Hi Mike,
I liked everything you posted about the basic Buddha Dharma.
We define the "other shore" to mean everywhere beyond our comfort zone,
beyond what we hold dearly, beyond what we recognize, beyond what
understand, beyond what we're familiar with, beyond our physical read..
So that we become whole, complete and integrated, without separation,
physically, mentally and spiritually.
JM
On 6/30/2013 6:58 AM, [email protected] wrote:
Bill!,
The only thing I would say in response is that the Buddha Dharma is
far more that just a tool to motivate, but is actually a path that can
take you to the other shore ( I know, I know! There is no other shore ; )
Mike
Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPad
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From: * Bill! <[email protected]>;
*To: * <[email protected]>;
*Subject: * [Zen] Re: Fw: It was like Shiva dancing in rage
*Sent: * Sun, Jun 30, 2013 11:22:35 AM
Mike,
Thanks for your explanation and references.
I agree that the Zen Patriarchs were well-schooled in the sutras.
Whether that knowledge helped them awaken I do not know. Personally I
think things like these help you become interested in awakening and
perhaps even give you strength and incentive in your quest to awaken.
I'm not as sure however actually how pivotal they were to awakening.
In any event and as I said earlier they are a good set of guidelines.
I am not trying to discourage anyone from following them.
...Bill!
--- In [email protected], uerusuboyo@... wrote:
>
> Bill!,<br/><br/>1) Actually, the Noble Eightfold Path (NEP) is
divided into 3 categories: <br/><br/>Ethical Conduct: (right speech;
right livelihood)<br/>Mental Development: (right effort; right
mindfulness; right concentration)<br/>Wisdom: (right intention; right
view)<br/><br/>2) On What is "Right"<br/><br/>"Right" isn't
necessarily being judgemental. It's more like the 'right' in 'seeing
things correctly/as they are.<br/><br/>This is what Buddha said on
it:<br/><br/>"It is fitting for you to be perplexed, O Kalamas, it is
fitting for you to be in doubt. Doubt has arisen in you about a
perplexing matter. Come, Kalamas. Do not go by oral tradition, by
lineage of teaching, by hearsay, by a collection of scriptures, by
logical reasoning, by inferential reasoning, by a reflection on
reasons, by the acceptance of a view after pondering it, by the
seeming competence of a speaker, or because you think: 'The ascetic is
our teacher.' But when you know for
> yourselves, 'These things are unwholesome, these things are
blamable; these things are censured by the wise; these things if
undertaken and practiced lead to harm and suffering', then you should
abandon them." (Numerical Discourses of the Buddha, p. 65)<br/><br/>In
other words, you will to what is 'right' by the consequences of your
actions. <br/><br/>3) I agree with you that if you awaken then the NEP
is redundant. But Buddha taught us the truth off 'upaya' (skilful
means). I would suggest that for most people the NEP is far more
efficacious towards awakening than just saying "just THIS!" or "Wash
your bowls" as it comprehensively covers all that is needed to develop
an ethical life (something absolutely necessary to stop mental
dissonance affecting meditation), how to practice mindfulness to
develop the mental concentration required to investigate the Three
Characteristics (impermanence, non-self, dukkha), and how both lead to
insight wisdom that is
> beyond intellectual understanding. <br/><br/>I see no conflict
whatsoever in following the Dharma and practicing Zen. In fact, the
Patriarchs studied the sutras far more than is commonly recognised in
Zen. It's the truth behind the words that is important and not the
words themselves.<br/><br/>Mike<br/><br/><br/>Sent from Yahoo! Mail
for iPad
>
