Saintly Himalayan Yogi's Eightfold Path

The Dhammapada: mind - Ajahn Brahm: God vs. Bodhi

An 85-year-old Himalayan yogi, rumored to leave no trace in the snow, says true happiness comes from...

The Wise Man on the Mountain - Existential Comics

• What is the "Yoga" (system, tapas, austerity, program) he follows? It is surely Integral Yoga also generally known as Ashtanga or "Eight Limbs." He does not merely do poses or keep a vegetarian diet. He goes much further to include all aspects of the path:

The definition of "yoga"

The Sage Pātañjali (author of the Yoga Sutras or "Yoga Aphorisms") begins his treatise on yoga (1st–3rd century CE) by stating the purpose of writing his book in the first sutra, followed by defining the word "yoga" in his second sutra of Book 1:[2].

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥२॥

yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ

— Yoga Sutras 1.2

This terse definition hinges on the meaning of three Sanskrit terms:

I. K. Taimni translates it as, "Yoga is the inhibition (nirodhaḥ [usually translated as "cessation"]) of the modifications (vṛtti) of the mind (citta)" [3].

Swami Vivekananda translates this aphorism as, "Yoga is restraining (nirodhah) the mind-stuff (citta) from taking various forms (vrittis)" [4].

When the mind is stilled, the seer or real Self is revealed: 1.3. Then the Seer is established in his [or her] own essential and fundamental nature. 1.4.

In other states there is assimilation (of the Seer) with the modifications (of the mind) [5].

Sadhguru's no guru but tell jokes to Westerners

Eight limbs

Pātañjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga

Patanjali compiled the yoga aphorisms

Pātañjali set out his definition of "yoga" in the Yoga Sūtras as having eight limbs [following the popularity of the historical Buddha's Dharma being condensed into a Noble Eightfold Path] (अष्टाङ्ग, āṅga, "eight limbs") as follows. These are the Eight Limbs of Yoga:

1. yama (abstinences),
2. niyama (observances),
3. āsana (postures),
4. prāṇā-yāma (breath control),
5. pratyāhāra (withdrawal of the senses),
6. dhāraṇā (concentration),
7. dhyāna (meditation), and
8. samādhi (absorption)" [6].

The eightfold path of Pātañjali's yoga consists of a set of prescriptions for a morally disciplined and purposeful life, of which the āsana (yoga postures) form only one limb [7]. More

Buddhism has a different set of Eight Limbs to Enlightenment

What is the path to supreme liberation?

As in Buddhism's Noble Eightfold Path, all of these terms are loaded. They are full of meaning, leaving many aspects to each term or heading. They are not the same path and do NOT lead to the same goal. The goal of yoga is "union," whereas the goal of the Buddha-Dharma is enlightenment and nirvana.

1. Right View: various summaries of "right view" can be found in Buddhist texts. A stock phrase is the opening of the dhamma-eye, in which knowledge arises: "All that has the nature of arising has the nature of ending" [33, Note 2]; showing the futility of striving after worldly fulfillment. More extensive treatments state that our karma (actions) have consequences, death is not the end, and our words, actions, and beliefs have consequences after death. The Buddha himself followed and taught a successful path out of this world and the other world (heaven and underworld/hells),[36, 37, 38, Web 2] and his example can be followed to the same successful result. Later on, right view came to explicitly include karma and rebirth and the importance of the Four Noble Truths, when "insight" (vipassana) became central to Buddhist soteriology, especially in Theravada Buddhism [39, 40].
2. Right Intention (samyaka-saṃkalpa/sammā-saṅkappa) can also be known as "right thought," "right aspiration," "right resolve," or "right motivation" [41]. In this factor, one aspires to let go, renounce (stop clinging to) the worldly life and follow the Buddhist path [42] of purification and freedom. The practitioner is full of thoughts of and intends to strive toward non-violence (ahimsa) and avoid violent and hateful/aversive conduct [40].
3. Right Speech: avoiding lying, abuse, division, and idle chatter [43, 44].
4. Right Conduct: to avoid killing or injuring, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, intoxication.
5. Right Livelihood: avoiding trading in weapons, living beings, meat, intoxicants/poisons.
6. Right Effort: preventing the arising of unwholesome mental states that not arisen, deposing ones that have, generating wholesome states, and maintaining them to their consummation. What are the profitable mental states? The Seven Factors of Enlightenment (bojjhaṅgā). This includes "guarding the sense-doors" (indriya-samvara), restraint of the sense faculties [45, 46].
7. Right Mindfulness (sati; satipatthana; sampajañña): a quality that guards the heart/mind as it dispassionately watches over [47] and looks on. The stronger mindfulness becomes, the weaker unwholesome states of mind become, weakening their power "to take over and dominate thought, word, and deed" [48, Note 3]. In the insight meditation (vipassana) movement, mindfulness is interpreted as dispassionate "bare attention," watching, vigilance, remaining present and aware with whatever arises in this moment: not being absent minded, but rather being conscientious and conscious of what one is doing; this encourages the awareness of the impermanence of body, feelings, and mind, as well as to dispassionately examine the Five Aggregates clung to as self (skandhas), the Five Hindrances, the Four Noble Truths, and the Seven Factors of Enlightenment [46].
8. Right Samadhi (passaddhi; ekaggata; sampasadana): practicing the Four Stages of Jhana (Sanskrit dhyāna or "meditation"), which includes samadhi/absorption proper in the second stage and reinforces the development of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, culminating in equanimity (upekkhā) and mindfulness (sati) [50]. In the Theravada tradition and the insight meditation movement, this is interpreted as singlepointedness of mind (ekaggata), stillness, focus, concentration, one-pointedness of the mind, fulfilled through the Four Foundations of Mindfulness as vipassana meditation, which aims at liberating insight from all illusion. More

Dalai Lama to convert Mother Teresa nuns?

(Dalai Lama) His Holiness Tibetan "Pope" Tenzin Gyatso visits Mother Teresa community in India

Why doesn't Buddhism push itself on people and nudge and nag them to convert?

(Tsering Dorji) How the Buddha helps us be better Christians: Richard Rohr (complementary)

Buddhist goes Catholic (for love)

(Sips with Serra) Buddhist goes to Catholic mass for first time: @Lebelauved

(Adeline Johanna) Why my Mum left Buddhism to become Catholic

Leaving Catholicism even if it has sweet Mary, magic, and miracles

Kwan Yin (Guanyin) Buddhist Goddess of Compassion

Madonna and Child: Siddhartha

In Buddhism we enjoy a "Mother Mary" figure one might call "Virg Yin" (Kwan Yin, Guanyin), the Goddess of Compassion, a bodhisattva. So the best part of the Catholic faith is present. And if a Buddhist wants to love Mary (Miriam) or any other Goddess or her son, that's fine. We do not answer to the Vatican. How great the world would be if everyone were free to pick a spirituality, wisdom, faith, or path-of-practice. We can practice all of them, and that's fine with the Buddha. Good luck on your spiritual journey. We have all been cycling through samsara in search of real "salvation" (liberation, vimutti, moksha). May we all find it.

(But what if a Catholic doesn't like Catholicism, the Patriarchy, and the Church but loves Jesus Christ? - That's great. Investigate what Jesus really taught in the banned Gnostic texts the Church never wants you to know exist.)

• List of converts to Buddhism

What I found in Himalayas: skiing down

Mahavatar Babaji quotes

What I found in the Himalayas that the West couldn’t give me

(Increasing Frequency) Sept. 30, 2025: ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK. On my journey through the Annapurna Circuit in the Himalayas, I went searching for what was missing in my life — a deeper sense of meaning, peace, and connection.

Mahavatar Babaji in the Himalayas

Along the way, I encountered wise old babas, mystics who live in solitude high in the mountains, carrying with them timeless wisdom passed down through generations.

These mystical encounters opened my eyes to lessons that the modern world, especially the West, often overlooks. From simple moments of silence to profound conversations about life, purpose, and spirit, the Himalayas revealed truths I didn’t know I was seeking.

Join me on this journey into the heart of the mountains — where the air is thinner, but the wisdom is infinite. 🌄✨ #Nepal #AnnapurnaCircuitTrek #Himalayas

Skiing down the most DANGEROUS mountain

I skied down Mount Everest (world first, no oxygen)

Andrzej Bargiel: Red Bull paid

(Red Bull) Nov. 7, 2025: MOUNT EVEREST. Ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel becomes the first person to climb Mt. Everest and ski back to Everest Base Camp without supplementary oxygen. After nearly 16 hours climbing in the high altitude “Death Zone” (above 26250 feet or 8,000 meters, where oxygen levels are dangerously low), Bargiel clipped into his skis on the summit of allegedly the tallest mountain on earth [which may in fact be Mt. Sumeru or K2] and started his descent via the South Col Route. He reached Camp II that night and rested. The summit ridge and Hillary Step had taken longer than planned, meaning darkness made it dangerous and difficult to navigate further that day. The next morning, he skied through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall guided by a drone flown by his brother, Bartek, before safely arriving at Everest Base Camp to become the first person to ascend and descend Mt. Everest on skis with no supplementary oxygen.

• What I found in the Himalayas that the West couldn’t give me
• (RED BULL) I skied down Mount Everest (world first, no oxygen)
• Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Alan Watts: Eastern Wisdom, Modern Life

Alan Watts via KQED" Eastern Wisdom and Modern Life: S1 E4 - The Void | Remastered

Vedas: Forbidden Archeologist Michael Cremo

(Gregg Braden Channel) Kali Yuga survival: What the Vedas say about the Reset | Michael Cremo

• Michael Cremo (and remote viewing), Coast to Coast, 11/6/25

Michael Cremo

Researcher and author Michael "The Forbidden Archeologist" Cremo discusses his latest work on consciousness and intriguing discoveries challenging conventional paleoanthropology. A focal point of the conversation is the recent discovery of a species of pachycephalosaur dinosaurs in Montana, USA, known for their distinctive domed skulls. These herbivorous dinosaurs measured about 10 feet long and lived approximately 75 million years ago, before being wiped out by an asteroid impact near the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

Cremo challenges the long-held belief that humans and dinosaurs never coexisted. He cites evidence of human-like footprints dating back to the Cretaceous period and describes a "Jurassic dinosaur bone...with cut marks...like somebody had taken some sharp instrument and used it to strip the flesh off this dinosaur bone." These findings suggest a possible overlap between humans and dinosaurs, a position dismissed by mainstream scientists.

Currently involved in the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium project in India, Cremo says he is developing exhibits that explore concepts such as cyclic time and the soul's journey through different bodies (reincarnation) in different planetary systems.

He emphasizes the need for new explanations of human origins that incorporate all of the data -- particularly ooparts (out of place artifacts) and the concept of consciousness.

Having attended the Science of Consciousness Conference in Barcelona, Spain, he quotes one scientist from the conference who likened theories of consciousness to "toothbrushes," noting: "Everybody has one, but nobody seems to want to use the other person's," highlighting the fragmented and inconclusive nature of current scientific understanding.

Cremo argues that ancient civilizations had a sophisticated grasp of consciousness and the "self" (atman, ego) as distinct from the physical body. He points out that many ancient texts, such as the Vedic scriptures of the Brahmin priests claimed by Hinduism, describe a multidimensional universe (multiverse) with conscious selves transmigrating through various planes of existence.

"In the Vedic texts," he notes, "they speak of 400,000 human-like species scattered throughout the universe, some with amazing powers and abilities beyond what we are able to accomplish."

The Vedas also indicate there have been interactions between these entities and humans for vast periods of time called yugas, kalpas, and maha-kalpas (epochs, aeons, and great aeons). More

Tibetan Esoteric: Milarepa, Pt. 2

• 

  Milarepa more Bon than Buddhist?

  Buddha's Wisdom: The story of Milarepa [student of the farmer-teacher Marpa Lotsawa]: the cave where a killer was reborn, Part 2. Tibetan Buddhism and Bon black magic
• PART 1: Tibetan Milarepa was a bad wizard? "Killer to Saint"
• There is such a mass murderer who became a "saint" (a fully-enlightened individual, an arhat) at the time of the historical Buddha. He is remembered by the nickname Anguli-mala ("Finger-garland"). How could it be? How could a murderer become a saint? That is perhaps best answered with the Christian saying, "Every saint has a past; every sinner a future."
• That means WE have hope so long as we have not killed too many victims in the past, IF we also have the skillful karma and ripening good fortune (vipaka, phala) to come across a teacher able to see our potential to awaken and teach us in such a way that we fulfill our potential.
• UFO (vimana) crashes and explodes in a Polish cornfield, sparking fears [about object Avi Loeb and others say is coming in fast]
• Jetsun Milarepa (bg.picmix.com/pic)
• Buddha's Wisdom, Aug. 20, 2025; Dhr. Seven, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Hindu holy cows? (Praveen Mohan)

(Danny Jones) The shocking historic reason why Hindus worship holy cows | Praveen Mohan

Edgar Cayce/Hinduism: Origin of Soul

It's maya, an illusion, but it follows rules this samsara, wheel of life and death, rebirth and suffering. It is as real as a dream. Are we the divine play of Brahman, GOD, 

Can yoga mantras help simplify life?

Can this mantra simplify our lives?

(Yogmantras) July 21, 2025: Ever feel overwhelmed by life’s chaos and wish for a smoother, more peaceful journey?

What is the primordial sound, the shabda? OM

Dive into the timeless wisdom of the Rigveda 1.41.4, a profound Vedic verse that reveals the secret to a life free of obstacles and filled with clarity.

In 2025, as mindfulness (Sanskrit smirti, Pali sati) and spiritual growth dominate digital platforms, this video offers a fresh take on aligning with truth and purpose to create a fulfilling life.

This mantra teaches us how to walk a path of ease by embracing truth, righteousness, and the guidance of wise souls. Learn practical ways to apply its teachings, from choosing honesty in daily decisions to surrounding ourselves with uplifting company.

Let’s go through a guided and powerful meditation practice, combining breathwork and visualization to clear mental clutter and foster inner calm.

With the rise of YouTube #shorts for quick spiritual insights, this video taps into the growing demand for meaningful content.

Try this 5-minute daily routine to connect with the mantra’s energy and experience a stress-free mindset.

Ready to make life’s path smoother? Watch now and share in the comments how this wisdom inspires a more satisfying life!

Subscribe to Yogmantras for more transformative Vedic insights and mindfulness tips! Connect with Yogmantras: YouTube: Yogmantras Instagram: @yogmantrasg Facebook: YogmantrasG Twitter: @Yogmantras. Email (collaborations/queries): dharmasyatv@gmail.com. Music: Aqua Euphoria (with Lucentia) (432 Hz) by Spheriá | spheriamusic. Music promoted by chosic.com/free-music/all. Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses... #Rigveda #VedicWisdom #Spirituality #Yoga #Meditation #SpiritualAwakening #Yogmantras #AncientIndia #VedicMantras #InnerPeace #DivineWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #CosmicOrder #DivineGrace #PathToLiberation #MantraMeditation #SpiritualJourney #VedicTradition #KarmaAndGrace #YogicWisdom

• Yogmantras on YouTube; Dhr. Seven, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation) (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Brahman, Self, Atman, Shiva: India's seers

Alan Watts: India, Hinduism, Buddhism

Alan Watts: Understanding Buddhism, Concepts Explained

(Equanimity) Alan Watts (alanwatts.org) explores and contemplates the difference between Hinduism, Buddhism, and beliefs in Western civilization. Listen in and contemplate these various perspectives on reality. From "Alan Watts: Metaphysics Philosophy vs. Psychologists." 

• Alan Watts (Something's Happening, KPFK 90.7 FM)

ABOUT: AUSTRALIA. Equanimity promotes all aspects of positive mental health and perspectives that have inspired and motivated humans for thousands of years. We seek to create our own interpretations and new perspectives from ancient wisdom based on our 21st century outlook on life. These philosophical perspectives are covered under YouTube's creative commons license. Aug. 13, 2024. #philosophy #alanwatts #psychology

Tibetan ecstatic meditation: Mahamudra

The deepest meditation I’ve ever found (and I’ve tried 112)

(SoulArtist) May 14, 2025: After exploring over 100 different meditation techniques across the past seven years — from silent sitting to active movement, from vipassana (insight) to breathwork (pranayama) — I recently discovered a meditation so powerful, it went deeper than anything I’ve ever tried before: the OSHO Mahamudra Meditation™.

Might the Tibetan version be better than Osho's?

In this video, I share my honest experience with this practice, what makes it so different, and why I believe it may be one of the most transformative meditations available today. This is not a technique for the mind; it’s a surrender into something far greater.

The most powerful meditation I’ve found (FULL instructions)

🔗 Learn the technique (official instructions): 👉 osho.com/de/meditation/os... 🎵 Meditation Music (OSHO Mahamudra by Deuter): 👉 shop.osho.com/de/musik-fuer-o... 👉 Or listen on Spotify: "Osho Mahamudra Meditation – Deuter"

🧘‍♂️ What is OSHO Mahamudra Meditation™? “This meditation is a meeting between you and the cosmos, between you and the whole of existence. It helps you to merge, melt, and let-go on the deepest level possible.”

– Osho, from “Tantra: The Supreme Understanding, #6”

The meditation has two stages (approx. 50 minutes) and is supported by specific music that mirrors and deepens the energetic flow of the practice. Instructions (from osho.com):

• First Stage – 30 minutes: Stand with eyes closed and let the body move naturally. Allow spontaneous movements to arise — no control, just witnessing. This is Latihan. The body becomes an expression of pure energy.
• Second Stage – 20 minutes: Kneel, raise both hands to the sky. Feel like a hollow bamboo. Let energy pour into you from above — then bow down and release it into the earth. Repeat at least 7 times.

“If you do this every day, soon, somewhere within three months, one day you will feel you are not there. Just the energy is pulsating with the universe – nobody is there, the ego is completely lost, the doer is not. The universe is there, and you are there, the wave pulsating with the ocean – that is Mahamudra. That is the final orgasm, the most blissful state of consciousness that is possible.”

– Osho

• More info on osho.com

If you’ve tried many meditations but still feel like something’s missing, this might be the one. ✨ Subscribe for more honest insights on presence, awareness, and embodied spiritual practice. #mahamudra  #osho  #meditation  #powerfulmeditation

Saraha, Mahāsiddhas (British Museum)

Mahāmudrā (Sanskrit महामुद्रा, Tibetan ཕྱག་ཆེན་, phyag chen, chag-chen, contraction of Tibetan ཕྱག་རྒྱ་ཆེན་པོ་, phyag rgya chen po, chag-gya chen-po) literally means "great seal" or "great imprint."

It refers to the fact that "all phenomena inevitably are stamped by the fact [that] wisdom and emptiness [are] inseparable" [1]. (That is to say, the "perfection of wisdom" or prajnaparamita is that all things are ultimately impersonal).

Mahāmudrā is a multivalent term of great importance in later Indian Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism, which "also occurs occasionally in Hindu and East Asian Buddhist esotericism" [2].

The name also refers to a body of teachings representing the culmination of all the practices of the New Translation schools of Tibetan Buddhism that believe it to be the quintessential message of all of their sacred texts.

The practice of Mahāmudrā is also known as the teaching called "Sahaja Yoga" or "Co-emergence Yoga" [3].

In Tibetan Buddhism, particularly the Kagyu school, Sahaja Mahāmudrā is sometimes seen as a different Buddhist vehicle (yana), the "Sahajayana" (Tibetan lhen chig kye pa), also known as the vehicle of self-liberation [4].

Jamgon Kongtrul, a Tibetan nonsectarian (ri-mé) scholar, characterizes mahāmudrā as the path to realizing the "mind as it is" (sems nyid), which also stands at the core of all Kagyu paths. He states, "In general, Mahāmudrā and everything below it are the ‘mind path’" (sems lam).

Mahāmudrā traditionally refers to the quintessence of mind itself and the practice of meditation in relation to a true understanding of it [5].

History

The usage and meaning of the term mahāmudrā evolved over the course of hundreds of years of Indian and Tibetan history and, as a result, the term may refer variously to "a ritual hand-gesture, one of a sequence of 'seals' in Tantric practice, the nature of [ultimate] reality as emptiness [impersonal], a meditation procedure focusing on the nature of Mind, an innate blissful gnosis [knowing] cognizing emptiness nondually, or the supreme attainment of buddhahood at the culmination of the Tantric path" [2].

According to Jamgon Kongtrul, the Indian theoretical sources of the mahāmudrā tradition are Yogacara and tathagatagarbha ("buddha-nature") texts such as the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra and the Mahāyānottaratantraśāstra [6].

The actual practice and lineage of mahāmudrā can be traced back to wandering maha-siddhas ("great adepts") during the Indian Pala Dynasty (760-1142), beginning with the 8th century siddha Saraha [7].

Saraha's dohas ("songs" or "poems in rhyming couplets") are the earliest extant mahāmudrā literature and promote some of the unique features of mahāmudrā such as the importance of:

• pointing-out instruction by a guru,
• the non-dual nature of mind, and
• the negation of the conventional means of achieving enlightenment such as calm-and-insight (samatha-vipasyana) meditation, monasticism, rituals, tantric practices, and doctrinal study in favor of more the direct methods of mahāmudrā "non-meditation" and "non-action" [8].

These teachings also became the wellspring for the body of instructions eventually known as the mind teachings of Tibet associated with mahāmudrā of the Kagyu lineages [9].

Later Indian and Tibetan masters such as Padmavajra, Tilopa, and Gampopa incorporated mahāmudrā into tantric, monastic, and traditional meditative frameworks [10]. More: Mahamudra

Osho's Mahamudra Meditation. How to practice. A Tibetan Vajrayana meditation

(The Rebirthing Journey) Feb. 20, 2022: Osho says of this meditation: “If you do this every day, soon, somewhere within three months, one day you will feel you are not there. Just the energy is pulsating with the universe – nobody is there, the ego is completely lost, the doer is not. The universe is there, and you are there, the wave pulsating with the ocean – that is Mahamudra. That is the final orgasm, the most blissful state of consciousness that is possible.” #osho #mahamudra #meditation

• Ashley Wells, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation) (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

Hippie Yogis in Rishikesh, India

The sound of the universe: "OM"

Like the Buddha-to-be (the Bodhisattva in past lives) striving in and around the Himalayas for many rebirths, young spiritual seekers head to the highest mountain range in the world and holy cities like Rishikesh and Haridwar in search of yogic powers (siddhis) and, more importantly, liberation (moksha, vimutti) from samsara Why would a comfortable Westerner travel to India and head up into the Himalayan foothills at the headwaters of the River Ganges?

Unknown story of Mahavatar Babaji

Great Avatar Father-ji

Mahavatar Babaji (Maha = "Great," avatar = "appearance," "vehicle," Baba = "Father," -ji = honorific suffix (Mahāvatāra Bābājī, lit. "Great Avatar (Revered) Father") is the Himalayan Hindu yogi and transcendent guru who taught Kriya Yoga to Lahiri Mahasaya (1828–1895) [2, 3, a], who was the teacher of Paramahansa Yogananda's teacher.

Babaji first became recognized through the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda, who devoted a chapter of his Autobiography of a Yogi to Babaji and founded the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF), a modern yoga movement with which Babaji is associated [3].

The cave where Babaji met Lahiri Mahasaya, located near Ranikhet, India, is now a tourist attraction and place of pilgrimage [4]: 170.

Read original unaltered 1946 text better than the popular SRF version

• Autobiography of a Yogi | Ananda New York

In popular culture

Mahavatar Babaji gazing up

Mahavatar Babaji was on the cover of The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [5, 1, 6]. He can also be seen on the cover of George Harrison's 1974 album Dark Horse.

Songwriter Roger Hodgson of English rock band Supertramp composed a song called "Babaji" in reference to Mahavatar Babaji. This song was recorded and released on their 1977 album Even in the Quietest Moments [7]...

In Book 3 of Conversations with God (1998) by Neale Donald Walsch, it is mentioned that Babaji may at one time have resurrected himself from the dead, like the Jesus (St. Issa) legend [8].

The 2002 film Baba featured a fictional encounter with Mahavatar Babaji [4]: 235, 314.  The film was produced by Rajinikanth, a devotee of Babaji [9]. See also this List of Hindu gurus and saints. More

• Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Putting Zen into practice (SLICE)

What is Zen? | The essence of Zen Buddhism

Daitoku-ji: A Glimpse into the Life and Practice of Zen Buddhism | SLICE

(SLICE) Daitoku-ji is a Zen monastery that embodies the most radical path of Buddhism [mixed with Taoism, Hinduism, and Shinto] — a return to the pure teachings of the Buddha. [These teachings are so far from the Dharma of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni as to be preposterous, mixing instead Brahmanism, Taoism, and Japanese Chan Buddhism]. Here, practice takes precedence, leading to self-discovery in perfect harmony with nature and the divine. At the heart of Zen practice lies a deep connection to nature, reflected in the design of the monastery’s gardens. These gardens are more than just a backdrop; they are an essential part of the temple’s architecture, serving as constant tools for meditation. For Zen monastics, the garden is a microcosm of the universe:

• gravel symbolizes the vast sea, rocks represent towering mountains, sand swirled in spiraling lines...

Through its serene spaces and profound symbolism, Daitoku-ji invites visitors to find peace, balance, and enlightenment (or satori rather than what the historical Buddha called bodhi) by connecting deeply with the natural world.

(Doug's Dharma) What is the history of Zen? Paradox and tension

Documentary: Sacred Spaces – Asian temples. Humans, Nature and Gods, directed by Véronique Legendre. Production: ZED, ARTE FRANCE, CuriosityStream We fully own the rights to the use of the published content. Any illegal reproduction of this content will result in immediate legal action. SLICE wants to fill up viewers' curiosity! Accessible to anyone from anywhere at any time, this channel is a weekly dose of short docs about curious facts, discoveries, astounding info, unusual stories, weird, fun, and instructive. Be smart, have a slice! Subscribe now ► @slicedocumentary. Become a fan: @slicedocumentary Follow 👇 In French: slicefr. Facebook: slicedocs. Instagram: slicedocs. #documentary #slice #fulldocumentary #freedocumentary #Japan #zen #buddhism #sacred #enlightenment #religion #monk #temple #tea #teahouse #nature #harmony

• SLICE, Dec. 26, 2024; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Meditate in Kathmandu in 360 degrees

Meditate with Buddhist monks (lamas) in Katmandu (360)

Kumari (Reisbegeleider Hans)

(Fitness Discovered) What is it like to meditate with Himalayan Buddhist lamas in a lamasery? Find out in this 360-degree virtual reality puja (devotional service) meditation for 15 minutes. Put on a headset and enjoy this rare experience with the monks from Nepal's Khawalung Tashi Choeling Monastery (KM). #Travel #VR #Meditation

• Nepal - Kathmandu - Kumari Ghar - The Temple of the Living Goddess or Kumari Devi Flickr

Yongey Mingyur Rimpoche, Tergar, + Matthew "Happiest Man in the World" Ricard in Nepal

Shoestring travel from India to Nepal

Indian PM Modi at the Mahaparinirvana Temple with reclining Buddha on Abhidhamma Day

.

Kumari Devi: The Living Goddess of Nepal

We visited Kushinagar, near Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Northern India, where the Buddha chose to pass into final nirvana (parinibbana) between twin sal trees. It was hot, too hot. Arrive in season or pay the price. (The price is much higher in season, but the weather is terrible, so the price of convenience and no crowds is all the reasons the crowds are choosing to wait before visiting). On Lonely Planet's map, holy Nepal was walking distance. It's not, but it is only a short bus ride away on a very bouncy bus that will bust a butt and give one a condition usually reserved for men who sit too long on the porcelain throne straining, so bring a pillow.

• Pashupatinath Temple Nepal – Untold Mysteries || Kathmandu Tourist Places, Nepal

Pilgrimage sites should include Afghanistan

We made it across the international line and found out that an extraordinary thing about the tiny Buddhist (officially the only "Hindu nation" in the world, due to the pressure big neighbor India inducing it to) nation of Nepal is that it has all of the terrains from swampy lowlands to frigid alpine zones in a very short span. There is another place in the Americas that also shares this unusual trait, but a bus up the Himalayan foothills is dizzying for all the changes one sees along the river of melting snow.

(Marco Pino) Buddhist monks chant inside Tharlam Monastery, Boudhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal

Inside Maha Parinirvana Temple, Kushinagar

Entering "Katmandu" (Kathmandu), which is in a valley, listening to Bob Seger, imagining ourselves on the HIPPIE TRAIL alongside the members of Pink Floyd ("Astronomy Domine") and Led Zeppelin ("Kashmir"). The bus kept going up and further up: The capital has always been safe from invasion because it was just too much trouble for any invading army to reach, so it survived as a nation (with internal strife from corrupt governments and Maoists taking matters into their own hands and trying to make things better). Behold, Durbar Square, Kathmandu!

Kumari Devi: The Living Goddess (Reisbegeleider Hans)

It's a nice place to shop for clothes and patches

Everyone points us to Freak Street because, of course, where else would Westerners be looking for? We were actually looking for the virgin Living Goddess to feel her shakti ("divine energy"). Boudhanath has the wisdom eyes of the Buddha, which would make a great color tattoo. After seeing the stupa, we realized there were other monasteries around the capital. Visiting the exterior for their grand views is compelling, but I couldn't help but go in to see the chanting and tantric meditation by butter lamps, just like the view above.

• Fitness Discovered, May 25, 2017; Text: Dhr. Seven and Kelly Ani (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly