>
>
> Peter Larsen :
>
>
> > > Asceticism by itself does not make a mystic. Meditation and focus do
> not
> > > make a mystic. Attempting to see the "reality" behind this false world
> and
> > > transcend, usually through a dedicated path that has been demonstrated
> by a
> > > Master, is what makes mysticism different.
>
> hmf ...
>
> I've had it from a few informed sources including Greg that this is either
> an oversimplified view of mysticism or descriptive of only *some* but not
> *all* mysticism. Greg has pointed out that the oriental word usually
> translated as "illusion" here could in many cases be translated as
> "reality".
>
> That was actually Todd Gardiner, not me. Although I agreed with the rough
outlines.
> AFAIK *not* all Gloranthan mystical practises would view reality as
> "false".
>
> Mmmm. Fair enough. Some would probably assert that it was falsely
understood.
> > ... the first day
>
> > apprentice is, in this sense, infinitely more free than, say, Humakt, who
> > has not yet realized that he is trapped in the world.
>
> In fact all of the major deities and spirits and essence-thingies provide
> among other things a passageway between the transcendent and the Inner
> World. The gods, such as Humakt to follow your example, are not mystical
> entities per se, due to their nature as Beings in the strong sense of that
> word (gods are defined by what they *are*) ; but they must almost
> necessarily possess some basically mystical insights into their own natures
> and their relationship with the transcendent that no mere starting level
> mystic apprentice can hope to understand.
>
> The mortal DOES have far more freedom as such than Humakt, because of the
> Great Compromise -- but this freedom is also in itself both the freedom to
> study mysticism and the basic reason not to do so.
>
> Humakt is well aware of the limits and taboos that are enshrined in the
> Compromise, but IMO looking at Humakt who is a living god of Death having
> direct contact with the transcendent world from a mystical point of view
> sounds suspiciously like a humungous can of worms :D
>
Well, I suggest that, from a mystic standpoint, the Great Compromise is also irrelevant. It does, after all, distract everyone (Great Gods included) from getting on with the real business of the All. And I am not sure that Humakt does understand this -- a rigid insistence on the difference between "Living" and "Dead" strikes me as a not entirely mystic point of view. Although there is a fine story of a Zen priest who was asked what it was like when you die. He said "I have no idea." The questioner said "but... you are a priest!" The priest responded "I'm not a dead priest." So, who knows?
Peter Larsen
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