If we practiced correctly

[Deeje]

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 Romans 1:1 when I looked up this verse in different translations I got so many different renderings....but essentially when you read it in a Greek interlinear, you find this....

"I appeal parakaleō to you hymeis therefore oun, brethren adelphos, by dia the ho mercies oiktirmos of ho God theos, to present paristēmi · ho your hymeis bodies sōma as a living zaō sacrifice thusia, holy hagios and acceptable euarestos to ho God theos— this ho is a reasonable logikos act of worship latreia for you hymeis. "

Some translations use the word "rational" (logikos) which involves our power of reason. Reasons are important for any person to practice a faith or belief. If your reasons are not legitimate then they will fail under scrutiny. Our faith must not be blind and for Christians, we have to be able to provide reasons for why we believe as we do.

1 Peter 3:15..."But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess." (NET)
In order to provide the reasons for our beliefs, we must first know what we believe and why we believe it. That way, no one with a seemingly good argument will be able to sway us to go against those solidly based beliefs. We remember that our adversary is a master con artist with thousands of years of practice. This is his world we are living in.....(1 John 5:19)

 

[Aupmanyav]

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?

Nah, the questions will need to be asked. What about non-believers? what about LGBTQ? How many marriages? Divorce or not?

 

[osgart]

I am always trying to objectively examine the meanings of what I come to believe. The greatest challenge for me is mercy vs. punishment.

For me there will always be that human blindness to other people and what they truly deserve. So instead I can only focus on myself, and what I can do to be more fruitful.

It's only in truly getting to know others that we can begin to make determinations about them. But everything takes time and patience. I don't believe that quick results happen so commonly. It's a life long journey.

I try to stay away from sweeping generalizations in the things I practice. Everyone is an individual.

 

[Spirit of Light]

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.

It's an error in my translator tool. It should say stop telling me to change my cultivation and my belief.

 

[Spirit of Light]

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?



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.



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.



Can you expand on that?



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).

I used Christianity as an example from today's world when seems that people mixing teachings, because they think it will make them more awaken, in my understanding that will only make more difficult realize truth, so one teaching at the time.

In my understanding all spiritual teachings, they contain energy and teaching from many levels of wisdom, so more energy we gain from reading text the more pure the truth become,
In falun gong it is said that, truthfulness, compassion and forbearance are the most truth. So if you imagine a triangle, the widest line the bottom is human beings are, and the more we cultivate our mind and body the higher we get to the tip on top of the, and this is where the highest and pure truth is, in other words the enlightenment.
As beings we can not see the pure truth without cultivation of mind and body. We must remove the "mud" from our eyes to see the truth.
"Mud" being attachments like illusions, greed, jealousy, anger, and so on.

 

[stvdv]

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?

Yoga Vasistha teaches there are 4 things needed. Spiritual Books is just 1 of them.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Yoga Vasistha teaches there are 4 things needed. Spiritual Books is just 1 of them.

Yes that is true for all practice, there is more then one step toward awakening :

 

[Koldo]

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.

As an instructor, I can assure you that people form all sorts of misconceptions about what I teach them. That is not necessarily a bad thing for they are creating a new path for themselves but they are often disappointed to find that their understanding is a misconception of what I taught them.

If you want to follow a specific path, you should always ask questions to make sure you are doing what you are supposed to do. If, however, you want to create your own path using others' teaching as an inspiration then you don't need to ask any questions.

 

[Spirit of Light]

As an instructor, I can assure you that people form all sorts of misconceptions about what I teach them. That is not necessarily a bad thing for they are creating a new path for themselves but they are often disappointed to find that their understanding is a misconception of what I taught them.

If you want to follow a specific path, you should always ask questions to make sure you are doing what you are supposed to do. If, however, you want to create your own path using others' teaching as an inspiration then you don't need to ask any questions.

I am following the teaching of Li Hongzi in Falun Gong as you already know, I speak only from my own understanding of the teaching I am cultivating. So I do not speak of teaching in normal schools or other forms of education. When I am asked in the cultivation teaching to cultivate it my self, that is what I do. If other people want a gazillion teachers or have long discussions with their spiritual teacher that is of course up to them and the system they follows.

I do not try to form any new path or teaching, I have need for doing that.

 

[syo]

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

Questions never end and teachings are not a passe-partout answer.
BUT teachings can help us clear the questions.
That is how I understand it.

 

[QuestioningMind]

It's an error in my translator tool. It should say stop telling me to change my cultivation and my belief.

I'm sorry... I just assumed that since YOU started this thread asking a question about students asking questions that you'd expect to get some answers. I wasn't aware that by simply responding to your post with an alternate point of view that you'd feel threatened. If you don't like it when people respond to your posts, perhaps you should stop making them.

 

[Koldo]

I am following the teaching of Li Hongzi in Falun Gong as you already know, I speak only from my own understanding of the teaching I am cultivating. So I do not speak of teaching in normal schools or other forms of education. When I am asked in the cultivation teaching to cultivate it my self, that is what I do. If other people want a gazillion teachers or have long discussions with their spiritual teacher that is of course up to them and the system they follows.

I do not try to form any new path or teaching, I have need for doing that.

Unless your path is really simple, I don't see how you would reach the destination your teacher intended without being able to ask questions. You will naturally reach conclusions that differ from what was intended.

 

[Koldo]

Questions never end and teachings are not a passe-partout answer.
BUT teachings can help us clear the questions.
That is how I understand it.

@Amanaki

It is also worth noting that teachers generally appreciate questions.

There is a story that I heard a long time ago and I am afraid I don't remember the exact wording but it goes like this:

There used to be a sage in a small village that used to give lectures. Then one day another man came to the village and every now and then he would question the sage during the lecture. The sage would always try his best to think of an answer, but everyone was upset that this outsider kept interrupting the lecture.

Many years passed by and that man kept coming to the lectures and asking inconvenient questions. Then one day, one of the sage's disciples was quite happy to give the great news: that man had died (a natural death). Now no one would bother the sage and he would be able to give his lectures in peace.

When the sage heard those news, he got on his knees and started crying... a lot. The disciple didn't understand why he was crying and then the sage told him: He was the only one that made me wiser for whenever I had think of an answer to his questions I would gain some new insight, but now he is gone.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I'm sorry... I just assumed that since YOU started this thread asking a question about students asking questions that you'd expect to get some answers. I wasn't aware that by simply responding to your post with an alternate point of view that you'd feel threatened. If you don't like it when people respond to your posts, perhaps you should stop making them.

I do not feel treatment by you.
Did you notice my OP says " to people who practice a religion or spiritual teaching " that should be a clue to whom i want to discuss with.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Unless your path is really simple, I don't see how you would reach the destination your teacher intended without being able to ask questions. You will naturally reach conclusions that differ from what was intended.

The answers i have in my Cultivation is in the teaching, no need to ask the teacher directly.it is only up to me to realize them.

 

[QuestioningMind]

I do not feel treatment by you.
Did you notice my OP says " to people who practice a religion or spiritual teaching " that should be a clue to whom i want to discuss with.

Yet in an open forum you shouldn't be surprised or offended if someone else happens to respond. I'm responding to the notion that a student shouldn't ask questions of a teacher. As someone who spent many years as a teacher I know that such a philosophy is detrimental to true learning. I can't imagine how the lesson being taught - i.e. a math lesson or a lesson in spirituality - changes that reality in any way. Any teacher who discourages a student from asking questions is demonstrating that they really don't know what it is they claim to be teaching. Anyone who truly understands a subject should be able and willing to view that subject from any perspective. As a teacher I know that a student's questions can force me to look at a topic in a new way and can help the teacher to gain an even deeper understanding of the subject as well.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Yet in an open forum you shouldn't be surprised or offended if someone else happens to respond. I'm responding to the notion that a student shouldn't ask questions of a teacher. As someone who spent many years as a teacher I know that such a philosophy is detrimental to true learning. I can't imagine how the lesson being taught - i.e. a math lesson or a lesson in spirituality - changes that reality in any way. Any teacher who discourages a student from asking questions is demonstrating that they really don't know what it is they claim to be teaching. Anyone who truly understands a subject should be able and willing to view that subject from any perspective. As a teacher I know that a student's questions can force me to look at a topic in a new way and can help the teacher to gain an even deeper understanding of the subject as well.

So Even the OP say that the OP is for religioues or spiritual people you choose to not follow this ? I honestly have no interest (In this OP) to discuss spiritual practice with non believers. But i dont expect you to accept that.

 

[Spirit of Light]

@The Hammer If any of RF staff read this thread, can it be moved to religioues discussion forum?
This is no longer a Q & A so should not be in that section any more.

 

[Link]

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?

It's better to live at crossroads and become sure of one's path, then to take a leap of faith while no certain proof and not 100% knowledge based.

The reason is because God and the path to him, is solidly different and leads to God, while all other paths mix truth and falsehood but lead eventually astray, unless, over time, you get rid of falsehood, which is only possible, by holding to truth.

That said, light of God is found breathed everywhere, in every land, so as long as human only makes use of truth he knows and holds conjecture on suspect, then it's fine whatever religion and culture they born, they will eventually find there way to the tree of light and the proof of God on earth.

There is gambling, even if 1% doubt, don't take that leap of faith. Just follow what you know, but don't take a leap and mix falsehood with truth, even if 99% true and 1% false, the 1% false will eventually counter attack your 99% knowledge, and you will mix more falsehood over time.

Follow what you know only. This is one of the most emphasized messages of Quran yet the most neglected by people who claim to love it and adhere to it.

 

[Spirit of Light]

It's better to live at crossroads and become sure of one's path, then to take a leap of faith while no certain proof and not 100% knowledge based.

The reason is because God and the path to him, is solidly different and leads to God, while all other paths mix truth and falsehood but lead eventually astray, unless, over time, you get rid of falsehood, which is only possible, by holding to truth.

That said, light of God is found breathed everywhere, in every land, so as long as human only makes use of truth he knows and holds conjecture on suspect, then it's fine whatever religion and culture they born, they will eventually find there way to the tree of light and the proof of God on earth.

There is gambling, even if 1% doubt, don't take that leap of faith. Just follow what you know, but don't take a leap and mix falsehood with truth, even if 99% true and 1% false, the 1% false will eventually counter attack your 99% knowledge, and you will mix more falsehood over time.

Follow what you know only. This is one of the most emphasized messages of Quran yet the most neglected by people who claim to love it and adhere to it.

If i understand your reply correctly, you speak about if a person is a muslim, he/she should only follow Allah and the islamist teaching?
Or do you meant that islam is the only true teaching, and everyone else is doomed?