doc benway
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Everything posted by doc benway
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Nice post. I am with you I am...
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Haha! You're not that far... train tickets are reasonable... I had to cross the pond! Twice!!
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The Compassionate Daoist vs. the Compassionate buddhist
doc benway replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Daoist Discussion
Well lizards then at least? PS - ChiDragon - you are the first Daoist I've ever met who maintains that man is not a part of Nature. Very interesting perspective. Was that something you were taught or is it a conclusion you've reached from your own study? -
The Compassionate Daoist vs. the Compassionate buddhist
doc benway replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Daoist Discussion
I don't think your interpretation of Lao Zi makes any sense. Sorry, we'll just have to disagree on that. In my opinion, the reason that humans suffer and make mistakes is because they are disconnected with their true nature. Daoism is about restoring that connection. Of course, you're entitled to your interpretation. I also disagree with your analysis of harm. I have an open mind but your intellectual analysis of what is and isn't a part of Nature is inconsistent with my own direct, personal experience as well as my knowledge of science. So we'll just have to agree to disagree. MH - why hasn't anyone brought up the alien angle yet? -
Awesome post zerostao. I love van Gogh's work. I did a bit of a van Gogh tour in southern France (Arles and St. Remy) then visited the van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Highly recommended to anyone interseted and able to go... The asylum in St. Remy is fascinating. There are reproductions of his paintings in multiple areas where he actually painted so you can compare the perspective on the canvas with his view...
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I'm not in London but are you free to share your Xingyiquan curriculum with us? I practice as well and it's always interesting to compare...
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The Compassionate Daoist vs. the Compassionate buddhist
doc benway replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Daoist Discussion
Agreed, and in every living thing. Not that we can necessarily recognize it as such as we are limited to human experience. And I acknowledge that for some it will be a stretch to make that leap and that's fine. Just my perspective gleaned through my life experience. Perhaps - as we've discussed in other threads, I tend to look at "me" as being that characteristic of my thought process that assumes the mantle of "me" and is convinced that it is the doer and the thinker. In my own practice and experience, I haven't been able to find that me, aside from the recurring thought that tells me it is so.... It certainly seems that way. But again, where's the me? I feel the me may be nothing more than an observer and a narrator. I can't prove that nor do I think there's any need to but my practice and experience has brought me to this conclusion. And I'm open to the possibility that I'm completely wrong. Exactly, we are on the same page here. The universe, the mind, God, Buddha-nature, Eric Cartman,... whatever labels you want to use, manifests through me and I'm observing and narrating that experience to my self. And I'm not equating the paths here (as some like to accuse me), the paths are all unique. But whatever it is that the credible paths are guiding us towards is what I'm refering to. So Daoism is about acknowledging and experiencing that process of Dao acting through us without the interference of the "me" that can't be found but does so much damage... A delightful mystery! Maybe I should have subtituted Wu Wei for Daoism above... but hopefully I'm communicating my thoughts clearly. -
The Compassionate Daoist vs. the Compassionate buddhist
doc benway replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Daoist Discussion
I have a different perspective. I think that nature does have very deep, in fact infinite compassion and it is expressed in our very life and breath. Life is the vehicle through which that compassion becomes manifest, particularly human life. Yes, there is pain and yes, there is death and suffering but that does not negate the presence of compassion. At least that's what I'm feeling lately... stick around, it could change! -
The Compassionate Daoist vs. the Compassionate buddhist
doc benway replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Daoist Discussion
Sorry, I'm waiting for an answer to my question first... If humans are not a direct manifestation of Nature, what are we? Before it is worthwhile to consider how are actions relate to Nature, we need to establish what we are relative to Nature. Edited for grammar -
The Compassionate Daoist vs. the Compassionate buddhist
doc benway replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Daoist Discussion
I couldn't disagree with you more. It's not that I miss the point. I simply think that you are misguided in your interpretation. Lao Zi absolutely understood that humans are a part of nature. Do you believe that everything alive is a part of nature except humans? Then what are humans? Are we a technological creation? All life is part of nature. This is why the place to look for answers is inside yourself, not in a book. This is why the Daoists practice meditation and qigong. Lao Zi recognized that humans had lost touch with their true nature through conditioning, through social engineering, and political manipulation. The entire message of Daoism can be summed up in helping people to reconnect with and embrace their original nature. That's what Wu Wei is all about. That's what Zi Ran is all about. Our dependence on technology (like clothing) seems to be an adaptation. It is a natural response to our progressive technological advancement. Or perhaps not, that's just the most plausible explanation I can come up with offhand. Maybe there is another explanation altogether. And maybe you're right and we are not a part of nature. If that's the case, what are we? The madman is an aberration, that's why we call him a madman. Nevertheless, if that happens someday, yes - it is in fact an act of nature. If an asteroid hits the earth and wipes out humanity, is that not nature? This is the whole meaning of Zhuang Zi's Empty Boat parable. An empty boat bumps into you, no problem - it's nature. Just because a person is steering the boat, it is no different than the empty boat... the wise man does not get angry. And the sage is so skillful, he disappears altogether, he is as nature - empty of intent, wu wei. But I don't think I will convince you of anything. That's fine. We can agree to disagree on this. -
I don't know Jim but I'm sorry to hear about his death and feel deeply for his family and friends. Rest in peace Jim.
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The Compassionate Daoist vs. the Compassionate buddhist
doc benway replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Daoist Discussion
So then your definition doesn't hold up anymore, you have to do away with the non-interference part... I look at it differently. If I see a baby in the river, it is in my nature to save it. I AM Nature. I am not other than Nature. So when I save the baby, Nature is saving the baby using me as a vehicle. I am not interfering at all. That's what I was leading up to... you beat me to the punch line by ~ 3 seconds... So I'd like to add, ChiDragon, that the problem I have with your definition of Wu Wei is the invocation of "harm." Once you bring that into it, you are making value judgements and Nature doesn't do that. There is plenty of harm in nature. It's all a matter of perspective. When the lion eats a gazelle, to the lion there is no harm done but it's different for a gazelle. If a baby falls in the river and you and I aren't there to save it you can bet the mom has been deeply harmed. When I make a shelter and kill a few plants - I'm harming nature. When a hurricane blows through New Orleans - enormous harm... The definition I can get behind is that of non-interference. But for that definition to work you've got to recognize yourself as just another extension of Nature. The tricky part is to know when you are interfering and when you are not. That's what the sage has figured out and the rest of us are working on. -
Does anyone know if Jim McMillan is still alive?
doc benway replied to Sleeper's topic in General Discussion
I'll also add based on recent activity... No good advice goes unignored... -
The Compassionate Daoist vs. the Compassionate buddhist
doc benway replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Daoist Discussion
I do like your answer to the baby question and how it arose from your definition of Wu Wei. Thanks for the reply. Although I will add that if a baby jumps into the river and you save her, you have interfered with nature, have you not? -
I can be a bit concrete in my thinking at times but yes, I assumed you were joking - what with the Hehehe and all. I sort of was also...
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The Compassionate Daoist vs. the Compassionate buddhist
doc benway replied to Cheshire Cat's topic in Daoist Discussion
Should one save a drowning child who falls into a river? -
I'd say it belongs in the tech forums for posterity. Nice to see the mod team respond to the wishes of the community. I think we have an exceptional group in charge right now. Thanks for your time and efforts all...
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heart goes oom pah pah! breath whooshes in, billows out, From whence does it flow?
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before I go bald... ticks, lice, and other critters - welcome to my scalp!
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Resting the mind in its natural state
doc benway replied to Seeker of Wisdom's topic in Buddhist Discussion
།ཆོས་རྣམས་མ་ལུས་གཉིས་མེད་པའི། །རང་རིག་བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་ཉིད་དོ། One's knowledge of the non-duality of all phenomena is bodhicitta -Vajrasattvamāyājālaguhyasarvādarśa-nāma-tantra -
PS - I voted over a half hour ago and I still have the option to delete my vote... Ironic, huh?
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Resting the mind in its natural state
doc benway replied to Seeker of Wisdom's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Thanks for clarifying that. Sorry if I misunderstood you. Your English is fine, probably better than mine. -
Resting the mind in its natural state
doc benway replied to Seeker of Wisdom's topic in Buddhist Discussion
I just re-read your post and I see that you said yes "I have met such" - so my point is, have those people stopped practicing? Have they stopped looking for even deeper insight or for ways of manifesting that perfect knowing through their actions? Are they perfect humans without any flaw or occasional stumble? I don't think so... I won't speak to legendary and historical folks but those we can touch and see. They're still human. They've awakened and see the true nature of things and they still practice, they are still developing, and stabilizing and finding deeper ways to manifest the truths they've glimpsed until maybe one day they can manifest that truth in every waking moment and every breath. That's my meaning. -
Resting the mind in its natural state
doc benway replied to Seeker of Wisdom's topic in Buddhist Discussion
No, not at all... Sorry, I meant someone currently alive or recently deceased... -
Resting the mind in its natural state
doc benway replied to Seeker of Wisdom's topic in Buddhist Discussion
I'm having trouble knowing how to respond here. Can you name anyone that, in your mind, has awakened? Don't mean to put you on the spot and it's not a rhetorical question.
