jesus christ mike..now we get the picture.
..you never in your wildest dreams thought to examine religion when you were a kiddy? ..now that's where you and i am different...i was in the same boat as you as kiddy..was it atheist household.that i do not know but non religious ..i at 7 took the plunge and took myself to a christian sunday school cos i wanted to find out what it was...and did correspondence classes in christian faith unknown to my parents ..i was involved till i was 14 and after a billy graeme crusade attendance..i felt ill of it...yuk yuk yuk... ..became atheistic.. . at 21 i began investigating buddhism..found zen..yes that was my cup of tea. .although i will investigate the lot..and have done so.. .now cos the buddhist "hang out" here in this mountain requires getting into a car...i go to the sandstone christian uniting church 5 min walk up road. .what does it matter..?.. . the message is much similar..love love love and peace ..after all mike peace and love tis the story that is so hard to follow..yet so simple. .. peace be with you mike... merle Mike, I share many of your feelings and that is why I separate Jesus' teachings from Christianity and Christians - just as I separate Buddha Nature from Zen Buddhism and Buddhists. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], mike brown <uerusuboyo@...> wrote: > > Merle, > > I'm sure this is a lot in Christianity for many, but I don't see it. I was > raised in an atheist household, I went to a secular school, none of my social > circle are Christian. Maybe my lack of feeling like I was created by anything > outside the natural world is proof I'm a far way from being "perfecto". I'm > truly sorry if my lack of faith, or inquiry, has touched a raw spot for you, > but my worldview doesn't see the need to "accept" that Christianity has > something to offer me any more than I would any other supernatural claim. > When you wrote "lighten up", I hope you were referring to me going to Hell? ; > ) > > Mike > > > > ________________________________ > From: Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, 4 August 2012, 1:12 > Subject: Re: [Zen] Samadhi > > >  > > >  mike..meaning what?...do not be so quick to judge..there are christians > and christians...just as there are buddhists and buddhists.. > . not all folk who meditate and sit cross legged for hours waiting for the > "light" they too are not the "perfecto"..you are so desiring to be >  lighten up. > .accept that christianity to may have something to offer if you take the time > to examine >  merle >  > Merle, > > Guess I met too many Christians. > > > Mike > > > ________________________________ > From: Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, 4 August 2012, 0:58 > Subject: Re: [Zen] Samadhi > > >  > > > godfathers, mike..you live in a world where there are millions of christians > and your not the least interested or curious to find out the nitty gritty of > it all....... why?..merle >  > Kris, > > I know absolutely sweet f.a about Christianity, never mind Christian forms of > meditation, so I'll accept what you say about grace, being open and 'just > this'. I would still, however, argue that being overwhelmed emotionally at > feeling like you are being filled with the Holy Ghost, or whatever else, is > not observing with equanimity and is therefore not shikantaza. If I sit down > to practice shikantaza and I have a feeling that my dead grandmother is with > me, is it still shikantaza if I feel overwhelmed and start bawling my eyes > out? Or does Jesus get a free pass? > > Mike > > > ________________________________ > From: Kristopher Grey <kris@...> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Friday, 3 August 2012, 19:33 > Subject: Re: [Zen] Samadhi > > >  > 'Grace' - symbolized by the intersection of the cross. The non-point > appearing to rest on the horizon between heaven and earth, where from both > spring from... Just this... > > There are Christian meditative practices... though not > taught/practiced by the consumer Christians. Prayer, real prayer > not asking for magic favors, it is a form of meditation. Like > other meditation, some prayers have a focus, some do not. A > completely open prayer - openess to what is/will be - simply being > - is this not also 'shikantaza'? > > Look past the differences, and there is only this. > > KG > > > On 8/3/2012 6:24 AM, Bill! wrote: > >  > >Mike, > > > >I would describe it as something similar to being filled > with the Holy Spirit and giving yourself over COMPLETELY > to God's will. > > > >Bill! (not Joe or Bill) > > > >--- In [email protected], mike brown <uerusuboyo@> wrote: > >> > >> Joe, > >> > >> How would you describe shikantaza to someone from a > religion such as Christianity? > >> > >> Mike > >> > >> > >> > >> ________________________________ > >> From: Joe <desert_woodworker@> > >> To: [email protected] > >> Sent: Friday, 3 August 2012, 3:24 > >> Subject: Re: [Zen] Samadhi > >> > >> > >>  > >> Shikantaza is "just keeping empty". In the Zen sect. > >> > >> I'll say no more! > >> > >> --Joe > >> > >> > > >> >"ED" <seacrofter001@> wrote: > >> > > >> > Mike, > >> > > >> > Is shikantaza insight meditation, absorption > meditation or both? > >> > > > > >
