Edgar, I'm distressed and rather embarrassed to have to inform you on such a public forum as this that you have a teeny-weeny though not insignificant misunderstanding of what Buddha Nature is.
You can read about it, write about it and think about it all you want but until you actually experience it you will forever be doomed to missing the mark. My advice to you is to just sit (zazen); or better yet get thee to a Zen Buddhist sangha with a teacher and let him tell you to just sit. Until you do that you'll be forever surfing around on the illusory waves of form that you yourself are stirring up in your intellect all the while thinking you're really going somewhere. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@...> wrote: > > Bill, > > Wrong! All beings and in fact everything that exists 'has Buddha Nature' > because Buddha Nature (tao or ontological energy) is what everything in the > universe is made out of... It is THE ONLY substance of reality because it is > being or existence itself. > > Edgar > > > > On Feb 20, 2013, at 8:54 PM, Bill! wrote: > > > Siska, > > > > The premise is 'all SENTIENT beings have Buddha Nature', not just 'all > > beings'. 'Sentient' is very important because it is that quality that is > > Buddha Nature. > > > > How about I go to an outside source to address the uneasiness you've > > expressed in resolving how all have Buddha Nature but only some are aware > > of it? > > > > The Parable of the Hidden Gem > > > > "There once lived a poor man who used to drink too much. On one occasion, > > he visited a wealthy friend, who offered him cup after cup of wine. He > > enjoyed himself and drank so much that finally he fell sound asleep. His > > friend had to leave on business. He knew that his poor companion generally > > lost his wits when drinking, but he felt sorry for him and wanted to help > > him in some way. So before leaving, he fastened a priceless gem to the > > garment of the poor man as a gift. Then he departed, certain that his poor > > friend would be delighted when he awoke and discovered his new wealth. > > > > But things did not work out as the rich friend had planned. The drunken man > > finally awoke, but he did not notice the gem which was sewn into his > > garment. He got bleary-eyed and went out, believing he possessed no more > > than a headache. He had no home nor steady work to go to, so he wandered > > about from one place to another for many years, living a miserable > > existence. > > > > One day he ran into his old friend. The friend was shocked by his wretched > > appearance. "What's wrong with you?" he asked. "I left a priceless gem sewn > > in your garment that last evening we were together. I expected you to sell > > it, invest the money in some business, and get on your feet at last. Why > > didn't you do so?" > > > > The poor man was bewildered. "Gem?" he asked. "What gem?" He felt along the > > lining of his garment, and was astonished to find a precious stone attached > > to it. He had been a wealthy man all this time without realizing it." > > > > - Lotus Sutra, Chapter 8 > > > > This parable is an analogy of how a sentient being can have Buddha Nature > > but not be aware of it. > > > > ...Bill! > > > > --- In [email protected], siska_cen@ wrote: > > > > > > Hi Bill, > > > > > > What is the fundamental importance of the premise "All beings have Buddha > > > Nature" if one is not aware of it? > > > > > > There is Buddha Nature, but some people are aware of it and some don't. > > > So, what does this 'embedded' Buddha Nature implies? > > > > > > It doesn't feel right, feels like duality also, but I don't know how to > > > describe it more clearly. > > > > > > > > > Siska > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: "Bill!" > > > Sender: [email protected] > > > Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2013 07:31:42 > > > To: [email protected]> > > > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Fw: peek a boo ... > > > > > > Siska, > > > > > > In case Edgar is having a 'zen moment' and fails to respond I, as > > > co-moderator, will cover this one. > > > > > > IMO... > > > > > > - All sentient beings have Buddha Nature. > > > - The oft abused term 'enlightenment' means you are aware of Buddha > > > Nature to some degree or other > > > > > > So...an 'unenlightened being' would be either a being that is not > > > sentient or a sentient being who is not aware of Buddha Nature. > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > --- In [email protected], siska_cen@ wrote: > > > > > > > > Edgar, > > > > > > > > If I remember correctly, you were the one who told me, when I first > > > > joined this group to learn more about Zen, that all beings have Buddha > > > > nature, already enlightened in the first place. > > > > > > > > Now you are saying there are unenlightened beings.... > > > > > > > > I don't get it.... > > > > > > > > Siska > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: Edgar Owen > > > > Sender: [email protected] > > > > Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:10:28 > > > > To: [email protected]> > > > > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Fw: peek a boo ... > > > > > > > > Siska, > > > > > > > > Because they ruined the perfect naturally produced forms of the stones > > > > by cementing them all together in a mindless unenlightened mish mash. > > > > Did you see Merle's photo? > > > > > > > > Of course in the deepest sense everything is reality therefore > > > > everything is Zen, but this artificial concoction is the reality of > > > > illusion, produced by illusion, by unenlightened beings, and thus is > > > > Zen only when seen as NOT being zen! > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Feb 19, 2013, at 10:25 AM, siska_cen@ wrote: > > > > > > > > > Doesn't Zen include everything, including the so called act of dumb > > > > > Chinese? Why is this one Zenless? > > > > > > > > > > Siska > > > > > > > > > > From: Edgar Owen > > > > > Sender: [email protected] > > > > > Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:49:00 -0500 > > > > > To: [email protected]> > > > > > ReplyTo: [email protected] > > > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Fw: peek a boo ... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Here is where Zenless dumb Chinese absolutely ruin the beautiful > > > > > natural shapes of these stones by pasting them together in a hodge > > > > > podge.... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Feb 14, 2013, at 6:04 PM, Merle Lester wrote: > > > > > > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> IMG_6116 > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! 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