On 12/9/2012 10:15 PM, Bill! wrote:
a sincere student
I have no reason to doubt the truth of that statement, but it raises a question in my mind, in regard to what qualifies a student to be considered "sincere", /and by whom/? Obviously, if someone 'hangs around' a zendo or sangha for some reason other than attaining their own realization, that is insincere, but what about the (granted, probably unusual, but not merely hypothetical) case of a layman who has no contact with teachers, sanghas, or even other Buddhist laypersons, and pursues a practice for decades: /can/ such a person be insincere? What would the term signify, if applied in such a case? If, for instance, they 'use' some of the techniques that sangha-members also use: is there anyone who can say that their usage of these ancient techniques is in some way unjustified, let alone 'insincere'? Perhaps because the 'goal' is 'non-standard'? That might be considered heresy, by some, (by whom, and on what 'authority'?) but "insincerity"?
On my view, the Great Way 'belongs' to anyone who sets out upon it; is that in accordance with your own view? Also, I think the analogy to a 'way' breaks down if we consider the fact that someone might utilize the ancient means to attain a state which, let us suppose, might not be recognized as 'correct' by someone who is (or merely believes they are) the heir of a tradition. Such an heir might well not be willing to grant inka, but have they any objective basis on which to judge that someone who chose to attain that non-standard realization is "insincere"?
Just thinking about it.
