mara

Chöd is conventionally and misleadingly seen as analogous to, if not derived from, shamanic initiatory dismemberment visions, as well as dualistic anti-body ascetic practices. Two of the elements most commonly referenced by authors in their "identification" of Chöd and/as shamanism__he dismemberment/sacrifice of the body and "demonology"__re presented in an oversimplistic fashion. In the first instance, the numerous Buddhist precursors for the offering of the body provide ample testimony to the ethical and meritorious status such acts have in the Buddhist imagination. As for the "demonology" of Chöd, one must keep in mind the psychology and philosophy of mind that explicitly undergirds the discourse of Düd [Skt: m_r_] in Chöd.

Greater in battlethan the man who would conquera thousand-thousand men,is he who would conquerjust one __imself.Better to conquer yourselfthan others.When you've trained yourself,living in constant self-control,neither a deva nor gandhabba,nor a Mara banded with Brahmas,could turn that triumphback into defeat.

I__e shared more breakfasts with you thanany woman I__e dated in the last year and a half,_ Mitch returned.__ know what you look like in the morning. I know what you act likewhen you come home tired after work. I know that you pick the leastexpensive thing on the menu either to be nice or to be annoying inorder to put me off. But I think it__ to be nice because youare nice and also both times you thought you__ be spendingtime with just me, you dressed in a way that would not, in any way,put me off. I know you cuddle when you__e sleeping. I know you takeonly milk in your coffee and you make coffee strong. I know you__ereally good with kids. And I know that you use music and scents toregulate your mood. So I__ thinking this is not a first date. Thisis more like us hittin_ the six month mark. And the six month markis when you stop talkin_ about shit that really doesn__ matter andstart talkin_ about shit that means everything.