Alex wrote:
> --- e7carlos <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>> I thought that life was everything thar comes before
>> death.
>
> The Buddhist way of looking at life and death is that
> they are like the two legs walking. In every moment,
> as one leg advances, the other retreats, in order to
> advance the next moment, while the first one retreats,
> and so on. Life and death are similarly intertwined --
> we die and we get born every moment. Same applies to
> all phenomena.
>
>> > Buddhism doesn't explain the world around us, nor
>> does
>> > it focus on ameliorating our everyday world. There
>> are
>> > other disciplines that specialize in that.
>>
>> I thought that Buddhism show the path to awakening
>> so one can
>> understand the world around us and the fake world
>> that we create in
>> our mind as well as what happen to us when ego and
>> body dies.
>
> Buddhism shows us how to transcend that propensity. It
> doesn't explain anything in that regard. Buddhist
> teaching is like a doctor who cures the disease, but
> does not stop to explain to you what was done to
> remedy the problem. Buddhist practitioners consider
> such explanations as mere idle chatter that can only
> serve to introduce more complications.
>
>> Iterestingly the first noble truth say that life is
>> suffering, the
>> second noble truth tell the reason of suffering, the
>> third noble truth
>> say that trere is a way out of suffering and the
>> four noble truth show
>> the way we have to live this life (now,the
>> present)in order to get
>> awakened, one can say that Zen is different because
>> it goes directly
>> to awakening before reflecting on one actions but
>> since awakening is
>> not Buddahood one has to go continuing purifying
>> ones mind for a long
>> time before complete enlightment ,so it is not so
>> different.
>> Maybe I am totally mistaken about what I am going to
>> say and please if
>> somebody could explain it better please do it.
>> If the therapist adjust the world that a person has
>> created (fix ego
>> of some neurotic pattern so that this person can
>> funtion better
>> (according to some predetermined standard))Would not
>> that be to
>> reinforce dualistic living and the dellusion of I?
>
> Yes. The problem is that most people who would (for
> whatever reason) like to flirt with the Buddhist
> practice do not have a strong enough sense of self to
> begin with. That being so, there is not much to be
> transcended. Therefore, their practice invariably
> fizzles.
>
> Because of that, the introductory training in Buddhist
> practice consists of first strenghtening one's sense
> of self. Sometimes, that sense of self needs to be
> first strenghtened via some conventional means (that
> is, even before the Buddhist practice actually
> commences). Such conventional means imply
> psychotherapy, some twelve step program, joining some
> support group, working as a volunteer in the
> community, enrolling in the Toastmasters club, etc.
> Anything that strenghtens one's will power and places
> one on the pedestal of a strong, well outlined and
> well defined individual with a shiny, brassy ego.
>
> Once that's accomplished, one is ready to enter the
> Buddhist practice, which will dismantle and undermine
> that strong sense of "I". You know the saying -- the
> bigger they are, the harder they fall.
>
> And the hard, loud crash when the bloated, inflamed
> ego falls is what we're aiming at in the Buddhist
> practice. The more deafeningly loud that fall is, the
> higher the achievement. The best Buddhist masters are
> usually recruited from the people who used to have the
> most inflamed, insanely abrasive egos.
>
> In the olden days, Buddhist aspirants used to be
> chased away whenever they would approach the masters.
> This was a test of their sense of accomplished ego. A
> weak, whimpy ego is always easy to intimidate and
> chase away. These guys are worthless material for the
> Buddhist practice anyway, so it's an act of mercy
> killing.
>
> The strongheaded ones, however, tend to be more
> persistent, less timid, and they would invariably try
> again. Typically, it would take three attempts before
> one gets admitted into the training hall.
>
> Today, however, we have lowered the barriers for entry
> not only in the field of Buddhist practice, but in
> every other discipline. We live in egalitarian,
> pluralistic times, where everyone by default qualifies
> for whatever they fancy trying. Sadly, this creates a
> lot of confusion, as many people with very clouded
> minds and extremely weak willpower tend to waltz into
> the Budhist training hall and demand to get
> enlightened.
>
> I personally prefer to chase them away with a
> shitstick, but that does not bode well with one's
> public image, so we've learned to grin and bear it.
>
> Alex
>
>
One can not see life just trough a colored glass no matter how
special it looks, the job of the master has to be put aside when one
talks to others that do not have aspirations to be master, since
awakening is not just for masters but for everyone ,it does not even
has to be a Buddhist to obtain it.
All those masters from the past had an ego too.
Is this list only for monks?
Metta
Carlos
Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action,
Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood
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