You are selfless no matter what you do. But it sounds like you are beset. If there is anything the folks on the listserv can do, I trust you to let us know. Perhaps you may find this debate fun.
I find the difference between being "surrounded by devils" and being "surrounded by boddhisattva's" usually is a reflection of my nervous system. Who suffers more than the cruel? What cruelty is not interlaced with ordinary good? Tyrants try to perfect evil only to fail. Thanks, Chris Austin-Lane Sent from a cell phone On Sep 13, 2011, at 6:37, [email protected] wrote: > > > Good for you. > > I don't care about what others have in mind whenever they are being kind. I > do know that I'm not selfless when I'm being kind although I never ask for > anything in return. > > It's easy to be happy when all the boddhisatvas are around. I wanna be in > peace whether it is boddhisatvas or devils or demons that surround me. > > Still a long way to go. > > Siska > From: ChrisAustinLane <[email protected]> > Sender: [email protected] > Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2011 06:08:59 -0700 > To: [email protected]<[email protected]> > ReplyTo: [email protected] > Cc: [email protected]<[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Zen] Fwd: Re: [Zen Living] Supreme Vehicle > > Wow, that is really different from my experience. I am constantly living in a > sea of kind action. Food is shared, cars yield, smiles are smiled, sesshins > are planned, children are taught, people send emails with interesting > conversations for me to enjoy. I can scarcely go ten feet without running > into another marvel. > > In Three Pillar's of Zen, someone says: when you begin to tread upon the > Buddha path, ten thousand boddhisattvas spring up to help you. > > That has totally been my daily life. > > Someone may wish to argue that I can't peak into the heads of all these > helpful folks and see what thoughts they has during their action, but how are > their thoughts any more essential than my thoughts? Such a judgmental > question would cause me to miss so much good food and moments, I will please > skip it. > > Thanks, > Chris Austin-Lane > Sent from a cell phone > > On Sep 13, 2011, at 5:20, [email protected] wrote: > > > Hi Mayka, > > > > I agree there are people who serve 'selflessly' for the benefit of people. > > 'Selfless' here is in the sense where the actions are not performed for the > > benefit of oneself but others, and nothing is expected in return from > > people who receive the kindness. I believe this is what you are saying. And > > again, I agree. > > > > On the other hand, unless it is an action of an enlightened person (or in > > Zen's words perhaps of Buddha Mind), then there is still 'self' or 'ego' > > behind these 'selfless' acts. Most people still do an act of kindness with > > a purpose, for example, to see others happy. What happen if others are not > > happy? What happen if the conditions of people being helped is not improved? > > > > This is not to say that there is absolutely no one, on this earth, who do > > kindness just for the sake of doing it, just like eating when hungry and > > sleeping when sleepy, without identifying the kindness as something more > > special than the act of eating and sleeping. There may be. I just have not > > met any. > > > > Siska > > ------Original Message------ > > From: Maria Lopez > > Sender: [email protected] > > To: [email protected] > > ReplyTo: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Fwd: Re: [Zen Living] Supreme Vehicle > > Sent: Sep 11, 2011 15:53 > > > > Siska: They may be a tiny minority left in the world but still there are > > people who do things for the wellbeing of life and other human fellows for > > nothing. It's empathy what leads this minority to act in that way. There > > also culutres consider as an undevelop that they also do things for the > > sake of doing it. And there is not a catch when they do that. On the other > > side of the spectrum and Living in that "develop" societies that seem to go > > crazy in the worst way of destructive madness for all what is simple and > > beautiful and giving as a result selfish self-centered individuals doesn't > > mean that everyone is on that boat. Mayka --- On Sun, 11/9/11, > > [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote: From: [email protected] > > <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Fwd: Re: [Zen Living] Supreme > > Vehicle To: [email protected] Date: Sunday, 11 September, 2011, > > 4:27 Hi Mayka, > A high percentage of English people met, they tended to be > > very friendly only when they're not in their own land or also when they > > want something from you. Don't we all? Each of us is selfish being. It's > > only the extend we apply it in our actions that is a little different. > > Unless we're enlightened. Siska From: Maria Lopez > > <[email protected]> Sender: [email protected] Date: Sat, 10 > > Sep 2011 15:07:04 +0100 (BST) To: <[email protected]> ReplyTo: > > [email protected] Subject: Re: [Zen] Fwd: Re: [Zen Living] Supreme > > Vehicle Billl: If someone from the all over the world student s studying in > > England hear you about this "friendly people" may give you a good slap in > > the face to help see reality in England. American people are very helpful > > and friendly, that is a true statement. But, THE ENGLISH LIVING IN > > ENGLAND?. I don't think so!!. A high percentage of English people met, they > > tended to be very friendly only when they're not in their own land or also > > when they want something from you. . Mayka --- On Fri, 9/9/11, Bill! > > <[email protected]> wrote: From: Bill! <[email protected]> Subje > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are > > reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > >
