Bill, I didn't ask the question below, ED did...
Edgar On Jul 30, 2012, at 12:33 AM, Bill! wrote: > Edgar, > > I don't know if you know it or not (I have always assumed you do) that the > vast majority of the questions you ask or comments you make seem to be > attempts to 'rationalize' Buddha Nature - that is to 'explain' them or 'fit > them into' a rational, logical structure such as "evolutionary theory or > evolutionary psychology". That can't be done; or at least can't be done > without forcing Buddha Nature into some logical mold which just doesn't fit. > In trying to do so you would invariable lose a lot of Buddha Nature and the > result would be incomplete at best and detrimentally misleading at worst. > > This is why (and I know you know this!) the historical zen masters responded > to questions such as yours with non-rational responses. > > I guess the best answer I can give to your question is 'I don't know', and > could quickly follow that with 'I don't care'. The zen I practice does not > focus on 'why' or 'how', as does rationality and especially science', it > focuses on only 'what' - as in Just THIS! and Now. 'Why' and 'how' are > squarely in the realm of rationality (illusions/maya) and not Buddha Nature. > > My best ATTEMPT at rationalizing an answer to your question would go > something like: 'When life came into existence (and I don't know why or how > that happened) some life forms (maybe ALL life forms) developed sentient-ness > - the ability to be aware. This for me IS Buddha Nature. This is 'what', > not 'why' or 'how'. Later on (in my rationalized theory) some sentient > beings also developed rationality which is based on dualism. I can > rationally assume that the quality of rationality enhanced their ability to > survive and procreate. > > Okay? ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], "ED" <seacrofter001@...> wrote: >> >> >> >> Edgar, >> >> As per evolutionary theory or evolutionary psychology, how could buddha >> nature have come to be? >> >> --ED >> >> >> >> --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@> wrote: >>> >>> I think in the very distant past what we now call 'awareness of Buddha >> Nature' was the norm. As human intellect developed and we as a species >> became more and more dependent and attached to our rational abilities >> the awareness of Buddha Nature was more and more obscured over time. >> What Siddhartha Buddha did (as the story goes) was to wipe away this >> obscuration revealing (re-revealing really) Buddha Nature which was >> there all the time. >> > ------------------------------------ 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/
