Joyce/Trekcho #2 Introduction

[Guest guest]

Dear Joyce,

 

At 08:07 AM 2/14/2000 -0500, you wrote:

> " Joyce Short " <insight

 

>Ive only had a taste of Jnana Yoga. I don't know if in Jnana Yoga there is

>the " recognition " of thoughts as being of the nature of innate wisdom or

>naked awareness and this is the essence of the practice of Trekcho.

 

No, not really. Jnana Yoga works to " exhaust " the intellect, so eventually

the futility of understanding with the intellect is seen. When that

futility is understood clearly and deeply, intellect and mind vanish, as

they are then known as not providing any useful function whatsoever.

That's the essence of it as I understand it, anyway.

 

>For instance, there is no contemplation of anything called " free will " in

>Buddhism because to have " free will' you have to have a self that has this

>supposed free capacity.

 

Advaita Vedanta does not admit free will either, and for essentially the

same reasons you describe above. If there is a " will " it is of the Whole,

but there's no reason to debate or not debate " will " as far as I'm

concerned. It's simply a non-issue here. Events occur, or seem to occur,

and that's all.

 

>Buddhism doesnt say there is a self, doesnt say

>there isnt, it addresses the truth of suffering, how it arises and how

>sentient beings can become free.

 

That's one of the flaws of Advaita Vedanta as I see it, in that it makes

" seekers " out of many people. Seeking for moksha in a nonexistent future

will only create misery and disillusionment. Buddhism neatly avoids this

(at least, " nonreligious " forms of Buddhism like Zen and others).

 

Of course, human nature being what it is, there will always be those who

mainly see Buddhism as a matter of worshipping the Buddha. I suppose in

the extreme long term that may be of some value (it would be similar to

Bhakti in Hinduism) but otherwise it's the " lowest " teaching as far as I

see it. I believe the Buddha would be astonished at anyone attempting to

worship him, and would take swift measures to correct that foolishness.

 

Love Always,

 

Tim

 

-----

Sum Ergo Sum

 

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