On Thursday, January 26, 2012, rewrisk <[email protected]> wrote: > > > --- In [email protected], Chris Austin-Lane <chris@...> wrote: >> >> Ok. I do not see any questions. As I said in the other mail,I don't like >> the idea of control. > Then you need to learn to see it in another light.
To elaborate on "who controls what?": Self-control is stupid because there is no self to control or to do the controlling. Zen is about stopping things, not adding new layers of control. When you feel hunger just as hunger, you don't need to deny yourself. Just eat when hungry, cry when sad, move when sore, sleep when tired. What "I" am is just a distraction, as well as ultimately not true. There is no line where Chris ends and rewrisk begins. To tread upon a path of self control gives rise to endless intellectual debates, and most often some real resentment. The way to seize life is to stop turning away - life is all around, full of opportunity and richness. I am not advocating do "whatever I want" - there is no I, the wants are just are foolish. When all that crap is stopped, then its not an endless intellectual debate, and endless balancing of your good against another's good. It is just eating, sharing food as needed. The discipline is not controlling you "self" but laughing at what you thought was your self, and turning back to life, whether it be a feast or a chance to work or to learn, it's all one, no worry. > >> >> Also, I am not sure how you can say that "others" are different from "me" >> and write of Satori. > Because your understanding of Zen is mostly based on what you understand from reading the accounts of others. The spirit of zen is very attractive because it is pure. The exotic ideas emboddied in the awareness of those who have woken themselves and bandied about in zen literature is intoxicating to the mind. My sentence was more along the lines of "if your Satori leaves you with self and others seeming to be real, you may keep that for yourself, no thanks, that's not the zen I know" > It is only what you really know that matters. I agree. Knowing not in just some region of the brain but so thoroughly that the cells don't jump when the current moment is different from what the thoughts expected. My cells still jump at certain moments. Sometimes, I notice and can resume living outside of those thought expectations. > As you say life is better when you loose yourself in the moment. > But to truly loose yourself there are things you must do to prepare for it. > Humility will enable you to cope. > Self control will garner your will so that you can acheive it. > Understanding and control of your mind will enable you to stabilize yourself, to regain your balance after you have acheived it and will protect you from insanity. > > This is essential; > You must need it. > Your need for enlightenment must consume all other needs. This is the only truly essential thing to acheiving a powerfull spiritual insight or Satori. > Humility, self control, self awareness these things protect you, enable you to cope with enlightenment. I am more interested in an ordinary life - one I am aware of. Cheers, --Chris -- Thanks, --Chris [email protected] +1-301-270-6524
