Mike, Arrogant Roshi needs a slap in the face! :-)
Edgar On Nov 28, 2012, at 9:04 PM, mike brown wrote: > This reminds me of the story (Not the first time I`ve told it here) about the > Japanese roshi who was giving a talk about being a bodhisattva to some very > senior American Zen practitioners. He used the analogy that bodhisattvas are > like the farmer who takes a great risk to rescue a cow stuck in a mud-pit. > After the talk, one of the practitioners asked what they (the practitioners) > could do specifically to help people stuck in unfortunate circumstances. "Oh, > you`ve misunderstood me" said the roshi, "You are the cows in this story"... > > Mike > > --- On Thu, 29/11/12, Edgar Owen <[email protected]> wrote: > > From: Edgar Owen <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Zen] truth is beauty > To: [email protected] > Date: Thursday, 29 November, 2012, 12:28 > > > Bill, > > > We true Boddhisattvas DON'T NEED oxygen masks! > > EDgar > > > > On Nov 28, 2012, at 7:57 PM, Bill! wrote: > >> >> RAF, >> >> I am reminded of this by a recurring teaching (which I've posted many times >> before on this site) by the kindly Bodhisattvas that attend us when they >> fly. They never fail to tell us to "...put on your own oxygen mask first >> before attempting to help others." >> >> ...Bill! >> >> --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@...> wrote: >> > >> > RAF, >> > >> > My take on the Boddhisattva vow is that the best way, in fact the ONLY >> > effective way, to enlighten other beings is to manifest one's own >> > realization in the world as an example... >> > >> > Edgar >> > >> > >> > >> > On Nov 27, 2012, at 10:55 PM, R A Fonda wrote: >> > >> > > On 11/27/2012 4:40 PM, Joe wrote: >> > > >> > >> Originally, it's: "Life is Dukha". A wagon wheel that is mounted >> > >> eccentrically on an axle is also "dukha", so "Life is Dukha" may mean >> > >> that life is "off-center" as lived by beings who are not quite awake. >> > >> Such a life will always seem unsatisfactory (some translators call that >> > >> "Suffering"; oh, well) to the being. >> > > That is an interesting point: in the original, it might not even mean >> > > what we would think of as suffering. Still, the examples given in >> > > context suggest, at least to me, that 'suffering' is close to the >> > > intended meaning. Edgar's distinction between physical and mental >> > > suffering also seems apposite, though, given that distinction, physical >> > > suffering remains an inherent aspect of physical existence. >> > > >> > >> "Work out your OWN salvation with diligence". >> > > Ironic you should mention that, as it is the very reference I recently >> > > cited to Edgar, as supporting my view that the Bodhisattva Vow is >> > > presumptuous and a dubious doctrine. At any rate, my choice to eschew >> > > that vow is why I don't call myself a Buddhist, in spite of my sincere >> > > gratitude for his elucidation of the Way. >> > > >> > >> "resolution" is that there is no resolution TO BE MADE -- and no >> > >> resolution is Reasonable -- because the two points are observations >> > >> made from different perspectives: the one is from Samsara (the realm of >> > >> not-awake-ness); and the other is from the point of view of someone who >> > >> is awake. >> > > Thank you for an excellent response. >> > > >> > > RAF >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > >> > >
