Joe, What you say is true, but where you have faith you also have doubt. They come in the same gift-wrapped, illusory dualistic set. Faith can indeed move mountains, but doubt can sink ships.
...Bill! --- In [email protected], "Joe" <desert_woodworker@...> wrote: > > Bill!, > > Oh, yes, and don't get me wrong. I understand that, and you are very clear. > > When I say that faith can emerge and be helpful even more than once, I also > speak from experience. Just a heads up (not necessarily to you, but to > anyone) that this is a possibility, because it has happened. > > But I also want to mention that, before one's awakening, our idea of faith is > really very much like an idea (even if we apply it). After awakening, we can > view faith more as if from the inside, and can see how it really functions. > It's not miraculous, but wonderful. And not "merely" wonderful, because it > is in fact an actual wonder. > > I resist the temptation to use any more exact or extensive language than > this, and in fact I let it go at that, and at this. > > With best greetings!, > > --Joe > > > "Bill!" <BillSmart@> wrote: > > > > Joe, > > > > I stated in recent previous post that faith does/may have a place in the > > beginning of zen practice before realization of Buddha Nature. It did in > > my practice. Before the realization of Buddha Nature I believed what my > > teachers were saying about Buddha Nature and my ability to realize it was > > true. That kept me going, among other things. This was a belief not > > founded on experience. It was faith. After realizing Buddha Nature that > > belief based on faith was replaced with experience. > > > > ...Bill! > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
