Guest guest Posted April 2, 2004 Report Share Posted April 2, 2004 John, relax man, Joe already got his share of pie. - " John Cox " <jcoxco <Nisargadatta > Saturday, April 03, 2004 5:37 AM Re: HEY, JOE >>>Well Joe: Buddhism is not my path, but i do respect the Buddha. You are free to consider me as a fool also as my being has not become on a level to debase the Buddhas (by whatever name, or searchers of what ever path). And fool that I may be I do not wish to 'attain' a level of being where I enjoy making fun of True Masters and/or those who follow in any manner. John -- In Nisargadatta , " dabo " <dscasta> wrote: > > > Buddha was a fool. > > (Joe) > > > > > > hi Joe > > do you know that the zen stuff that you constantly refer to > and that you probably try to practice in your spare time > starts with the Buddha? > > you know it is zen BUDDHISM, don't you? > > i have caringly selected a special reading for you. > try it, see what happens. > > and if you get disinterested (highly likely), > skip to the end, i will meet you there... > > Dear reader Joe, > I would like to present some questions and answers for your > interest. Thanks. > > Questions And Answers On Buddhism ( Part 1 ) > ----------- > > The following questions and answers have been especially formulated with > the newcomer to Buddhism Joe in mind. > > Q: Who was the Buddha? > A: The Buddha was a man who lived some 2,600 years ago and who > revolutionised religious thought in India. This way of thought spread > throughout the Eastern world and has now found its way to the west. > > Q: What does the word 'Buddha' mean? > A: The word 'Buddha' stands for the Awakened State (literally it means > awakened), so it is used in relation to waking up to truth, to > becoming enlightened. > > Q: What did the Buddha teach? > A: His teaching was extensive. However, it is commonly agreed among all > traditions throughout the Buddhist world, that fundamentally the > teaching of the Buddha is contained in just four truths - the Four > Noble Truths. > > Q: What are these truths? > A: They are: the truth of suffering; the truth of regarding the cause of > suffering; the truth regarding the cessation of suffering; and the > path, the way we suffer when life does not go our way, when our hopes > are dashed, and when disappointment or tragedy strikes. We also > suffered when life does go our way. Why? Because we fear loss - loss > of pleasure, wealth, family or friends. This is the truth of > suffering. > > Wishing, wanting, and desiring are the cause of suffering. We produce > our own suffering by the way we think and act. > > Because we produce our own suffering, it is within our power not to > produce it, and not to suffer. This is the truth regarding the > cessation of suffering. > > The way of life which does not cause suffering is the path; it is the > way of harmlessness, wishlessness, selflessness. > > Q: Is there a God in Buddhism as in Christianity? > A: It is very difficult to compare Buddhism with Christianity. One would > have to say, however, there is no God in Buddhism in the way that God > in Christianity is commonly understood. > > Q: What do Buddhists believe? > A: Different Buddhists believe different things, but the nature of > belief is itself an important issue in Buddhism. Belief is to be seen > as belief, not as fact. When we see our beliefs as facts, then we are > deluding ourselves. When we see our beliefs as beliefs, then we are > not. Seeing things in their true light is the most important thing in > Buddhism. Deluding ourselves is the cause of much suffering. So > Buddhists try to see beliefs as beliefs. They may still believe in > certain things - that is their prerogative - but they do not cling to > those beliefs; they do not mind or worry about whether their beliefs > are true or not, nor do they try to prove that which they know cannot > be proved. Ideally though, a Buddhist does not indulge in any kind of > belief. > > Q: Does Buddhism teach reincarnation? > A: Reincarnation is not a teaching of the Buddha. In Buddhism the > teaching is of rebirth, not of reincarnation. > > Q: What is the difference between reincarnation and rebirth? > A: The reincarnation idea is to believe in a soul or a being, separate > from the body. At the death of the physical body, this soul is said > to move into another state and then enter a womb to be born again. > > Rebirth is different and can be explained in this way. Take away the > notion of a soul or a being living inside the body; take away all > ideas of self existing either inside or outside the body. Also take > away notions of past, present and future; in fact take away all > notions of time. Now, without reference to time and self, there can > be no before or after, no beginning and ending, no birth or death, no > coming or going. Yet there is life! Rebirth is the experience of life > in the moment, without birth, without death; it is the experience of > life which is neither eternal nor subject to annihilation. > > Q: Does that mean there is no such thing as birth and death? > A: That which is born, dies. Forms come and go. All that comes into > existence is impermanent; it is born and it dies. But the very > essence of what 'I' am -- Buddha-nature -- is unborn and undying. > > Q: Is this just a Buddhist belief? > A: Buddhists are people and people do believe things, but Buddhism is > concerned with truth, not with belief, and the teaching is to see > things as they are. If we believe anything which has not been > experience, we should know what we are doing. When we do not > understand something, then to maintain an open mind is the healthiest > and wisest practice. > > Q: But what happens when we die? > A: If we understand what the word 'I' really represents, we can realise > the answer to this question. Buddhism does not offer intellectual > answers; it only gives directions for the experiencing of truth. > > Q: How is it possible to experience truth? > A: By understanding that 'I' and birth and death are notions, concepts, > ideas, beliefs. It is the idea of a self living life through time, > which produces the idea of birth and death. We have been conditioned > into believing that we have come into existence and in due course > will cease to exist. If we see through these ideas and realise that > this moment neither begins nor ends, we shall realise deathlessness. > > > Questions And Answers On Buddhism ( Part 2 ) > ---------- > > Q: But how can getting rid of ideas enables us to see deathlessness? > A: The deathless is here all the while, but ideas block it out. It is > like the sun because of the clouds. But as soon as the clouds are > cleared away, there is the sun. Likewise, as soon as ideas are > cleared away from the mind, there is the true state: birthless, > deathless. > > Q: How does one clear away ideas? > A: By seeing ideas as ideas and not as truths; by being aware of mental > and meditation. > > Q: Are there various kinds of Buddhist meditation? > A: There are different exercises taught by teachers of different > Buddhist traditions and Schools. The main differences, however, are > superficial ones, related to psychological or emotional problems. > Many of these exercises can only be administered by experienced > meditation teachers. For the average person, however, whose sole aim > is to realise the deep clear teachings of the Buddha, meditation is a > simple process of awareness and investigation. > > Q: How does one practise this kind of meditation? > A: By being fully aware, as one thinks, speaks and acts. > > Q: But what about sitting meditation? > A: Sitting meditation is the same. It is just a question of being aware. > Sitting meditation is an excellent thing to do, but some people are > not able to find a quiet spot to sit in every day. If this is the > case, one is not automatically debarred from the insights of > meditation. To meditate properly is to do one's duty and to live > without wishing life were different, or somehow better. > > The opportunity for seeing truth is ever present, because truth is > ever present. Just because the sun is covered by clouds does not mean > the sun is not there. Conditions are always just right for being > aware of the true situation. All one has to do is be conscious of > what is taking place within one and around one, without making any > judgements. If we 'see' by being aware, then we shall see very deeply > into everything. > > Q: How does one practise sitting meditation? > A: Sitting meditation is the shutting down of all sense stimuli in order > to realise that awareness is not a function of the senses or of the > thinking process. It is practised by sitting quite still with the > eyes closed (or not focusing on anything), by letting life be, by > breathing in and out (not changing the breath, not trying to breath > deeply), by just breathing the way one always breathes, and by > noticing the subtle changes in the mind and in the body. It is not > difficult or complicated. > > Q: Does one need to have a meditation teacher? > A: The Buddha's teaching can be the teacher and awareness can be the > practice which will lead straight to liberation. > > Q: What is karma? > A: It is cause and effect. When someone commits a crime, he suffers the > consequences. That is karma. When someone does good, he enjoys the > consequences. That is karma. But karma runs deep; its affects our > hearts and minds. From the beginning mind is absolutely pure. If we > are unkind, deceitful, greedy or cruel, we defile that purity. > Imagine a plain white cloth, beautiful, bright and clean. And then > imagine someone splattering it with black ink. The cloth is then > spoilt. The mind is like the white cloth. Like and dislike, greed and > hatred, are like the ink splattered across it. When the mind is > unmarked and unspoilt, suffering and enjoyment do not exist. This is > happiness beyond pleasure, beyond karma. All karma is impermanent and > runs out in due course. A Buddhist will learn how to get off the > karmic see-saw of pleasure and pain. > > Q: Can anyone see the Truth? > A: The Buddha was compassionate. He did not teach an impossible teaching > that ordinary people could not understand. On the contrary, his > teaching was clear and simple. Anyone who makes the effort to be > aware will realise his or her Buddha-nature and be freed from > suffering. > > > > Before you go off > in search of enlightenment, > See the Buddha > of your own mind. > > > Sincerely, > YH Hee > > > dabo hasn't read all of this himself. > most of this is crap to dabo. > > but for beginners like Joe this is not crap. > beginners have to start with crap. > > Joe, > zen is the highest form of buddhism. > your mind is trying to do breakdancing, > and it hasn't learned to crawl yet. > > to say that the Buddha was a fool > is a definite sign of spiritual immaturity. > (i am putting this in the nicest way possible for me) > > so Joe, > the Buddha says hi! > > > > > > and if Joe says bye then Joe will cry > > > > dabo intimate with the Buddha p.s. > just fucking with you, Joe. > just this bad karma of saying 'Buddha was a fool', that's all. > i can't imagine that i am doing anything more for you. > what you must do for yourself > noone can do for you. > > > > > > p.s.s > now THIS is pie! ))) > > > > dabo the master of internet pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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