On 7/31/2012 7:00 AM, mike brown wrote:
I just wish I could convince my more orthodox Zen friends of what the Buddha taught.
An understandable, perhaps even noble sentiment. Yet surely you can see how approaching them in this way, from an assumption of lack, reduces the teachings to to 'The Four Noble Thoughts' and the 'Eight Forked Path' of the downfallen. Stories of this and that. What is such wishing and convincing if not the pull and push of Mara? *L*
Who are you really seeking to convince? Have you been convinced by someone, or directly realized the teachings pointing? Assuming the latter, why this thought to convince 'others'?
If your see your friends or enemies are not Buddha, what else can you show them? If you see your friends and enemies are Buddha, what else can you show them? Who makes friends and enemies of suchness?
To see without doubt, is clearly a joy. Attempts to convince others, can only cloud their vision. In this, share openly, without intention or expectation toward the nature of their experiences. Let their sight clear as it will. The sky has no desire to be clear of clouds or filled with lightning. There is room for all.
Upon awakening, Buddha wished for nothing, and had not been convinced of anything. He did not want to teach, knowing this cannot be taught, and in compassion spent his remaining years sharing this. Others, taking from this - form various limited understandings - teachings.
All, unique expressions. None capturing, none lacking. It can only appear so, to be clouded by thought. When mind attends to cloud building, it rains thoughts of self and others. Tears of Buddha. Some mistake these drops for teachings.
KG
