Alex, I hesitate to dismantle your ideas by pointing out their fallacies, but they are so glaring it is tempting. But I once spent an hour doing that for you when you first arrived, to which you missed the post due to self-involvement, or just ignored it. Either way, I recevied your message. However, you've stated your erroneous approach so succinctly, the oppurtunity would be a shame to ignore:
I'm glad you state your position on suffering, buddhahood and practice so clearly, Alex. Do you see that the way you describe it, Buddhahood is a goal to be acheived by practice, and thus the practice is motivated? This is not 'right motivation'. You are already a Buddha. If the criteria for buddhahood was 'eliminated suffering' as you say, than to check for dharma transmission one could simply whack the applicants thumb with a hammer! "In summer we sweat." Non-attachment to suffering will let it fall away as I think you know. But I think you then expect it not to arise due to this non-attachment. When one can let it fall away, one can also let it arise. When you call my posts "ad hominem" attacks, it is a funny accusation. It is indicative of what I think you fail to see. The use of any ideas or knowledge is NOT to form a good idea, or logical idea, or even a consistent idea, to which to conform one's behavior. Behavior supercedes ideas, and makes ideas (not the other way around). Thus it is your behavior by which you are judged. Indeed, it was by behavior that you said you'd judge the better teacher when they come along (you used 'complaining less' as a criteria). Thus any post which failed to be somewhat 'ad hominem' would be caught up in ideas, rather than the immediate. Rod Scholl -----Original Message----- From: Alex Bunard [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, January 17, 2005 11:06 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [Zen] Knowledge --- terencc mccahey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Isnt the point of practice is not to eliminate > suffering but know that no matter what suffering is > there , its a part of life ??Only when you accept > that fact do you achieve freedom by being detached > to whatever comes up in your mind that causes > suffering . This harkens back to what Diana said several days ago -- she observed that suffering is there only if we take it seriously. Which begs the question: if suffering is not taken seriously, does it then qualify to be taken as 'suffering'? It is of crucial importance to come to terms with the fact that suffering can indeed be eliminated. Buddhahood is not some sort of a truce with the world. It is not a philosophical resignation to the sad but inevitable facts of life. Buddhahod is complete elimination of any possiblity of pain. > This is my impression but I find it hard > to remain detached ALL the time . What are other > thoughts on this ...Is it really attainable to > become detached and act as a witness to what is > going on around you ?I try but it doesnt always work > for me --Allison It is definitelly possible. If it weren't, what good would the practice be? Alex ===== No karma was produced during the composition of this letter __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Noble Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration, Right Livelihood Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> In low income neighborhoods, 84% do not own computers. At Network for Good, help bridge the Digital Divide! http://us.click.yahoo.com/hjtSRD/3MnJAA/i1hLAA/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/
