Hi Mike: All doubts cease when the source within and around ourselves is found. And that source is the heart. I couldn't be more in agreement with these Maharajs!. JMJM will be happy to hear this. Mayka --- On Sat, 2/4/11, mike brown <[email protected]> wrote:
From: mike brown <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Why bother with Zazen? Better Orgyhouse To: [email protected] Date: Saturday, 2 April, 2011, 12:06 Mayka, >I was told that because Buddhism was alive,... Buddhism is reading these words, intuitively agreeing or disagreeing, and responding appropriately. To dither (wobble), philosophise or act on a preconceived idea kills it just as it is unfolds. Aghh, too late. Now we're partners in crime. Mike From: Maria Lopez <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sat, 2 April, 2011 19:43:24 Subject: Re: [Zen] Why bother with Zazen? Better Orgyhouse Bill: I was told that because Buddhism was alive, a living philosophy and way to live it could never be something static. But something continuously changing and adapting to whatever cultural country reality and necessities. In Eastern Countries Buddhism seem to be more like an ecclesiastic order similar to any other religion in the world. It's quite tricky here in the West because there is such a Tutti-Frutti that still some adepts have adopted it as a religion and some only take from it what is useful. From the westerners ones who have taken Buddhism literally as a religion...buff...what a headache!. Mayka --- On Sat, 2/4/11, Bill! <[email protected]> wrote: From: Bill! <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Why bother with Zazen? Better Orgyhouse To: [email protected] Date: Saturday, 2 April, 2011, 2:35 Mayka, My point is that in the countries that are the birthplace and nursery of Buddhism, it is considered a religion; and in those countries for the most part Zen Buddhism is considered a cult. It is in the Western world where Buddhism has only recently been adopted that you will find a significant number of people regarding it as a philosophy or a 'way of life'. This is because (IMNSHO) Westerners have adapted it to their way of thinking, and only took the parts they felt comfortable with. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Maria Lopez <flordeloto@...> wrote: > > Bill; >  > Yes in many Eastern Countries Buddhism is regarded as a religion. Still > there are Buddhist traditions with the description given by Steve. >  > Mayka > > --- On Thu, 31/3/11, Bill! <BillSmart@...> wrote: > > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@...> > Subject: Re: [Zen] Why bother with Zazen? Better Orgyhouse > To: [email protected] > Date: Thursday, 31 March, 2011, 2:42 > > >  > > > > Steve, > > I agree with your reply to my post below. > > I will also extend it to say that most (or at least a large number of) > Buddhists do not consider Zen Buddhism as a ligitimate expression of Buddhism > and consider it cult. I say this after talking with numerous Buddhists > (including Buddhist clergy) in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, and > Vietnam. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], "SteveW" <eugnostos2000@> wrote: > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@> wrote: > > > > > > Steve, > > > > > > I fundamentally disagree. > > > > > > Buddhism, as well as Judiasm/Christianity/Islam, and all other religions > > > I know about are based on the essense of zen. They are all, including > > > Buddhism, just layers that have been built up around zen and serve to > > > occlude the essense of zen to varying extents. I will say that Buddhism > > > has the least occluding layers of the religions I have read about, but it > > > still has a lot. > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > Hi Bill! In my opinion, there are two aspects to the human phenomenon of > > religion. One aspect is the evolved religios which binds society together > > in a shared identity. This is just an evolved trait that is useful from the > > view-point of group selection. The other aspect is the awakened insight > > into Suchness. But some religions as they exist now are more effective > > vehicles for encouraging awakened insight into Suchness than others. Within > > each of the Big Three Abrahamic traditions, there have arisen minority > > mystical movements that are a spontaneous expression of Enlightened Mind, > > but they have always been regarded as heretical. Even the most > > literal-minded Pureland Buddhist realizes that the ultimate goal is > > awakening. They just want to go to Buddhist Heaven where they imagine that > > awakening will be easier. But they still understand that ultimately it is > > more than just going to Heaven. And so, as you yourself note, Buddhism has > > the least occluding > layers. The average Christian would not regard Meister Eckhart as being a > real Christian. > > Steve > > >
