JMJM, As always, thanks for your contribution.
How does "Buddha in the general term is the "universal life force and wisdom"" differ from your concept of 'chi' - or are the two just different terms for the same thing? Thanks...Bill! --- In [email protected], 覺å¦ç²¾æ <chan.jmjm@...> wrote: > > Hi Bill & Mel and All, > > All the interpretation so far are close. Let me say a bit more. > > Buddha in the general term is the "universal life force and wisdom". > When someone is "in sync" to it, this person is honored with the title > of Buddha, such as Guatama Buddha, Guanyin Buddha, etc. > > Because it is the "universal life force and wisdom", it is everywhere > and in everything, because it manifested all. > > And this universal life force and wisdom possess certain > characteristics. Or in ordinary language, it functions by following a > certain set of laws. This set of principles is also called the Laws of > Nature, the Nature of the Universe, or Buddha Nature, or Self Nature. > Everything in the universe functions according to this set of > principles. My teacher has identify seven of them. If you are > interested, I can share with you. > > Therefore, meditate to enhance our chi is critical to be in sync with > the universal life force and wisdom. Like a radio receiver, it requires > power to be sensitive. As our energy enhances, then we can witness > spiritual healing, karma transfer, the TriKaya, etc., phenomena in the > spiritual domain. Then we could intuitively witness our own Buddha > Nature and its manifestation in everyday life, without having to rely on > external teachings through unreliable words. > > Yes, we are able to "just get it" within ourselves. > JM > > > > On 1/13/2012 2:02 AM, Bill! wrote: > > > > 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] <mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com>, > > 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] <mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com> > > > 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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