Mike, You think Joe has a choice in being Joe? Get real! :-)
Edgar On Jun 23, 2013, at 12:45 AM, [email protected] wrote: > That's not the point I'm making though. We have a choice. Animals don't. > > > > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPad > > From: Merle Lester <[email protected]>; > To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; > Subject: Re: [Zen] how good is that? > Sent: Sun, Jun 23, 2013 4:37:33 AM > > > > > mike..i see...however how many are willing?..merle > > > Merle, > > That's the point. We have the potential to do so regardless of how many don't. > > Mike > > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPad > > From: Merle Lester <[email protected]>; > To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; > Subject: Re: [Zen] how good is that? > Sent: Sun, Jun 23, 2013 4:29:57 AM > > > > mike ..we "might" have the potential to rise "above"...however how many of > us do????????? merle > > > Merle, > > >how many folk rise above their instincts and desires?... > > You keep missing my point. By being born human we have the _potential_ to > transcend our instincts and desires - something no other organism > consistently demonstrates. We are much more fortunate. In Buddhist/Hindu > terms, being born human is akin to falling off a ship and rising to the > surface to find a wooden yoke directly above us. > > >the other organisms that you say are trapped by instinct... > > Are you saying they are not? > > >how beautifully they live..as bill says free from attachments... they just > >are.. > > "Beautiful"? I'd say that's a very anthropomorphic term. You're a gardener. > Ever seen a vegetarian spider or a fox help a chicken cross the road? > > >we ..us humans strive to be...the other organisms just are.. > > They just "are" includes being driven by blind instinct. We can transcend > that, even though many don't. > > >no wringing of hands and wrestling with philosophies, religions > >psychology.... free to be........ > how good is that?... > > It's not a question of being superior to other animals, but that we are > unique - at this stage of evolution - as self-transcending beings. > > > >let us take a leaf out of these organisms books so to speak,.... > > Everything is our teacher. > > > > by the way we are those organisms.. > have you not met in your travels the human reptile?.... > > Many times. How many times have you met a reptilian Jesus or Dalai Lama? > > Mike > > > > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPad > > From: Merle Lester <[email protected]>; > To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; > Subject: [Zen] how good is that? > Sent: Fri, Jun 21, 2013 11:38:32 PM > > > > > mike..ho ho ho.. > how many folk rise above their instincts and desires?... > just take a look at this crazy world... > the other organisms that you say are trapped by instinct... > how beautifully they live..as bill says free from attachments... they just > are.. > we ..us humans strive to be...the other organisms just are.. > no wringing of hands and wrestling with philosophies, religions > psychology.... free to be........ > how good is that?... > let us take a leaf out of these organisms books so to speak,.... > by the way we are those organisms.. > have you not met in your travels the human reptile?.... > merle > > Bill!, > > I'd say the difference is a major one. Animals are driven by instinct and are > largely prisoners to it. We are too, but we do have the potential to > transcend them (instincts). > > Mike > > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPad > > From: Bill! <[email protected]>; > To: <[email protected]>; > Subject: Re: [Zen] no sound is heard what so ever > Sent: Fri, Jun 21, 2013 8:31:54 AM > > > Mike, > > It's just possible that "no other organism' needs these gifts (the dharma). > Since we humans make our own suffering through attachments it's possible that > is not a problem, or at least as big a problem, in other organisms. > > Just a thought... > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], uerusuboyo@... wrote: > > > > Merle,<br/><br/>I sometimes wonder if your view of humans is influenced by > > your personality or your exposure to Christian-Judaeo thinking. It > > certainly seems in accord with ideas like Original Sin! I see things > > differently. Those of us alive right now 'owe' it to the fact that every > > single one of our ancestors survived to reproductive age and procreated. We > > also can see our place in the universe and our origins. We have been born > > in a time where there is a teaching (Dharma) that shows us how we can > > experience ultimate reality and end our suffering. No other organism has > > these 'gifts'. How extraordinary and lucky we > > are!<br/><br/>Mike<br/><br/><br/>Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPad > > > > > > > > > > >
