--- Thank you for your response Alex. As usual, you've given me
something to think about.
Your explanation of Buddhism was an eye opener. To boil it down
to the focus on basic human existance leaves me a little cold
though. While I undestand the anecdote, the guy on the hill was were
he was(if he had been thinking about a lost dog, he wouldn't of been
there), my question is Is that it? Is that all we do with our gift?
Just sit there and waste oxygen? Certainly, according to Zen,
nothing more is required.
Alex, from what I've read so far, your knowledge of Buddhism
far exceeds mine. But my concept of Zen is based on living a
spiritual life on the physical plane. Take the concepts inherent to
Zen, gain understanding from them, but return to the world to do
some good. I guess that's not mandatory, but I choose to pass along
kindness and understanding(read empathy) with no judgement,
expectation, or strings attached.
So my question to you then is my original one, Why practice? How
does this benefit you? Guy
.n [email protected], Alex Bunard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> --- ventouxboy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >
> > Just trying to start a new direction of discussion.
> > What is the
> > advantage of living a Zen lifestyle? It's not the
> > easiest path and
> > is rife with challenges; so why bother?
>
> I'll gladly take the suggested turn:-) Buddhist
> teaching/practice is concerned with human condition.
> Consequently, it explores human predicament.
>
> Is it a lifestyle? Hardly. Is
> breathing/eating/sleeping a lifestyle?
>
> Hubert Benoit, in his book "Supreme Doctrine", talks
> about the difference between living and merely
> existing (a.k.a. vegetating). In his assessment, Zen
> is concerned only with merely existing. He supplies an
> example in the form of a story where one person was
> standing on a hilltop, while a group of people were
> passing by. Intrigued, they stopped, observed the guy
> on the hill for a while, and then decided to satisfy
> their curiosity by climbing up and meeting him in
> person.
>
> Once they got up there, they started asking questions:
> "Why are just standing there? Are you expecting
> someone to come? Have you lost your dog or a sheep?"
> etc.
>
> But the person responded: "No, I'm just standing
> here."
>
> So, from the common folk perspective, that person was
> merely existing at that point.
>
> But, from a Zen perspective, one could say that he was
> really there, instead of being caught up in the web of
> dreams.
>
> What's your opinion?
>
> Alex
>
>
> =====
> No karma was produced during the composition of this letter
>
>
>
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