Pudgala2, Again, with all deference to Betrand Russell I'd extend his quote to read: 'ALL MEN'S report of what a ANOTHER man says can never be accurate, because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can understand.
I agree with your definition of 'sentient beings' below. In fact when I was learning the Four Bodhisattva Vows I was told by a well-known zen master that the vows should be thought of as referring to mental contructs - like 'Sentient being IN MY MIND are numberless..., Desires IN MY MIND are inexhaustible..., etc...' We did not recite them like that but we were told to think of them like that. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], "pudgala2" <pudgala2@...> wrote: > > > Language is tongue-tied and can never be freebogged down in meaning > it quickens thought. > > A teacher of English wrote the following sentence on a blackboard for > his Japanese students: "A dog has four legs." The entire class was > horrified. In order to make sense of that sentence they had to imagine a > dog holding four dismembered legs in its mouth. To their minds a dog is > a four legged creature by definition not possession. The English > language gives the subtle illusion that a body possesses its parts. > > * > Some researchers created an "intelligence" test using pictures/icons to > overcome the language difference of inner city children with the "norm." > The majority of inner city children identified the icon of a teddy bear > as a rat. > * > > A military cargo plane was on its take off roll down the runway when the > wheels collapsed. The plane hit the pavement, slid off the runway, > exploded, killing the entire crew. > An investigation revealed that: > The copilot had just received a letter from his girlfriend breaking off > their relationship and was despondent. > The last thing the pilot said over the intercom was "Cheer up." > The investigation concluded that the copilot thought he heard "Gear up" > and raised the landing gear. > > * > > I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I > am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. ~ > Robert McCloskey, U.S. State Department spokesman > > * > > A stupid man's report of what a clever man says can never be accurate, > because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can > understand. ~ Bertrand Russell > > * > > Again I say there is the almost universal misuse of the concept of > sentient beings in Mahayana Buddhism. Misinterpreting > releasing/delivering sentient beings as saving/benefiting sentient > beings deludes and distracts the mind with the idea of saving souls > and/or other living beings. Sentient beings are the mental components > (beliefs, attitudes, opinions, preferences, moods, etc.) that make up > the ego or artificial sense of self and generate suffering in the mind. > > The marks on this page are sounds and not meaningsmeanings are made > up in the mind. Egos are made of past meanings that interfere with > Original Mind. > > > pudgala2 > ------------------------------------ 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/
