No Nose Knows

[Guest guest]

>Hi Lobster,

>

>I know what you mean - I too thought of the generous, charitable poor

>people I have known when I read that first item. I think what it might

>mean is for a given person, it might be easier to be charitable when one is

>not poor. For a given person, take away all their money, and they'll be

>even less charitable than they were before. It could also mean that a poor

>person isn't capable of giving away great quantities, even though they give

>great percentages of what they do have. Among the Chinese Buddhists that I

>know, for example the Buddha's Light International based in Taiwan, there's

>great value placed on education, getting ahead in society so that the

>family and temple and Dharma can be supported. And support it they do...

 

:-) Hi Greg, (-:

Thanks for your kind answer.

Here on the Internet we are presented

with ideas of people and from people.

Many of us through circumstance,

opportunity and experience are spiritually

impoverished.

In another more subtle way those who

have made some little progress also

consider themselves 'Poor before God'.

In the dharma sense which you mention,

the qualities of Metta, Boddhicitta,

(a loving compassion independent of

grasping trade) arises.

Charity which provides us with a

sense of having given or some other

reward is in some sense a trade.

In the context of this list we might

see charity as the giving up of

our negative clingings, habits and

attitudes.

Charity becomes a form of

renunciation without concern for

our possible attraction and return to

the wealth of the ego.

 

>Number (2) - you know, I have been in the Freemasons, 32nd degree. And by

>and large, the ones that have great authority there, also have it on the

>outside. They give time, money and influence to the organization. But

>they tend not to be the ones who *study* it, who know the lore, the

>ceremonies by heart, etc. Those are the studious, scholarly ones, mostly

>not authoritative on the outside. And I never saw it practiced as a

>spiritual path, though that's why I entered.... Same as at work in my job

>now. Most of the people I know at work who study the Way in some fashion

>or other don't have positions of great authority or responsibility. The

>Directors and Partners study their responsibilities as Director and

>Partner, by and large. If they study the Way at all, it's like nightstand

>spirituality -- read a few nice thoughts before drifting off to sleep.

>Which is pretty good, actually!!

>

>With you in the Ease,

 

It is pretty good.

Everyone finds their level.

I would suggest that symbols and rituals

convey realities without having meaning

(until so invested).

Any work has a component of contemplation

and a focus of intent.

How deep we go is independent of

circumstance, opportunity and experience.

Dyana, Chan and Zen arose from the

lifting of a flower.

The fragrance is available

as each internal Buddha Nose.

 

Lobster Cymbal

 

exo meditation

http://pages.britishlibrary.net/lobster/exxo/