my two bits is it's all in the mind!..merle Hi Bill,
Okay now it's clearer why this premise is rather strange to me. The fact that he has been a wealthy man without realising it does not change the fact that he has been a poor man instead. He was living poorly anyway, whether or not the precious gem was there. When we don't realise Buddha Nature, whether or not it is us, does not matter, does it? I guess that statement was supposed to teach people not to look elsewhere but within. But if all sentient beings are Buddha Nature, this is wrong too. People should stop searching for anything at all and stop trying to become anything, including realising Buddha Nature. What do you think? Siska 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 > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
