Pai-Chang

Short and sweet is exactly what this passage was. Basically it said we are perfect the way we are and the only difference between a person who has achieved enlightenment and one who hasn’t is “you are simply free from unreality and delusion.”

TZU-SSU

Tao is called true learning……I think the reason is because when a person understands Tao they understand life and all it is. It also talks about a person should act like the person they are Rich, Poor Barbarian, Trouble, and so on. There was two parts of the passage I really liked. The first was the part that said, “He makes sure that his own conduct is correct and seeks nothing from others; thus he is never disappointed.” To me this means to pay attention to what you are doing not to others and not to rely on anything from anyone other than yourself. The second was, “He has no complaints against heaven and no blame toward other people.” I like this because I think this is a good way of looking at life. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and what YOU do with it and only you will determine the outcome!

Wu-men

This was a little different to read. It mostly spoke to me about letting go. Until a person lets go they will never be able to achieve what they want. The ability to achieve the time to spend with the great ancestors is when ones is at the "cliff edge of birth-and-death, you will find great freedom"

The Buddha

This has to be my most favorite passage yet. I loved everything about it. The first part was my favorite. Where he talks about following things that are wholesome. He said..."It is proper to doubt. Do not be led by Holy Scriptures, or by mere logic or inference, or by appearances, or by the authority of religious teachers. But when you realize that something is unwholesome and bad for you, give it up. And when you realize that something is wholesome and good for you, do it." This is what I have been talking about in all my other blogs. It’s not what you can be taught by another person or the Holy Scriptures because it is all by people. The only true way to be holy is to be a good person inside and out. To help the ones who need it and make the others do it themselves. The real teachings we must live by we already have them we just need to follow what we know is the right way.

Dov baer of mezritch

The first passage was a little harder to read for me not because of its point, but how the words were arranged. I loved the second passage that said..." I will teach you the best way to say Torah. You must be nothing but an ear that hears what the universe of the word is constantly saying within you. The moment you begin to hear what you yourself are saying, you must stop." I loved this because like all the other passages within the enlightened mind, the one true way to believe and follow your God is to do just that. To feel what is right not to think. It is when you start thinking of how and why that people start to get it wrong. To truly believe and follow is to let go of your thoughts and to take in the feelings from within.

The Bible

Each one of the passages talked to me about knowing, not understanding. Nothing is out of reach as long as you have faith. To obtain it, is to just have it, not to strive for it. I like the passage...."For this pattern which I give you today is not hidden from you, and is not far away. It is not in heaven, for you to say, "Who will go up to heaven and bring it down for us, so that we can hear it and do it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, for you to say, "Who will cross the sea and bring it back for us, so that we can hear it and do it?" But the teaching is very near you, it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it" Another one I liked was... "You have hidden the truth in darkness; through this mystery you teach me wisdom", I really like this because for me it seems when I ask for patience I have more things in my life I need to practice patience with. When I ask for strength more things happen in my life I have to be strong for. It is as if when asking for something it wont just happen, but will be able to achieve it by the practice you have dealing with experiences.

Ramana Maharshi

This passage talked a lot about God already being there for a person. To have God is as simple as having him. People always make things so much more difficult than they really are. I think the section that explained the whole passage was the one that said..."God's grace is the beginning, the middle, and the end. When you pray for God's grace you are like someone standing neck-deep in water and yet crying for water. It is like saying that someone neck-deep in water feels thirsty, or that a fish in water feels thirst, or that water feels thirsty." God's grace and love is everywhere. We don’t need to look for it because we have it. We don’t need to yearn for it, it is there. We don’t need fancy words and teachings to obtain it, because we already have it.