Yes, it's happened to me!
On Sep 21, 2012, at 11:10 PM, Merle Lester wrote: > > > then..i will read it..thank you edgar.... i just love the character zorba so > much in contrast to alan bates the uptight englishman...you know the old duck > in that..the one with the big breasts that zorba has a conversation with...i > thought when i saw the film back when i was 20..hey that'll be me when i'm > old..i love the last scene when they begin to laugh and laugh.... so > zen..don't you reckon?...merle > > > Sure, I've seen that, but Kazantzakis' best book by far was his 'A Modern > Sequel to the Odyssey'... That's a profound classic.... > > Edgar > > > > On Sep 21, 2012, at 6:11 PM, Merle Lester wrote: > >> >> >> >> my fav film is zorba the greek...you seen it?..and "underground."..a >> yugoslavian film..merle >> >> >> >> Yes, I saw that one too.. >> >> Edgar >> >> >> >> On Sep 21, 2012, at 6:03 PM, Merle Lester wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> edgar.... yes yes yes, >>> >>> .. this reminded me.. did you ever see japanese film.?.." woman of the >>> dunes."..well worth a visit. >>> ..the sand plays the part of the muck in the pond...beautiful very moving >>> film... merle >>> >>> >>> JM and Merle, >>> >>> Reminds me of an old Japanese movie I saw long ago where the master made >>> the disciple shiver all night up to his neck in the muck in a pond. >>> >>> When the sun rose a lotus flower opened and at that so did the disciple's >>> mind.. >>> >>> Edgar >>> >>> >>> >>> On Sep 21, 2012, at 5:28 PM, 覺妙精明 （JMJM） wrote: >>> >>>> >>>> Well Merle. Nicely said. Also sounds simple and wunderbar. For a lotus >>>> to blossom however, lots of mud is needed. If we pick and choose in the >>>> mud, there will be insufficient nutrients. :-) >>>> >>>> >>>> On 9/21/2012 2:18 PM, Merle Lester wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> JM...yes yes yes open the heart and the lotus will be there....... merle >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Indeed, KG. Thank you. >>>>> >>>>> We use the following instructions -- "Focus and not focus. Observe all >>>>> and every." Then you see the wisdom in all. >>>>> >>>>> Even during chakra focusing, it is not a mental focusing. We need to >>>>> relax the mind, in order to sense with our heart. Heart is where our >>>>> spirit reside. Pure heart means pure awareness. >>>>> >>>>> Again, a few people, such as Anthony or Bill may "disagree" as usual. >>>>> :-) It's actually an experience and not a dogma. >>>>> >>>>> Newest translation of an old saying(probably version 7), of this phrase >>>>> from Buddha, "Cast not in words. Transmit beyond teaching." >>>>> >>>>> BTW, my team is working on translating "Practice and Witness Diamond >>>>> Sutra" from our Shifu. I know. I know. It's courageous. If there is any >>>>> online version of Diamond Sutra you sync with, please share with me. >>>>> Much obliged. >>>>> >>>>> jm >>>>> >>>>> On 9/21/2012 9:18 AM, Kristopher Grey wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> When we think of 'mindfulness', we may think of not being distracted, >>>>>> but distraction fills the mind just as effectively. Silence, is the >>>>>> ultimate distraction. >>>>>> >>>>>> Concentration or distraction, different in form only. Both are moments >>>>>> of attention to this and not that, in that moment, then gone. Effort >>>>>> applied to cultivate mindfulness is often merely a distraction from >>>>>> distractions. Mindfulness presents formlessly in all forms. Attempts to >>>>>> be mindful, to wrest it from the rest, naturally will fail to grasp this. >>>>>> >>>>>> Concentration cannot free the mind, distraction cannot hold it. Thoughts >>>>>> come and go effortlessly. This is not a problem. Following them or >>>>>> ignoring them, grasping and rejecting them - in relation to self - >>>>>> reveals ordinary mind's habitual ignorance of Original mind. >>>>>> >>>>>> Mindfulness allows dis-tractions to serve as reminders not to seek >>>>>> traction. >>>>>> >>>>>> KG >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On 9/21/2012 1:51 AM, Anthony Wu wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Bill!, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Some guests are stubborn. You can tell them you are busy or write down >>>>>>> what they want, they still insist on sitting on your sofa and making >>>>>>> tea out of your teapot. Master Seung Sahn has a koan where a burly man >>>>>>> keeps dropping ash on a Buddha image, and nothing can dissuage them. He >>>>>>> is also strong that there is no way you or your family can beat him. >>>>>>> What should you do? I have not had the answer to this koan. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Anthony >>>>>>> >>>>>>> From: Bill! <[email protected]> >>>>>>> To: [email protected] >>>>>>> Sent: Friday, 21 September 2012, 9:40 >>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Zen] invasion >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Anthony, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I was always told to just let the thoughts 'flow through you', >>>>>>> acknowledge them but then let them go. The teaching analogy that went >>>>>>> with this is 'when you're busy working in your house and someone comes >>>>>>> and knocks on your door, acknowledge them but tell them you're busy and >>>>>>> ask them to come back later. Don't invite them in for tea and a >>>>>>> conversation.' >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Some zen practitioners I know suggest keeping a notebook and pen/pencil >>>>>>> near you when you meditate. That way if a thought comes that you just >>>>>>> cannot get rid of you can write it down, and then can go back to >>>>>>> meditating with the assurance you will attend to the thought later. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I've never done that nor felt the need to do that, but it might be >>>>>>> worth a try if these thoughts/questions are keeping you from meditating. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ...Bill! >>>>>>> >>>>>>> --- In mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com, Anthony Wu <wuasg@...> wrote: >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > KG, >>>>>>> > Â >>>>>>> > Some say you should not suppress questions when you meditate, but let >>>>>>> > them come and go. Well they come here to stay. It takes time and >>>>>>> > effort to make them disappear. >>>>>>> > Â >>>>>>> > Anthony >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > ________________________________ >>>>>>> > From: Kristopher Grey <kris@...> >>>>>>> > To: mailto:Zen_Forum%40yahoogroups.com >>>>>>> > Sent: Thursday, 20 September 2012, 9:38 >>>>>>> > Subject: Re: [Zen] invasion >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > Â >>>>>>> > Same problem is created by attachment to thinking "well" applies to >>>>>>> > meditation! *L* >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > Your "tip", perhaps pointier than it may appear! ;) >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > KG >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > On 9/19/2012 6:09 PM, Anthony Wu wrote: >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > Â >>>>>>> > >Merle, >>>>>>> > >Â >>>>>>> > >I give yo a tip. If you always want questions to be answered, you >>>>>>> > >can never meditate well. >>>>>>> > >Â >>>>>>> > >Anthony >>>>>>> > > >>>>>>> > > >>>>>>> > > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> > > > > >
