Suresh, I think most on this forum are familiar with and would agree with your assertion "...words are sign post only, one need to look into that direction and not keep chewing the words. Words are no more than stepping stones...But in the forum we are attached to words..."
One of the biggest challenges of this forum is that it is almost exclusively text-based. That means all we have to communicate with each other are words. Sometimes we throw in a graphic or video, but words are the primary medium. I don't think everyone on this forum is attached to words, but I do think everyone on this forum tries to use words to communicate with the others. I know I try very hard to find and use the best words I can to communicate what I'm trying to say. It's very, very difficult and does lead to a lot of misunderstanding. So, if you can teach us a better way to communicate with each other ON THIS TEXT-BASED FORUM, I'm sure we're all eyes. Otherwise we'll all, including you, just have to try our best and muddle through. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], "Suresh" <varamtha@...> wrote: > > Dear Joe and all, > > I was reading again Mr.Charles mail in response to Mr.Joe on Dogen's words on > aTrue Teacher. Mr.Charles clearly expresses his doubt on True teachers. So he > wrote his conclusion that instead of going after teachers it is better to sit > and empty the mind (which he believes as Zen) and go on to the routine life, > and hence he arrives to the conclusion that "If you come across the Buddha - > Kill him". In his context he exactly meant killing the teachers or ignoring > the teachers. He could not believe present day teachers, he can only believe > in Buddha and Bodhidharma and hence he believes in zen. > > So for his mail, I have correctly responded. But chris has misunderstood that > I am not aware of this Koan "If you come across the Buddha - Kill him", so he > tried to explain. > > Since Chris wrote as if I am ignorant of this koan, I have refuted strongly. > > I very well understand Mr.Joe and his time pass in this forum. And Mr.Joe has > many fanfare behind in this forum, who always support Mr.joe. > > Coming back to Joe's reply to me, please note you yourself mentioned when you > put down Dogen's words, i.e. "A true teacher does not put primary importance > on words or intellectual understanding." > > As per Ramana Maharishi words are 4th generation of `self' or reality. And > hence words directing to reality is very very less possibility. If words have > power to transform then all book readers would have transformed. 'Words' is > what maya or surface waves, never ever be quiet. > > I agree with Dogen's words that is "If you cannot find a true teacher, it is > better not to practice" > > So it is true a true realized teacher is required to transform, not the words > of the teacher through books. > > And hence Eckhart Tolle says words are sign post only, one need to look into > that direction and not keep chewing the words. Words are no more than > stepping stones. > > But in the forum we are attached to words, we are in competition to see how > cleverly we present our words. We fight indirectly to display our knowledge, > we are not even authentic to express out our true inner, since if we display > it puts down our superiority feeling. I am a Buddha or a Zen practitioner, > how can I be writing harshly, so you write modestly but still with intention > to make others inferior or `others don't know, but I know'. > > Mr.Joe is suffering from this disease "I Know" but never ever aware that he > is suffering from this disease. > > "I won't say what you are, and only you know. A good family man" this is > your problem. You say you won't say, but still describe. "A good family man" > is illusion I am not bounded by this. It is dream. > > Wake up you zen folks. > > Best wishes > Suresh > > > > --- In [email protected], "Joe" <desert_woodworker@> wrote: > > > > Merle, Suresh, and Mothers, > > > > Well, I'm kind of patient. Dunno how kind. > > > > Merle, you are a dear. > > > > Suresh, ...I won't say what you are, and only you know. A good family man, > > I gather! Kudos! > > > > If I teach, it's despite myself. I'm a better friend in person, and that > > has nothing to do with "teaching". Teaching is a fiction of the keyboard: > > it's all to do with wishing Good Will, as *I* practice these > > finger-exercises. > > > > Cheers!, All, > > > > --Joe (and a happy Mother's Day, in USA, this Sunday, all Day, to all > > Mothers, and their families) > > > > > Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@> wrote: > > > > > >  "if you meet the buddha kill the buddha". > > > > > > don't you know what this means  suresh? > > > > > > joe is a kind and patient teacher > > > > > > pay some attention to what he says...using words!!!!!! > > > ------------------------------------ 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! 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