In defending your points, you miss the point. My comments were not a
critique, but a simple pointing that may offer a means of resolution of
any apparent differences regarding 'cultivation'.
But since you bring it up, can you not see that this claim that you are
unenlightened proves only that your seeking for proof either way fills
both eyes to the point you can't see?
K
On 6/13/2012 1:49 PM, mike brown wrote:
k,
I'm not arrogant enough to claim that my world view is entirely my
own, all dreamt up on my ownsome, and so I acknowledge that there are
teachers and teachings that have nudged this world view along. I can,
however, differentiate for myself what compasssion in action is and
what is merely navel gazing as to the nature of compassion. I'm not
enlightened, and from what I can tell, no one on this forum is. Please
feel free to tell me otherwise. So, to describe compassion as the
action of a Buddha is all very well, but how do you know? Read it
somewhere? Personally, until I'm fully enlightened, I'll admit to
having to work on cultivating compassion in the same way as bringing
my concentration back to the moment cultivates my mindfullness.
Mike
--- On *Thu, 14/6/12, Kristopher Grey /<[email protected]>/* wrote:
From: Kristopher Grey <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: The Self Illusion
To: [email protected]
Date: Thursday, 14 June, 2012, 2:44
This argument you make, is it your own or one someone else once
made to you you have adopted? Is this teaching simply a
prescription for action from some respected dharma doctor, or a
description of the nature of such action - an expression of dharma?
In other words:
Do you cultivate compassion through your actions, or is the
cultivation itself compassion in action? Compassionately waiting
for you to effortlessly realize this was never not so....
K
On 6/13/2012 11:52 AM, mike brown wrote:
ED,
Maybe everyone on this forum intuitively understands what
compassion is, but I would argue that it is still something that
can be cultivated. When we begin practicing metta meditation, we
usually start with those closest to us and then work towards
people we don't know and then even include our enemies. Doesn't
this indicate the difficulty of having compassion for all
sentient beings? It's easy to say that we do, but much more
difficult in practice. Feeling compassion for orphans in a war is
a lot easier than feeling compassion for a serial rapist. I agree
with Bill that tabeling it as such isn't necessary, but I'd argue
further that compassion is cultivated thru practice.
Mike
--- On *Thu, 14/6/12, ED /<[email protected]>
</mc/[email protected]>/* wrote:
From: ED <[email protected]>
</mc/[email protected]>
Subject: [Zen] Re: The Self Illusion
To: [email protected]
</mc/[email protected]>
Date: Thursday, 14 June, 2012, 1:34
Mike -
I do - as does everyone else in this forum, IMO. I think that
Bill in his message below has answered the question as to
what a zenist should 'do' about compassion.
--ED
--- In [email protected]
</mc/[email protected]>, mike brown
<uerusuboyo@...> </mc/compose?to=uerusuboyo@...> wrote:
>
> ED,
>
Again, if you don't intuitively understand what compassion is
then asking isn't going to get you closer to it. .
>
> Mike
--- In [email protected]
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/post?postID=sfslbhEk49qPa2Kczups9HUnAa-3VYdpOEcB_7hHVObxzM1nLFXVFKz5Nc4dKencAmiFeiiohPJm7wGMZcS1cT8>,
"Bill!" <BillSmart@...> </mc/compose?to=BillSmart@...> wrote:
>
> ED,
>
> 'Compassion' is not something you need to think about, much
less
strive to cultivate - any more than you have to strive to be
hungry.
>
> ...Bill!
