K, You say, 'Better to drop this idea of "suffering".' How can? If you are in great pain, e.g. due to cancer, can you 'drop' the idea? You alsao say, 'A master helps by pointing, and points by helping.' In the case of an accident in China a few months ago, a toddler was run over by a van, bleeding and crying. 18 people passed by without taking action. Then would the master do enough by 'pointing'? Anthony
________________________________ From: Kristopher Grey <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, 11 February 2012, 1:27 Subject: Re: [Zen] What of God? On 2/10/2012 9:08 AM, Anthony Wu wrote: > >OK, lets drop the word 'should'. What do they do in the face of other people's >suffering? > > Better to drop this idea of "suffering". Questioning others actions only re-frames your own suffering, obscuring what is, impeding clear action. The "enlightened" master is experiencing suchness. The "other people" perceived to be suffering are experiencing suchness. That one is "aware" of this, and another "deluded" by this, does not change this. As I said before, people do what they do. Why suffer over this? So what to do... ? First, be very clear on what is meant by "suffering". How it is a mental relationship (to pain or other conditions) that someone creates and identifies with/attaches to. People often conflate pain and suffering, suffering confusion about worldly conditions and actions as a natural consequence. In other words: Pain is an inevitable/integral part of life. Suffering is optional/added. Any suffering others' experience, they create for themselves and is their own to deal with. A master can only point to this. For other matters, the apparent worldly consequences and such, simply help those who you can help in whatever way presents. Ease others' pain when and how you can. Working with whatever presently arises, is all there is. So, to answer as directly as I can - in one short line: A master helps by pointing, and points by helping. K
