--- carlos <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> It is my view that we are forgetting that the "right
> view" of life
> can not be obtained by any amount of meditation
> unless one's mind go
> over the edge (stop duality) and lives for some time
> on the other
> shore, it doesn't have to be complete awakening.
Correct.
> As I understand, meditation is very good because it
> gives us
> understanding of how our mind works, what is the
> importance of a
> thought, and because "doing meditation is to the
> mind as going to
> the toilet is to the body" (Suzuki Roshi).
Excellent point. Meditation is the 'potty training'
for the mind.
> As I understand , to practice with the expectation
> of obtaining
> something prevents one of obtaining it, because it
> means that one
> has not given up control.
This is one of those gross New Age misconceptions that
I was referring to earlier. We live in the Age of
Catering, where every activity has to have a business
model behind it, and the business model is to find the
potential marketplace and to cater to it.
That's why we're flooded right now with all kinds of
quacks and self-appointed gurus who are delivering
exactly what their existing and potential clients want
to hear. And one of the things peope really honestly
want to hear is how everything is all right, I'm okay,
you're okay, we're all okay, because we're all already
a Buddha, so don't worry. Just relax, just sit, no
need to strive for anything. Actually, striving is
bad, real bad.
The Buddhist practice today is seriously endangered by
these charlatans. This is exactly the reason I'm
taking the trouble to keep explaining things to
people, taking all the flak and all the bullshit from
the harsh minds on this list (and beyond). But people
need to know, because we're all potential victims of
those predatorial 'business model' spiritual gurus.
To cut the long story short, here's the deal: people
tend to fall into the trap and confuse *merit* with
*felicity*. Doing something with the intention of
accumulating felicity for oneself results in clinging
and aversion. This is to be avoided, by all means and
at all times.
However, doing something with the intention of
accumulating merit does not result in clinging and
aversion, and is highly recmmended by all Buddhas. It
is therefore highly beneficial to form and nurture a
strong desire towards accumulating merit. This desire
will not lead us astray, unlike the desire to
accumulate one's own good fortune, which inevitably
will result in ruinous profit.
Please try to realize that there is a huge,
immeasurable difference between the nature of felicity
(that is, good fortune), and merit. Merit is something
we accumulate for the benefit of all beings, and AT
OUR OWN EXPENSE!
This is the path of Boddhisattva.
Anyone who tells you that the desire to accumulate
merit is deletorious, is a false teacher, and is to be
avoided at all cost.
Alex
=====
No karma was produced during the composition of this letter
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