Joe,
Dharma dharma without dharma. No dharma is dharma. (Diamond sutra)
Joe, Dharma is not in the teaching, not in the words, not in the logic,
not in our brain.
What I have always advised is a practice for all of us to experience.
Instead of making judgment based on "formed dharma", I am asking
everyone to give it try.
If you don't think it is Chan, it is your brain making the judgment and
not your heart. Your heart will experience if you abandon your mental
filter and give it a try.
That's all.
JM
On 6/15/2013 1:07 PM, Joe wrote:
Donald,
Good, that you had come to know Sheng Yen, while he still lived. The
other Dharma Drum successors are available, and you can still consult.
Just to have another opinion about Chan and its practice may be
worthwhile to you.
"Picking and choosing" while we are awake is not necessary; and if we
do it, it is a symptom that we are not awake. That's the meaning of
the line from Xinxinming.
But if, at the beginning, one chooses to practice a path which isn't
Chan, and which is instead, "buji-Zen", in which people say that
"Everything is Zen", and there is no need to practice since we are all
"already" this-and-that, well, ...that's a poor choice at the outset.
One can, and should, do better, by choosing a true path to enter. That
choice is a necessary choice.
It's one thing to hear, let's say, Sheng Yen's Dharma talk, or public
talks, in a large public auditorium;
It's another thing to personally consult a Dharma Drum teacher, and
have a private chat. Just see how one of them may reply when you
discuss your vision or version of Chan with one of them. There may be
many points of agreement. I am not worried for you about the points
where there is agreement. So I can nonetheless, and again, advise and
encourage such a private meeting, if you like, and if you are
interested, and if you are not for some reason prejudiced against
them, and attached to something else. These people may be close-by, to
you. You can just talk.
best,
--Joe
> <chan.jmjm@...> wrote:
>
> Actually Joe. I have been to many of Sheng Yen's teachings. As my
> practice, I don't comment on his teaching. I only share my
experience and witness.
>
> Thank you for your heart felt recommendation.
>
> If I may share one sharing that I did in 2008...
> "Even the notion of 'I understood.' is from the conscious mind...
and not from our heart."
>
> The key to enlightenment is seeing the light being emitted from our
> heart. It is a state of being where every description is trying to
> name. If you do, then congratulations, if you did not, then try to
> experience it. Chan is simply an experience. All of us can.
>
> Don't select your journey. Pick or choose is not recommended as
stated in Xinxinming. :-)
>
> When you experienced all, then you'll know what to share and when to
share it.
>
