doc benway
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Everything posted by doc benway
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[ And this is yet another concept... The answer is not to be found in or by the mind. The nature of mind simply needs to be left alone, as it is. There is nothing to be done to it, or by it, it is nothing to be seen, or apprehended. I do understand what you are saying about the value of recognizing, or more importantly, experiencing continuity through practice but that simply points to another relative characteristic, doesn't it?
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So important to take time and listen carefully, multiple times before choosing one. Mine has helped me purify my house. It has wonderful, complex tones.
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This thread is for succinct discussion of Buddhist topics. Each post must be < 50 words. No consecutive posts. I generally don't have time to read the really long posts. I think they give us room to deteriorate into argument and detours. Anyone interested?
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A Handbook of Zen Meditation- Opinions wanted.
doc benway replied to Taiji Bum's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Your experience is very normal. As the mind quiets and looks at itself in Shamatha practice, the coarse thoughts become very obvious. As they begin to space out and subside, the next layer of incomplete thoughts and images, feelings, and ideas is unveiled. And boy, is there a lot of shit there that we weren't aware of. It's not so much that things are getting stirred up as that they are becoming exposed. As those fragments and images subside, even more subtle layers are exposed, emotional impressions, fleeting images and feelings, etc... Shamatha is like peeling an onion... -
An Experiment in Buddhist Discussion
doc benway replied to doc benway's topic in Buddhist Discussion
In night-time dreams? Or the samsaric dream? I may not have expressed myself well but no, I don't mean to equate dreaming with the Nature of Mind. I meant to compare the process of awakening in the night-time dream to awakening in the daytime (samsaric) dream. As I think about it there are many levels and subtleties that could be explored. For example, looking at awakening in vs awakening from, and what that means and so on… I think there is an analogy there of some value but take all that with a grain of salt - my own dreaming practice is in its infancy. -
The Little Monk and the Samurai: A big, tough samurai once went to see a little monk. "Monk!" He barked, in a voice accustomed to instant obedience. "Teach me about heaven and hell!" The monk looked up at the mighty warrior and replied with utter disdain, "Teach you about heaven and hell? I couldn't teach you about anything. You're dumb. You're dirty. You're a disgrace, an embarrassment to the samurai class. Get out of my sight. I can't stand you." The samurai got furious. He shook, red in the face, speechless with rage. He pulled out his sword, and prepared to slay the monk. Looking straight into the samurai's eyes, the monk said softly, "That's hell." The samurai froze, realizing the compassion of the monk who had risked his life to show him hell! He put down his sword and fell to his knees, filled with gratitude. The monk said softly, "And that's heaven."
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Tuesday evening …. is no more, if ever was And yet again soon
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Nice to have you back to proper form. I haven't been able to follow you much lately, I know I'm a bit dense and impatient. I haven't read the other thread you reference and now I'm not going to, nor any more of this one. To do so would simply be too intellectual and I'd just as soon point the finger at myself. I got a new cushion today and will go sit on it for a while. Thank you, dear. Genuinely
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Here's a good question - Who wants to know? Here's a good answer - http://thetaobums.com/topic/33767-aiming-at-the-space-between-thoughts/?p=532923
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Practitioners of chinese medicine, enter! I need your opinions.
doc benway replied to UTI's topic in General Discussion
Great thread and great work UTI. I'll offer a slightly different perspective. Chinese medical practitioners often attempt to link the energetic with the anatomy. One of the beauties of Chinese medicine is that it transcends the anatomy, as does the human body. Visible and tangible anatomy is a very small part of the picture. There are many layers of more subtle processes that link the organ systems such as the hormonal system, the nervous system, etc... For example, all of the respiratory epithelium in our body is linked together physiologically so that if I get a sinus infection, my lungs and bronchial tree get inflamed and so on and so forth. So one thing that you may want to try and represent through your work is how the energetic system of Chinese medicine captures the inter-relationships of the anatomic and physiologic systems. I'll leave it at that as your imagination and creativity seem beyond mine! Keep up the good work. -
An Experiment in Buddhist Discussion
doc benway replied to doc benway's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Thanks for the clarification, I was reading more into your words perhaps than you intended. I agree, and in my own life and practice, I try to reduce it further. So that in each and every moment, when I am thinking ("lost" in thought), I am in ignorance. Even if thinking about Dharma! Although better to think about Dharma and other matters supportive of positive karmic traces than most other topics until such time as I can stabilize in lucidity in each and every moment... When there is simply the observation of thought forming, dwelling, and liberating and all that occurs in between, there is lucidity. And it's not quite so cut and dry as there are so many subtle layers of mental/emotional occurrence/disturbance. The process of refining seems infinite - but that's probably just my inexperience talking. Hmmm, at the risk of starting another silly debate on the meaning of rigpa, I wonder (for those fluent in Tibetan) if lucidity would be a reasonable alternative for translation. From the Latin lucidus - light, clear, bright... -
To take it a step further, it is sometimes said that [insert preferred name here] Buddha himself was not at all important as a person. I think some of that attitude is contained in the Zen koan regarding killing the Buddha if one meets him in the road..., although the koan goes beyond that simple aspect. The teachings, as you point out, stand on their own. One of the wonderful things about reading or listening to the Dalai Lama is how strongly he emphasizes his common and humble standing. If the historical Buddha or one of the subsequent Buddhas were to stride through India or Tibet (certainly NYC) in their simple robes, teaching in their soft and unassuming voices, now or in times past, more likely than not they would have been completely ignored... As far as "...without claims to the supernatural." goes, that is all a matter of perspective. Certainly, Buddhism does not posit a creator entity. Nevertheless, the vast majority of non-Buddhists, and many Buddhists as well, find things like emptiness, rainbow body, reincarnation, and the like to be quite supernatural. Much of that is related to misunderstanding but I think that can be said about the belief in a creator entity equally. To some, a creator is the most natural thing in the world. Again - all a matter of perspective and what one is accustomed to.
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An Experiment in Buddhist Discussion
doc benway replied to doc benway's topic in Buddhist Discussion
I think I understand your point - we are more ignorant when in night-time dream as compared to night-time lucidity and less ignorant during the day-time dream as compared to day-time lucidity. Is that accurate? -
An Experiment in Buddhist Discussion
doc benway replied to doc benway's topic in Buddhist Discussion
I don't think that last post was 50 words or less... A friend, adept at lucid dreaming told me of his experience last night. While "in" the night-time dream, he could feel strong emotional attachment. When becoming lucid, the attachment vanished and he could watch the display with equanimity. I think this is analogous to becoming 'lucid' as we observe our day-time 'dream' from the perspective of the Nature of Mind. -
An Experiment in Buddhist Discussion
doc benway replied to doc benway's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Oops... You're not wrong, I mis-posted. I meant to write - The deep desire for happiness is not rooted in ignorance but I do believe that this fundamental desire and ignorance can and do exist in us simultaneously. Otherwise there would be no ignorance. I do not believe, experience, or posit that there is any such thing as fundamental ignorance. As you say, it is a consequence of conditioning. Thanks for the links - I'll check them out. -
An Experiment in Buddhist Discussion
doc benway replied to doc benway's topic in Buddhist Discussion
This is what I was referring to more specifically. Being spiteful, habitual insensitivity, and fear all arise from ignorance, IMO. "I think it only appears like ignorance when we temporarily forget that fundamentally all beings want to avoid suffering. i do not accept this deep desire for happiness is rooted in ignorance." The deep desire for happiness is not rooted in ignorance but I do believe that this desire and fundamental ignorance can and do exist in us simultaneously. Otherwise there would be no ignorance. -
An Experiment in Buddhist Discussion
doc benway replied to doc benway's topic in Buddhist Discussion
As so often happens, I'll state what you already know and have left unsaid - for effect.From the perspective of the three poisons, how is this not ignorance? Duh... broke my own rule #2... -
An Experiment in Buddhist Discussion
doc benway replied to doc benway's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Much meaningful benefit or breakthrough chatting about koans? No judgement or preconception here, I'm genuinely interested and inexperienced. I certainly learn from discussion but my real insights and breakthroughs seem to come from personal investigation or out of the blue, without warning or discernible source. -
An Experiment in Buddhist Discussion
doc benway replied to doc benway's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Koans were designed to be a stimulus for personal investigation under the guidance of a master, not for debate and discussion so much… That said, it is dbyer-med -
TBH, this site is quite useless in taoist forms.
doc benway replied to TheExaltedRonin's topic in Daoist Discussion
Probably why it's called the tao bums, not the hardcore taoists… -
What can be done to stop Buddhist Discussion turning to flame
doc benway replied to thelerner's topic in Buddhist Discussion
I agree with that statement. There are many things that are not conducive to cultivating the four immeasurables or purifying the three poisons. Are those activities that are important to you? -
My Experiences with Sadhguru, Isha, Inner Engineering, and BSP
doc benway replied to Lucky7Strikes's topic in General Discussion
All the stuff that goes on in meditation, at the ashram, and so forth is all well and good but what really is important is this - Very nice to hear that you are feeling ease and comfort - may it continue to grow and stabilize in you. _/\_ -
What can be done to stop Buddhist Discussion turning to flame
doc benway replied to thelerner's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Yes -
What can be done to stop Buddhist Discussion turning to flame
doc benway replied to thelerner's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Yes, I think we more or less agree. I also think I need to be careful about how I say things. I don't want to sound as if people should or shouldn't do something because I see it in a certain way. I probably do come off like that, however. One of my principles to live by is - It is not selfish to live my life as I see fit. Selfishness is when I expect you to live your life as I see fit. -- Anthony DeMello
