Joe, I used "Is that so?" in regards to the accusations that Subhana charges $120. Nothing tarnished to her name; it isn't true! those that would make such quick judgements just miss the mark from their own preconceptions. still there's someone for everyone, isn't there?? ;-)
yea, these are family stories! i've always loved them. HYS On Sat, Feb 16, 2013 at 10:39 AM, Joe <[email protected]> wrote: > ** > > > Yonyonson, > > It's a great story and I've admired the wisdom of it and Hakuin's behavior > in the tale for over 35 years. I use his line sometimes, too, and it helps > cool me and others down on some occasions: > > "Is that so?" > > And, when you use it with someone who practices or who otherwise also > knows the story, you usually get a smile or a laugh, which is even better. > It's like a story from your own family, at those times. > > The three repetitions of the phrase are probably what reminds you of the > story in this case, after Chris' mention of the policy of not answering a > Zen-related question until the questioner had posed the question three > times. > > I don't know if there really *is* this policy anywhere, and I'd like to > know more about it. Chris writes that it keeps him from injecting his own > preferences: I'm dubious and even mildly suspicious of that faith, however, > immediately (and I tell you this on the first go-'round, even though you > did not ask even once). I fear that it may give you, the responder, too > much time to concoct a "considered" reply, making the answer too > "prepared". And when you reel it out, it may not suit the circumstances at > all. > > I think if you really know something, you ought to be able to spit it out. > And then your words will also be "living-" words: you know, the kind that > are valued in Zen. > > (unless it's something you have to look up: like, what were the inclusive > dates of Hakuin's life? Or, Confucious? By the second questioning, you > ought to have the data). > > By the way, the dust-up about payments was all an ignorant > mis-understanding. The fee pertains to a Medical Doctor's rate for > psychiatric treatment. Somehow, a wildfire broke out here and some people > actually began to cast aspersions on and slander the Dharma teacher, > believing that the fee was for Dharma teaching. A little cold water of > reality doused the flames licking about, dampened the smouldering, and shut > a few mouths. > > Yonyonson, I agree that the Dharma is priceless! And I claim that Dana is > a *practice* which really does help to bring us to awakening, and to keep > us awake. Hail! > > Non-practitioners can't know this for themselves, though, which is the > only way to know it. > > --Joe > > > --- In [email protected], yonyonson@... wrote: > > > > Mr. Joe, > > > > reminds me of this story: > > > > *A beautiful girl in the village was pregnant. Her angry parents demanded > > > > to know who was the father. At first resistant to confess, the anxious > and > > > embarrassed girl finally pointed to Hakuin, the Zen master whom > everyone > > > previously revered for living such a pure life. When the outraged > parents > > > confronted Hakuin with their daughter's accusation, he simply replied > "Is > > > that so?" > [snip] > > >
