O Wise One,
>>With your present understanding, Well, I can understand enough to see that the Wisdom you've awakened to hasn't prevented you from being a completely smug wanker. You're great with poems and woo-woo language. How about plain English? There are 3 stages of Buddhist education: The first one is reading books, hearing talks, having discussions etc The second one is putting what you've learnt in to practice. All that reading etc might give you good intellectual understanding, but it doesn't have much transformative power. It may be interesting and useful in some situations but it is limited and has little to do with the reason the words were spoken in the first place. The third is penetration - a deep seeing into yourself(Who am I). The seeing is what brings suffering to an end, which was the whole purpose of the Buddha's teaching. He wasn't trying to be philosophical. He was eminentlypractical. All the forms of practice - sitting in silence; going on retreats etc. are just elaborate methods of allowing you to be with yourself, to stop doing, stop trying to become something: just sit still and be as you are. It takes sincere application and often unfolds over a long period of time. But it can eventually bear fruit. I've said repeatedly that this is not the way, buta way. Yes, it resonates. Only a spiritually proud peacock would call it "fool's gold", but then again, you would wouldn't you because we're not all perfect, are we? Mike ________________________________ From: Kristopher Grey <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, 9 August 2012, 18:34 Subject: Re: [Zen] Pebble snatcher's empty hand On 8/9/2012 6:32 AM, mike brown wrote: >>With them the Seed of Wisdom did I sow, > And with my own hand labour'd it to grow: > > >Sounds familiar! > > >Mike > No doubt. With your present understanding, you grasp the familiar. What of the two lines to follow? Perhaps another translation (by same translator) may shed a clearer light: Alike for those who for TO-DAY prepare, And those that after a TO-MORROW stare, A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries "Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There." Or from a different translator: Some are thoughtful on their way Some are doubtful, so they pray. I hear the hidden voice that may Shout, "Both paths lead astray." their version 2: Some always seek the rational mind Some will appeal to faith that’s blind If you turn within, you’ll surely find Both paths will lead further behind. or a third perhaps more 'zen'-like expression: Some are in endless pursuit Some seek the forbidden fruit I fear the voice that is mute Cry out, "path ain’t fruit nor root!" It might be fun try my hand at a translation, but I don't read Farsi. Besides, it's a poem, not textbook. Whether it appears wise or foolish, is not a matter of the poem's words. Reflect on this without grasping or rejecting. KG PS - For fun, try reading just the last line of each quatrain (any translation) - the clinchers - the punch lines. Doesn't spoil the joke. PSS - The bit above the one you landed on may be worth another look: "Myself when young did eagerly frequent Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument About it and about: but evermore Came out by the same Door as in I went." One who has thus gone (tathā-gata) and one who has thus come (tathā-āgata). Beyond all coming and going - Tathāgata. Surely this expression is also familiar?
