*** Re-worded and Re-Posted *** (In case you got the first one...) I appreciate the general thrust of Edgar's answer but diverge from it a little:
There is no 'external' world. There is Just THIS! Just THIS! is direct experience, and that is only possible if we are sentient. IMO it is not the imperfection of our sentient-ness or sense organs that creates illusion. It is the post-processing of our direct sensory experience that creates illusion, and that is done by our intellect. Again, IMO what zen does (or at least what zazen/shikantaza provides) is a state where your intellect is shut down, and therefore your illusions dissolve. All that's left is direct experience. That to me is shikantaza. Zen practice then is to perfect your ability to appreciate and integrate both direct experience and intellectual activity (illusion) - without falling into the trap of becoming attached to the illusions. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@...> wrote: > > Hi Anthony, the sensory organs do NOT accurately depict the real external > world. Very far from it... > > That's why the world we think we live in is illusion.. > > Edgar > > > On Jun 19, 2012, at 5:24 PM, Anthony Wu wrote: > > > > > Like Edgar says, you try to understand the world through your sensory > > organs. But how do you know if they are correct? The same world is > > 'understood' by different sensory organs with different results. Sakyamuni > > says 'beware of your sensory organs'. > > > > Anthony > > > > From: ED <seacrofter001@...> > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Tuesday, 19 June 2012, 22:05 > > Subject: [Zen] Re: What Buddha Actually Did > > > > > > > > Bill, > > I like it. > > "(sentiency) sense: the faculty through which the external world is > > apprehended" > > --ED > > > > --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@> wrote: > > > > > > I disagree. > > > > > > 'Sentient beings' are beings that have sensory organs. All the rest of > > > the qualities mentioned like 'mental entities such as perceptions, > > > beliefs, opinions, attitudes,desires, moods, values, prejudices, > > > convictions, assumptions,preconceptions, biases, habit patterns, > > > dispositions, sentiments, judgments, addictions,impulses, compulsions, > > > compunctions, obsessions, scruples, delusions, views, concepts, thoughts, > > > ideas, etc....' are illusions and are exactly what zen practice helps you > > > dissolve attachments to. > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ 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/
