Siska, Your point belows mirrors a zen story. I searched for it on the internet but couldn't find a version there. I'll give you a very condensed version of it:
A zen monk was on a journey between two monestaries. He was travelling alone. About an hour into his journey while walking past a lake he heard a women screaming for help. He ran to her where she pointed out her young son thrashing about in the water about 20 yards from shore. "He can't swim! Please help him!", she pleaded. The monk shed his robes, jumped in the water, swam out to the boy and brought him safely back to shore. After his robes had dried he continued on his journey. About an hour later he was walking through a small village and smelled smoke. He found the source of the smoke to be coming from the second floor of a storefront. He heard crying coming from the room. He burst into the store, ran up the stairs and found the front room on fire. In the room was a baby crib with a small infant choking on the smoke. He scooped up the infant, carried her back down to the street and returned her safely to her family. He had not gone but about an hour more until he came across a frightened rabbit hiding under some bushes. The rabbit was completely exhausted and couldn't even move away when the monk uncovered him. Just then he heard the baying of dogs and saw a group of hunters hurring towards him brandishing their bows and arrows. "We've been chasing a rabbit. Have you seen him?" they inquired. "Yes I have, just a moment ago" answered the monk. "You should continue on down the road as quickly as you can!" After they left the monk picked up the rabbit, tucked it under his robes and continued the opposite way down the road. After some time when the rabbit seemed revived he released it. When he finally arrived at the other monestary well after dark he was summoned to the zen master's room. "We were worried about you! Why are you so late? What happened on your journey?" asked the zen master. "Oh, nothing special" replied the monk. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], siska_cen@... 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 > > 02 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 fellows02for > nothing.02 It's empathy what leads this minority to act in that way.02 > There also culutres consider02as an undevelop that they also do things for > the sake of doing it.0202 And there is not a catch when02they do > that.02 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 and02giving as a result02 selfish > self-centered individuals doesn't mean that02everyone is on that boat.02 > Mayka 0202 --- On Sun, 11/9/11, siska_cen@... <siska_cen@...> wrote: > From: siska_cen@... <siska_cen@...> Subject: Re: [Zen] Fwd: Re: [Zen Living] > Supreme Vehicle To: [email protected] Date: Sunday, 11 September, > 2011, 4:27 02 Hi Mayka, > A high percentage of English people met, > 02they02tended to be very friendly only when they're not in their own > land or also when they want something from you.02 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 > <flordeloto@...> 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 02 Billl: If someone from the all over the world students studying > in England hear you about this "friendly people" may give you a good slap in > the face to help see reality in England.02 American people are very helpful > and02friendly, that is a true statement.02 But, THE ENGLISH LIVING IN > ENGLAND?.0202 I don't think so!!.02A high percentage of English people > met, 02they02tended to be very friendly only when they're not in their > own land or also when they want something from you.02. Mayka 02 02 02 > --- On Fri, 9/9/11, Bill! <BillSmart@...> wrote: From: Bill! <BillSmart@...> > Subje > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> 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/
