Informed sources say that this turtle is the front runner ..
Posted on 02/20/2010 11:05:21 AM PST by Steelfish
Tiger Turns To Buddhism To Turn Life Around Apologetic golf star vows to use religion to bring ‘balance’ to his ways
In the theater of American public apologies, it’s common for celebrities to invoke their faith. Disgraced golf superstar Tiger Woods did it Friday, in fact, with a twist. He cited the role of Buddhism in his life — and will look to it to help him recover from serial infidelity.
“People probably don’t realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years,” Woods said during Friday’s televised apology, his first public appearance in nearly three months. It was Woods’ most direct reference to his beliefs yet.
In a few previous interviews, Woods said he had practiced meditation and had attended temple with his mother. He has credited her, and her Thai Buddhism, with giving him the focus needed on the golf course and throughout his life.
His latest comments reflected the Buddhist teachings about desire, craving and attachment — and balance.
“In therapy I’ve learned the importance of looking at my spiritual life and keeping in balance with my professional life,” Woods said. “I need to regain my balance and be centered so I can save the things that are most important to me, my marriage and my children.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcsports.msnbc.com ...
I dunno, but he looks like he’s aged 10 years since Thanksgiving.
Does that mean he'll no longer curse a blue-streak when a shot doesn't go off as planned, or hurl a club 30 yards or into his bag, as he's been known to do, with some frequency? I'm not holding my breath.
Tiger's off-course boorish behavior just recently became public, but his outlandish on-course behavior has been known to golf enthusiasts for some time.
grasshoppah?
Informed sources say that this turtle is the front runner ..
Still laughing!
Back to the old ways.
Some one on FR pointed out that every Buddhist they ever knew that acquired it as an adult were total fakes. It was their pick-up line. The only genuine ones were brought up as ones from childhood.
Aaagh! I did again!!!
I think - although I'm not sure - that Buddhist's transmigration (sp?) only involves human-to-human reincarnation. Hence the Dalia Lama reincarnation mythology. It's only the Hindus that believe you can come back as a frog or cow, I believe.
The Bhagavad-Gita.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.
Chapter XII
ARJUNA:
LORD! of the men who serve Thee—true in heart—
As God revealed; and of the men who serve,
Worshipping Thee Unrevealed, Unbodied, far,
Which take the better way of faith and life?
KRISHNA:
Whoever serve Me—as I show Myself—
5
Constantly true, in full devotion fixed,
These hold I very holy. But who serve—
Worshipping Me The One, The Invisible,
The Unrevealed, Unnamed, Unthinkable,
Uttermost, All-pervading, Highest, Sure—
10
Who thus adore Me, mastering their sense,
Of one set mind to all, glad in all good,
These blessed souls come unto Me.
Yet, hard
The travail is for whoso bend their minds
15
To reach th’ Unmanifest. That viewless path
Shall scarce be trod by man bearing his flesh!
But whereso any doeth all his deeds,
Renouncing self in Me, full of Me, fixed
To serve only the Highest, night and day
20
Musing on Me—him will I swiftly lift
Forth from life’s ocean of distress and death
Whose soul clings fast to Me. Cling thou to Me!
Clasp Me with heart and mind! so shalt thou dwell
Surely with Me on high. But if thy thought
25
Droops from such height; if thou be’st weak to set
Body and soul upon Me constantly,
Despair not! give Me lower service! seek
To read Me, worshipping with steadfast will;
And, if thou canst not worship steadfastly,
30
Work for Me, toil in works pleasing to Me!
For he that laboreth right for love of Me
Shall finally attain! But, if in this
Thy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure! find
Refuge in Me! let fruits of labor go,
35
Renouncing all for Me, with lowliest heart,
So shalt thou come; for, though to know is more
Than diligence, yet worship better is
Than knowing, and renouncing better still
Near to renunciation—very near—
40
Dwelleth Eternal Peace!
Who hateth nought
Of all which lives, living himself benign,
Compassionate, from arrogance exempt,
Exempt from love of self, unchangeable
45
By good or ill; patient, contented, firm
In faith, mastering himself, true to his word,
Seeking Me, heart and soul; vowed unto Me,—
That man I love! Who troubleth not his kind,
And is not troubled by them; clear of wrath,
50
Living too high for gladness, grief, or fear,
That man I love! Who, dwelling quiet-eyed,
Stainless, serene, well-balanced, unperplexed,
Working with Me, yet from all works detached,
That man I love! Who, fixed in faith on Me,
55
Dotes upon none, scorns none; rejoices not,
And grieves not, letting good and evil hap
Light when it will, and when it will depart,
That man I love! Who, unto friend and foe
Keeping an equal heart, with equal mind
60
Bears shame and glory, with an equal peace
Takes heat and cold, pleasure and pain; abides
Quit of desires, hears praise or calumny
In passionless restraint, unmoved by each,
Linked by no ties to earth, steadfast in Me,
65
That man I love! But most of all I love
Those happy ones to whom ’tis life to live
In single fervid faith and love unseeing,
Eating the blessèd Amrit of my Being!
Here endeth Chapter XII. of the Bhagavad-Gîtâ,
entitled “Bhakityôgô,” or “The Book of
the Religion of Faith”.
“He that hath meditated Me alone,
In putting off his flesh, comes forth to Me,
Enters into My Being—doubt thou not!
But, if he meditated otherwise
At hour of death, in putting off the flesh,
He goes to what he looked for, Kunti’s Son!
Because the Soul is fashioned to its like.
...
Have Me, then, in thy heart always! and fight!
Thou too, when heart and mind are fixed on Me,
Shalt surely come to Me! All come who cleave
With never-wavering will of firmest faith,
Owning none other gods: all come to Me,
The Uttermost, Purusha, Holiest!
...
For who, none other Gods regarding, looks
Ever to Me, easily am I gained
...
I am alike for all! I know not hate,
I know not favor! What is made is Mine!
But them that worship Me with love, I love;
They are in Me, and I in them!
Nay, Prince!
If one of evil life turn in his thought
Straightly to Me, count him amidst the good;
He hath the highway chosen; he shall grow
Righteous ere long; he shall attain that peace
Which changes not. Thou Prince of India!
Be certain none can perish, trusting Me!
O Prithâ’s Son! whoso will turn to Me,
Though they be born from the very womb of Sin,
Woman or man; sprung of the Vaisya caste
Or lowly disregarded Sudra,—all
Plant foot upon the highest path; how then are
The holy Brahmans My Royal Saints?
Ah! ye who into this ill world are come—
Fleeting and false—set your faith fast on Me!
Fix heart and thought on Me! Adore Me! Bring
Offerings to Me! Make Me prostrations! Make
Me your supremest joy! and, undivided,
Unto My rest your spirits shall be guided.
...
Give Me thy heart! adore Me! serve Me! cling
In faith and love and reverence to Me!
So shalt thou come to Me! I promise true,
For thou art sweet to Me!
And let go those—
Rites and writ duties! Fly to Me alone!
Make Me thy single refuge! I will free
Thy soul from all its sins! Be of good cheer!
...
He only knoweth—only he is free of sin, and wise,
Who seeth Me, Lord of the Worlds, with faith-enlightened eyes,
Unborn, undying, unbegun.
...
Yet not by Vedas, nor from sacrifice,
Nor penance, nor gift-giving, nor with prayer
Shall any so behold, as thou hast seen!
Only by fullest service, perfect faith,
And uttermost surrender am I known
And seen, and entered into, Indian Prince!
Who doeth all for Me; who findeth Me
In all; adoreth always; loveth all
Which I have made, and Me, for Love’s sole end,
That man, Arjuna! unto Me doth wend.”
- Bhagavad-Gita.
May be wrong but it appeared to me Tiger was on some kind of medication.
Epic fail. The ones next door to us overseas showed my brother and I (ages about 6 and 7) pictures of orgies in which they had participated. Epic fail. What a hopeless religious belief.
It would if he meant anything he said yesterday. But I think Beck and ESPN are the only people that believe his “speech”
Sorry, Tiger couldn’t rebuke a bar of soap.
He’s just a jock.
Good stuff to be back in the cave days.
I think if you can balance 3 girlfriends and a wife and 2 children you have a good balance in your life
Ill fitting chastity belt.
To me, and perhaps just me, it sounds as if Tiger is working a 12 step recovery program. His reconnection to Buddhism is a connection to spirituality. . . his concept of a Higher Power. His televised apology is a painfully public 9th step amends.
Buddhism has many sects, and I do not know which one Tiger embraces. Sexual practices vary from sect to sect, usually they adopt the sexual practices of the culture. Tiger may not see consensual sex even while married as wrong. Buddhism has not categories of sin and grace, so he may see it as simply a self-destructive behavior. If you look at Tiger’s life, there is nothing that is consistent with the teachings of Buddhism. I would say that he violates all the principles.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.