Bill, I have no problem with the cartoon itself. It could be a useful guide to those still mired in the world of troubling thoughts.
But it is full of error and most certainly not Zen... Edgar On May 19, 2013, at 9:47 AM, Bill! wrote: > Edgar, > > I'll take the label of being childish as a compliment and a recognition of my > zen practice. > > Again you focus on the finger and not the moon, the bus and not the drink and > in this case the dog and not the juxtaposition of perception and experience. > > The photo could have two people in it, one whose head is filled with thoughts > and one who is just experiencing. > > It is a 'proper' graphic just as it is,even if it doesn't correspond with > your 'understanding' of how things are supposed to work. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@...> wrote: > > > > Bill, > > > > This is so adolescent or even childish it's pathetic... It's touchy feely > > fuzzy emotionalized doggie lovie zen. Not true Zen. > > > > Both dogs and humans impose their own mental model over the actual forms of > > reality. Neither correspond to the actual forms of reality which consists > > of pure self-evolving information forms IN the single substance of Buddha > > Nature. BOTH dog and human mental models are illusion in that sense. The > > dog's is no more accurate than a man's. They each have their different > > realms of accuracy. > > > > Zen is understanding AND realizing this, and then further seeing one's own > > internal mental model of reality for what it actually is and how it both > > conceals and reveals that reality. It's realizing the mental model of > > reality is part of reality and thus the true nature of the whole complex. > > > > Illusion seen as reality is illusion (you'd agree with that), but illusion > > realized as illusion is reality (that you fail to understand). > > > > The proper cartoon would have the dog's mental cloud populated by other > > dog's asses, fleeing squirrels, dog dishes full of food, etc. etc. > > > > The proper cartoon would be unable to properly represent the actual reality > > they both are walking in because it consists of pure evolving information > > forms. > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > On May 19, 2013, at 8:29 AM, Bill! wrote: > > > > > Edgar, > > > > > > > > > Here is one of my favorites that's not from THE TAO OF POOH. It is a > > > better description of Buddha Nature than any description I've ever read > > > in a Sutra or book by DogenL > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen wrote: > > > > > > > > Bill, > > > > > > > > I'm still trying to stop laughing. The Tao of Pooh? Thanks for > > > > confirming your comic book zen... > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On May 19, 2013, at 4:18 AM, Bill! wrote: > > > > > > > > > Edgar, > > > > > > > > > > It's one of my favorite pastimes. I consider Jesus a full-fledged > > > > > Bodhisattva and enjoy most of his teachings, especially his parables. > > > > > I also use a lot of Jesus' saying in my writing because I think it > > > > > helps bridge the gap between the Asian-based ideas in most Buddhist > > > > > Sutras and the West. > > > > > > > > > > A couple of my favorite books deal with this subject, one I've > > > > > already mentioned and one other: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ZEN edited > > > > > by Robert Sohl and THE MUSTARD SEED by Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (aka > > > > > Osho) which focuses on the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas. > > > > > > > > > > I also like a lot of lighter zen-related writings like THE TAO OF > > > > > POOH by Benjamin Hoff. Again, I enjoy the presentation of zen-related > > > > > teachings in a more approachable form than you find in the Sutras or > > > > > the writings of people like Dogen. > > > > > > > > > > I recommend them. You should give them a try. > > > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen edgarowen@ wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Bill, > > > > > > > > > > > > It's quite a stretch to get Zen out of Jesus. Keep working on it! > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On May 18, 2013, at 6:42 AM, Bill! wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You evidently have not read my subsequent post explaining that > > > > > > > THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ZEN is about Jesus' teachings in the four > > > > > > > GOSPELS. It was not trying to comment on or validate the contents > > > > > > > of the entire Bible. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > It focused especially on Jesus' parables of which many carry the > > > > > > > same messages as you'll find in Zen stories. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Bill, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sure and then God murdered every human being on earth except > > > > > > > > Noah and his family just because he objected to their life > > > > > > > > styles! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The Christian God is the worst serial killer sadist of all > > > > > > > > times.... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Is that Zen? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Talk about "cherry picking" messages! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On May 17, 2013, at 10:21 PM, Bill! wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > This quote is from the book THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ZEN: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Not Far From Buddhahood > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > A university student while visiting Gasan asked him: "Have > > > > > > > > > you even read the Christian Bible?" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "No, read it to me," said Gasan. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The student opened the Bible and read from St. Matthew: "And > > > > > > > > > why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the > > > > > > > > > field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, > > > > > > > > > and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was > > > > > > > > > not arrayed like one of these...Take therefore no thought for > > > > > > > > > the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things > > > > > > > > > of itself." > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Gasan said: "Whoever uttered those words I consider and > > > > > > > > > enlightened man." > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The student continued reading: "Ask and it shall be given > > > > > > > > > you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened > > > > > > > > > unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that > > > > > > > > > seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, is shall be > > > > > > > > > opened." > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Gasan remarked: "That is excellent. Whoever said that is not > > > > > > > > > far from Buddhahood." > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
