Mike,
And when we undertake Koan Practice, a Zen teacher will usually explain that
there are three essentials to begin this practice, regarding FAITH: Faith in
the Method; Faith in oneself; and Faith in the teacher. One is usually also
told that one must have: Great Faith; Great Doubt (Great Spirit of Questioning;
or, Great Spirit of Inquiry); and Great Determination.
This faith is itself a method. But it leads to an awakening, which is a whole
different kettle of fish than faith. Faith is a tool.
My 1st teacher put these requirements to me as I knelt, and asked if I had
them. I said, "Yes". He then gave me "Wu". The rest is History,
...Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Botany, Physics, Politics, Astronomy, Poesy,
Nutrition, Forestry, Comedy, and Funerary Science, Caring, Helping, Laughing,
Crying, Gardening. Fisheries Management, Architecture, Acting, Painting,
Music, and Working Crosswords. Cooking, Eating, Dentistry, Police Work, and
Pharmacy. History... did I say History? Cinema. House-Painting.
Tile-Laying. Rebuilding Carburetors (err-r no, we don't have them anymore),
Rebuilding Classic Carburetors, Restoring VWs; and Target Archery, Haiku
Writing, Suiseki, and Bonsai. Walking, Waking, and Sleeping. Cat-Fancy. T'ai
Chi, Yoga, and Teaching. Photography, Audiology, Wood-Gathering, Optics,
Spectroscopy, Philosophy, Mathematics, Computing, Carrying Water. Tea, Coffee,
and She. Engineering. Nano-Science, Cryogenics, Publishing, Study, Research,
Recreation, Entertainment. Stick-Ball. Forgetting. Leaving-Out; Omitting;
Duplicating. Forgetting. Resting. Powering-Down.
> mike brown <uerusuboyo@...> wrote:
>
> Bill!,
>
> I don't think it's as straight forward as that tho. There's really no such
> thing as 'Buddhism', as it comes in so many different forms. I also disagree
> with you that faith is an essential part of what the Buddha taught. He taught
> the Dharma, and that this has to be experienced, not believed.
------------------------------------
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