ED, My word 'insults' is a general term, it can refer to past, present or future actions. I don't know your past actions. But if you insult me at present or in the future, I will excuse you. Antony
--- On Sat, 27/11/10, ED <[email protected]> wrote: From: ED <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Zen, Mythology, Mind-states and Faith To: [email protected] Date: Saturday, 27 November, 2010, 8:50 AM Anyhony, If you point out to me the 'insults', I will rectify the situation right away. --ED --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wu...@...> wrote: > > ED, > > You should be excused for making a couple of harmless insults, because of your capability to make such a wonderful presentation. > > Anthony > Bill, > > Assume that person A, who has never heard of Zen before, is made aware > of the literature, history and mythology of Zen, and about experiences > of 'Buddha Nature.' > > Person A goes to a zendo, learns how to practice zazen, and finds that > it quietens his mind. > > However, he is skeptical about claims, hinted at in Zen literature, and > reinforced by Zen teachers and Zen students about Buddha Nature and the > Ubermenschen status of deceased Zen Masters - and even of live ones. > > This skepticism is no different than his skepticism of the specialness > claimed by Jews, Christians and Muslims concerning their respective > religions and selves. > > Person A says to himself: There may be something to this Zen thing, or > maybe this is just mythology reinforced by interminable repetitions of > unverified and unverifyiable opinions of Zen Masters and mesmerized > students. > > Person A then says to himself: Of course I can spend decades doing zazen > with great rigor, arrive at an exquisite mind-state, and then be > informed by roshi that I have realised kensho or even satori. > > But, person A also says to himself: All I really know is that I have > experienced mind-states that are ineffable, and that it is my Master's > opinion that they are kensho-satori states - and I have faith in him. > > But in Hindu and Buddhit literature and especially Theravada Buddhist > literature, there dozens of blissful mind-states that have been > identified, carefully defined, and classified. > > Therefore, person A faces the following reality: All he can assert is > that he has experienced mind-state that his Teacher says are so-and-so. > > And, so what? > > What are the special characteristics of a person who has realized Budda > Nature? > > Of what value to humankind is his enlightenment, arrived at after the > expenditure of enormous time and effort? > > --ED >
