Canonical Forms In Interactive Exercise Assistants: Fill & Download for Free

Hum, tell yourself that Maul was trained to be a living weapon while Dooku is a graceful, even balletic swordsman. They are literally the opposite, but nonetheless, both of them are the masters of their respective lightsaber Forms. So, their lightsaber skills are immense, to the point of mastery.Darth Maul is the master of Juyo and Niman.Form VII, known by its two primary disciplines of Juyo and Vaapad; and also known as The Ferocity Form, was the seventh form of lightsaber combat. It was considered the most aggressive and unpredictable form. Although Juyo was designated Form VII, its development began millennia before it was formalized. In fact, Juyo likely originated in techniques rejected from Shii-Cho in the earliest days of the Jedi Order, techniques considered too aggressive and dangerous. In the long centuries following, the techniques that would come to constitute Juyo were sometimes practiced openly, sometimes in secret. Eventually, the Ferocity Form gained recognition by the Jedi High Council, only to be banned less than a century later.Juyo was an intensely aggressive form, even more so than Form IV. What truly differentiated it from other lightsaber forms was the emotional state it fostered, and even required. Form VII was known as the Ferocity Form with good reason; not only did Juyo utilize a highly aggressive offense, but it required the practitioner to actively draw upon their anger and negative emotions to fuel the relentless assault. Both variants of the form were as demanding physically as they were emotionally, and in some ways hark back to the direct, kinetic simplicity of Shii-Cho.Unsurprisingly, Form VII was controversial from its inception, and many saw its practice as a fundamental violation of the Jedi Code's strictures against passion and chaos. It is likely that the Jedi Council recognized the form only because of the desperate nature of the time in which it arose, during a resurgence of the Sith approximately four thousand years before the Clone Wars. For decades, Juyo saw significant use among both the Jedi and their ancient enemies as the two orders of Force users battled. Yet, by the end of this great war against the Sith, many Jedi who practiced Form VII had fallen to the dark side or come perilously close. In the aftermath of the conflict. with the reckoning clear, the Jedi Council forbade the study of Juyo. Over the following millennia, this prohibition gradually relaxed to an extent, but Form VII would never again be practiced by Jedi save those who received express permission from the council or who defied the council's will.To maintain the onslaught of Form VII without exhausting oneself, giving the enemy an opening, or sacrificing accuracy, a practitioner had to channel the Force with every movement and strike. This focus was a large part of what makes Juyo so dangerous to the enemy, but it also posed a danger to the warrior. Because Form VII drew on a negative emotional state, drawing so heavily and continuously on the Force brought the practitioner perilously close to the Dark side of the Force.Form VI, also known as Niman, was the sixth form of lightsaber combat used by members of the Jedi Order. It could be used to combine double-bladed lightsaber combat with other Force abilities, like pushes and lifts. The sixth form of lightsaber combat was the last to obtain widespread acceptance in the Jedi Order. In the centuries following its development, Niman largely eclipsed the other forms in popularity, in many ways became the new standard for the Jedi. To many Jedi, Niman was the result of the natural progression of lightsaber combat. Further, in a time of relative peace, some Jedi perceived the other lightsaber forms as outdated.In many ways, Niman represented the synthesis of previous forms. By balancing the various qualities and approaches of Forms I through V, Form VI avoided many of the weaknesses inherent in those forms. However, it also failed to achieve their full strengths, which led to some Jedi Masters to malign it as a diluted form. Form VI emphasized balance and harmony. In some ways, Niman was not as potent, at least in the sense of deadly-as other lightsaber forms, and this was quite intentional on the part of its developers. The Jedi who contributed to Niman's development sought to master a style of lightsaber combat that could achieve victory without dominating the opponent. They wanted to defend themselves and even deliver justice without the temptation of power.Overall, Niman was less demanding physically than the other forms, thanks in part to its increased focus on the application of Force powers over bladework. For this reason, it was an attractive option for Jedi who wished to commit their energies to studies of areas outside of the martial. Of course, this was not to say that Form VI was ineffective. However, to compete with more dedicated lightsaber forms, a Niman practitioner had to exercise greater use of Force powers beyond the enhancement that was common to all combat styles. Form VI made extensive use of the Force to hinder or manipulate opponents' movements. These techniques could draw opponents within range for a lightsaber strike, push them away as a defensive measure, or even bind them in place. Some more martially inclined Jedi saw this approach as a poor substitute for blade expertise, but Niman proved both highly effective and popular. By the time of the Clone Wars, Niman was the most commonly practiced lightsaber form. To some warriors of more traditional inclinations, this was a sign of dangerous complacency.In battle, Niman more closely resembled Form III or Form V than the more aggressive forms. Its approach was carefully balanced but tended to favor defense. This reflected its origins and explained its popularity among Jedi whose primary interests lied outside the martial pursuits. However, Niman was as distinctive as any other lightsaber form, and any Jedi or anyone thoroughly educated in the traditions of the Jedi, could recognize it immediately. With its extensive integration of Force powers, Niman was the least physical of the lightsaber forms, and in fact was quite unique among all martial arts traditions in the galaxy's history. For a Niman practitioner, the strength of will was at least as important as physical agility and power. A fighter using Form VI had to possess not only sufficient mastery of the Force to maneuver an opponent about the battlefield, but also the mental discipline to resist relying overly on physical strikes."Have you ever heard of the art of Teräs Käsi? It was designed to counter the Jedi, but I find it works quite well on anyone with limbs to break."―Dryden Vos, to Qi'raMaul is also the master of Teräs Käsi of his time. Teräs Käsi was a form of hand-to-hand combat that was created to fight Jedi. Darth Maul is extremely skilled as a warrior and duelist, well trained in the arts of lightsaber combat style Juyo, which is generally related to the Sith due to its ferocious nature. Addition to his saber skills, Darth Maul is proficient at Niman/Jar'Kai style as well, and numerous exotic and forbidden martial arts known as known as Teras Kasi. Unlike Count Dooku, Darth Maul uses close combat martial art techniques in a lightsaber combat, which makes him very unpredictable and deadly. Maul is also one of the very few warriors who is powerful enough land a blow to Sidious. Maul, even disarmed, is far from being defeated, capable of breaking the bones of his opponents with blows and techniques, submit an opponent with his physical strength and martial art, even armed opponents with blasters and lightsabers. Maul was extremely skilled in unarmed combat, which he often integrated into his fighting style. This was most notable when he defeated an armed Darksaber Pre Vizla with little to no assistance from the Force.Maul was extensively skilled in Jar'Kai, being a master of the art. Although Maul rarely applied it, his mastery of it, was near unparalleled. His dueling skills were displayed by how he, alongside Opress, were able to make Sidious draw both of his swords for the first time. He and his brother fought considerably well, evenly much of the fight, but they were eventually separated. Even alone, Maul proved a difficult challenge to Sidious. Taking up both his lightsaber and the Darksaber of Pre Vizsla against his former master, who was also wielding dual-blades, Maul displayed such mastery over Jar'Kai that he was able to almost fight on par with Sidious, matching him blow for blow and kick for kick. He pressured Sidious into a bladelock which, even if only for a very brief moment, forced the elder Sith onto his back foot and overpowered him with his superior strength. However, Maul was ultimately bested and outmaneuver by his former master, who was eventually able to overwhelm him and force Maul's lightsabers apart once the hilts were within close proximity to Sidious' blades. Regardless, it must be noted that Maul put up a far more ferocious fight than Opress against Sidious, and he did manage to avoid being killed by his own blades when the Dark Lord pushed him back on the bladelock. You should also understand that Sidious has trained and raised Maul since he was a small child, Sidious may be the person who knows him better than anyone else.And then, the most important here, Maul was the master of the Double-bladed lightsaber, his original fighting style, which he was nerfed during the whole war. The existence of double-bladed lightsabers dated back to the mythical Sith Lord Exar Kun of the Qel-Droma Epics. The saberstaff consisted of two lightsabers fused together so the blades extend in a single line. Each blade could be ignited separately with blade modulation controls depending on the situation and the opponent being faced. Its design was based on ancient plans found deep within a Sith holocron owned by Darth Sidious. The primary purpose of the double-bladed lightsaber was to allow for a faster rate of attack, unleashing a rapid assault with only a minimum of movement, "more slaughter per swing" as some put it. Saberstaffs were also excellent defensive weapons, as the doubled length of the weapon provided more surface area for deflecting and parrying. In addition to the practical benefits of the weapon, it also possessed a great psychological impact. The dual-blades increased the visual impact of the weapon, and in combat, opponents would intuitively try to track the blades separately rather than as a single weapon, overwhelming them.The extra blade also served to surprise opponents or counter them, as demonstrated by Darth Maul during the Battle of Naboo. While keeping his eyes on Qui-Gon Jinn, Maul used the extra blade to block an attack from behind by Obi-Wan Kenobi. Another example included Savage Opress during his and Maul's duel with Darth Sidious on Mandalore. Opress struck out at Sidious with only one blade activated, but when Sidious attempted to attack Opress, he merely activated the second blade to deflect the blow. The two blades even made the Saber Throw technique more deadly as the extra blade allowed for twice as many kills, especially if thrown into a crowd of people, again demonstrated by Opress on Mustafar, where he decapitated five Black Sun leaders with one throw by hurling it down the conference table they were seated at.''When you see the original trilogy, people are not doing the flips and the athletic movements. No one else does that, except Maul. Ahsoka did, but now she's gone. Maul is the only game in the town when it comes to an extraordinarily dangerous Force-trained combatant''--- Star Wars Insider 168 (2016)Over a decade later, Maul's fighting prowess was still as sharp as ever. Add with his experience, his skill and precognition had grown to the point of predicting his opponent's movements and analyzing them in his head before the fight even started. While on Malachor, he engaged three Inquisitors in a lightsaber duel simultaneously. After betraying the Jedi group and blinding Kanan, he also briefly dueled Ahsoka Tano. The two fought for a short while until Ahsoka broke off the fight to rescue Ezra Bridger from Darth Vader. Ahsoka Tano at this point was a force of nature in her own right. Tano's skill in lightsaber combat had greatly improved to the point of mastery, she engaged Darth Vader himself and was able to hold her own for several minutes, cut off his mask and even put the Sith Lord on his knees. Maul controls the fight against Ahsoka, someone fast enough to give a hard time to Darth Vader, and turns his back to her in mid-duel, carefree and off guard, which even Vader could not do, at the cost of almost losing his head.Dooku was a highly skillful lightsaber duelist even in his old age. During his time as a Jedi he was known as one of the Order's finest swordsmen; it was said that only Yoda was his superior and that Mace Windu was his only worthy opponent. On Geonosis, Dooku was able to easily defeat both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker one immediately after the other, and then go on to fight Yoda himself. Dooku proved able to compete with Yoda but was unable to defeat his former master and was forced to retreat. He would often prove to be equal and even superior to Anakin and Kenobi even as their skill grew during the Clone Wars, dueling Anakin on several occasions to a stalemate and even both simultaneously on at least one occasion. Dooku was a practitioner of the second form of lightsaber combat, Makashi. Makashi was a rarity among the Jedi by the time of the Clone Wars; it was a style designed specifically for lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat, and as such it was considered obsolete in a time when most Jedi were more likely to face blaster-wielding opponents. The style's rarity gave Dooku an advantage when engaging in lightsaber duels, as few of his enemies were trained to defend themselves against it. Makashi relied on precision, speed, and economy of movement rather than wide-sweeping strikes that characterized later styles, and Dooku's curved-hilt lightsaber was designed especially for that.However, in spite of his almost unrivalled sword mastery and decades of experience, Dooku was still vulnerable to Form II's greatest weakness; its lack of kinetic power. This was demonstrated during several of his encounters with Anakin Skywalker, particularly in instances where Anakin was significantly angered. During Dooku's attempt to kidnap Palpatine on Naboo, the Count was very nearly overwhelmed by Anakin's brutally direct Djem So attacks, and managed to fend Anakin off only through use of the Force. During their final encounter onboard the Invincible, Dooku suffered the same issue but Skywalker's power had by that time significantly increased. The young Jedi's ferocious swordplay battered through Dooku's defenses, draining his reserves of Force energy and leaving him physically exhausted. Same thing against Savage Opress and later Quinlan Vos.''Vos all but danced around Dooku, forcing the older man to whirl, strike, and block from every side. And then-there it was.Dooku overextended-only a trifle-and the next thing Kenobi knew the count's lightsaber was across the room and the count himself was on his back.''Dooku doesn't really have an advantage in this fight, except, may be familiar with Maul's fighting style, if I assume that Sidious tell him about it. If Maul had been the master of any other lightsaber Forms than Juyo, then Dooku would surely have handled him in lightsaber combat with his mastery of Makashi. The second lightsaber form, known as Makashi, arose in direct response to the appearance of enemies who themselves wielded lightsabers; the Sith. The techniques of Shii-Cho, derived from traditional blade-to-blade combat, did not account for the unique qualities of a lightsaber pitted against another lightsaber. In particular, a lightsaber beam's omnidirectional "edge" and lack of mass opened up new avenues of attack that the parries and other defensive maneuvers of Shii-Cho simply could not counter. Form II took full advantage of these same traits from a defensive standpoint. Once established, it remained the standard for lightsaber duelists until the end of the Jedi Order.Prior to the emergence of the Sith, the Jedi had never faced adversaries on truly equal terms, These new foes were the counterparts of the Jedi in every way, from their use of lightsabers to their mastery of the Force. In fact, the first Sith were fallen Jedi who possessed intimate knowledge of all the Jedi's ways, including the techniques of Shii-Cho. Both sides of the conflict that would come to be known as the Hundred Year Darkness swiftly found their existing techniques insufficient for defending against lightsaber-wielding opponents. The early duels between Jedi and Sith were often quite brief, and the casualty rate early in the war was appallingly high. The Jedi and Sith sought every advantage in the struggle, which soon led combatants on both sides to experiment with the use of a second lightsaber. The techniques of Shii-Cho were entirely unsuited to wielding two lightsabers, and Jedi had previously fought exclusively with a single blade.Even as the Makashi form began to take shape, duelists found wielding dual lightsabers awkward and impractical for the precise movements needed. This led to the development of the first shotos, which some early practitioners of Makashi wielded as off-hand weapons, a practice that endured throughout the age of the Republic. Even on a battlefield where dozens of Jedi and Sith clashed, most warriors focused on a single foe at a time. These lightsaber duels arosed organically as combatants sought to engage one another on equal terms as much as possible, or else were swiftly overwhelmed. The prevalence of duels was yet another unique element of the unprecedented conflict, and the lessons the Jedi learned defined Form II.Unlike Shii-Cho, which prepared warriors to face superior numbers, Makashi focused primarily on combat with a single foe, and its defensive maneuvers reflected this. Of course, a duelist still might have been called upon to face numerous foes, and so must have practiced other techniques. For many Jedi, Makashi represented the most refined and elegant form of lightsaber combat. In contrast to the broad sweeps of Shii-Cho, Form II required unerring precision in every movement. This was a relic of the form's origins, when the stakes could not be higher and a single misstep could mean a sudden death at the blade of a lightsaber. Consequently, Makashi placed a high focus on techniques to avoid being disarmed, while disarming one's opponent in turn.Form II presented a graceful, even balletic approach to wielding a lightsaber. For many observers of Makashi, even Jedi in training, this elegance was the defining feature of Makashi, even more so than the form's effectiveness. This reflected the importance many Makashi practitioners placed on the psychological and interpersonal aspects of a duel. Unlike other forms of battle, a duel represented a highly personal almost intimate interaction. Achieving an understanding of one's opponent was key, as was concealing one's own intentions. For a master of Form II, projecting the right appearance and attitude could be as vital as any feint of the blade. Consequently, of all the forms, Makashi most assumed and encouraged personalization on the part of the practitioner, for only with a unique flair and style could a duelist master their opponents' perception. As part of this battle of personalities, Form II duelists carefully but continuously probed an opponent's defenses, both mental and physical-testing for the opening in which to deliver a potentially final blow. This approach stood in contrast to the barrage of powerful blows that was a hallmark of Shii-Cho. In another departure from the first lightsaber form, Makashi emphasized retreat as much as advance; practitioners continuously closed with and withdrew from an opponent in response to the intensity of the foe's offense.Here is the Official Canon list, published in “Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know” :Dooku and Maul are both part of the most powerful and skilled generation of Sith in history.“Ultimately, Bane's plan produced more powerful Sith Lords with every generation.''Star Wars - Force & Destiny (2015)''The Sith had changed. The Sith had grown, had adapted, had invested a thousand years' intensive study into every aspect of not only the Force but Jedi lore itself, in preparation for exactly this day. The Sith had remade themselves.They had become new. While the Jedi-The Jedi had spent that same millennium training to refight the last war.''Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Novel''For a millennium, the Sith maintained the order in secrecy, passing down their evil heritage. As they gained knowledge of the dark side of the Force, their powers increased with each generation.''Episode I - The Phantom MenaceDarth Maul is one of the most powerful and skilled Sith Lords in history.''A deadly, agile Sith Lord trained by the evil Darth Sidious, Darth Maul was a formidable warrior and scheming mastermind.''''One of the most skilled and deadly warriors in Sith history, Darth Sidious's apprentice was to be the First Sith openly encountered by the Jedi Order for more than 1,000 years.''''One of the deadliest, most efficiently trained Sith in the Order's history.''“ Get to know the galaxy's deadliest Zabrak like never before!''Dooku: ''I foresee we will do great things together, I shall teach you the ways of the Dark Side. Soon, your powers will rival that of the Great Sith Lord Darth Maul.''One of the fastest, able to compete, even alone, with the great speed of Darth Sidious. To be fair, Dooku was able to compete with Yoda's speed.''Darth Maul is quick and deadly like no other Star Wars villain before him.''One of the strongest beings in the galaxy.So, Maul is superior to Dooku skill-wise. Add to that the fact that Maul is the master of the most aggressive and unpredictable form, I think you can understand who wins here. Maul is a wild and aggressive monster, with exceptional physical strength, durability and stamina, two things can stop this guy, his own arrogance and his old master, and Maul feared only two things in his entire life, death and this guy :The Author of “Son of Dathomir” comic said about TCW Maul vs. Dooku :“Question: ''How many rounds do you think TCW Maul can win against Dooku at 10, like 3/10 or 6/10?''Barlow: ''Hmm. 6/10 sounds good. Maybe even 7/10—'cause Maul won't quit until he's completely out. “And a fight between Maul and Vader was described as :''IT'S A CLOSE CALL, and these two Sith are well-matched in terms of fighting skills.''Maul wins here. He is more skilled, more powerful, stronger, younger and Dooku is mismatched because of Juyo, not to mention the fact that half of Maul's body is cybernetically enhanced, gives him powerful legs, and increases his leverage. And contrary to popular belief, his legs doesn't slow him down.If she hadn't known that his legs were artificial, she never would have guessed they weren't the limbs he'd been born with. The prosthetics didn't slow him down at all.--- Ahsoka (Novel)

You asked - "Did Buddha or someone else teach how to meditate on death, or the certainty of death, as an object of concentration (to support vipassana practice)?"Yes, firstly, the Buddha did in the Kāyagatāsati Sutta - meditation on body parts and death - refer - MN 119 Kāyagatāsati Sutta - Mindfulness of the Body. The Kāyagatāsati Sutta is part of the Majjhima Nikaya. Here is a weblink to the complete translation of the Majjhima Nikaya, 'The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha', one of the major collections in the Sutta Pitaka or “Basket of Discourses” belonging to the Pali Canon - https://www.wisdompubs.org/sites/default/files/preview/Middle%20Length%20Discourses%20Book%20Preview.pdf.Proper Buddhist cultivation requires you to distill wisdom instruction from a multitude of Buddhist sermons, not just treat any particular one sermon as a complete and exhaustive exegesis on its own or by itself. For the Buddha taught orally according to the spiritual perspicacity of his audience. And most those days were totally illiterate and mere peasants!You do not 'study' Buddhist Sermons and follow them in 'blind faith'! They are not like the Bible or the Koran! Buddhist Sermons are meant to make you contemplate and meditate. 'Awakening' as in 'Bodhi' has nothing to do with rote studying and learning! It is not about 'worldly knowledge'! You are supposed to be surreptitiously querulous! Play safe and be distrustful and suspicious! The Buddha could be the greatest conman ever! You are meant to challenge every of his sermon, every principle or proposition expounded, at every point, and ask why, why why!And secondly, in terms of Tibetan or Vajrayana Buddhism, the great Bengali Buddhist philosopher Atisha did so in his 'Nine Contemplations of Death' - the verse version of which is below -The 9 Contemplations of Atisha in verse form.The First ContemplationDeath is inevitable, no one is exempt. Holding this thought in mind, I abide in the breath.The Second ContemplationOur life span is decreasing continuously, every breath brings us closer to death. Holding this thought in mind, I delve deeply into its truth.The Third ContemplationDeath will indeed come, whether or not we are prepared. Holding this thought in mind, I enter into a real sense of practice. (or, “I enter more fully into the body of life.”)The Fourth ContemplationHuman life expectancy is uncertain, death can come at any time. Holding this thought in mind, I listen with utmost care to every sound.The Fifth ContemplationThere are many causes of death – habits, desires, accidents can be precipitants. Holding this thought in mind, I consider the myriad possibilities.The Sixth ContemplationThe human body is fragile and vulnerable, our life hangs by a breath. Holding this thought in mind, I attend to each inhalation-exhalation.The Seventh ContemplationAt the time of death, our material resources are of no use to us. Holding this thought in mind, I invest wholeheartedly in the practice.The Eighth ContemplationOur loved ones cannot keep us from death, there is no delaying its advent. Holding this thought in mind, I exercise non-grasping and clinging.The Ninth ContemplationOur body cannot help us at the time of death, it too will be lost at that moment. Holding this thought in mind, I strengthen my capacity for release.[Originally penned by Lord Atisha (982 - 1054 CE), a Buddhist teacher who reintroduced Buddhism into Tibet after a previous king had nearly destroyed it. He studied and mastered all of the traditions of Buddhism in India. This verse form is by Roshi Joan Halifax, the abbot and head teacher of The Upaya Zen Center in New Mexico.]At this point I have already answered your question. Just a quick word on Atisha. When you think of the Borobudur Buddhist Ruins in Indonesia, think of Atisha, as he was the Buddhist teacher there, before he headed the Nalanda University.If you decide to practise Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism or Vajrayana or Mantrayana (so as to distinguish it from Zen Mahayana, which is the other Mahayana tradition), note this. Both Mantrayana and Zen share the same founders like Nagarjuna (Tamil), Chandrakirti (Tamil), Aryadeva (Tamil), Asanga and his half-brother Vasubandhu (Khyberian - modern day NW Frontier near Afghanistan) and Mahasiddhas like Atisha (Bengali), Virupa (Bengali) and Naropa (Bengali). I am providing this background to assist in your understanding that even though I am a Zen Buddhist, that Vajrayana and Zen are both Mahayana traditions.In Vajrayana where your cultivation is focus on visualisation, as in seeing beauty in or through ugliness, or goodness in or through evil, or angels in or through demons, or life in or through death, this manner of meditation can be very disturbing, confronting, shocking, mentally stressful and bewildering and morbid to some. But thus, so be it, in Vajrayana you have this meditation on death or meditation in cemeteries, meditaion on skulls and skeletons etc - all of which you can find out in summary form in the well known 'Tibetan Book of the Dead'.In contrast in Zen Mahayana we cultivate equanimity and mindfulness and in just seeing things for what they are without judgment or attachment or clinging or bias. We just focus on all things as being an illusion or a dream - that although the dream is real or the experience for those hologram characters or actors (for sentient beings like us in the dream state that is Buddhist Samsara) within the dream is very real to them - nevertheless the actors are not the dream nor are they the dreamer - for no matter how you wish to look at it, the actors and the actions (the phantasmagoria that is the Buddhist 'dharma') within the dream are nothing (i.e. do not exist) outside the dream and the dreamer!It is a good time at this juncture to rehash the meaning of 'dharma'. In Buddhism we use 'Dharma' as representing the Buddhist sermons of Suttas or Sutras. But that is just out of respect and reverence for the Buddha. The word 'dharma' whether with a capital 'D' or a small 'd' can only mean the same thing. It is another Sanskrit word with multitudinous meanings that has no direct equivalent in the English language. It can mean, depending on the context - cosmic law, the rules that created the universe from chaos, rituals; human behaviours considered necessary for order of things in the universe, principles that prevent chaos, behaviours and action necessary to all life in nature, society, family as well as at the individual level. It can mean something very prosaic like duty, rights, character, vocation, religion, customs and all behaviour considered appropriate, correct or morally upright. But in Buddhist cultivation we take 'dharma' generally as the way we perceive the phantasmagoria or phenomenon of life and existence.Now comes the point in time where it is my turn to ask you a question or perhaps rather to question you! I have answered many questions from you in the past. If I remember the last one was - Vincent Cheok's answer to Does maintaining a smile when noting also helps in creating conditions for vipassana to arise?.What happened? Did you not understand what I tried to explain what Vipassana is? Did you not understand that it is about insight contemplation? That is about one-pointedness mental focus and concentration of mental acumen and awareness and precocity? Did you not read up about 'mindfulness' in the scriptures I referred you to - Satipatṭhāna Sutta (MN 10: The Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness) [http://www.insightmeditationcent...] and the Mahāsatipatṭhāna Sutta (DN 22: The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness)[http://nrcvee.iitd.ac.in/files/s...].Vipassana is just a skill or a tool! It is not the end objective but just a pathway! When you learn how to drive then your ability to drive is only a skill. One-pointedness focus and concentration does that mean when you drive, you keep having a 'self-consciousness' that you are driving, that you are changing gears or stepping on the brakes or turning left or turning right! When you are driving your consciousness is the ambient acute awareness and alertness and watchfulness of the prevailing and surrounding conditions of the road and the traffic and the preparedness for any contingencies.When you are totally mindful in focusing on your Anapanasati breathing it does not mean you are just focusing on your breathing, as the ultimate objective and end! Once you have relieved yourself of your self-consciousness - of 'this is 'I' focusing on 'my' breathing', it should naturally transcend to a higher level of 'what is the essence of this breathing?' Or 'does breathing epitomise life?' Or 'can there be life without or beyond breathing?' It is all about liberating the acuity of your acumen! That is what spiritual insight contemplation is about!Some other practitioner may be practising Vipassana looking at a burning candle or watching the waves roll in and out or looking at the clouds or let us take a really ridiculous example of staring at a coil of rope. Vipassana is about seeing beyond the immediate seeing. If you can imagine the possibility of the rope being a snake or a particular cloud actually being a dragon then you are truly in Vipassana as in Vajrayana visualisation. It is understanding that relatively speaking, we see what we want to see, that all seeing is 'subjective' and thus therein our innate and inherent ability to create! That is why the Buddha uses a 'dream' as an analogy. Hypothetically speaking, in my dream, if I were an impotent quadriplegic, I can still be a super lover of beautiful woman, a real stud of a man. It is all in the mind-consciousness! Why do certain people compose or paint or write masterpieces or invent new things? Where did the iCloud come from? If you see only what you see, hear only what you hear you are not practising Vipassana! You are a dead man walking! You are limited by your worldly mind and five senses! Vipassana is about going beyond to or into your deeper mind-consciousness to seek its origin or Genesis.So when you focus on death or birth or any of the other myriad forms that 'dharma' takes, it really does not matter, what your catalyst for Vipanassa is, that pathway is irrelevant beyond its purpose as a pathway or a launching pad to figuring what the entire phantasmagoria comprised in 'dharma' is?So always have in mind as a curtain backdrop, the 3 key Buddhist indicators or 'finger-pointings' as the Buddha would phrased it - (1) No Self (2) Impermanence (3) Interdependent Origination. Actually all these three expressions are just mnemonic. They all say the same thing from a different perspective - that all is an illusion. Please read again what I replied to you in - Vincent Cheok's answer to What’s the difference between the middle way and moderation?. Read that part about the exegesis of the Buddhist 'Emptiness' that 'Sunyata' - and what I explained about 'duality', 'subjectivity' and 'relativity'.Try to look at life in a 'relative' sense, rather than an 'absolute' sense. In a world that is embedded in 'duality', 'subjectivity' and 'relativity', nothing absolute or permanent can be found! An insightful mind sees things as transient or changing or in state of flux. Our body cells are dying and birthing in the thousands every second. There is no absolute or certainty to be found. See 'relatively' that is we are living and dying at the same time! Not just singularly and exclusively at dying or death.See 'duality' for what it is! I trust and pray that you will soon awaken to the fact that without 'duality' there would be no existence. It is through the mutual interaction or interdependent origination of 'duality' that 'being' or 'existence' is created. There is no absolute 'beginning' or absolute 'ending' to be found! There is just the instant 'duality' of the 'relativity' of 'beginning/ending'. It is there or it is not as a 'duality'. Just like that - there can be no birth without death or death without birth. Like when we peep into a kaleidoscope - our dreams are just like that - instantly popped up - no absolute beginning and no absolute ending. We awaken and then there is no longer a dream!What this suggests is this. Do not get too 'hung up' or besotted with manner and form, dogma or rituals or scriptures or tenets or precepts or mantras or the entire paraphernalia of Buddhist temples and monks and types and methods of dhyana (meditation) and other rigmarole, including the Buddha. Thus the Zen koan - 'If you see the Buddha (in your mind) kill him!' This is not slanderous or blasphemous as it might appear! In fact the Buddha said in the 'Diamond Sutra (refer - http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_fil...) - "Who sees me by form, who sees me in sound, perverted are his footsteps upon the (Middle) Way; for he cannot perceive the Tathagata"Of course, we have to show our respect and reverence to the Buddhist monks, for they are like elders within the community called 'Sangha'. But they have no authority or determining role in whether we get 'Awakened'. In fact we, as part the wider Buddhist community, are the benefactors and sponsors of the temple monks. We provide for them with a temple as a haven so that they can focus totally on attaining their own 'Awakening', (note: theirs and not ours) through doing nothing but Buddhist chanting and 'samadhi' ('calmness and serenity and peacefulness of mind, as if in quiet tranquil solitude with nothing worrying or troubling you') dhyana (meditation). Since we lay persons, given our presumably lower innate karmic ability and capacity, might either lack the time or the worldly experience, worldly knowledge or spiritual prescience or percipience or perspicacity.I suggest that you always approach Buddhist cultivation with total wariness, scepticism, cynicism and doubt. Remember always Buddhism is not a religion or faith. It is a personal private self-journey of 'Awakening' as to why preternaturally and inconceivably 'this is this and that is that' in the phantasmagoria of life that we experience and whether it was like that primordially, and if not then what? Nobody can 'Awaken' on your behalf, for you! It is akin to a person having to experience how to piss himself or herself and how to ejaculate or reach an orgasm himself or herself. Nobody can do it for you! Your karma and whatever your karmic profile or karmic residue (and the immutable law of karma is just what gives rise to and drives our karmic existence in Samsara) are yours alone, unique to yourself, you own them and you owe it to yourself to extricate yourself from the bondage that is 'Samsara'!Forget what you have been told or read about Buddhism. Take everything with 'a pinch of salt'! Buddhism is not actually in the Buddha or the monks or the temples and least of all in the Buddhist Scriptures. Why? Every Buddhist Scripture or Sutra starts off with the phrase 'Thus I have heard .... ' Now, to put it bluntly, it is 'hearsay'. You have a duty to yourself to test it to be true! Buddhist cultivation is simply building up the puissance to seek the ultimate truth as to what the reality of 'you' and 'your experience of life', 'your being', is - for you, nobody else! To each his own journey of discovery.Be a pain in the arse! If someone says there is a God, say there is no God. If someone says there is no God, then say there is a God. Make no subjective personal judgment. Let the dichotomy, duality, subjectivity, relativity, chameleon-like kaleidoscopic colour and complexion of phantasmagoria of phenomenon and experience out there speak for themselves. As I have said repeatedly in my previous answers to you. Think 'beauty is in the eyes of the beholder'. Think 'one man's food is another man's poison'. Think 'a friend today is an enemy tomorrow'. There is no beginning or ending to be found. Time is relative as the present has no meaning without the past or the future. Waiting five minutes for your lover is like waiting for hours. When you are with your lover 5 days are like five hours or minutes. Time flies! If nothing absolute can be found in 'duality' can your truth or your reality and your 'you' somehow be absolute in any way or sense?Vincent Cheok

Lisa, thanks for the a2a request. I'll try and submit a note here which might touch upon at least some aspects, but not necessarily all aspects, of the question: “Are Muslim marriages in Bangladesh registered with civil government, or are they considered a religious matter only?”Yes, Bangladesh law requires that a marriage be registered. It isn’t that a marriage must necessarily be registered with the civil governent in order for it to be regarded as a valid marriage under canon law, but unless it is registered, you have a hard time proving it if someone disputes it.Every marriage solemnized under Muslim Law is required to be registered in accordance with the provisions of the [Bangladeshi] Muslim Marriages and Divorces (Registration) Act of 1974, which applies to all Muslim citizens of Bangladesh, wherever they may be.The relevant register is maintained, and entries into it are made, by an officially licensed person who is designated as the Nikah Registrar and who exercises jurisdiction within a specified territory on an exclusive basis.The marriage could be solemnized either by the licensed Nikah Registrar himself or by some other person who is not necessarily licensed to preside at the marriage service.Where a marriage with a Muslim citizen of Bangladesh, solemnized under Muslim Law, was not solemnized by the Nikah Registrar himself, it shall be reported to him for the purpose of registration by him under the Muslim Marriages and Divorces (Registration) Act, 1974.On completion of the registration of a marriage, the Nikah Registrar shall deliver to the parties concerned (the wife and the husband, each) an attested copy of the entry made in his register, and for such copy no charge shall be made.For the possible benefit of a reader who happens to be—· a woman,· a foreigner in Bangladesh (and a citizen of an economically advanced country),· unfamiliar with Muslim Law as applied in Bangladesh in relation to marriage and divorce, and who therefore could be someone who enters into the marriage with the unconscious assumptions of a Western woman,· unable to read the language (Bangla) in which the deed of marriage will be drawn up and registered, and· without a support system of her own family and friends in Bangladesh itself:I venture to add a few points for her consideration.Consider setting up an appointment with the consular officer of your country located nearest to you. Ask her for any advice that she might be able to offer, based upon her own observations and on what she may have learnt while interacting with other consular officers.She may possibly be able to refer you to a local lawyer who specializes in Bangladeshi Muslim family laws. (Make sure that you settle the fee terms before he renders any assistance or advice. As a rough ballpark figure, it should be under 5000 taka for advisory services—discussions with you and looking at documents, and comparing, in due course, the document prepared in Bangla and its English translation, for identifying any clerical error or other discrepancy—as a lumpsum package, not an hourly charge which perhaps he or she might have settled earlier with Uncle Sam for governmental work.)You could also consider discussing with your legal adviser the possible advantage to yourself of having an entry made in the documents for the purpose of allowing what’s termed a “talaq-i-tafweez,” which is a power which at the occasion of the marriage a husband may confer upon the wife to divorce him at any later time at her discretion if she so decides.Where the husband confers on the wife the power as aforesaid, the fact (that the power of talaq-i-tafweez has been formally conferred by the husband upon the wife at the occasion of the marriage) needs to be recorded in writing; and, further, the document evidencing such power has to be registered under the Registration Act, 1908.Please note that the Nikah Registrar is a registrar only under the Muslim Marriages and Divorces (Registration) Act, 1974. He is licensed to register marriage and divorces which take place within his territorial jurisdiction.Where the power of talaq-i-tafweez has been formally conferred at the time of the marriage, and this fact has been duly recorded in writing in a document, such as the nikah-nama (the deed of marriage), and after the Nikah Registrar has registered the marriage, under the Muslim Marriages and Divorces (Registration) Act, 1974, there will be separate officer, under the Registration Act, 1908, appointed by the government, who is called the Sub-Registrar or the Registrar, to whom an application needs to be made to register the relevant document. Such application is not necessary if the power of talaq-i-tafweez had not been conferred on the wife.Keeping in view the plan to solemnize the marriage in Bangladesh under Muslim Law, another important preparatory step is for the couple to sit down together with the cleric concerned a day before the actual service, and get all the necessary entries planned or required to be made in the deed of marriage (the nikah-nama) finalized in draft form so that it can be ready for signatures the next day, when the service of marriage is intended to be held. Filling in the form of the deed of marriage is a time-consuming job, since the cleric will need to fill in four copies of the said form in Bangla and four in its English translation (needed when the husband applies for a spousal visa on the strength of the marriage), and the cleric can get bored, lose his concntration momentarily, and make an erroneous entry somewhere. Therefore, you’ll end up saving a considerable amount of time if everything is worked out a day earlier and is ready beforehand for signatures on the day.Doing so also helps in resolving any unanticipated issues. For example, there have been instances in the past where the presiding cleric declined on the very day to proceed with the service of marriage if the woman did not profess to be a Muslim, or where the woman requested to be given the power to divorce herself (the power of talaq-i-tafweez), which, according to an interpretation of canon law which is accepted by a large number of clerics, had never been available and is therefore not now available under the faith time-honored and true.Longish answer, I do hope it helps. Wishing you all happiness and joy!