Hi Mayka,
Each of us are who we are, because of cause and effect. Similarly, due
to cause and effect, each Buddhist linage is what it is. Even though
most of the schools today originated from the Six Patriarch, after
thousand of years of "hearing only what I understood.", the teachings
do
vary from school to school. That's why Buddha said, "This the Dark Ages
of Buddhism."
When I was in Taiwan and asked to speak to different centers of our own
school, not because I am better, but because I am different. The
teachers of each center realizes that they can teach only what they
absorbed and practice. In order for their practitioners to benefit,
different perspectives from the same principals need to be presented.
Like Gozen just wrote, "there is no dogma". We all need to be
detached
from the form of languages. See through the essence of the content.
Practice ourselves and witness ourselves.
As you may notice, Rev. Harvey does not comment on my post. Nor do I
comment on his. Though our practices are quite different, yet we are
who we are. Our minds are dusty with incomplete knowledge. It is
really up to the reader to absorb and practice from the little we could
contribute. No matter what we say, the practice needs to be done by the
reader.
Teachers and students are no different. They learn from each other.
The key is to uncloud our dusty mind and cultivate our Chi instead of
idolize the words. Diamond Sutra said, "Respect the Sentient Beings.
Absorb the Sentient Beings."
My Teacher often reminded us, "Don't memorize. Don't take notes."
Buddha said toward the end of the his teaching, "I have not said a
word."
JM
