--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], Alex Bunard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I'd like to offer two comments to your reply: > > First, a general comment � have you ever considered > that maybe you are taking the words uttered by various > Masters too literally? You should be aware that > Buddhas, Patriarchs, and Masters are all about > utilizing upaya, or skillful, expedient means, when > expounding the teaching. That is to say, they will > look into each individual being, and adjust their > utterances based on the case at hand. To some, they > would prescribe an antidote that tells them that the > path to liberation is by using the mind-only practice, > to some others they would prescribe the no-mind path, > and so on. Put together, their teachings sometimes may > appear contradictory, even meaningless, but this is > simply because there is no universal formula, no > across-the-board equation that applies to everyone > under all imaginable circumstances. > If you study Zen literature more > carefully, you'll be able to notice many seemingly > incoherent utterances, which seem to contradict each > other. This doesn't mean that Zen is illogical, as > some people claim, but only that it is operating > strictly in the upaya mode.
The contradictory utterances/teachings of the masters may seem very different, but they in fact spring from the very same source/experience. They appear contradictory only in form but not in substance. What you have been saying is contradictory in both substance and form, I feel. > You cannot easily subsume various teachings expounded > by various Masters and come up with the `least common > denominator'. If it is a common denominator of only the surface, I might agree with you. But in this very particular case, it pertains to the essence of their teachings. > My second comment pertains to your contention that I > am missing the boat because I am not using the > non-thinking. Where did you get that idea from? When > did I say that I'm not into non-thinking? Again, I > looks to me like you are taking my words, as well as > the words of the Masters you've mentioned here, too > literally, too much at their face value. Hmm.. I wonder too where I get the idea from? Anyway, I'm sorry to have misunderstood you yet again. Welcome on board, Master Alex! Oops.. you have always been on board, right? > Sometimes it's a good thing to read between the lines > a bit, to try and scratch the surface. Actually Zen doesn't scratch, Zen cuts through. :-> Thanks for the advice, anyway. Thank you too for your thoughts. wai ------------------------ 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/
