I'm losing my Australasian fans.

Gotta get me some more o' that Eastern Philosophy/Religion. Hey! On that note, don't miss this.

Surangama Sutra - Chapter One

The Many Manifestations of the Wonderful Essence-Mind, and of the Perfect Principle of the Three Excellencies within the All-Inclusive Unity of the Womb of Tathagata.

I. THE CONUNDRUM OF THE PERCEIVING MIND AND ITS LOCATION: FALSENESS OF THE MECHANICAL APPROACH

When Ananda came into the presence of the Lord Buddha, he bowed down to the ground in great humanity, blaming himself that he had not yet fully developed the potentialities of Enlightenment, because from the beginning of his previous lives, he had too much devoted himself to study and learning. He earnestly pleaded with the Lord Buddha and with all the other Tathagatas from the ten quarters of the Universe,
to support him in attaining perfect Enlightenment, that is, to support him in his practice of the Three Excellencies of Dhyana, Samadhi and Samapatti [Dhyana, meditation; Samadhi, a state of superconsciousness; Samapatti, a further state of heightened exaltation and spiritual powers.], by some of the most fundamental and expedient means.

At the same time, all of the Bodhisattvas-Mahasattva, as numerous as the sands of the river Ganges, together with all the Arhats, Pratyaka-Buddhas, from all the ten quarters, with one accord and with gladness of heart, prepared to listen to the instruction to be given to Ananda by the Lord Buddha. With one accord they paid homage to the Lord and then resuming their seats, waited in perfect quietness and patience to receive the sacred teaching.

Then the Lord Buddha spoke to Ananda, saying:--Ananda, you and I are from the same ancestral blood and we have always cherished a fraternal affection fro each other. Let me ask you a few questions and you answer me spontaneously and freely. When you first began to be interested in Buddhism what was it that impressed you in our Buddhist way of life and most influenced you to forsake all worldly pleasures and enabled you to cut asunder your youthful sexual cravings?

Ananda replied:--Oh, my Lord! The first thing that impressed me were the thirty-two marks of excellency in my Lord's personality. [See The Bible of the World, by R. O. Ballou, p. 242.] They appeared to me so fine, as tender and brilliant, and transparent as a crystal.