Anthony, I thought more about this last night and believe I've described Buddha Nature just backwards below.
Experience of Buddha Nature is not intermittent. AWARENESS of Buddha Nature is intermittent. I experience it all the time but am not always aware of it. It's kind of like when you have the radio on in the background. If you focus on it you hear the music. If you are focusing on something else you aren't aware of the music even though it's there all the time. And sometimes you can be doing something and still are aware of the music. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@...> wrote: > > For me experience of Buddha Nature is intermittent. It is sometimes very > strong and sometimes fades away, but with practice it lingers for longer and > longer periods of time. > > There is nothing more I believe I need to do. Just be: eat when hungry, > sleep when tired, wake when rested. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote: > > > > Bill, > >  > > Is the Buddha Nature you experienced only intermittent or it is lasting all > > the time? > >  > > Do you need to do something more after experiencing Buddha Nature? > >  > > Anthony > > > > --- On Sat, 25/6/11, Bill! <BillSmart@> wrote: > > > > > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@> > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Why Practice Chan? > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Saturday, 25 June, 2011, 5:30 PM > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > Siska, > > > > I am sure of this for several reasons: > > > > The most important reason and the only one that really matters is that I > > have experienced Buddha Nature myself. Once you experience Buddha Nature > > you know that there is only one experience like this and there can be no > > mistaking it for something else. All experiences of Buddha Nature are the > > same. I cannot really say for sure that Siddartha Buddha did experience > > Buddha Nature; but I can say if he did (and I believe he did) it was the > > same experience. > > > > Secondary reasons are: > > - my experience was formally validated by two teachers (zen masters)of both > > the Renzai and Soto Japanese Zen Buddhist schools > > - my experience was informally validated by many other teachers and other > > zen practitioners > > - my experience corresponds (in my opinion) with both historical and > > modern-day written accounts of the same experience > > > > ...Bill! > > > > --- In [email protected], siska_cen@ wrote: > > > > > > Hi Bill, > > > > > > > there is absolutely no difference in the experience of Buddha Nature > > > > that Siddartha had and the one that is available to you right now > > > > > > You seem to be very sure about this. How could you be so sure? I mean, > > > how can you know what Siddharta experienced? > > > > > > Siska > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: "Bill!" <BillSmart@> > > > Sender: [email protected] > > > Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:55:36 > > > To: <[email protected]> > > > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Why Practice Chan? > > > > > > Anthony, > > > > > > There may indeed be 'advancing developments' of INTERPRETATIONS of > > > second- and third-hand accounts of what Siddartha said, but there is > > > absolutely no difference in the experience of Buddha Nature that > > > Siddartha had and the one that is available to you right now. > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Mel, > > > > Ãâà> > > > You say, " all we know today are highly likely to > > > > beÃâàcorruptions of what the old prince may have uttered." > > > > Ãâà> > > > Put is in another perspective, they may be the "advancing developements > > > > of what the old price uttered." > > > > Ãâà> > > > The question is whether they are for better or for worse, or it does > > > > not matter at all. > > > > Ãâà> > > > Anthony > > > > > > > > --- On Wed, 22/6/11, Mel <gunnar19632000@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > From: Mel <gunnar19632000@> > > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Why Practice Chan? > > > > To: [email protected] > > > > Date: Wednesday, 22 June, 2011, 4:58 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > Ãâà> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I often have problems with seeing myself as a Buddhist of any sort let > > > > alone telling people about it, because I know for a fact that my > > > > beliefs are centered/based on the interpretations of today's modern day > > > > zen teachers such as senseisÃâàDeshimaru and (Shunryu) Suzuki. It > > > > hasÃâàbeen a long time since the old man died and nobody really > > > > knew what he said except those who have actually spent time with him > > > > before he died. Nevertheless, I made the decision to stick with zen > > > > Ãâà> > > > Fellow 'buddhists', there is no shame in saying or > > > > acknowledgingÃâàthat all we know today are highly likely to > > > > beÃâàcorruptions of what the old prince may have uttered, but do > > > > we really care? > > > > Ãâà> > > > Today, people see my Buddha pendant around my neck, my zen books, and > > > > bowings I make to my meals and imagesÃâàbefore me. Seeing such, > > > > many ask me if I'm Buddhist, and I just say yes out of convenience > > > > Ãâà> > > > Buddha be praised > > > > Mel > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! 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