I agree with Siska that the story is a story about the misconceptions people have about karma. A happens, then B happens so they immediately jump to the conclusions that A caused B - like they believe in cause-and-effect.
To me it's like laying on your back, looking up at the clouds and seeing the likenesses of elephants, cars or the face of Jesus. Your mind just can't stand the chaos and creates these illusions in it's attempt to make 'sense' out of what you are seeing. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@...> wrote: > > Mel, > > I don't consider myself Buddhist. > > Although I sometimes describe myself as someone who practices zen, that's a > label I use for others. I don't consider my practice anything special or to > have any name. I call it 'zen' because I was lead to this practice through > Japanese Zen Buddhism, from a combination of both Rinzai and Soto roshis > (teachers). > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Mel <gunnar19632000@> wrote: > > > > Greetings to Bill and all > > > > I can't help but be reminded here of the teaching that says that we are not > > Zen people, but Buddhists. Not even Zen Buddhists. Just Buddhists. I > > personally accept this. However, there is also the teachings that calls for > > categories. I personally find the Soto way much more favourable over > > Rinzai, even though the Soto way has far too many formalities for my > > liking(eg. bowing rules, name-giving, 'tea ceremony' of sorts, etc). > > Nevertheless, I may describe myself as Soto for the sake of convenience. > > I've also found it convenient by referring to myself as Mahayana in the > > presence of Theravada devotees. But, we're just Buddhists. Although there's > > no real need for any sort of description, Buddhists have to go through this > > for the sake of politics. We don't like the politics, but it's there. The > > usual reaction to my announcement of being Mahayana or Zen to our local > > Theravada community here DownUnder(Australia)is,"...Oh...I see..."....plus > > the surprised look > > on the face > > > > in Buddha's grace > > Mel > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@> > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Friday, 13 January 2012 8:54 PM > > Subject: [Zen] Re: Reading and Resources > > > > > > > > Amy, > > > > You're on the right track (IMO) if you have an innate dislike of labeling > > yourself as any one thing. The problem with labels is they are, like > > everything that's a product of our (human's) intellect, dualistic. So, if > > you label yourself as one thing then you are autmatically excluding other > > things > > > > -----------------snip---------------- > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
