Nothing selfish about earning one's daily bread.
--- In [email protected], Chris Austin-Lane <chris@...> wrote: > > There is a famous old Zen saying: a day without work, is a day without food. > > The self-sufficiency of the zen monasteries is one reason Zen survived > the anti-Buddhist times in China. > > One might take this attitude to be the opposite of conventional > compassion, a hard core selfish ness, but only if you add in > distinctions between different people onto the saying. > > I thout it would be funny, given the dialog about work going on. > > Chris, > > Can you explain? (Zenspeak fails to enlighten me in this matter.) > > --ED > > --- In [email protected], Chris Austin-Lane chris@ wrote: > >> > >> A day without work is a day without food. whose work? whose food? > >> > Mike, > >> > Pro bono work is laudable. But first, one has to earn one's keep. Zen stories emphasize this aspect of real (illusory) existence. > >> > In one religion, one of the primary duties of the father is to ensure that his son focuses on a profession to support himself and his future family. This is very laudable too. > >> > Zen, like this religion, has it's feet on the ground, while it seeks to realize Buddha Nature (without seeking to realize Buddha Nature.) > >> > --ED > >> >> ED, > >> >> > >> >> >Or as you have pointed out before, there is no self to turn around. > >> >> Zen Masters selling water by the river! Ho Ho Ho. But everyone has got > >> >> to make a living somehow. > >> >> > >> >> Don't worry, I work pro bono for those without means. > >> >> > >> >> Mike > >> >> Mike, > >> >> > >> >> Or as you have pointed out before, there is no self to turn around. > >> >> Zen Masters selling water by the river! Ho Ho Ho. But everyone has got > >> >> to make a living somehow. > >> >> > >> >> --ED > >> >> > ED, > >> >> > > >> >> > I like my self and I enjoy being in the world, but maybe the trick is > >> >> > to not let the world turn the self around. > >> >> > > >> >> > Mike > >> >> > Selves make the world go round. > >> >> > --ED > >> >> > > Chris, > >> >> > > The 'Never Ending Story', apparently never ending. > >> >> > > Mike > >> >> > > > Have you ever encountered an individual devoid of self or ego? > >> >> > > >--ED
