--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Don <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > TurquoiseB wrote: > > <snip> > > > > > > > Some of the stories *are* scripted, Lawson. They > > are told to prospective teachers on TTC and repeated > > almost verbatim, as if they were catechism, once they > > become teachers. One rather important example pops > > to mind -- the story of Trotaka. It's a sweet story > > and all, but if you analyze its intent, it is to > > praise the value of always mindlessly doing exactly > > what the teacher says, and how that's better than > > other paths. > > > > The "individual stories" that other people tell, from > > their own experience, are just that, individual stories. > > They "mean" whatever they mean to the storyteller. My > > point is simply that such stories are often used as > > thought-stoppers, the way a couple of them have been > > used here lately. Sorta like, "Well listen to *this* > > story...are you not convinced that Maharishi is > > grrrreeeeeaaaat after hearing that one?" :-) > > > > Unc > > > > What I got from the Trotaka story was to follow the heart, not what > somebody tells you to do or what you think they expect you to do. > Trotaka (in the story I heard) was not into the intellectual stuff but > just felt so much love and devotion to the Master, he wanted to help him > in simple ways while enjoying his Bliss (doing laundry, fetching water, > cooking) while the "greater" students sat around funkafizing over > scripture all day long. Trotaka was looked down upon by the others but > in the end, he got "the prize".
ANd of course,the Buddhist patriarch who started out as the cook comes to mind, not for his devotion, but for his simipleness of expression.... To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
