Sith Discussion

The Buddha continues to teach via books, for the record. The core of Buddhist teachings, the Dhammapada, is a compilation of his spoken word. Most Buddhist sects use solo study of texts as their main methods of teaching philosophy, any activities are to strengthen discipline. For you, this should be reversed. Use text to expand your discipline, and "do" what you've read in any physical aspect possible to learn.

I find myself much more grey than on either side of the spectrum, and appreciate the arguments of both sides, but cannot persuade myself to wholly grasp either extreme. On one hand, I believe anger is a toxin to the mind, yet much like a drug in that the more you allow yourself to express it freely, the more angry you will feel and the more often you will feel it. On the other hand, I believe anger tempered with careful restraint is how one drives themselves to defend themselves, and occasionally to better themselves. Wisdom is very important, but what good does it do one without the power to protect themselves and the ones they love? Conversely, power is important, but what good does it do one without the wisdom to use it properly?

These are the things that make sense to me. Another teaching of the Buddha. He strongly supported exploring every teaching, and taking as fact only what one believes in. What resonates within them. I hope this has been more enlightening than the bickering over learning methods I've seen over four pages of responses, but I do stand behind those who say you need to explore for yourself. Find a way that works for you, but it is unreasonable to expect you can learn without leaving your comfort zone. Learn what is out there, drop anything that doesn't resonate within you, and the rest will make up who you are. You can label yourself after you know more about what you believe.

My real reasoning here isn't the knowledge. It's more about reasoning the choices I've already made. And that's really only the secondary reason. The primary reason has been to fly into the hornets' nest and open a dialog so that others interested might join. That means I must take up a questioning stance. As I stated before, I'm not personally interested in the Sith label. I know I am not Sith. I wish to understand how one becomes or comes to know that they are Sith. I am almost certainly a Grey since I believe that all tools have their place and their usefulness and generally prefer to take my own path. The dialog in most cases concerning it comes across as guarded and terse. If it can literally positively affect the lives of others should they not feel welcomed to that path? If they do not, couldn't that ultimately make things more difficult than necessary to find their path?

Also arguably, the masters of all of the world'a paths found their way on their own. Generally finding 'no, that's not it." from their studies. Which ultimately taught them to figure it out alone. All of these ways of learning are merely tools. No one tool is perfect for everyone.

Many of us that have been down that path didn't choose it, for whatever reason life pushed us that way....pain,suffering,etc....they can be vicious and forceful masters...you either find your power or you perish....and you usually have to find it yourself because you have no one else that cares enough to guide you....it pulls out what is already present and amplifies it....we all carry that darkness within,, most however are fortunate enough to have family and friends caring enough to guide them during those tough times....a strong support structure is one of the biggest differences between those that find themselves on the dark path and those that don't...it's not a "kind" path or "warm and fuzzy"....it's a lot of hard work and requires a strong drive and fierce independence...

RyuJin wrote: Many of us that have been down that path didn't choose it, for whatever reason life pushed us that way....pain,suffering,etc....they can be vicious and forceful masters...you either find your power or you perish....and you usually have to find it yourself because you have no one else that cares enough to guide you....it pulls out what is already present and amplifies it....we all carry that darkness within,, most however are fortunate enough to have family and friends caring enough to guide them during those tough times....a strong support structure is one of the biggest differences between those that find themselves on the dark path and those that don't...it's not a "kind" path or "warm and fuzzy"....it's a lot of hard work and requires a strong drive and fierce independence...

I had a lot of both. Helpful family, and those that are toxic. Even to this day. A lot of anguish that was forced upon me. I have always chosen the silver lining when I could find it. Some don't have one. So I move between Altruism and Egoism. Generally I work from a utilitarian perspective. How do I get what I want and do more good than harm at the same time.

I wish to understand how one becomes or comes to know that they are Sith

Oh, well, that's simple.

Resonance.

If it can literally positively affect the lives of others should they not feel welcomed to that path? If they do not, couldn't that ultimately make things more difficult than necessary to find their path?

Have I not been welcoming?

Given I am the only active Sith responding to you, have I not been easier to communicate with than anyone else? I've given you an open invitation to answers, which , as Connor has pointed elsewhere, is not common, then again, you preface with stating you have no real interest in the Sith path,but that you have opened up this dialogue so that others who may want to join will.

Am I to assume others have shared an interest with you? If not, why have you taken such an endeavor upon yourself?

Any difficulty, is due to the fact that I do not recruit, advertise here. That's out of respect for this site.It's not hard to find me at the places I do teach, and yes, there may be some difficulty getting in, but what of it? Any culture has its rites of passage, or entry.

You know, studies have been done that prove that people do not respect something given, a such as earned.

Khaos wrote:

I wish to understand how one becomes or comes to know that they are Sith

Oh, well, that's simple.

Resonance.

If it can literally positively affect the lives of others should they not feel welcomed to that path? If they do not, couldn't that ultimately make things more difficult than necessary to find their path?

Have I not been welcoming?

Given I am the only active Sith responding to you, have I not been easier to communicate with than anyone else? I've given you an open invitation to answers, which , as Connor has pointed elsewhere, is not common, then again, you preface with stating you have no real interest in the Sith path,but that you have opened up this dialogue so that others who may want to join will.

Am I to assume others have shared an interest with you? If not, why have you taken such an endeavor upon yourself?

Any difficulty, is due to the fact that I do not recruit, advertise here. That's out of respect for this site.It's not hard to find me at the places I do teach, and yes, there may be some difficulty getting in, but what of it? Any culture has its rites of passage, or entry.

You know, studies have been done that prove that people do not respect something given, a such as earned.

You have been more gracious than anyone else on the topic. Thank you. Resonance makes sense.

I took it upon myself because it was mentioned in a different Topic that if we had questions we should start a new topic and another person suggested it getting stickies to make it easier to find. I find that one cannot come to harm from knowledge. Until today, I didn't even know that there was a site dedicated to such things. I am not seeking anything for free. Personally, I'm seeking to understand so that I might know whether I am somewhere between Jedi and Sith or between Jedi and something else entirely.

If you are not seeking things for free. Then you should be able to find understanding by going out there and doing your own research.

Thats a very common trend with just about any branch of Sith. Unlike Jedi they wont go through the trouble of giving you a simple understanding of x, y & z....they expect you to find it yourself.

So.....Understanding wont be found here.

Finding the information is rather easy though. Ya just gotta think Sith

I am somewhere between Jedi and Sith or between Jedi and something else entirely.

This is a tired model to me, putting Sith and Jedi on too extreme ends of some spectrum.

Then anything in the middle being a lighter, or darker shade of Grey.

I think I asked you not to be boring.

Jedi, are not the opposite of Sith, nor are we on the same path, looking for the same answers, or any other tired model.

Nor is it based in a morality spectrum.

I have a question Khaos.

An honest question. Not trying to “set you up" or expose something or trap or whatever. And I hope it’s not boring or cliché.

Many of the Sith I know are completely agreeable people. I have no issue with them and other than views on particular topics, we tend to get along just fine.

My question is, excluding fiction, what is/are the major differences between the Sith and the Jedi in your view? And the reason I ask is that there are Jedi whom range the spectrum of what people might believe to be a Jedi from grey to light to pure or realist… But Sith tend to just say, Sith.

Trisskar wrote: If you are not seeking things for free. Then you should be able to find understanding by going out there and doing your own research.

Thats a very common trend with just about any branch of Sith. Unlike Jedi they wont go through the trouble of giving you a simple understanding of x, y & z....they expect you to find it yourself.

So.....Understanding wont be found here.

Finding the information is rather easy though. Ya just gotta think Sith

This is a kind of research. It's first hand account. One of the most relied upon in our society.