Edgar, You don't 'solve' koans, if by 'solving' you mean 'put them into a nice, clean, rational perspective'. Like Merle said several posts ago, 'Zen is not about grasping'.
You don't 'grasp' or 'solve' or 'understand' koans or Buddha Nature or zen. You experience them. You live them. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@...> wrote: > > Bill, > > That's the Zen for Dummies approach. > > The superior approach is to actually SOLVE the koan. When you truly > understand it realization appears! > > Edgar > > > > On May 26, 2013, at 11:08 AM, Bill! wrote: > > > Edgar, > > > > Giving up is good. That's what many zen teaching techniques are designed to > > do, and in particular koans. They are intended to drive you to the point > > where you give up on your attempts to find an intellectual (rational) > > answer or response to the koan. It's then when the intellect quiesces that > > you may experience Buddha Nature. > > > > ...Bill! > > > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@> wrote: > > > > > > No, you still don't get the obvious. > > > > > > I give up! > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > On May 26, 2013, at 8:47 AM, Bill! wrote: > > > > > > > Edgar, > > > > > > > > Forms are dualistic. They only arise when your intellect creates > > > > dualism. That is the only place where they can 'exist', but they > > > > 'exist' there as illusions - like a dream. > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen <edgarowen@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Bill, > > > > > > > > > > NO! > > > > > > > > > > You claim that the forms arise in YOUR mind. > > > > > > > > > > But YOUR mind IS A FORM. Is one of the forms that arises. > > > > > > > > > > I've told you a hundred times that forms CANNOT arise in what does > > > > > not exist! > > > > > > > > > > Forms arise - and only then are they categorized into the duality of > > > > > mind and not mind. > > > > > > > > > > So you cannot say that forms arise in your mind because your mind > > > > > does not yet exist when the forms arise. > > > > > > > > > > Therefore forms arise as experience - but NOT the experience of any > > > > > mind. > > > > > > > > > > Therefor what exists and manifests cannot be said to either arise in > > > > > mind OR external world, since these are both forms that arise. > > > > > > > > > > So the true and proper view is that pure experience is the > > > > > fundamental reality, but this is just pure experience prior to the > > > > > dualism of experiencer and experienced. > > > > > > > > > > Therefore your claim that forms arise in YOUR mind is dead wrong... > > > > > > > > > > At the most fundamental level forms just arise. > > > > > > > > > > What do they arise within? They arise within Buddha Nature for that > > > > > is all that is possible for anything to arise within. > > > > > > > > > > Therefore the forms, as manifestations of Buddha Nature, are reality, > > > > > because reality is the totality of all that exists. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hopefully this will get through to you someday. It's so clear and > > > > > obvious. > > > > > > > > > > There are a couple of additional subtleties beyond this but I won't > > > > > confuse you with them right now..... > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On May 26, 2013, at 5:28 AM, Bill! wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Siska, > > > > > > > > > > > > No, unfortunately not. > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar does this all the time. He says something that seems to agree > > > > > > with what I've stated but then slips in one word that corrupts what > > > > > > I have stated. In this case the word is 'forms'. > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar believes forms (structure, rationality) exists independently > > > > > > of us and we perceive it with our intellect. I believe we create > > > > > > the structures and superimpose it upon our experiences to create > > > > > > our perceptions. > > > > > > > > > > > > The bottom line is I claim all thoughts are illusory and Edgar > > > > > > claims they are part of reality. > > > > > > > > > > > > We have other disagreements but I still think most of them are > > > > > > semantic, but in some cases they do indeed to be fundamental. > > > > > > > > > > > > Other than that all is well...Bill! > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], siska_cen@ wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yeeaaay, Edgar and Bill are in total agreement, finally! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > :-) > > > > > > > Siska > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > > > > From: Edgar Owen <edgarowen@> > > > > > > > Sender: [email protected] > > > > > > > Date: Sat, 25 May 2013 07:55:25 > > > > > > > To: <[email protected]> > > > > > > > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > > > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Nice Quote > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Bill, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Total agreement as stated. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Just incorporate what I said yesterday that these forms exist in > > > > > > > reality instead of in your nutty head and you'll have the whole > > > > > > > meaning.. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On May 25, 2013, at 3:41 AM, Bill! wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Siska, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > As you'll soon find out Edgar and I have almost the polar > > > > > > > > opposite opinion on just about everything. In fact he'll > > > > > > > > probably disagree with this statement ;>) and will certainly > > > > > > > > jump all over the rest of this post. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Rumi's poem/metaphor was: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I looked for my self, > > > > > > > > But my self was gone. > > > > > > > > The boundaries of my being > > > > > > > > Had disappeared in the sea. > > > > > > > > Waves broke. Awareness rose again. > > > > > > > > And a voice returned me to myself. > > > > > > > > It always happens like this. > > > > > > > > Sea turns on itself and foams, > > > > > > > > And with every foaming bit another body. > > > > > > > > Another being takes form. > > > > > > > > And when the sea sends word, > > > > > > > > Each foaming body melts back to ocean-breath. > > > > > > > > - Rumi > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I can just imagine Rumi standing on the beach watching the > > > > > > > > waves form, come rhythmically in, crash upon the beach and then > > > > > > > > spend themselves by slipping back into the sea - losing himself > > > > > > > > in Buddha Nature and later composing this poem. My > > > > > > > > interpretation of it is: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I looked for my self, > > > > > > > > But my self was gone. > > > > > > > > The boundaries of my being > > > > > > > > Had disappeared in the sea. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Rumi is describing the holistic experience of Buddha Nature. > > > > > > > > The illusion of dualism has vanished and his illusion of 'self' > > > > > > > > as something independent and apart from everything else has > > > > > > > > vanished with it. It has vanished into sea which is a metaphor > > > > > > > > for emptiness. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Waves broke. Awareness rose again. > > > > > > > > And a voice returned me to myself. > > > > > > > > It always happens like this. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Dualism returns. His holistic experience of Buddha Nature has > > > > > > > > been interrupted and his illusion of self has returned. This > > > > > > > > alternation between holism and dualism, between emptiness and > > > > > > > > self happens regularly, much like the waves surging > > > > > > > > rhythmically upon the beach. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sea turns on itself and foams, > > > > > > > > And with every foaming bit another body. > > > > > > > > Another being takes form. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Now that he is abiding in dualism all other illusions, > > > > > > > > perceptions, thoughts, etc..., of all other (10,000) things > > > > > > > > appear. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > And when the sea sends word, > > > > > > > > Each foaming body melts back to ocean-breath. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > But when he returns again to Buddha Nature all these illusions > > > > > > > > melt back into emptiness. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > That's my reading of this anyway. It will be interesting to see > > > > > > > > what Edgar comes up with although I think I could almost write > > > > > > > > it for him... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], siska_cen@ wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi Bill, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I followed until: "Waves broke". > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The rest is a bit confusing. It's as if the 'self' is back. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Siska > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > > > > > > From: "Bill!" BillSmart@ > > > > > > > > > Sender: [email protected] > > > > > > > > > Date: Fri, 24 May 2013 10:04:29 > > > > > > > > > To: [email protected] > > > > > > > > > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > > > > > > > Subject: [Zen] Nice Quote > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ..Bill! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ 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! 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