#path of liberation

[nomadman108]

The Q&A in the Scripture Part 3

Welcome to another installment in our occasional series (see links to all previous installments at the end of this post) looking at some of the answers given by Krishna to his cousin Uddhava during a kind of Q&A session that takes place as both are about to leave their hometown which is on the brink of war. Krishna’s returning to Heaven, while Uddhava is heading for parts – and a future –…

[inamindfarfaraway]

In the first episode of Season Six, “Startouched”, a white-haired girl in her late teens has emerged from a body of water onto a beach lit by the sun, and seen her not-actually-dead father who she lost two years ago restored to complete life with a dark magic spell that demands blood be spilled. She’s distraught after the intense trauma of killing another member of her family. Her father made peace with passing on, but she selfishly couldn’t bear losing him and acted to keep his spirit tethered to the mortal world, hurting him in the process. She stands, then falls. Someone she loves dearly, the male former high mage of Katolis with brown hair who has repeatedly used dark magic but solemnly sworn off it, embraces her and she returns it. But then he abandons her. She is unbalanced, despairing, directionless and lost.

In the last episode of Season Six, “Stardust”, a white-haired girl in her late teens has emerged from a body of water onto a beach lit by the moon, and is about to see her not-actually-dead father who she lost two years ago restored to complete life with a primal magic spell that demands blood be spilled. She’s relieved after the intense catharsis of enabling other members of her family to die. They made peace with passing on, and she selflessly accepted losing both of them and acted to heal and free their tethered spirits. She falls, then stands. Someone she loves dearly, the male high mage of Katolis with brown hair who has repeatedly used dark magic but solemnly sworn off it, embraces her and she returns it. He will never abandon her. She is mature, hopeful, purposeful and found.

[tamamita]

Make no mistake

Tamamita

[reclaiming-god]

queer love is beautiful and sacred, don't let anyone tell you otherwise 🫵

[yoga-onion]

Buddha to his disciples, mini-series (20)

Samsara (Reincarnation)

“When something disappears, something is born. In Buddhism, life and death are the same thing.”

“Samsara” is a Pali & Sanskrit word that literally means "wandering through, flowing on", wherein the term connotes "cyclic change" or, less formally, "running around in circles." It is therefore also translated as 'reincarnation'. 

Ancient Indians believed in reincarnation, or rather took it for granted. Therefore, the Buddha also thought it was natural and taught on the premise of reincarnation. And the purpose of the Buddha's teaching is for us to escape from this world of samsara (namely, liberation/enlightenment: Ref).

There are six realms of samsara as conceived by the ancient Indians. They are listed in order of increasing suffering as follows:

World of Hell (naraka), the world of the most suffering. Hell means 'underground prison'.

World of hungry ghosts (preta), a world suffering from hunger pangs. Becomes a demon with a swollen belly. A world where those who have committed the sin of greed are reborn.

World of animals (tiryagyoni), including birds, beasts, fish and insects. There are about 3.4 billion species.

World of warlike demigods (asura), Asura is a demonic species. A world where asuras live and fight all the time, causing constant suffering and anger.

World of human beings (manushya), in which human beings live. It is plagued by the fundamental sufferings, the four and eight afflictions, which are unavoidable in human life.

World of gods or celestial beings (deva), Heavenly beings can fly, and the world is full of pleasures, but here too there is the suffering of old age and death.

ブッダから弟子たちへ、ミニシリーズ (20)

輪廻 〜 “何かが無くなれば、何かが生まれる。仏教では生と死は同じものである。” 

“輪廻”はサンスクリット語で「サンサーラ」という。この語の本来の意味は「さまよう、流れる」を意味し、生あるものが無限の生死を繰り返すことを指す言葉だ。よって、”輪廻転生”とも訳される。

古代のインド人は、誰もが輪廻転生を信じていた、というよりは、それがあたりまえだと思っていたのだ。よって、釈迦もそれが当たり前だと思い、輪廻を前提にして教えを説いている。そして、釈迦の教えは、われわれがこの輪廻転生の世界から脱出すること（すなわち解脱：参照）が目的である。

古代インド人が考えた輪廻の世界は六つだ。以下、苦しみの多い順に並べる:

地獄界〜最も苦しみの多い世界。地獄とは「地下の牢獄」の意。

餓鬼界〜飢えの苦しみに悩む世界。腹が膨れた姿の鬼になる。慳貪の罪を犯した人が再生する世界。

畜生界〜畜生界は鳥・獣・魚・虫など畜生の世界。種類は約34億種。

修羅界〜修羅は阿修羅といい、魔類。阿修羅が住み、終始戦い争うために苦しみと怒りが絶えない世界。

人間界〜人間が住む世界。人間が生きている上で避けては通れない、根源的な苦、四苦八苦に悩まされる。

天上界〜天人は空を飛ぶことができ、快楽の多い世界だが、ここにも老・死の苦しみがある。

[4thstar]

So uh, hey, USA.

I don't live there but, y'know, your country has a bit of an impact worldwide, so.

The assassination attempt on Trump will just fire up the right-wing conservatives, especially after the whole immunity thing that happened recently.

And since voting is somehow optional there, I just wanted to share a reminder:

Voting is both a right and a duty. Make yourselves heard.

[stvlti]

Also on that train of thought

The fics that have Feyd Rautha simp for Paul not because of a competency kink (which is arguably canon to the film - isn't that the reason why y'all say he looks turned on in the film?) but because of a misplaced adherence to the Bene Gesserit prophecy/plans (that Paul was meant to be Feyd's match in marital affairs) is not as inspired as you might think it is. It's not brave to say oh this boy was promised a gf and now he's pussywhipped for the boy he got in her stead. You've just reinvented a trans chaser with extra steps.

Also, the idea that Feyd Rautha would put that much faith in a prophecy feels reductive for a character that is already not a major-major player in the plot. I still need to read the book to get a better gauge on his character, but I've heard that he appears for a grand total of 4 scenes, which is kind of more or less the extent of his appearance in the films too. I would hope expanding on his characterisation meant giving him more agency (or at least a drive towards emancipation and agency) and more ambition amidst all the plans that have been made for him long before he was born. If he's truly as power hungry as Part Two seems to suggest - he has the will to assassinate his uncle Baron Harkonnen until he was appeased by the appointment of stewardship on Arrakis and the prospect of marrying Irulan for the throne - then what makes you think he would settle for doing as the Bene Gesserit expects of him? If he pursues Paul as a partner it would be through his own means and for reasons that defy the BG's chokehold on the imperium.

[klapollo]

ultimately bodily autonomy is a struggle for every woman -- be it safety from maternal mortality, accessing hormones, or the right to have as much or as little sex as we want without violence -- and we can certainly find common ground there, but the face that struggle wears can vary significantly based on the axis of marginalization.

[brick-van-dyke]

My dad, jokingly: "I'm badman"

Me: "haha sure" (not thinking he's anything like batman)

My dad: *left/ separated from my mum when I was a teen, started a GTA gang that helps bullied kids, ended up emotionally adopting like 8 kids and helped them through bullying, suicide, abuse, etc.*

Me: *was hurt by an abuser and had to deal with said abuser being forgiven by family around me*

Me: *gets into Batman lore*

Me: ...

"Wait a second..."

[avonsnumberonefan]

this is the same character...

[revindicatedbyhistory]

i think if those us liberals who are against any criticism of biden started advocating for mussolini style fascist dictatorship itd be more intellectually and morally honest of them tbh

[nomadman108]

The Time is Always Right for Niceness

Scrawled in the margin of a page in my notebook are two words: Be nice. Nothing else on the page to suggest a context, source, or inspiration. But, here’s the interesting thing: Just below those two lonely words, and in brackets, I’ve written: Do nice, Consume nice, Share Nice. Most likely we’ll never know what prompted me to write that particular series of words. I mean, they’re not exactly…

[chicagognosis]

New audio lecture, video, and transcription!

After working with energy, the consciousness becomes inflamed and awakened. However, this type of birth is only one side of a spiritual equation. The rest of the work necessitates the comprehension and death of psychological contaminants like anger, lust, and pride. By directing energy towards the purification of the mind, it becomes possible to be fully rid of repetitious and harmful internal states, thereby enacting lasting, profound, and radical change. See how through a practice known as retrospection meditation.

[hatamighijyab]

"It's Kamala's fault she lost." Do not even fucking start. I'd say it's the fault of the millions of people who, because of ignorance, maliciousness, sheer stupidity, or god forbid, liking his policies, voted for Trump. Do not downplay the fact that millions of people were given an alternative to him (knowing what a Trump presidency looks like), and they chose him anyway.

[compassionmattersmost]

Joseph Goldstein’s talk on the Satipatthana Sutta, part 1 - The Direct Path to Liberation

Our lives seem to be an endless cycle of ups and downs, hope, fear, pleasure, pain, achievement, and disappointment, where we are perpetually wanting something else, and our happiness and satisfaction don’t last for very long. But things don’t necessarily have to be this way. The Buddha taught that it is possible to completely transform our lives and experience a state of unconditional lasting…

[elisabethbabarci]

Control is not love, that is the ego, that is inner fear of scarcity mindset. Love is liberation, freedom, acceptance, the awakening to know that the individuals that surround you, trust in your wings ability to fly, rather than to remain on the branch at all times.

Elisabeth Babarci