"..'When people see things as beautiful, ugliness is created
When people see things as good, evil is created'...". Tao Te Ching.
Thank you Mel for the Tao Te Ching above reference. Although the above said
is a wise one, there is a danger in reading and take things literally as they
are written. Nonetheless the above said makes even stronger the point with not
much success was trying to convey in posting addressed to Steve. This is a
very complex subject to be talked about in a public medium as it can easily
lead to harmful misunderstandings. Whatever different ideas we may all have, I
like to think that we all have in common the one of well-being of all forms of
life.
It's not about nihilism or absolute truths. It's more about be one with the
heart of the ocean of life, visible and invisible. JMJM has repeatedly pointed
out to all of us the heart. He has not been doing this superficially. As soon
as we are separated by the universal heart all sort of confusion arises in us
including the one of creating the mental metaphor believe that one of our
neighbours steals the purse of an elderly lady. No one can still the heart as
we all have it in us!. We can only be awakening in the heart.
Mayka
--- On Thu, 21/4/11, Mel <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Mel <[email protected]>
Subject: [Zen] compassion, universe, etc
To: "zen forum" <[email protected]>
Date: Thursday, 21 April, 2011, 11:07
My thoughts on the latest issues....
COMPASSION AND ZEN
Compassion for what or who exactly? Compassion has no hard and fast rules, or
descriptions. Do you show compassion for a habitual thief? How about a serial
rapist or murderer? How does this compassion look like in solid form?
THE UNIVERSE
My interpretation: The universe is neither badly made, or perfect. It just is.
I may be somewhat influenced by the Taoist teachings, but..
..'When people see things as beautiful, ugliness is created
When people see things as good, evil is created'...
-TaoTeChing, translator JH McDonald
source address:
http://www.reformtaoism.org/Laozi_translations/JohnMcdonald_wc.php
..that makes a lot of sense to me. Since the book I mainly use for Zen readings
is ZEN MIND BEGINNERS MIND, I then doubt that many from within the Zen communiy
would be too shocked why I tend to think so
ARROGANT INDIVIDUALISTIC PRICKS
It's not very hard to come across so-called spiritual teachers or guides like
this...even in a Buddhist faction like Zen. I personally judge people as they
are, and I don't wait for an accumulation of years of contact before I say,"Gee
willikers, they weren't so bad after all"
I've also heard it said,"Your enemy is your best teacher". Holy cow, that means
it can come up to a point where we do finally learn a lesson in life after they
burn our sorry miserable carcasses, ready to be put in urns
Back to individual oddities. In my youth, entering a new place or situation
meant I knew practically zero about such new environment. Arrogant pricks as
such (and they come in 2 sorts...male and female) behave likewise but backed
off when I stood up to them. They feign humility in silence when what they
actually did was ignore me completely even when I was putting myself at risk,
be it with machinery or worse. Embrace them to heal their wounds? Hmmm...I say
clear the head, and breath. Dualistically-speaking, good or evil may arise, but
stop neither. Buddha gives what Buddha gives
ABUSIVE TEACHERS
Irrespective of whether it's in martial arts, spirituality, work, and so
on...an abusive teacher (sexually, or some other) is just as so. Lack of
knowledge or practise within the specified or chosen discipline
TOO MUCH THINKING AND WORDS
Unfortunately, an academic's disease which will never go away from the patient.
Even those lacking education but who seem to be natural scholars when given the
opportunity to be so are also affected by such. The more words and thinking
Buddha be praised
Mel
