outsider. Even the first time you go somewhere,
be useful since you are there—instead of standing alone or
sitting uncomfortably. Do things sincerely and with life. You are
a living thing, not just a dead log or dead flesh. Your spirit
must be dynamically alive. You do, not because you have to
or you ought to, but because you can't help but do. Life can
be enthusiastic, very beautiful, one with all other people.

When people get together and do things together, all become one.
Just as American Indians sit down and all smoke
from the same peace pipe and become real brothers; so we
become one when we eat together and do things together. In
the Japanese tea ceremony, everybody drinks tea from the
same bowl. I think that communion in Christianity, to eat
Christ's flesh, to drink Christ's blood, means to become one
with Him.

This oneness is true not only among people but also
between people and all things. Take a flower, for example.
The flower is living. If the leaves are drooping, water is needed.
It's thirsty. When you see this you have a communication with
the flower; the flower and you are one. 

This is true of everything else in the world. By looking within,
you become aware of and one with all things. Buddhism teaches
you how to live from the inside to the outside. Look within and
​​​​​​​live your true life.

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