Bill, So that is your belief system, and it is real. Anthony
________________________________ From: Bill! <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, 30 October 2011 4:52 PM Subject: [Zen] Re: Zen and Buddhism Anthony, If you're asking would I jump off a 9-story building, the answer is no, and the reason is because I would be afraid of getting hurt or killed. And yes, this is because of my belief in cause-and-effect. If you're asking about the raw experience of jumping off a 9-story building I'd say the experience when you landed would be pretty severe and your discriminating mind probably wouldn't have much of a chance to create such determinations as 'gee, this hurts', or 'this is bad', or 'I don't think I'll do that again!'. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@...> wrote: > > Bill, >  > While I can see that your statement regarding Buddha Nature experience makes > (zen) sense. You have to explain the cause and effect of a person jumping > from a nine story building. Does it have a determinant effect? Is it 'raw'? >  > Anthony > > > ________________________________ > From: Bill! <BillSmart@...> > To: Zen_Forum@... > Sent: Saturday, 29 October 2011 10:29 AM > Subject: [Zen] Re: Zen and Buddhism > > >  > Anthony, > > Quarks, dinosaurs, etc..., can only stand up to 'proof' if you have faith in > the 'proof', have faith in the scientific method, have faith in logic and > human concept of cause-and-effect. > > All belief systems are built on faith, and science is such a system. > > Only raw, un-filtered, un-censored, un-interpreted, un-categorized, > un-valuated sensory experience (Buddha Nature) can be accpeted without faith. > It is the only real thing you have. All else are concepts and beliefs - and > are based on faith, not immediate, raw experience. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote: > > > > Bill, > >  > > The story of turtles cannot stand proof, but quarks, dinosaurs, > > supernova... can. Science and history are as much a belief system as the > > knowledge that jumping from a nine story building without your psychic guru > > will get killed. They are less of that than Yehowa asking you to kill the > > people you conquered, and Buddha presenting a flower at the Vulture Peak. > >  > > Anthony > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@> > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Saturday, 29 October 2011 9:27 AM > > Subject: [Zen] Re: Zen and Buddhism > > > > > >  > > Anthony, > > > > ...and is the endless series of turtles any less of a belief system than > > our theory of matter, molecules, atoms, atomic particles, hadrons, quarks, > > etc..ad infinitum? > > > > ...Bill! > > > > --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote: > > > > > > Historical facts and science are NOT based on a belief system. Many times > > > they run counter each other. For instance, a scientist was lecturing on > > > our solar system of the earth rotating around the sun. A woman rose from > > > seat and declared it nonsense. She said, 'the earth is flat, supported by > > > a huge turtle.' 'Who supports the turtle?', she was asked. 'Oh, you > > > stupid. It is supported by another turtle. And still anothor turtle. It > > > is turtles all the way down.' That is a belief system. > > >  > > > Grasshopper > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@> > > > To: [email protected] > > > Sent: Friday, 28 October 2011 4:13 PM > > > Subject: [Zen] Re: Zen and Buddhism > > > > > > > > >  > > > Anthony, > > > > > > And so, little grasshopper, are you saying that 'historical facts' and > > > 'science' aren't based on a belief system? > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Bill, > > > > ÃÆ'‚ > > > > Belief systems and historical facts are different things. It is OK to > > > > deify Buddha in sutras or any scriptures compiled in the name of > > > > Buddha, as long as you bear that in mind. However, historical facts > > > > such as the real life of Buddha and that of the sixth Patriarch had > > > > better be maintained in as close to history as possible. I consider the > > > > latter a 'science'. > > > > ÃÆ'‚ > > > > Anthony > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: Bill! <BillSmart@> > > > > To: [email protected] > > > > Sent: Thursday, 27 October 2011 4:56 PM > > > > Subject: [Zen] Re: Zen and Buddhism > > > > > > > > > > > > ÃÆ'‚ > > > > Anthony and ED, > > > > > > > > I don't take any of the Sutras or the story of the Flower Sermon as > > > > absolute fact. I just assume they are mythic to a greater or lessor > > > > extent. Whether or not any of these things written about in the Sutras, > > > > the Bible or any other Holy Books actually happened is not important to > > > > me. > > > > > > > > I still believe the 'seeds' of Buddhism are containted in the Sutras; > > > > the 'seed' of Zen is revealed in the Flower Sermon; and the 'seed' of > > > > zen (Buddha Nature) already exists in every sentient being. > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "ED" <seacrofter001@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Anthony, > > > > > > > > > > All teachings are continually evolving. See: > > > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature > > > > > <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha-nature> > > > > > > > > > > I find the Flower Sutra to be magnificent. Anyway, what matter to me > > > > > is > > > > > that the Flower Sutra edifies and inspires me - and that's all that > > > > > matters to me. > > > > > > > > > > --ED > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], Anthony Wu <wuasg@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > ED, > > > > > > > > > > > > If the Flower Sermon appeared in the 14th century, while the Buddha > > > > > lived in the 6th Century BC, what happened in the 2,000 year gap? Did > > > > > the physical Buddha returned from the grave to transmit the dharma? Or > > > > > the 'dharmakaya' of the Buddha showed up to spread the untold > > > > > teaching? > > > > > > > > > > > > Anthony > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
