Well, since you've diagnosed the problem very pointedly, would it be possible to go back and view it in its proper context (since you have the source), and then tell us what is it that he actually meant by saying:
"If our practice is not making a difference in these areas, then it's not really working." What kind of difference is he talking about? Thanks. Alex --- Diana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Alex and all, > > I took the quote from a teaching that is several > pages > of text, and that's really not proper. It's > difficult > to see what it means in context with the entirety of > the teaching. It's a bad habit I have, I hone in on > the words that ring a bell. > > Thanks, > Diana > --- Alex Bunard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Dear Diana, > > > > Yes, I entirely agree with you, you can use your > > practice either to shut down or open up. In either > > case, your practice makes a difference. But I'd > say > > that we could say it is 'working' only in the case > > when we open up. In other words, if we use our > > practice to shut down, then it's not 'working.' > > > > Wouldn't you agree? > > > > Now, Loori's assertion that you've quoted talks > > indiscriminately about the practice working only > if > > it's making a differnce. I only objected that it > was > > poorly articulated. > > > > Alex > > > > --- Diana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Dear Alex and all, > > > > > > I don't think practice "makes" people irritable > or > > > edgy, it just helps us face what is already > there. > > > > > Your temperament is already known to those > around > > > you > > > whether you realize it or not. If someone > > retreats > > > in > > > order to avoid seriously harming others and work > > on > > > the mind, yes, it could be said that the > practice > > is > > > making a difference. The crux of the matter is > the > > > same for all of us; do we use our practice to > shut > > > down or open up? > > > > > > Thanks, > > > Diana > > > > > > --- Alex Bunard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > --- Diana <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > "Maintaining a household, raising a child, > > > driving > > > > a > > > > > car, having relationships - these are the > > > > activities > > > > > that we spend most of our daily lives > engaged > > > in. > > > > > If > > > > > our practice is not making a difference in > > these > > > > > areas, then it's not really working." > > > > > > > > > > John Daido Loori > > > > > > > > He should've been more specific. Yes, maybe my > > > > practice is making a difference in those > areas, > > > but > > > > can I really say that it is working, merely on > > > > account > > > > of doing that? What if my ptractice makes me > > more > > > > edgy, more irritable, makes me want to burn > > > bridges > > > > and hurt others so that I could retreat to the > > > > mountains, away from the gossip land? > > > > > > > > Can we say that, by making such a difference, > my > > > > practice is working? > > > > > > > > Yes, it is obviously working, but not towards > > > > freedom. > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > > Do You Yahoo!? > > > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam > > > protection around > > > http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > > > > > ===== > > 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 > > > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile > phone. > http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo > ===== 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 ------------------------ 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/
