From: Edward Moon (emoon@adara.com)
Date: Wed 13 Mar 1996 - 09:32:22 EET
Nils Weinander wrote:
>Do you mean that there is a first stage, before the final revelation,
>where you start to doubt your previous world views and have a vision
>of something else and bigger? If so, I think it makes perfect sense.
I would argue that Illumination is an all or nothing proposition. If
someone could be 'partly' Illuminated, does that mean the character is only
'partly' bound by Cult restrictions?
Regarding Riddles:
Supposedly in Zen Buddhist temples, the roshi will question a student
privately to prevent copying of answers. But, a master should be able to
tell the difference between a true answer and an aped response. There are
stories of a student give a 'canned' response to a koan. The master
responded with a rebuke (another riddle) that brought enlightenment to the
student. The student gives the same response, now with the approval of the
master.
If you go with the Zen model for Illumination, Illumination should hit like
a bolt of lightning. It is not something that comes after thinking or
introspection. The koans I have heard seems to make my mind 'freeze'. The
answer that comes out isn't intellectualized or vetted for correctness by
my mind. It just comes from me.
Some Zen sects are very physical in their approach to reaching
Finally, Illumination can be light or dark. This is what can make
enlightenment. Example: Master askes student 'What is the sound of one hand
clapping?'. Student stops to think. Master hits the student hard against
the head with his hand...THWACK! Student experiences enlightenment.
Illumination so dangerous. So if 'nothing is sacred' is the same as
'everything is sacred', one can go down the creative or destructive path of
Illumination. So on the dark path you can have Illuminated cultists use
Malia disease spirits to ravage a countryside and then use Challana Arroy
healing spirits to cure the survivors. Then again, since an Illuminate can
see all from 'outside', what he does that APPEARS to be bad, may actually
be good.
Ed "I'm not an Illuminate, but I play one on TV" Moon
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