Just some interesting text and information.



"It cannot be stressed too often that it is the truth of the teaching that is all-important, and never the personality of the teacher. This is why Buddha reminded us in the Four Reliances:

Rely on the message of the teacher, not on his personality;
Rely on the meaning, not just on the words;
Rely on the real meaning, not on the provisional one;
Rely on your wisdom mind, not on your ordinary, judgmental mind.


It is important to remember that the true teacher is the spokesman of the truth: its compassionate “wisdom display.” All the buddhas, masters, and prophets are the emanations of this truth, appearing in countless skillful, compassionate guises in order to guide us, through their teachings, back to our true nature.

At first, more important than finding the teacher is finding and following the truth of the teaching, for it is through making a connection with the truth of the teaching that you will discover your living connection with a master."

-Sogyal Rinpoche


How does the Church choose saints?


Canonization, the process the Church uses to name a saint, has only been used since the tenth century. For hundreds of years, starting with the first martyrs of the early Church, saints were chosen by public acclaim. Though this was a more democratic way to recognize saints, some saints' stories were distorted by legend and some never existed. Gradually, the bishops and finally the Vatican took over authority for approving saints.

In 1983, Pope John Paul II made sweeping changes in the canonization procedure. The process begins after the death of a Catholic whom people regard as holy. Often, the process starts many years after death in order give perspective on the candidate. The local bishop investigates the candidate's life and writings for heroic virtue (or martyrdom) and orthodoxy of doctrine. Then a panel of theologians at the Vatican evaluates the candidate. After approval by the panel and cardinals of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the pope proclaims the candidate "venerable."

The next step, beatification, requires evidence of one miracle (except in the case of martyrs). Since miracles are considered proof that the person is in heaven and can intercede for us, the miracle must take place after the candidate's death and as a result of a specific petition to the candidate. When the pope proclaims the candidate beatified or "blessed," the person can be venerated by a particular region or group of people with whom the person holds special importance.

Only after one more miracle will the pope canonize the saint (this includes martyrs as well). The title of saint tells us that the person lived a holy life, is in heaven, and is to be honored by the universal Church. Canonization does not "make" a person a saint; it recognizes what God has already done.

Though canonization is infallible and irrevocable, it takes a long time and a lot of effort. So while every person who is canonized is a saint, not every holy person has been canonized. You have probably known many "saints" in your life, and you are called by God to be one yourself.

POWERS OF THE SAINTS

Saints have been known to emit light and levitate while praying.

Taoist Masters, Yogi's, Avatars have been reported to be able to do the following

Manifestations - eg. Rose Water, Honey Water, Fragrances
Transformation - alchemy - Lead to Gold, transforming elements
Rejuvenation & Longevity
lowering metabolism, heart rate. etc.
able to withstand extremities
generating heat - eg. Asian Monks drying wet blankets in mountains
leaving body in tact, for a few years
Living under ground for years without air - leaving all but teeth when die
bi-location -two places at once
teleportation / Time Travel - Physical or Subtle Energy
Dematerialization / invisibility / physical ascension-
Shapeshifting & Levitation
translocation - can travel through space to a devotee
Transference of consciousness
Spontaneous Healing
Telepathy
Know the answers to all the questions of people
Seeing all past lives
Anagami, a Non-returner, the third stage in the realization of Nibbana
Tulku's & Rinpoches mastered the Death process and reincarnated for the benefit of all sentient beings

Buddha's are 'awakened' from the sleep of ignorance. Buddha's are 'en-lightened' - that is 'at-one with the light' or lightened up.

Two symptoms of Enlightened Beings, mentioned in the Vedanta philosophy, are:

less worrying (ie. faith)
increased meaningful coincidences (increased intention & attention) - leading towards 'miracles'
Avatars are born God-realized. For example Sai Baba.

These are all powers available to us. Jesus said,'the lowest amongst you will do as I do and more' (paraphrased)

These gurus', Yogi's, Yoganini's, Spiritual beings are all self -realized or on that path. They are like our elder brothers who have travelled the path before us or travel it with us.

A true Buddha is the vehicle of all Guru's and Buddha's. They all speak the same voice - however some have different perspectives or misunderstandings. In an interesting way teachings have stayed the same - however they are adapted to the audience's level awareness or time in the cycles of life.

Buddha or Bodhi is our true nature. We are all Buddha naturally however we are obscured and cannot see it. We are like a piece of coal that has our true nature inside - the Diamond.

The way, the Path of Self Realization is the Path of Self - towards source - we journey through our programming - negative ego, subconscious beliefs fears, desires etc.

This is why we are ultimately alone on this journey - who else is going to bother to learn everything about you.

You are the best person to observe you. And this is why Dharma is the only way -it is the way of learning about unlearning!

Also the written teachings can only go so far

This is because the Truth is beyond words - it is an expereince. It can be transmitted between Master to Disciple - through silence.In my opinion the Truth is in the Silence.

Teachers, Guru's, Master's

Living Now - Saints, H.H., Venerable, Eminence, Holiness

H.H. Dalai Lama
Pope John Paul II
H.H. Penor Rinpoche
Sai Baba
Babaji
Mother Amma
Mother Meera
Adidam - Ruchira Avatar Adi Da Samraj
Lama Zopa Rinpoche - Tibetan Tulku
Shri Mataji
http://www.louixdordempriey.com/
Maitreya - share international - Benjamin Creme


Modern Teachers

Dr Joshua David Stone - Integrated Ascension in this lifetime
Andrew Cohen - 'What is enlightenment'
David Oshana http://www.oshana.org/
Maitreya Ishwara - God's Vision
Rabbi Michael Lerner
Echart Tolle - Power of Now
Mantak Chia http://www.universal-tao.com
Duane Packer & Orindaben
Gary Zukav - Seat of the Soul
Deepak Chopra - How to Know God, Quantum Healing
Donal Neale Walsch - Conversations with God
The Venerable Tsoknyi Rinpoche
http://www.johnderuiter.com/
David Bohm
Stephen Hawkins


Recently Passed on (19 - 21 C)

Osho
Krishnamurti
Edgar Cayce
William James
Mother Theresa
Mahatma Ghandi
Albert Einstein


Christian - Desert Fathers, Hermits, Mystics, Monks and Saints:

Jesus Christ
John of the Cross
John the Baptist
St Anthony
Padre Pio
St Francis of Assissi
Meister Eckhart - 13th Century Mystic, prophet, feminist, declared heretic and early advocate of creation-centred spirituality
Teilhard de Chardin - Jesuit Priest - philosopher, theologian and paleontologist.
Hildegrard of Bingen -
Julian of Norwich - Mystic and Prophet was an innovator and theologian
Thomas Merton
Thomas Moore
St Therese of Avile
St Augustine


Philosophers:

Marcus Aurelius
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle
Sophocles
Plotinus
Heraclitus - 500 BC
Senaca
Francis Bacon
Arthur Schopenhauer
Rene Descartes
Blaise Pascal
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Shankara
Shakyamuni Buddha - Siddhartha Gotama - The Historical Buddha
Lama Tsongkhapa - The Great Reformer
Nagarjuna
Thomas Aquinas
Charles de Foucald
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Abraham Maslow
Henry David Thoreau
David Hume
John Locke
Francois la Rochefoucauld


Great Philosopher's:

Philodemus of Gadera
Heraclitus
Jaina Mahavira
Hermes - Thoth


Writers & Poets:

William Blake
Leo Tolstoy
George Elliot
John Milton
John Bunyan
John Keats
William Wordsworth
William Shakespeare


Taoism:

Chuang-tse
Lao Tzu
Michaelangelo

Kabir
Jalaluddin Rumi
Jean Jacques Rousseau
Walt Whitman



Buddhism

BODHISATTVAS AND VAJRAMASTERS:
A DIRECTORY OF BUDDHIST TEACHERS




THERAVADA
Henepola Gunaratana Nayaka Thera - President of the Bhavana Society
Ven. P. A. Payutto

INSIGHT MEDITATION SOCIETY
Joseph Goldstein
Jack Kornfield
Sharon Sazlberg

NICHIREN
Daisaku Ikeda - President of Soka Gakkai International (SGI)

UNIFIED BUDDHIST CHURCH
Thich Nhat Hanh - Founder of the Unified Buddhist Church http://www.plumvillage.org/

ZEN
Suzuki Roshi - Founder of The San Francisco Zen Center

SHINGON
Jitsudo Matsumoto
Rev. Eijun Bill Eidson
Rev. Seicho Asahi
Rev. Shoken Harada

Note that some Tibetan teachers may be lineage holders in more than one Tibetan school, though below, for the sake of simplicity, they will only be listed under the heading of one lineage.

TIBETAN-GELUKPA
H.H.Lobsang Nyima (Ganden Tripa Rinpoche) - Supreme Head of the Gelukpa Lineage
H.H. Dalai Lama - Head of the Tibetan Government in Exile
Panchen Lama
Thubten Yeshe - Founder of The Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition
Zopa Rinpoche

TIBETAN-SAKYA
Sakya Trizin - Supreme Head of the Sakya Lineage

TIBETAN-KAGYU
Karmapa - Supreme Head of the Kagyu Lineage
Jamgon Kongtrul
Kalu Rinpoche
Lama Kalsang Rinpoche
Khandro Rinpoche
Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche - Co-founder of the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche - Founder of Bodhicharya
Tai Situ Rinpoche - Founder of the Maitreya Institute
Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche - Founder of the Marpa Institute for Translators

TIBETAN-NYINGMA
Penor Rinpoche - Supreme Head of the Nyingma Lineage
Chagdud Tulku
Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche - Spiritual Director, Chokling Tersar Foundation
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche - Director, Siddharthas Intent International
Gangshar Rinpoche
Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Rigdzin Shikpo - Dharma Director, Longchen Foundation
Thrangu Rinpoche - Oversees the Thrangu Tashi Choling Monasteries
Sogyal Rinpoche - Founder of Rigpa
Tsoknyi Rinpoche

TIBETAN-BUDDHIST BONPO
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche - President of Ligmincha Institute

SHAMBHALA BUDDHISM
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche - Founder of Naropa University and Shambhala International http://www.shambhala.org/teachers/vctr/index.html
Mipham Rinpoche
- Holder of the Shambhala Buddhist Lineage

http://www.ashokanewmedia.com/


Hindu -Yogis

Ramakrishna
Sri Ram, Ramayama
Krishna
Kriya Yogi's - Paramahansa Yogananda. ...
Mahatma Ghandi


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"Paramatman (God) alone is real; This world is unreal. The latter appears as real in man's vision, hearing and thoughts, but it lasts only as long as the things seen in a dream last."

Devotion

"Faith, devotion, and the yoga of meditation. These are mentioned by the Vedas as the immediate factors of liberation in the case of a seeker; Whoever abides by these, gets liberation from the bondage of the body, which is the conjuring of ignorance."

"Those who take shelter under me in this world, meditating on me and repeating the mantra of my sacred name, will surely get my vision, even unasked, as I know they have no other refuge."

"As a result of the spiritual disciplines you have undergone, you are even now liberated from all worldly desires. After your death, you will attain union with me." "Just as, even people possessing eyes, cannot see things clearly in the night, but they can see their steps well when a light is brought, so also in those having devotion towards me, the self becomes self-effulgent."

"Those that have devotion towards me will get knowledge and renunciation and they will attain to liberation from the round of births and deaths."

"Know that the chanting of my name destroys all sins in this world, if the chanting is done with one pointed devotion and complete dependence upon me."

"Among things conducive to liberation, devotion alone holds the supreme place. The seeking after one's real nature is designated as devotion." Sri Sankara

"You should remember the heart of the devotee is the abode of God." SRI RAMAKRISHNA

Sri Sankara, also known as Sankaracharya, was a Hindu Avatar born in approximately 788 AD to a Brahmin family in South India. He was so precocious that by the age of 16 He had completed all His writings. At the age of ten he had memorized most of the Hindu scriptures.