Joe, Your saying that "No one but a practitioner in a tradition can say that the tradition no longer has "the best truth". " is nonsense. All kinds of nutcase cult followers would claim their tradition is the best and only truth and that all the other ones didn't. There are objective standards of truth...
Edgar On Jul 1, 2013, at 12:00 PM, Joe wrote: > Edgar, > > Wisdom is carried, through the work of the traditions. > > They are vessels, vehicles, and delivery-systems of methods, techniques. > > It's the teaching ways of the traditions that changes, nimbly, to suit the > time and place. I think little basis changes. > > That is my view! > > No one but a practitioner in a tradition can say that the tradition no longer > has "the best truth". That's apples and oranges. Just because video games > have been invented and have become popular with a certain set, that does not > mean that Baseball is to be criticized, deprecated, or rejected. Both are > systems of having fun, probably. One is also good physical exercise, social, > and sportsman-ly. > > When I speak about "practice" in the Wisdom traditions, I mean specifically > in the mystical wings or branches of the traditions. It's these I give my > attention to, and my view is that it is through the mystical wings or > branches of practice that Wisdom is contained, carried, and stimulated to be > discovered, in PRACTITIONERS. > > I view Zen Buddhism as a particularly purified (in the sense of distilled and > concentrated to a nearly neutral elixir, almost generically applicable by > Humans of any culture) system of practice. Sufism is close to this, I feel. > And certain streams of Christian Contemplative practice. I know too little > about Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Hinduism, and have not myself practiced in > their mystical wings. > > By the way, Elders and Teachers in the Wisdom traditions receive "new > knowledge", just as you and I do. And those folks roll with the times, too, > and can incorporate the new knowledge into skilful means with which to > continue to help students. My old Tai Chi teacher Da Liu was still doing this > late into his 90's: he'd recite some articles in "The Science Times" section > of THE NEW YORK TIMES to us during rest breaks between repetitions of the Tai > Chi form, and always tied-in Taoist views with the new revelations of Medical > science, etc., in the newspaper I'd say that the "New" invigorated the "Old", > and cast it in a "local" and "contemporary" light; and, I'd say the Old is > never old when it's alive in a sincere practitioner. Wisdom does not go out > of date, if it is Wisdom. > > Thanks!, for a good question. > > --Joe > > > Edgar Owen <edgarowen@...> wrote: > > > > First you say that ancient traditions as they were are to be respected. > > Then you say they are constantly changing implying they are different now. > > > > These are two clearly contradictory views. So which is it in your view? > > > > Actually I have a different take on it but which is largely in agreement. > > > > Ancient traditions are to be respected because they were the best truth of > > their times. However they are not to be slavishly adulated as if they still > > are the ultimate truth. This is because much has been learned in the couple > > thousand or so years since they were first formulated so they must be > > brought up to date and rethought in light of that new knowledge. > > > > Edgar > > > > > > On Jun 30, 2013, at 5:41 PM, Joe wrote: > > > > > Mike, > > > > > > I agree, sir. > > > > > > Religions are Wisdom-Traditions. > > > > > > Wisdom Traditions use the tools they have available. Then, and now. > > > > > > That, too, is what makes them "Wise". > > > > > > They utilize fully what they have available, in service of True > > > Compassion. For their times, and future times. > > > > > > Religions are not "nonsense", as some hasty-pudding kitchen-workers say. > > > Maybe they're just hopped-up on instant (soluble) Coffee. > > > > > > The wisdom-traditions purvey and convey wisdom, and preserve wisdom, and > > > the path to it. > > > > > > As traditions, they also keep on changing, as generations pass, and come. > > > > > > That's another part of what makes them Wise. > > > > > > Hasty people live for the next thing, not for Now. And don't see where > > > Now has *graciously* come from. > > > > > > But, they are to be forgiven! > > > > > > That's why Wisdom and Compassion are preserved, and transmitted. For > > > them, and fo all. > > > > > > Anyway, a new generation is born TODAY. > > > > > > --Joe > >
