Fair enough. Here's one: the ideas of "self" and "others" are among the main ideas to be seen through as arbitrary mental constructs.
Believing myself to be this way or that way screws up almost any of my moments. I think I am afraid of certain situations, as so I let myself off the hook for acting appropriately in those situations. You must both know your own mind and be able to exercise control over it or any powerfull Satori will leave you insane. Further comment embedded --- In [email protected], ChrisAustinLane <chris@...> wrote: > > Replies embedded inline with the text. > > Thanks, > Chris Austin-Lane > Sent from a cell phone > > On Jan 26, 2012, at 15:09, "rewrisk" <rewrisk@...> wrote: > > > Dont bother unless you are going to speak of what you yourself know. > > Fair enough. Here's one: the ideas of "self" and "others" are among the main > ideas to be seen through as arbitrary mental constructs. You think this but without those things you will find life much, much more difficult. > > Believing myself to be this way or that way screws up almost any of my > moments. You can increase this sense of self consciousness and force yourself to break through it. I think I am afraid of certain situations, as so I let myself off the hook for acting appropriately in those situations. Good that you recognize this. All the previous to set up the following. I think about some past insult and miss the parking space and bump some car door instead. This is the truth. > > Thinking of others as different from myself, They are but what destructive instincts does this awareness trigger? clinging to my past emotions, instead of responding to the current situation, Confounded, defeated. I fail to comfort the fallen, or to rejoice with the happy, to laugh with the merry. Why should you not? Garnering resolve to a purpose. Lots of words but some simple ideas. > > > Zen flesh zen bones is far from my favourite book on zen but probably the > > most usefull that I encounterred in the time I was searching. I could look > > at any page and see words spoken by someone who knew. There would be a > > short description by the author reflecting a similar awareness. It was not > > such an entertaining book to read but it was very usefull. > > I think I have read that one yet. I have just started reading Dogen's Genjo > Koan: Three Commentaries, just published by Counterpoint Press. Lots of > words to fill your mind with ideas and trick you into a confrontation with > reality. I always liked the writing of Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki. The biggest lesson I took from zen was to keep it simple. The biggest lesson I took from Buddhism was to keep faith with myself in my experience of reality. > > > > Tell me something you know. > > A second item: for a student of life itself, each moment is bursting with > help for the student. > > When I am able to put aside what I had hoped would be in the present moment, > but instead look at each moment as it is, I find I almost always come away > having had some important lesson laid out for me, or some useful practice for > my training. > > > Few people escape life without learning to 'know a truth.' > > Such 'truth' is usefull. > > I hope my writing above is more pleasing to you than my writing below. > > > Speak. > > > > --- In [email protected], ChrisAustinLane <chris@> wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >> Thanks, > >> Chris Austin-Lane > >> Sent from a cell phone > >> > >> On Jan 25, 2012, at 21:52, "rewrisk" <rewrisk@> wrote: > >> > >>> You fail to even maintain context with your argument. > >> > >> It again seems I have caused offense. I was making fun of the use of the > >> word others, when in the context of zen, the ideas of "self" and "others" > >> are among the main ideas to be seen through as arbitrary mental > >> constructs. > >> > >> And my follow on statement is that as a student of life itself, each > >> moment is bursting with help for the student. > >> > >> I could have also objected to your use of the world knowledge, as zen is > >> not about gaining knowledge but attending to the world outside knowledge. > >> > >> Any ways, I was just trying to play around with words, I had the wrong > >> idea you'd enjoy that sort of thing, with your background in the dark > >> Zendo, but I see I was wrong. I will stick to more conventional essay > >> format in replying. > >> > >>> --- In [email protected], ChrisAustinLane <chris@> wrote: > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> On Jan 25, 2012, at 21:22, "rewrisk" <rewrisk@> wrote: > >>>> > >>>>> > >>>>> So you think knowledge learnt from others is essential to the search > >>>>> for enlightenment? > >>>> > >>>> Others? > >>>> > >>>> From some perspectives, everything experienced is teaching. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> Thanks, > >>>> Chris Austin-Lane > >>>> Sent from a cell phone > >>>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> ------------------------------------ > >>> > >>> Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are > >>> reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links > >>> > >>> > >>> > >> > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are > > reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! 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