Bill, You say, ' zen has 'distilled' Buddhism down into only the bare essense.' I like it. You also say, ' Out of my respect for your yak I will spare you 40 blows this time.' Instead of your 'respect', it reflects your fear. Remember, there is always something to fear in the day to day life. Or, to a lesser degree, something to avoid. Anthony
--- On Mon, 11/7/11, Bill! <[email protected]> wrote: From: Bill! <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Zen and Christianity are incompatible To: [email protected] Date: Monday, 11 July, 2011, 8:23 AM Anthony, Some say zen has 'surpassed' earlier versions of Buddhism and some say it has 'corrupted' them. I say it has 'distilled' them down into only the bare essense. Out of my respect for your yak I will spare you 40 blows this time. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@...> wrote: > > Bill, >  > It is said that zen literature has surpassed Theravada, Mahayana or Vajrayana > in volumes, though zen masters keep saying 'shut up, shut up'. So I am just > following the lower case zen. >  > As regards your big stick, as I said, I have had a demon (yak) protect me, so > be careful. >  > Anthony > > --- On Sun, 10/7/11, Bill! <BillSmart@...> wrote: > > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@...> > Subject: Re: [Zen] Zen and Christianity are incompatible > To: [email protected] > Date: Sunday, 10 July, 2011, 8:41 AM > > >  > > > > Anthony, > > You talk to much! Like a doting old grandmother! > Better you just keep your mouth shut, turn around and walk away. > > Unless of course you want the Big Stick! > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote: > > > > Mel, > >  > > There are plenty of zen quotations to the effect of killing Buddha. > >  > > One of them, 'when you meet Buddha on the road, kill him.' > >  > > To a lesser degree, 'when you utter the word Buddha, wash your mouth > > completely.' > >  > > To a more degree by Unmon Zen Master, 'Too bad I wasn't there when Buddha > > made his 7 steps in each direction, and exclaimed, 'in heaven and on earth > > I am the most worthy of honor', as soon as he was born. If I had been, I > > would have struck him death and fed his body to hungry dogs.' > >  > > You are right that no Middle Eastern religions ever come close as that > > statement. IMO, those remarks are aimed at ridding you of all attachments, > > including the most sacred ones. > >  > > Anthony > > > > --- On Sat, 9/7/11, Mel <gunnar19632000@> wrote: > > > > > > From: Mel <gunnar19632000@> > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Zen and Christianity are incompatible > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Saturday, 9 July, 2011, 10:45 PM > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > With my lack of interest in too much ritual and ceremony, I doubt that I > > could be described as a Zen Buddhist. As far as I'm concerned, you bow once > > when you enter the room, and then once on your way out. The Soto group I > > was with also had these naming ceremonies and robes which I never really > > took to. However, I have stuck to(well, sort of) the Soto way of things as > > I never liked this Rinzai obssession with koans. Unlike Bill, I use 'zen' > > and Zen whichever one fits my mood at any given moment, but neither wording > > changes what I do > >  > > Urged to kill the teacher? I may be misunderstanding your wordings here, > > but morals and compassion in the Hebrew sense is not where I am here. I'm > > not sure I understand your question completely > >  > > in Buddha's grace > > Mel > > > > --- On Sun, 10/7/11, Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote: > > > > > > From: Anthony Wu <wuasg@> > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Zen and Christianity are incompatible > > To: [email protected] > > Received: Sunday, 10 July, 2011, 12:09 AM > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Mel, > >  > > Then how can you be a zen Buddhist while you are urged to kill your teacher? > >  > > Anthony > > > > --- On Sat, 9/7/11, Mel <gunnar19632000@> wrote: > > > > > > From: Mel <gunnar19632000@> > > Subject: [Zen] Zen and Christianity are incompatible > > To: [email protected] > > Date: Saturday, 9 July, 2011, 7:53 PM > > > > > >  > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Being a devout Christian and a practitioner of zen is basically an > > impossiblity. One has an actual god that one obeys without question, and > > the other one which is zen/Zen, doesn't > >  > > in Buddha's grace > > Mel > > >
