Mike, Great story! Reminds me of the day I climbed the highest mountain in the Catskills for the view. At the top we couldn't see more than 10 feet in any direction for the fog!
Also reminds me of the day I climbed Mt. Fuji illegally in November way out of season. Started walking up the road from the bottom mid afternoon. By the time it was dark a heavy snow was falling. The road was closed and there was not a single car on it, only the mountain and the trees and the snow and mile after mile of steadily rising totally empty road and me totally alone. Total magical silence in the night. A wonderful many hour walking meditation on the light within! Finally reached base camp where the road ends in the middle of the night. Only a single custodian there who gave me a bunk in the otherwise completely empty inn. Unfortunately was unable to finish the climb to the top as the snow was much too deep toward the summit.... Edgar On Mar 31, 2013, at 11:50 PM, [email protected] wrote: > Merle, > > If you have never practiced Zen with a teacher and have no grasp of the > history of Zen (from Indian Mahayana Buddhism to Chinese C'han to Japanese > Zen), then how do you know you are manifesting Buddha Nature as taught by > these traditions? Maybe you're mistaking your 'Zen' for a kundalini mystical > experience? Maybe a philosophical insight? Maybe a flash back to the 60s? But > whatever it is - it's definitely not Zen. I remember thinking this way back > when I posted the story about the Buddhist students climbing a mountain to > see a statue of the Buddha and when they were disappointed at it being > removed for repairs the monk in charge told them that if they couldn't see > the Buddha from where they were then they had better go back down the > mountain and study some more. I remember your dismissive response to this was > along the lines of "what's this nonsense about climbing a hill and not seeing > Buddha got to do with anything". This story would be as clear as day to > anyone who has experienced Buddha/Buddha Nature. > > Mike (hoping your knickers aren't twisting too tight!). > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone > > From: Merle Lester <[email protected]>; > To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; > Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: yam leaf diploma > Sent: Mon, Apr 1, 2013 3:01:18 AM > > > > > mike..jesus ..are you a crystal ball gazer? > > ... how the hell would you know if it's zen or not?.. > > why can't it be successful?...jesus...must zen be chinese japanese > orientation?...holy hell.. > > i thought well obviously mistaken as i am it was a human non racial thing > this zen.. > > here's one to get your kickers into a spin.. > . > aussie zen... and to prove it years ago i christened one of my students art > work...a very small very very ugly clay head.. > > the aussie buddha.. and it sits near a pond watching the world waiting for > the black snake the stork and the frog > > let's not get racist... > > zen flows freely like beer from a keg..unless you have no keg...huh? get my > drift?.. > > merle > > > Merle, > > One can be one's own teacher, but it's not usually very successful, is it? > Besides what you are teaching yourself is not Zen - at least not the Zen as > taught in the temples of Japan and China. Why not just call it another name? > > Mike > > > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail for iPhone > > From: Merle Lester <[email protected]>; > To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; > Subject: Re: [Zen] Re: yam leaf diploma > Sent: Mon, Apr 1, 2013 2:37:47 AM > > > > joe..you just don't get it...one can be one's own teacher...!!!!!...you > might need to follow..however there some who walk amongst us who can teach > ourselves... practise is doing ...remember..merle > > Merle, > > O, give it up all, you ego-attached "miserables". > > You cannot do it. Impossible. > > That's where practice comes in. > > That baggage, and other baggage, can dissolve. When it dissolves suddenly, > you come to see in subsequent days and weeks how you can live without all > those habits and conventions, and just "stay real". This is the way of Zen > practice, as it's been handed down for over 1500 years. There is no > substitute for this teaching, because nothing else is this teaching. Why be > put off by it, especially in a forum devoted to its tradition, and discussion > of it? It is the strangest incongruity to see you act so. > > I think you're another one who wants to start her own religion, as does Edgar. > > How about we let you two fight it out, or agree. How about somewhere else > besides here? > > --Joe > > > Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> wrote: > > > > edgar.. > > > > many cling and clutch <snip> > > > > > > >
