Jason wrote:Perhaps I should restate my point in another way. Whatever his reasons are for doing what he does, I imagine that he feels justified in doing it, and that's one of the things we all have in common: we do what we often feel justified in doing. I bet he feels justified in continuing to participate on this forum even after being banned, just as I feel justified in questioning the usefulness and fairness of this thread, and others feels justified in questioning my response. Who's really got the moral high ground here? We all probably think we do, but who's in a position to judge? The moderators here are certainly in a position to judge who has and hasn't violated the terms of service, but beyond that, why cast proverbial stones? We all err. Some may seem to do so more than others, but that shouldn't prevent us from looking at our own actions and questioning them as well, because the only heart we can ever truly know is our own.
Three very kind and thoughtful posts, Jason. Thank you so much for being a decent human being and the voice of reason instead of bitter accusation .
Yes, we definately all make mistakes, especially me. However, we should be feeling compassion and metta in our hearts, instead of condemnation for Element who cannot answer in the thread for himself. Personally in the last 3 years or so on the internet I have never seen him making claims of personal attainments.
In general, I think we should all look within ourselves instead of sitting around being critical here. Is there still a problem for anyone right here and now ? Let us all relax, Dhamma friends, - and breathe gently together....
Buddha said:
I. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with loving-kindness, likewise the second, the third, and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with loving-kindness, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.
II. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with compassion, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with compassion, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.
III. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with sympathetic joy, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.
IV. Here, monks, a disciple dwells pervading one direction with his heart filled with equanimity, likewise the second, the third and the fourth direction; so above, below and around; he dwells pervading the entire world everywhere and equally with his heart filled with equanimity, abundant, grown great, measureless, free from enmity and free from distress.
— Digha Nikaya 13