[Buddha-l] Eckhart Tolle

[Vaj]

Hi Richard:

On Jan 10, 2006, at 12:34 PM, Richard P. Hayes wrote:

>
> That's why I find Bikram so refreshing. <snip>

He hasn't only threatened them, he has successfully sued and won in  
court.

> Henry Miller once observed that heroin addiction is the perfect  
> metaphor
> for capitalism. <snip>

Well then it's not perfect, it's just another metaphor, albeit an  
interesting one.

Except maybe for heroin addicts or those in recovery...

>
> You really do have a prapanca about that, don't you? Why does it stick
> in your craw so much that people, such as Siddhartha Gotama,<snip>

You're attributing to me, once again, things which I have never  
stated.  If you are going to make up lies to try to foster your point  
please do it to someone else or simply include in your response where  
I am quoted as saying this in regards to Shakyamuni!

You also seem to confuse poignant observation with obsession. A  
certain part of this I find hilarious.

> It could be that what sticks in your craw (as it sticks in mine) is  
> the
> very fact that there is no means of knowing whether or not someone is
> mistaken when they claim to be enlightened. It is a perfectly vacuous
> claim, unfalsifiable and unverifiable.

And it can effectively turn someone from their path or (as is popular  
in Neo-Advaita circles) to stop their sadhana, so they can "live in  
the now" and stop 'putting their enlightenment into the future'.  
Possible good thing here, possible real bad thing too. If that's a  
dynamic you enjoy with the "vacuous claim[ing], unfalsifiable and  
unverifiable" enlightened ones, I certainly respect your desire to  
seek that out.

>
> Yes. And what is the harm in that? A few suckers lose a few  
> shekels<snip>

They I hope you have a good time. Let us know how it went. I'll be  
interested to hear as I'm sure willbe others.

> I see we have now shifted the topic away from Eckhart Tolle, who,  
> as far
> as I can see, is not at all like the pseudo-advaitins whose work  
> causes
> you such unbearable suffering.
>

Here we go again, no where have I stated that these people cause me  
"unbearable suffering".

-Steve Feite