Merle, Another good question.
Here is my working definition of 'Buddha Nature': "Buddha Nature is a quality of all sentient beings. It is pure, unadulterated, holistic awareness of sensual experience." In other words it's just sight, sound, smell, taste and/or touch BEFORE you intellectualize it (perceive) by giving it a name, classification, valuation (good/bad), associations, etc... Here is Merriam-Webster Online's definition of 'God': "1: the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is a : the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is a : the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshiped as creator and ruler of the universe 2: a being or object believed to have more than natural attributes and powers and to require human worship; specifically : one controlling a particular aspect or part of reality as creator and ruler of the universe" The main differences IMO are that 'Buddha Nature' is natural and holistic (not separate from you), and 'God' is supernatural and dualistic (a separate being from you). You EXPERIENCE Buddha Nature, whereas most people would say you WORSHIP God. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> wrote: > > > >  buddha nature bill... you say no god then you say buddha nature..please > clarify..thanks ... merle >  > Merle, > > Good question... > > The terms 'zen' and 'atheism' are not the same classes of things. > > My current working definition of 'zen' (not Zen Buddhism) is: "Zen is a > human practice that assists in balancing the interplay between Human Nature > and Buddha Nature. It does so by employing a variety of teaching techniques > that are used to temporarily halt intellectual processes (Human Nature) which > can obscure Buddha Nature. After an initial awareness of Buddha Nature zen > practice consists of re-integrating Human Nature and balancing it with Buddha > Nature." > > Merriam-Webster Online defines 'atheism' as: > "a : a disbelief in the existence of deity > b : the doctrine that there is no deity" > > So...I would say IMO zen practice is atheistic. It would be hard to imagine > a deist (someone who believes in a deity)practicing zen as I know it. There > is some wiggle room here if you describe the experience of holism (Buddha > Nature) as 'God', but most uses of the word 'God' or 'deity' refer to some > being separate from yourself. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@> wrote: > > > > question:...what is the difference  between zen and atheism?.... > > > > is enlightenment  merely an illusion? or perhaps even a delusion? > > > >  > > Merle > > www.wix.com/merlewiitpom/1 > > > ------------------------------------ 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/
