If we practiced correctly

[Spirit of Light]

A question for those who practice a religious or spiritual teaching.

If we truly practice the way the teaching teaches us to do, would we then not need to ask so many questions?
Would not the wisdom in the teaching be what we awaken to because we practice the right way according to the teaching?

 

[QuestioningMind]

A question for those who practice a religious or spiritual teaching.

If we truly practice the way the teaching us to do, would we then not need to ask so many questions?
Would not the wisdom in the teaching be what we awaken to because we practice the right way according to the teaching?

How can you know if you are truly practicing the way you're taught to unless you ask questions? For instance if I'm being taught math and there's something I don't understand I will never learn how to understand unless I ask questions.

 

[Spirit of Light]

How can you know if you are truly practicing the way you're taught to unless you ask questions? For instance if I'm being taught math and there's something I don't understand I will never learn how to understand unless I ask questions.

I do not speak about other then spiritual teaching, mundane like math does not mean anything to me.

The reason say if practice correctly we would realize the truth within the teaching by our self, without asking our teacher. The teacher will know we need guidance even we do ask.

 

[February-Saturday]

The act of asking questions has shown to help people understand the subject they're asking about, whether they receive answers or not, because formulating the question helps organize their thoughts on the matter. Often just by creating the question, you open yourself up to the answer, regardless of whether you receive it or not.

It's easier to practice and have a personal understanding of something, but having an intuitive sense of how that understanding applies to the external world requires investigating the external world. One of the best ways of doing that is through inquiry.

I think you're right that these sorts of methods and investigations wouldn't be necessary if your practice was perfect, but I don't think anyone's practice is perfect. It refines over time as you build your understanding of it. At some point, it might even be capable of being purely self-refining, but even then it will often benefit from having others to counsel with.

And then when you're able to teach what you've learned, the act of teaching gives you even more understanding and refinement. I personally don't believe that perfect practice is an attainable goal. You will always have something you can improve.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

A question for those who practice a religious or spiritual teaching.

If we truly practice the way the teaching us to do, would we then not need to ask so many questions?
Would not the wisdom in the teaching be what we awaken to because we practice the right way according to the teaching?

Following a faith means always "being a child" to it. Once you ask no more questions of your guru, book, peer, authority, and elder, you're not really following the teaching. Mystic experiences, god, so have you are not understood in and of itself. So, here's something I like (I consider myself spiritual but not religious-take as is or for conversation)

Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer. Letters To A Young Poet - #4

Maybe the point isn't to ask physical questions "does god exist" but live the questions (the mystery/god)-ask by your actions not by your words. Only when you live mystery, mystic, holy spirit, god, so have you, you can still ask questions (and should) just change your perspective-it's not about doubt and ignorance but interest to increase your understanding and living your faith.

I never heard of any wise person who did not ask questions as a wise person. If anything, they ask more questions because the child feels he doesn't need to which makes him have ego as if he doesn't need to advance to be spiritual lead. He mistakes asking questions in doubt rather than asking questions for wisdom.

Don't use teachings and people as idols and you won't feel uncomfortable about questioning.

Also, change your perspective about spirituality and religion. The wise doesn't differentiate but takes every other person's views into consideration and reflection (and maybe an answer) to his own inquisitive nature.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Following a faith means always "being a child" to it. Once you ask no more questions of your guru, book, peer, authority, and elder, you're not really following the teaching. Mystic experiences, god, so have you are not understood in and of itself. So, here's something I like (I consider myself spiritual but not religious-take as is or for conversation)

Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer. Letters To A Young Poet - #4

Maybe the point isn't to ask physical questions "does god exist" but live the questions (the mystery/god)-ask by your actions not by your words. Only when you live mystery, mystic, holy spirit, god, so have you, you can still ask questions (and should) just change your perspective-it's not about doubt and ignorance but interest to increase your understanding and living your faith.

I never heard of any wise person who did not ask questions as a wise person. If anything, they ask more questions because the child feels he doesn't need to which makes him have ego as if he doesn't need to advance to be spiritual lead. He mistakes asking questions in doubt rather than asking questions for wisdom.

Don't use teachings and people as idols and you won't feel uncomfortable about questioning.

Also, change your perspective about spirituality and religion. The wise doesn't differentiate but takes every other person's views into consideration and reflection (and maybe an answer) to his own inquisitive nature.

I both agree and disagree with you here.
When I said we would not need to ask out teacher for guidance that does not mean to stop asking our self question, it means when we reading teaching, and a question arises we should ask our self what it means. How can I understand this teaching better? Read it again and a thousand times if needed, but all we need to realize is within the teaching.

To speak with fellow practitioners of the same teaching we, yes that is with benefits, because we would discuss the same teaching? As I said before, one should not mix teaching from different paths or teachers. Only follow one at a time.
That in my own experience is when arises within us.

 

[danieldemol]

A question for those who practice a religious or spiritual teaching.

If we truly practice the way the teaching us to do, would we then not need to ask so many questions?
Would not the wisdom in the teaching be what we awaken to because we practice the right way according to the teaching?

In my spiritual (not religious) path questioning is encouraged.

 

[Spirit of Light]

In my spiritual (not religious) path questioning is encouraged.

Toward you self or to your teacher, who then will explain to you until you realize the truth in your teachers word?

 

[danieldemol]

Toward you self or to your teacher, who then will explain to you until you realize the truth in your teachers word?

To both

 

[Spirit of Light]

To both

If your teacher say that is the correct way then you should continue the answers I give in RF is my personal understanding of spiritual practice, so I people disagree with me often. Sometimes I miss other Falun Gong practitioners in RF

 

[QuestioningMind]

I do not speak about other then spiritual teaching, mundane like math does not mean anything to me.

The reason say if practice correctly we would realize the truth within the teaching by our self, without asking our teacher. The teacher will know we need guidance even we do ask.

Eh... you really don't have to have an interest in math to comprehend the comparison. Regardless of what you are learning one of the MOST EFFECTIVE ways to learn is to ASK QUESTIONS. That's why a good teacher says: "There's no such thing as a stupid question." In fact, a teacher that discourages questions is clearly not a very good teacher and you should look elsewhere for guidance.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Eh... you really don't have to have an interest in math to comprehend the comparison. Regardless of what you are learning one of the MOST EFFECTIVE ways to learn is to ASK QUESTIONS. That's why a good teacher says: "There's no such thing as a stupid question." In fact, a teacher that discourages questions is clearly not a very good teacher and you should look elsewhere for guidance.

Stop asking me to elsewhere, the teaching I cultivate is the one I found the for me. And in the teaching it self, the answer I need are already there for me to .

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I was trying to find a easy version of Fulong Gong teachings but mostly found political stuff. This is so far I've found. Falun Gong: Beliefs and Demographics - FalunInfo

I both agree and disagree with you here.

When I said we would not need to ask out teacher for guidance that does not mean to stop asking our self question, it means when we reading teaching, and a question arises we should ask our self what it means. How can I understand this teaching better? Read it again and a thousand times if needed, but all we need to realize is within the teaching.

Why not both?

For example, in The Buddha's Dharma, there needs to be a master or teacher. The practice can't be "learned" alone because enlightenment has a lot to do with how one practices. I'm sure many spiritual teachings in the east are like that. If Furlong is from eastern concepts, I wouldn't be surprised it were the same. The difference, so read, it is not hierarchy focused. Hierarchy is not all bad but it's closer to what you're talking about than eastern religions where the teacher and student learn from each other.

For example, if I had an enlightened experience and I followed a teaching, I would want to share it with my master. I would want to get an idea of where I'm going, how I should interpret it, and whether it's following the right path or my own ego getting the best of me.

Let me ask. What would be the characteristics of enlightenment that is distinct from other religious and non-religious feelings without criteria (from the wise and/or from the sacred) to reflect and judge whether one's experience is general or direct to his or her practice?

How do you make difference between one enlightened state and even experience it without knowing what exactly you practice to experience it?

What does enlightenment mean to you without reference to Gong and any other teaching and person who practices it?

To speak with fellow practitioners of the same teaching we, yes that is with benefits, because we would discuss the same teaching? As I said before, one should not mix teaching from different paths or teachers. Only follow one at a time.
That in my own experience is when arises within us.

I'm not sure which comment this relates to.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I was trying to find a easy version of Fulong Gong teachings but mostly found political stuff. This is so far I've found. Falun Gong: Beliefs and Demographics - FalunInfo



Why not both?

For example, in The Buddha's Dharma, there needs to be a master or teacher. The practice can't be "learned" alone because enlightenment has a lot to do with how one practices. I'm sure many spiritual teachings in the east are like that. If Furlong is from eastern concepts, I wouldn't be surprised it were the same. The difference, so read, it is not hierarchy focused. Hierarchy is not all bad but it's closer to what you're talking about than eastern religions where the teacher and student learn from each other.

For example, if I had an enlightened experience and I followed a teaching, I would want to share it with my master. I would want to get an idea of where I'm going, how I should interpret it, and whether it's following the right path or my own ego getting the best of me.

Let me ask. What would be the characteristics of enlightenment that is distinct from other religious and non-religious feelings without criteria (from the wise and/or from the sacred) to reflect and judge whether one's experience is general or direct to his or her practice?

How do you make difference between one enlightened state and even experience it without knowing what exactly you practice to experience it?

What does enlightenment mean to you without reference to Gong and any other teaching and person who practices it?



I'm not sure which comment this relates to.

The teacher give the student everything they need within the teaching it self, enlighten beings Buddha did not write down teaching so the student learned it by heart.

If a Buddhist was to take some of the teaching from Christianity and incorporated it to his or her Buddhist practice, how could he or she know what to follow? How could the energy the teacher install in the student be itf is two different systems running at same time?

Enlightenment to me means awakening to the most pure truth within our self (not the ego self)

You asked info falun going, is a link to the official
Falun Dafa - Home

 

[The Hammer]

A question for those who practice a religious or spiritual teaching.

If we truly practice the way the teaching us to do, would we then not need to ask so many questions?
Would not the wisdom in the teaching be what we awaken to because we practice the right way according to the teaching?

Religious teachings are a roughshod drawing of a map in the sand. Very basic directions for Unity with the Gods. Whereas actual personal work on behalf of Oneself (inner work) and the Gods (outer work) [no organized religion necessary], leads to greater Wisdom and Spiritual prowess. You can learn basic directions from these maps in the sand, but they do not equate to the GPS directions that come from within, when properly listened to (using ones heart).

 

[sun rise]

If we truly practice the way the teaching us to do, would we then not need to ask so many questions?

By analogy, when I'm learning something new, I have a million questions about it. Once I've learned how to do something, the questions naturally slow down quite a bit. That's what has been my experience in regular life and in spiritual matters.

 

[Quintessence]

In my tradition, if you aren't asking lots of questions constantly you're doing it wrong. In part because it isn't about some fixed "right way" of doing things.

 

[Spirit of Light]

In my tradition, if you aren't asking lots of questions constantly you're doing it wrong. In part because it isn't about some fixed "right way" of doing things.

As I said earlier, asking you self question of course needed, but not needed ask the teacher all the time, teacher has already enlightened, if the teacher tell all the answers, how can we enlighten our self?

 

[QuestioningMind]

Stop asking me to elsewhere, the teaching I cultivate is the one I found the for me. And in the teaching it self, the answer I need are already there for me to .

Stop asking you to 'elsewhere'? What does that mean?

Any good teacher not only tells a student what they need to know they ALSO answer questions that might arise in the student's mind. A teacher that refuses to listen to their student's questions is doomed to failure, since it's the teacher's duty to figure out how to teach the lesson in a fashion that the student can comprehend. A 'one-size-fits-all' teacher is rarely very effective.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Wow. Nice link. I can't go through all the html files. The practice seems to overlap with a lot of spiritual teachings and purpose. (In the general sense rather than political) What is unique about it?

The teacher give the student everything they need within the teaching it self, enlighten beings Buddha did not write down teaching so the student learned it by heart.

However, one would ask questions to the teacher (as per the students asked many many questions) to understand what they needed to experience from within. Of course The Buddha didn't give his students enlightenment but he did know without questions (as he questioned his master), they would go off the right path and experience suffering and rebirth.

If a Buddhist was to take some of the teaching from Christianity and incorporated it to his or her Buddhist practice, how could he or she know what to follow? How could the energy the teacher install in the student be itf is two different systems running at same time?

Hm.

Since The Buddha didn't know christian teachings and was a polytheist, student Dharmic practitioners (Buddhists) would go to help and ask him questions pertaining to The Dharma. The Buddha always answered questions in ways most appropriate to his students understanding. Buddhism isn't a "do it yourself" religion.

He would know by asking his teacher things he wouldn't understand himself. So, for example, of a Buddhist took christian teachings of love and applied them to the Dharma, it would be incorrect. Love in christianity is human sacrifice. Love in The Dharma is life. One ends in death to eternal life and the other is without death into a process and growing to matured life or wisdom. So, the only way the practitioner would know the difference is if he conversed with his teacher, asked questions, and learn what enlightenment is.

Enlightenment to me means awakening to the most pure truth within our self (not the ego self)

Can you expand on that?

As I said earlier, asking you self question of course needed, but not needed ask the teacher all the time, teacher has already enlightened, if the teacher tell all the answers, how can we enlighten our self?

I disagree with teacher's already being enlightened. That's more like making the teacher an idol or a god. The Buddha himself said he was subject to birth, aging, and death. He also kept saying not to worship him (for lack of better words at the moment). He made it to where the student can be like himself once he realize that state. But like The Buddha, they had teachers and asked questions of their teachers.

Of course enlightenment isn't from the teacher; and, you need the teacher to know if what you experience is enlightenment or maybe an enlightened feeling. However, that's the Dharma so far I know. Gong seems a bit more abstract about it. I notice the more modern the faith is, the more abstract it is-trying to break from traditions and hierarchy makes it less dependent on culture and more dependent on self. Which is fine but can't be judged right or wrong compared to those religious who find themselves with traditions. It's more to each his own rather than right or wrong (saying in general without poking fingers).