Merle, I thought you had gone. We've now have a new member Charles who took your place. I hope this Merle/Charles dual membership thing doesn't get difficult or problematic...
Now, to your question... Spirituality in my book (and Merriam-Webster's book) is defined as: 1 : of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit : incorporeal <spiritual needs> 2 a : of or relating to sacred matters <spiritual songs> b : ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal <spiritual authority> <lords spiritual> 3 : concerned with religious values 4 : related or joined in spirit <our spiritual home> <his spiritual heir> 5 a : of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena b : of, relating to, or involving spiritualism : spiritualistic None of which has anything to do with zen. IMB (In My Book). ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> wrote: > > > > Â bill!.is that so..is that all you can say?..ah ha..so define what > spirituality means in your books... merle > Â > Merle, > > There is no spirituality in zen. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@> wrote: > > > > > > > > ÃÂ edgar..you hit it on the nail!..indeed it is the spiritual... > > > > so what word would you use edgar?...what's so scary about the word > > soul?...ÃÂ > > > > joe from what i can see is still in the mind set that was bestowed to him > > through catholic theology.. > > > > i was going to say indoctrination..but then i know that would unleash a > > torrent of "oh merle hates catholics"..yes right... as if... > > > > were not the catholics babbling on in latin to the masses( which to the > > little people would be googly gook... > > ÃÂ > > how the hell can that work is beyond me... > > > > all that babbling and all that rule driven religion poking their noses in > > the bedrooms of folk and priests getting it off with little boys tut tut... > > > > the gay frocks the lot at the vatican wear.. etc...you know the drift! > > > > jesus did he say that was the way?.. > > > > on the other hand when one looks at the australian aborigines and their > > spiritual connection to the land...one can certainly say ah yes there is > > soul... > > > > ÃÂ another favourite culture for me are the red skin indians...their > > spiritual connection to the land.. > > > > if we all adopted a great awareness of our spiritual connection to mother > > earth to her soul we would not be in the pickle we are now.. > > > > i.e global warming etc... > > > > ÃÂ we have no respect for mother nature or our own ÃÂ deep spiritual > > connections to this earth our home... > > > > so am i suppose to now defend the word soul...?ÃÂ > > > > we all have soul... and it is through this soul we connect with invisible > > threads to the greater soul which is the concept of god.. > > > > men will make religions to suit their own agendas... to meet their own > > expectations.. > > > > however through meditation and yes joe the practise we can deepen our > > awareness we can link to our soul.. > > > > it's not that hard..open your heart...ÃÂ > > > > there within it you will hear the quiet words of truth.. > > > > in everyman there is the quiet voice.. if you choose to listen... > > > > ÃÂ so heaven and hell..mmm interesting again... > > > > ÃÂ heaven and hell are in our own hearts and minds... > > > > it's not out there in some foggy misty place after death.. > > > > it sits firmly in our hearts.. > > > > waiting and watching and listening... > > > > meditate a little on that.. > > > > breath the breath that bring enlightenment and the understanding of the > > soul ... > > > > ÃÂ merle > > > > ÃÂ > > Merle and Joe, > > > > Like most such discussions this one hinges on how 'soul' is defined by each > > of you. Without clarifying that it's a useless discussion.... > > > > I suspect Joe defines it as Catholics do as something that resides in the > > body during life but persists after death going either to heaven or hell. > > If so Joe is right. That kind of soul obviously doesn't exist. > > > > Hopefully Merle on the other hand is defining it as a spiritual aspect of > > her present being sort of like another name for Zen mind. If so Merle is > > right. That type of 'soul' does exist though I wouldn't use that word for > > it nor do Buddhists in general. > > > > So there is a chance you are BOTH RIGHT. > > > > Well guys? > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > On Apr 10, 2013, at 11:23 PM, Merle Lester wrote: > > > > ÃÂ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >ÃÂ joe mike and all...i don't believe in the soul i know i have > > >soul..that's the difference! ..merle > > > > > > > > >ÃÂ > > >Joe, Merle, all, > > > > > >Yikes! I hope I haven't caused any confusion here? My only point has been > > >to show that Zen, Buddhism, the teaching of Buddha (Dharma) does not > > >*require* the belief in a soul. If I've been clumsy presenting that I > > >apologise. > > > > > >Mike > > > > > >Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone > > > > > > > > > > > >________________________________ > > > From: Joe <desert_woodworker@>; > > >To: <[email protected]>; > > >Subject: [Zen] Re: Fw: No god, no soul in Buddhism. ~ D.T. Suzuki | > > >elephant journal > > >Sent: Thu, Apr 11, 2013 1:34:49 AM > > > > > > > > >ÃÂ > > >See you, Merle. > > > > > >If not here, where? There's no heaven or hell, either. > > > > > >But Really!, seriously: keep your religion. Zen practice is not in > > >conflict with it. Only Buddhism is. You do not need to become a > > >Buddhist! Zen practice is available to ALL. I was taught Zen for 22 > > >years by ...a Catholic Priest. And he was not a renegade, and was a good > > >Irish Redemptorist. Don't run away when the time is right. > > > > > >--Joe > > > > > >PS Or shall we meet in Mexico City? (oops, that Olympics "line" is out of > > >date) > > > > > >> Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@> wrote: > > >> > > >>ÃÂ well well well..i'm not giving up my soul to zen buddhism... > > ><snip> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ 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/
