Everyone - almost - is born awake (budh). Then, over the next six or seven years, they are lulled off to slumber the sleep of culture, religion, superstition, fear, and violence.
Buddhism is a rejection of violence and fear. For many, it also becomes the rejection of superstition and religion. Culture is something that is resilient to change.
"To awaken is to:
learn the art of living
master the mind and bring it back to... the present moment
to unite mind, body and reality.
To awaken is to:
bring the reality of the present moment to life
become aware of the present moment
live the present moment." source
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Even Kempo and Mumon did not know
A student monk once asked Master Kempo, "I understand that all Buddhas enter the one road into Nirvana. Where is this one road?”
Kempo, raising his walking stick, drew the figure "one" and said, "Here it is."
Later, the student monk went to Umon to ask the same question. Umon, opening his fan, said; "This fan will reach the thirty-third heaven and hit the nose of Sakra Devendra, the highest deity in these heavens. It is like the giant carp of the Eastern Sea tipping over a rain cloud with its tail to make the rain pour down."
Mumon's Comments:
One master walks on the deep ocean and raises dust. The other, standing on the tip of the high mountain, fills the heaven with white waves. The one holds the point, while the other liberates everything; together each supports the teaching with one hand. Kempo and Umon are like two powerful camels colliding. Seen from the truth, even Kempo and Mumon did not know where this one road really is.
They reach the goal before taking the first step.
They complete the speech before their tongue moves.
Even if they had foresight long ago, the origin of the road lies ahead of their foresight now. (e.g. they lost 'beginner's mind.')
Kempo, raising his walking stick, drew the figure "one" and said, "Here it is."
Later, the student monk went to Umon to ask the same question. Umon, opening his fan, said; "This fan will reach the thirty-third heaven and hit the nose of Sakra Devendra, the highest deity in these heavens. It is like the giant carp of the Eastern Sea tipping over a rain cloud with its tail to make the rain pour down."
Mumon's Comments:
One master walks on the deep ocean and raises dust. The other, standing on the tip of the high mountain, fills the heaven with white waves. The one holds the point, while the other liberates everything; together each supports the teaching with one hand. Kempo and Umon are like two powerful camels colliding. Seen from the truth, even Kempo and Mumon did not know where this one road really is.
They reach the goal before taking the first step.
They complete the speech before their tongue moves.
Even if they had foresight long ago, the origin of the road lies ahead of their foresight now. (e.g. they lost 'beginner's mind.')
Sunday, April 10, 2011
the CORRUPTION of Public Education
Sadly, the Fundies in Texas have too g*d damned much to say about what gets into textbooks for State-supported Public education.
In this case, the illustration carries a qualifier: "...one of the books of the Hebrew Bible." The implication here is that there are other - non-Hebrew - bibles. Obviously there are many bibles (books) which are not Hebrew.
In the second case, there is no qualifier. To make matters worse, this second citation comes from a Biographical Dictionary - as if Naomi were a real (v. mythological) person. There is no evidence outside of Hebrew Folklore that most of these Biblical characters were anything other than inventions, cultural borrowing, or renamed non-Hebrew historical characters. For examples, read The Bible Unearthed.
Texas Fundamentalists are deciding what to include in the content of California textbooks. California should write, edit, and publish their own textbooks.
For those of you who believe archeology supports the bible, HERE is a general statement that might help you out.
MORE lunacy.
In this case, the illustration carries a qualifier: "...one of the books of the Hebrew Bible." The implication here is that there are other - non-Hebrew - bibles. Obviously there are many bibles (books) which are not Hebrew.
In the second case, there is no qualifier. To make matters worse, this second citation comes from a Biographical Dictionary - as if Naomi were a real (v. mythological) person. There is no evidence outside of Hebrew Folklore that most of these Biblical characters were anything other than inventions, cultural borrowing, or renamed non-Hebrew historical characters. For examples, read The Bible Unearthed.Texas Fundamentalists are deciding what to include in the content of California textbooks. California should write, edit, and publish their own textbooks.
For those of you who believe archeology supports the bible, HERE is a general statement that might help you out.
MORE lunacy.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
