Mel, Thanks for your reply. You said a lot and I don't want to comment on every little thing, but one thing you talked about is worth a few words:
The word/name 'Buddha' is confusing to many because it is both the name (title actually) given to Guatama Siddartha after he became enlightened - or so the story goes. I think 'Buddha' is a title that means 'one who has awakened'. This historical person is called 'Buddha' or 'the Buddha' by many, but he was not the first or certainly only Buddha. 'Buddha' is also used as a shortened version of 'Buddha Nature' or 'Buddha Mind'. You'll hear many people say things like 'everyone is a Buddha', or 'everyone has a Buddha inside him'. What they should be saying (IMO) is 'everyone has Buddha Nature' and it is just a matter of realizing or becoming aware of Buddha Nature which you already have. Mel or anyone else, let me know if you understand these terms in a different way. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Mel <gunnar19632000@...> wrote: > > Hello Bill and all > > People refer to that Great All out there as 'god', and yet Taoists have come > up with TAO...and many involved with Zen in today's world have referred to it > as 'buddha'. I suppose it really depends from which religious background the > individual comes from. I have not succeeded yet in going through the whole > Bible(both Old and New, plus the Apocrypha) but I do believe that Christians > at least have enquired(judging from what I had read so far in online > scriptural discussions) whether the One and Supreme Creator has hands, wings, > feet, etc....in other words, an actual, physical being or make. Being so, the > atheist camp would then say things such as,"If so, then Yahweh can't possibly > be in more than one place at the same time"....and yet all of the Big 3 > Faiths teach their followers that the Holy Father sees all, and knows all. > This then brings the question of....how big is God exactly? Huge to the point > that he sees and knows all? Is this about > size? How is He exactly...everywhere? > > Buddha. The world knows he was just a man. According to the late Zen teacher > Deshimaru-sensei, there are sources to indicate that he died from eating > poisoned food, or pork. However, we do not worship(in the religious sense) > the man who lived long ago. I personally do not know yet where the idea of > 'buddha' being the same as 'god' or 'tao' being all and one...and the same > thing. I personally accept it(minus the Yahwe part). Let me first point out > however, that my only source for the moment is Zen Mind Beginners Mind...and > TaoTeChing(trans., John H McDonald) to a very limited extent. With Buddha, > there are no arms, legs, eyes...and so forth...to mention, and yet the late > Zen teacher (Shunryu) Suzuki-sensei say that Buddha is everywhere. One may > then conclude...does Yahweh rest within Buddha's realm? If Yahweh has an > actual physical form, does He then exist within Buddha's embrace? I > personally do not know, but I can only speak of what I believe, or > what my personal interpretation(s) is > > I have 2 'buddha'-like statues in my room that I bow to before and after > zazen, or when I leave. However, this bowing is no more different to me when > I bow to my meal before I eat, and afterwards. With this in mind, there is a > parallel here with the Christian and Jewish faiths(I'm lacking on info for > the moment with Islam on this one). But, these little 'buddhas' I own are not > representative of some Being out there. They are worthy of respect because > they represent something much higher and worthy than my own dualistic > desires...especially greed and attachment > > Having said the above so far, is Buddha then made of air that that travels > around the planet and therefore sees and knows all, and therefore everywhere? > To me personally, Buddha has not got the actual, physical form I had > described above...and yet Buddha is everywhere. People new to Zen will not > comprehend this easily, nor will it sit easily with them if they understand, > because there are no actual descriptions, instructions, directions of faith > or worship...and so on > > In Buddha's grace > Mel > > PS. I have mentioned the need for sincerity when it comes to Zen...or Buddha > if one prefers. What this means for the new seekers is....how badly do you > want Buddha? For my part as a Karate student, the only way I can get > through works such as... > > - A Book of 5 Rings > - Hagakure > > ...is through Zen/Buddha. No goal, no attainment...if one must die, then one > must die. It's all about living this moment, and the next, and the next, and > the next.... > > > ________________________________ > From: Bill! <BillSmart@...> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Thursday, 12 January 2012 6:50 PM > Subject: Re: [Zen] New to Group > > > > Mel, > > Just to get you to share a little more with us I'll respond to your post > below: > > 'God' is supposed to be everywhere too, just like you said Buddha was. > > So, do you think they're both (God and Buddha)in the same place (everywhere) > together? Or do you think they are the same thing? Or what? > > ...Bill! > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! 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