devotion ....

[muni]

Love. Thanks Greentara.

We can maybe say what it is not: attachment which is including blind devotion by selflove. And aversion is blinding as well because this is by devotion to the artificial being what we aren't.

In that way I see no any possibility to recognize own being than through devotion/love for ones own nature; which is pointed by the awaken master/ nature.

Two coins.

[Punya]

There's been alot of talk but what is Devotion? Lets be clear about it. The first component of devotion is love. Love is primarily giving — giving of yourself to your beloved through feelings, thoughts, and actions. So, devotion involves giving of yourself to the point of forgetting yourself, often you proceed with tears and a deep well of feeling. Devotion, is to love and consciously humble yourself before the divine.

I agree with some of what you are saying green tara, to me devotion involves a surrendering of ego. I wouldn't have used the term "love" though. Maybe it's a particular kind of love, but often with love there is an expectation of reciprocity. I see devotion as a selfless act, even though a path to enlightenment may result.

[greentara]

punya, Who are you surrendering the ego to? The Buddha, cosmos, the ether? I can only presume the Buddha and if that be the case there would surely adore the divinity in the Buddha. Otherwise its just an dry, arid practice! You can also just drop the ego by your own will and perhaps with strong, keen insight this can be done but you have to be mighty vigilant.

[Punya]

punya, Who are you surrendering the ego to? The Buddha, cosmos, the ether? I can only presume the Buddha and if that be the case there would surely adore the divinity in the Buddha. Otherwise its just an dry, arid practice! You can also just drop the ego by your own will and perhaps with strong, keen insight this can be done but you have to be mighty vigilant.

OK... I thought I was just venturing an opinion, admittedly based on my limited understanding, not trying to start an argument.

I wasn't imagining a surrendering TO anything. Maybe what I meant was a "giving up" or "abandonment".

My problem with term"love" is that the modern understanding of this, whether we are taking about romantic love or, love within families or between friends is that it seems to be based on "As long as you love me in return, remain the person I think you are, behave in a way that is acceptable to me...." I'll love you back.

What I thought we were talking about was devotion to a guru. In the beginning I thought it that may be based on an emotional kind of love but as you come to know him or her and establish a trust in their ability to help you it would develop into something deeper and more stable than emotion.

When I think of devotion to a guru I think of Ven. Matthieu Ricard. But of course when he is speaking about his guru he sometimes displays quite a lot of emotion which pretty much proves you point greentara.