No problem, Guy (is that your name, or are you merely
referring to yourself as a 'guy'? Sorry if this
question seems intrusive).
--- ventouxboy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> ---Alex, sorry if I havn't been clear enough.
> There's a lot I would
> like to discuss, for me it largly centers around the
> concept of
> enlightenment(I know you don't believe in it)
I'm not sure where did you get the idea that I don't
believe in enlightenment?
> and the application of
> Zen to life, i.e. How do we live in a world that
> disregards what we
> believe in as "stupid". Not because it is, but
> because it would
> require too much work to understand. I don't know
> about you, but I
> think I understand why Buddhist monks go up in the
> hills for twenty years.
I think Buddhist monks retreat to the mountains in
order to avoid the network of gossip that is the
hallmark of living in a human society.
> It's good to hear from you, I was starting to
> think you dropped
> the group. You have been helpful, and although I
> don't always agree,
> you have given me a few valuable nuggets of wisdom.
This group provides me with a pleasant diversion as
I'm working on preparing my course materials, working
on my book, on my school's web site, etc. The gossip
factor in here is, as always, insanely high (through
the roof), but that's to be expected.
The problem, as I see it, is that people approach Zen
practice as if it is a piece of merchandise. They are
window shopping (you are one blatant example of that
malaise). There's plenty of comparison shopping going
around. People want to buy something, they have a
budget in mind, and they don't want to get screwed.
The biggest issue with all this is that it's
contradictory. Everyone claims they want freedom, but
at the same time everyone cries foul when they are
offered freedom, because it doesn't come with the
accompanying infrastructure. So people pretend they
want freedom, while actually all they want is some
enormous infrastructure that will keep them
comfortably enslaved. And will also give them
something to bitch about. So we're back to square one
-- gossip.
Be extremely well,
Alex
=====
No karma was produced during the composition of this letter
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - now with 250MB free storage. Learn more.
http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Would you Help a Child in need?
It is easier than you think.
Click Here to meet a Child you can help.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/O2aXmA/I_qJAA/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/
