And the monk was clearly not in a situation where telling a good story or two was a gift to the listeners.
Thanks, Chris Austin-Lane Sent from a cell phone On Sep 14, 2011, at 1:11, Anthony Wu <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Bill, > > Touching stories. > > Is the monk moral or amoral? > > What urged him to save drowning and choking kids, and a hunted rabbit? Or was > that a 'natural act' from Buddha nature? > What do you think of pedophilic priests in Ireland, who had 'sexual > indiscretion' with minors? Is that amoral? > > Anthony > > --- On Wed, 14/9/11, Bill! <[email protected]> wrote: > > From: Bill! <[email protected]> > Subject: [Zen] Fwd: Re: [Zen Living] Supreme Vehicle > To: [email protected] > Date: Wednesday, 14 September, 2011, 10:47 AM > > 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 > > > > 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, > > 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 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 <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 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. 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! <BillSmart@...> wrote: > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@...> Subje > > > > > >
