Hi Alex > I have no interest in teaching zen. Zen to me is a > dead horse. Only pathetic academics teach zen. > The only thing I'm interested in is teaching the > central philosophy of Buddhism, which is Madhyamika. > That's all. And that's only because I've noticed that > this central, essential teaching is criminally > underrepresented among all walks of the Buddhist > practitioners today. I bet you that on this list there > are very few people who are really experts on this, > the most important of all Buddhist teachings.
The are many roads that lead to truth. It is said that the Buddha taught 84,000 Dharmas, meaning that He has taught many, many, many methods of liberation. And depending on each individual's inclination, every method is a good method as long as it works. Just because you like Madhyamika teachings does not mean you have to oppose Zen. To insist that Madhyamika is the one and only way is definitely not a very Middle Way approach. I do feel that Madhyamika teachings are more suitable for people who are more intellectually inclined, and you appear to be so. And good for you that you are able to encounter such a wonderful and suitable teaching. > Nice stock answer. But you failed to notice that I > explicitly wanted to *talk* about the Middle Way. > I'm not asking how to live it, just how would you > explain it (intellectually). For Zen people to go into intellectual discussion of Madhyamika is actually a step *backwards*. Not that there is anything wrong with Madhyamika (it is a wonderful teaching), but because intellectual discussion is unable to access truths, since truths are beyond conceptualization and hence inexpressible through speech, except with 'live' words. I'm sure intellectual discussion has some merits of its own. But after you have crossed the river, would you still want to be carrying the raft? When Nagarjuna taught Madhyamika, I doubt very much that He wants you to only indulge yourself in intellectual discussion, for that would be mistaking the finger for the moon. He would want you to digest the teachings and EXPERIENCE truths DIRECTLY instead of through your INTELLECT. If you find *talking* about the Middle Way so fulfilling , don't you feel that *living* the Middle Way will be even more fulfilling? And it is only through *living* the teachings that they truly come *alive*. > To me, this is a cause for alarm. That's why I'm > seizing every opportunity to promote Nagarjuna's > teaching. People are blissfully unaware of it, even > some of my hard core Buddhist friends who have been > practising full tilt for almost 40 years. And not > being aware of the full blown teaching of Nagarjuna is > truly sad, in my eyes. To me, this too is a cause for alarm. That's why I'm seizing every opportunity to promote Zen teaching. People are blissfully unaware of it, even some of my hard core Buddhist friends who have been practising full tilt for almost 20 years. And not being aware of the full blown teaching of Zen is truly sad, in my eyes. :->> > Again, let me assure you that zen is not something I'm > interested in. > No one did zen in the Buddha's and Nagarjuna's time, > yet these people are not less brilliant for not doing > zen and attending the sesshin and what not. What makes you so sure that no one did Zen during Buddha's or Nagarjuna's time? Best wishes wai ps. Will be away over the weekend. Hope to chat again next week. Have a nice weekend. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum/ <*> 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/
