--- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@...> wrote:
>
> Steve,
>
> I fundamentally disagree.
>
> Buddhism, as well as Judiasm/Christianity/Islam, and all other religions I
> know about are based on the essense of zen. They are all, including
> Buddhism, just layers that have been built up around zen and serve to occlude
> the essense of zen to varying extents. I will say that Buddhism has the
> least occluding layers of the religions I have read about, but it still has a
> lot.
>
> ...Bill!
>
Hi Bill! In my opinion, there are two aspects to the human phenomenon of
religion. One aspect is the evolved religios which binds society together in a
shared identity. This is just an evolved trait that is useful from the
view-point of group selection. The other aspect is the awakened insight into
Suchness. But some religions as they exist now are more effective vehicles for
encouraging awakened insight into Suchness than others. Within each of the Big
Three Abrahamic traditions, there have arisen minority mystical movements that
are a spontaneous expression of Enlightened Mind, but they have always been
regarded as heretical. Even the most literal-minded Pureland Buddhist realizes
that the ultimate goal is awakening. They just want to go to Buddhist Heaven
where they imagine that awakening will be easier. But they still understand
that ultimately it is more than just going to Heaven. And so, as you yourself
note, Buddhism has the least occluding layers. The average Christian would not
regard Meister Eckhart as being a real Christian.
Steve
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