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December 18, 2021

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A hindu guru and a Western Atheist thinking himself to be a Zen Roshi were walking by the river.

The Atheist, seeing a small ferry platform on the edge of the river, took the lead hurrying to the entrance gate.

The guru asked, "where are we going now, dear friend? "

The Atheist said "I have no idea. But let's go across the river. I love boat rides. It only costs a penny. It's an adventure! Please? "

The guru said, "OK, let's go! "

And so they stood upon the ferry platform and watched the scene pass by together as they crossed the river until they arrived at the other side, which, in truth was pretty much the same as where they had just come from.

As the Atheist and the Guru gazed back at the river Bank where they began the Atheist noted that it looked pretty much the same as the one they now stood upon.

And then he asked the Guru, "Why did you bring me here?"


The Guru rolled his eyes and whispered gently, "Brother, Let's hang out right here and now for a while, OK.

" Let's go within and cross the river separating you and I. And get to a truly beautiful destination. On that river we are the boatmen, so we are only paying ourselves. And at that destination an infinite treasure of love awaits us."

Reading this essay, one would assume that "the Chinese" all practiced a whimsical Taoism, while "the Japanese" were all austerely devoted to sitting zazen and getting whacked with a keisaku while on a committed path to satori.

That would be a wildly inaccurate picture. What we know of the history of religious practice in Asian regions is that the the vast majority practiced folk religions. Shinto has been far more influential in Japan than has Zen Buddhism. By the same token, Taoism has had a influence on Chinese culture. Both are basically hazy folk religions. Same same.

@ Spence [ " Let's go within and cross the river separating you and I " ]

All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all

From: Snow Patrol - "Chasing Cars"

Taoism is playful. Buddhism is serious. I prefer Taoism.

Struggles of an adventure

Anything would be better than, Radha Soami n Gurinder Singh Dhillions self centered religious nothings

Which has nothing to be gained even after years of struggling you end up broke.
While Gurinders laughing his way to the bank

Penniless you wonder endlessly searching for a meaning to life only to end up in some dera listening to endless repeatable dhillion going on about the lovely religious concepts of others religious beliefs.

Nothing within the Radha Soami Cult to teach or learn as Gurinder so willingly shows off accidently.

But keep banging your head against that brick wall, all because I say so...Gurinders own words

Not much to go on is it...

Anyway is better than the Radha Soami way n Gurinder Singh Dhillions religious scam

Life is for experiencing and not to be wasted listening to sweet nothings

@ Manoj (since I guess there's no longer a rule on his forum that posters need to stay on topic of the essay, and he posts the same thing over and over).

"Anything would be better than, Radha Soami n Gurinder Singh Dhillions self centered religious nothings"

Since there are millions of RSSB satsangis who say they get a great deal of positive enjoyment out of this religion, your view is clearly subjective.

"Which has nothing to be gained even after years of struggling you end up broke.
While Gurinders laughing his way to the bank"

This is a one I haven't heard before -- RSSB makes people "end up broke." Even die hard exers don't make that claim.

As for Gurinder's finances, that indeed is a matter of some doubt and I would agree is worthy of criticism. Sued by an Indian filmmaker for stiffing him on a huge loan, his own disciple and family member accusing him of masterminding a money laundering scheme -- these troubling ssues have not been answered, and in my mind they do cast some doubt on the guru's business dealings.

"Penniless you wonder endlessly searching for a meaning to life only to end up in some dera listening to endless repeatable dhillion going on about the lovely religious concepts of others religious beliefs."

Yeah, again I don't get this claim that RSSB has ruined any initiate's bank account. What are you talking about guy?

"Nothing within the Radha Soami Cult to teach or learn as Gurinder so willingly shows off accidently."

OK, well this is kind of on topic, to my mind anyway. That is, what precisely is there to really "learn" in religion? The concepts are simple: love and service. Thus every RSSB book and satsang is reliably boring; there is nothing new to be discovered.

Like or not, this is our existential dilemma. Yet we go on with our Search, even after becoming an exer, trying to find this or that in science or another religion that provides answers. Zen is really great and clean, but yet it isn't, so we have to find just the "right" zen. Yet still the search goes on.

The sad fact is that however exer we may be, we can't escape our constitutional situation. We will forever seek meaning and love and leadership, ie that basic things that Sant Mat offers. However we try to leave Sant mat for something else, we end up just substituting a new "mat" and doing a different simran. But our basic situation hasn't changed. It can't. That's because we were all created as Souls and are apart from our true home. As hokey as that sounds, that's what our heart keeps telling us.

"But keep banging your head against that brick wall, all because I say so...Gurinders own words"

Not really Gurinder's own words, but I get the underlying objection to the RSSB imperative that we must storm heaven via meditation or else. By the way, Charan said that too (I keep pointing out, yet Charan is more teflon than Reagan ever was and not even the most rabid exer will say word one against Huzur. This is a phenomena I've never figured out).

"Not much to go on is it...

Anyway is better than the Radha Soami way n Gurinder Singh Dhillions religious scam

Life is for experiencing and not to be wasted listening to sweet nothings."

Well, Charan did appoint Gurinder, so I'm not sure it's fair to blame the current Guru for carrying on what was assigned him. Yes, we're supposed to enjoy life, but we can't, because life itself can't be enjoyed, because, as Sant mat tells us, and is correct in telling us, no one is happy here. That is the why and wherefore of Sant mat.

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