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Issue #1354 - Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - Editor: michael
http://www3.sympatico.ca/lgardi/
Fractal Buddha - lots of beautiful fractal images! This one is
titled - blood and blue
In DirectApproach@yahoogroups.com
Dan wrote:
There is a saying in Zen:
Great doubt, great enlightenment.
Small doubt, small enlightenment.
To prematurely decide you are certain
is a grave self-limitation.
Any possibility of doubt should be
explored and taken to the extreme.
Doubt is an excellent gift - to
dismiss doubt or to see doubt
as dispensible is erroneous.
In fact, doubt and enlightenment are
the same thing, just viewed from
different angles. Only taking
doubt to the extreme allows the
opening in which doubt is revealed
as merely the shadow side of truth.
For doubt you could substitute: evil,
panic, sorrow, loss, or despair.
These are the experiences people don't
want in the human repertoire, what
they want eliminated by enlightenment.
In fact, nothing is eliminated by
enlightenment.
I prefer the term "revelation" to
"enlightenment,"
as in "revelation of truth."
Revelation of truth is clear seeing of what is, as
is, without any avoidance.
The word enlightenment seems to have become
pretty well contaminated with the connotation
of having some perfect state which somehow
makes one indifferently blissful regardless
of what is going on around oneself.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Enlightenment is more like "cutting through"
than it is like "having a perfect state of
bliss."
But that's just my ignorant opinion, and I could
be wrong :-)
Peace,
Dan
Book Reviews
"The Edge of Uncertainty - Dilemmas on the Buddhist Path" 144 pages by - Peter Fenner http://www.wisdommind.com/peter.shtml Published (2002) by - Nicholas-Hays, Inc. www.nicolashays.com
www.zenpaintings.com/ collecting-new.htm
Enlightenment - gradual or sudden? In this book Mr. Fenner discusses the various forms of Buddhist practice and the costs associated with the search for enlightenment. He presents a straightforward look at the differences between orthodox and unorthodox Buddhist practice from Tibetan traditions to Zen. In his own words - "This book explores a set of dilemmas that invariably arise when one considers the full range of philosphies and practices contained within Buddhism." I found this book to be a most interesting and well written look at what could be considered the heart of the matter in terms of Buddhist pratice and philosphy. An excellent read!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Flim Flam! - Psychics, ESP, Unicorns and other Delusions" by - James Randi (The Amazing Randi) http://www.randi.org/ Published (1987 - ninth printing) by - Prometheus Books
www.cottingleyglen.com/
tale_continued.html
"Unusual claims require unusual proof." Mr. Randi (in this book) doesn't attempt to disprove the existance of such things as paranormal powers. Rather, he takes to task those who use sloppy science and wishful thinking to 'prove' those claims. Both books should be available in your local library and at booksellers near you.
Another one from Dan on the Direct Approach list:
>
> A hermit-monk built a hermitage
> at the foot of the mountain where
> Nansen had his monastery.
>
> Someone told the hermit:
>
> __Now there is Venerable Nansen,
> why don't you go to see him and
> pay respect to him ?
>
> The hermit said:
>
> __Don't tell me about Nansen,
> I don't pay respect even there are
> a thousand Buddhas.
>
> Someone told Nansen this story.
> Nansen ordered Joshu to go
> to << check >> the hermit.
>
> Joshu entered the hermitage
> and began to go from east to west
> and from west to east. The hermit
> didn't pay attention to him.
>
> Joshu said:
>
> __The poor brigand is humiliatingly defeated!
>
> Joshu recounted the story to Nansen.
> Nansen said:
>
> __I've always suspected this guy.
>
> The next day he told his attendant
> to bring three cups and a tea pot
> and the two came to the hermitage.
> Upon arriving, Nansen threw the cups
> and the tea pot on the ground and said:
>
> __Hey! Yesterday! Yesterday!
>
> The hermit asked:
>
> __What is yesterday ???
>
> Nansen hit the attendant on the back
> and said:
>
> __Don't fool me! Don't fool me!
>
> Then the two men went back to the monastery.
>
>
> ;-))
>
>
> KKT
Joshu and Nansen in Haight-Ashbury, 1972:
Back at the monastery, Nansen said to Joshu,
"You know, on second thought, the LSD
that hermit sold us actually must
have been pretty good."
"Yeah, you're right, Nansen," said Joshu,
"that was a pretty wild trip. But you
know,
I went back and forth through his pad,
and couldn't find his stash."
"Not only that," said Nansen, "but we
neglected
to sweep the floor of our monastery, and
we left the stove burning for the last two
days."
"Damn, I hate when that happens," said
Joshu.
"Not to mention that this crazy glue isn't
working
very well on the tea pot."
"Well, anyway," said Nansen, "why didn't
that
old fellow just say 'all my troubles seemed
so far away' when I said, 'yesterday,
yesterday'?"
"I think he was pretty stoned, too," said Joshu.
Peace,
Timothy Bleary
From Freyja on the Direct Approach list:
LOL! Droppings, love calls, whatever--
are all seen the same
when the PC screen is clear.
When things are seen for what
they are, there is no one
to praise or blame
one can only look within
and dispell one's own
unworthiness.
It is false.
love
freyja
In SufiMystic@yahoogroups.com,
Steve Toth wrote:
Sky Pilot
He blesses the boys as they stand in line
The smell of gun grease and the bayonets they shine
He's there to help them all that he can
To make them feel wanted he's a good holy man
Sky pilot.....sky pilot
How high can you fly?
You'll never, never, never reach the sky
He smiles at the young soldiers
Tells them it's all right
He knows of their fear in the forthcoming fight
Soon there'll be blood and many will die
Sky pilot.....sky pilot
How high can you fly?
You'll never, never, never reach the sky
He mumbles a prayer and it ends with a smile
The order is given
They move down the line
But he'll stay behind and he'll meditate
But it won't stop the bleeding or ease the hate
As the young men move out into the battle zone
He feels good, with God you're never alone
He feels tired and he lays on his bed
Hopes the men will find courage in the words that he said
Sky pilot.....sky Pilot
How high can you fly
You'll never, never, never reach the sky
You're soldiers of God you must understand
The fate of your country is in your young hands
May God give you strength
Do your job real well
If it all was worth it
Only time it will tell
In the morning they return
With tears in their eyes
The stench of death drifts up to the skies
A soldier so ill looks at the sky pilot
Remembers the words
"Thou shalt not kill"
Sky pilot.....sky pilot
How high can you fly
You never, never, never reach the sky
as sung by The Animals
more or less
In NondualitySalon@yahoogroups.com, "Michael A. Read" wrote:
If we really want to conquer Iraq we need to force a U.N.
resolution
to allow the introduction of American fast food chains such as
McDonald's and require that for significant reductions in U.S.
military strength present in the area at least 10 Walmarts and 2
Super Walmarts be built in Iraq.
Sure there may be some naysayers who look at this as a far more
aggresive move by the U.S. merely because it is so overtly
insidious.
We know what happens when American fast food and easy access to
abundant household and personal possesions is made available.
Folk
really dont want to fight anymore. Not when meals can be
supersized
and there is a two for one sale on jeans down at the Walmart.
They have all that oil and we have all this marketing savvy...
seems
a better deal could be worked out than what's abrewing.
The Walmarts could stock a lot of European, British and Russian
goods
as well as goods from other countries so there is more incentive
for
a joint resolution to pass. Heck most of the goods in American
Walmarts come from outside the US anyway.
just a thought,
michael
--- In NondualitySalon@yahoogroups.com, "Joseph Riley" wrote:
On February 12th, Senator Robert Byrd gave a remarkable speech
about
our silence in the face of where America is heading.
I invite you to read the speech at www.panhala.net/Passively_Mute.html
I know this is a spiritual forum but I know that there are many
here
who feel the call of the spirit in resisting this descent into
madness
--- In CliffordPickover@yahoogroups.com,
"Rusty" wrote:
Well, here I am again. Of course it seems like i should cross
the road, but is that what I really want to do? I wonder if there
are more enjoyable options..." : www.holdthemustard.com/.../
ChickenCrossingRoad.html
how about some time out?
http://www.chickenjoke.com/
Rusty editor's note: this is a humorous look at how famous
folk from G.W. Bush to Colonel Sanders might explain the famous
joke, why the chicken crossed the road.
Mace Mealer:
If you didn't know the answer
you couldn't ask the question.
It's in the questions you can't ask,
where the true mystery lies.
Readers Write Back
Kheyala responds to the candle meditation article in last Tuesday's issue:
Ouch!
Dear Kheyala, Ouch? Well, OK, sorry. <grin> But you have to understand how this here setup works. You see, one night Jerry force fed me donuts and coffee until I agreed to be the color editor. He had consumed so many donuts not to mention several pots of that tepid Canadian donut house coffee, himself, that I was able to actually agree with him. The highlights needed a wacko for Tuesdays. Not a pervert mind you, just a kooky old weirdo.
Thanks for your response,
michael