LOL! The fisherman tells the fish how to swim! Edgar
On Feb 20, 2013, at 10:14 PM, Bill! wrote: > Edgar, > > I'm distressed and rather embarrassed to have to inform you on such a public > forum as this that you have a teeny-weeny though not insignificant > misunderstanding of what Buddha Nature is. > > You can read about it, write about it and think about it all you want but > until you actually experience it you will forever be doomed to missing the > mark. > > My advice to you is to just sit (zazen); or better yet get thee to a Zen > Buddhist sangha with a teacher and let him tell you to just sit. Until you do > that you'll be forever surfing around on the illusory waves of form that you > yourself are stirring up in your intellect all the while thinking you're > really going somewhere. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Edgar Owen wrote: > > > > Bill, > > > > Wrong! All beings and in fact everything that exists 'has Buddha Nature' > > because Buddha Nature (tao or ontological energy) is what everything in the > > universe is made out of... It is THE ONLY substance of reality because it > > is being or existence itself. > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > On Feb 20, 2013, at 8:54 PM, Bill! wrote: > > > > > Siska, > > > > > > The premise is 'all SENTIENT beings have Buddha Nature', not just 'all > > > beings'. 'Sentient' is very important because it is that quality that is > > > Buddha Nature. > > > > > > How about I go to an outside source to address the uneasiness you've > > > expressed in resolving how all have Buddha Nature but only some are aware > > > of it? > > > > > > The Parable of the Hidden Gem > > > > > > "There once lived a poor man who used to drink too much. On one occasion, > > > he visited a wealthy friend, who offered him cup after cup of wine. He > > > enjoyed himself and drank so much that finally he fell sound asleep. His > > > friend had to leave on business. He knew that his poor companion > > > generally lost his wits when drinking, but he felt sorry for him and > > > wanted to help him in some way. So before leaving, he fastened a > > > priceless gem to the garment of the poor man as a gift. Then he departed, > > > certain that his poor friend would be delighted when he awoke and > > > discovered his new wealth. > > > > > > But things did not work out as the rich friend had planned. The drunken > > > man finally awoke, but he did not notice the gem which was sewn into his > > > garment. He got bleary-eyed and went out, believing he possessed no more > > > than a headache. He had no home nor steady work to go to, so he wandered > > > about from one place to another for many years, living a miserable > > > existence. > > > > > > One day he ran into his old friend. The friend was shocked by his > > > wretched appearance. "What's wrong with you?" he asked. "I left a > > > priceless gem sewn in your garment that last evening we were together. I > > > expected you to sell it, invest the money in some business, and get on > > > your feet at last. Why didn't you do so?" > > > > > > The poor man was bewildered. "Gem?" he asked. "What gem?" He felt along > > > the lining of his garment, and was astonished to find a precious stone > > > attached to it. He had been a wealthy man all this time without realizing > > > it." > > > > > > - Lotus Sutra, Chapter 8 > > > > > > This parable is an analogy of how a sentient being can have Buddha Nature > > > but not be aware of it. > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > --- In [email protected], siska_cen@ wrote: > > > > > > > > Hi Bill, > > > > > > > > What is the fundamental importance of the premise "All beings have > > > > Buddha Nature" if one is not aware of it? > > > > > > > > There is Buddha Nature, but some people are aware of it and some don't. > > > > So, what does this 'embedded' Buddha Nature implies? > > > > > > > > It doesn't feel right, feels like duality also, but I don't know how to > > > > describe it more clearly. > > > > > > > > > > > > Siska > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: "Bill!" > > > > Sender: [email protected] > > > > Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2013 07:31:42 > > > > To: [email protected]> > > > > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Fw: peek a boo ... > > > > > > > > Siska, > > > > > > > > In case Edgar is having a 'zen moment' and fails to respond I, as > > > > co-moderator, will cover this one. > > > > > > > > IMO... > > > > > > > > - All sentient beings have Buddha Nature. > > > > - The oft abused term 'enlightenment' means you are aware of Buddha > > > > Nature to some degree or other > > > > > > > > So...an 'unenlightened being' would be either a being that is not > > > > sentient or a sentient being who is not aware of Buddha Nature. > > > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], siska_cen@ wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Edgar, > > > > > > > > > > If I remember correctly, you were the one who told me, when I first > > > > > joined this group to learn more about Zen, that all beings have > > > > > Buddha nature, already enlightened in the first place. > > > > > > > > > > Now you are saying there are unenlightened beings.... > > > > > > > > > > I don't get it.... > > > > > > > > > > Siska > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > > From: Edgar Owen > > > > > Sender: [email protected] > > > > > Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:10:28 > > > > > To: [email protected]> > > > > > Reply-To: [email protected] > > > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Fw: peek a boo ... > > > > > > > > > > Siska, > > > > > > > > > > Because they ruined the perfect naturally produced forms of the > > > > > stones by cementing them all together in a mindless unenlightened > > > > > mish mash. Did you see Merle's photo? > > > > > > > > > > Of course in the deepest sense everything is reality therefore > > > > > everything is Zen, but this artificial concoction is the reality of > > > > > illusion, produced by illusion, by unenlightened beings, and thus is > > > > > Zen only when seen as NOT being zen! > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Feb 19, 2013, at 10:25 AM, siska_cen@ wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Doesn't Zen include everything, including the so called act of dumb > > > > > > Chinese? Why is this one Zenless? > > > > > > > > > > > > Siska > > > > > > > > > > > > From: Edgar Owen > > > > > > Sender: [email protected] > > > > > > Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:49:00 -0500 > > > > > > To: [email protected]> > > > > > > ReplyTo: [email protected] > > > > > > Subject: Re: [Zen] Fw: peek a boo ... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Here is where Zenless dumb Chinese absolutely ruin the beautiful > > > > > > natural shapes of these stones by pasting them together in a hodge > > > > > > podge.... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Edgar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Feb 14, 2013, at 6:04 PM, Merle Lester wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> IMG_6116 > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
