Marblehead Posted December 11, 2009 Hehehe. Yes, let's don't get on topic here. We don't want to spoil the spontanaity we have going. Bunny, Bunny, where's my lovely Bunny? Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted December 16, 2009 And so, Bunny leading and the Sage following they proceed to the elevator, decend to the lower basement, walk down a dimly-lite hallway, turning left at the end and down another dimly-lit hallway to the last room on the right. The Sage quickly scans the room and notices that the room is filled with dictionaries of all types, shapes and sizes. Bunny walks to a bookshelf in the far corner of the room and grasps one of the volumes and walks toward a bare table with four chair surrounding it. She then invites the Sage to have a seat. "No not on my lap!" she snapped angrily. The Sage just shrugged he was too old for embarrassment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Foote Posted December 16, 2009 "No not on my lap!" she snapped angrily. The Sage just shrugged he was too old for embarrassment. Bunny slammed the small dictionary down, making her way around the far side of the long dark-wood table away from the Sage, and said "you can leave it when you're done." The Sage watched her go, and listened to her heels and the whir of the air-conditioning under the light of the single overhead flourescent fixture. His eyes turned to the cover of the dictionary, which said "Small Illustrated Pocket Medical Dictionary". What in the world could that have to say about happiness, he wondered, as he fingered the condom in his pocket. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted December 16, 2009 Bunny slammed the small dictionary down, making her way around the far side of the long dark-wood table away from the Sage, and said "you can leave it when you're done." The Sage watched her go, and listened to her heels and the whir of the air-conditioning under the light of the single overhead flourescent fixture. His eyes turned to the cover of the dictionary, which said "Small Illustrated Pocket Medical Dictionary". What in the world could that have to say about happiness, he wondered, as he fingered the condom in his pocket. As he picked up the dictionary the pages fell open at a well worn section on boils and pustules. "Ah!" murmured the Sage to himself, "abscess makes the heart grow fonder." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 16, 2009 You guys crack me up. Hehehe. I have no idea how I am going to get us out of this. We'll see what comes up. (Oh No!!! I didn't say that.) Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ohm-Nei Posted December 17, 2009 I have no idea. But I will ask the next Taoist sage I see. I promise! Happy Trails! Hey! I saw one about 15 minutes ago. I asked him and he said, "Only if you want it to be." I asked him what that meant and he just smiled and walked away. So there you go. Don't Worry! Be Happy! "Home is where you make it" "You like to see homos naked?" Makes me think that realty is only what you make of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 17, 2009 Makes me think that reality is only what you make of it. That is more true than most of us ever realize. Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted December 17, 2009 "Thirty years ago, before I began the study of Zen, I said, 'Mountains are mountains, waters are waters.' After I got insight into the truth of Zen through the instructions of a good master, I said, 'Mountains are not mountains, waters are not waters.' But now, having attained the abode of final rest, I say, 'Mountains are really mountains, waters are really waters'." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 17, 2009 Thanks for sharing that. Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seththewhite Posted December 17, 2009 Is there a Tao Bums festival that I can attend? I would Love to meet all of you. I would also like to have conversations with all of you after eating mushrooms lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
innerspace_cadet Posted December 18, 2009 I personally don't believe in happiness...at least not in the way most ordinary Americans would term it. Whenever I hear someone say "I'm happy" I am so tempted to ask them why they are happy. Not that there should be a "why" to authentic happiness (bliss). But I think most self consciously "happy" people would say one of the following: Because I have a fulfilling job. Because I have a beautiful wife whom I love dearly. Because I make a lot of money. Because I have a lot of friends. And so on and so forth. But what if you were to lose all of the above? True happiness can withstand any calamity, no matter how devastating or frightening. Most Americans--myself included--would not be able to withstand such things. That's why I am very reluctant to call myself happy. That is also why I am suspicious of people who self consciously call themselves happy. People like that remind me of people who call themselves spiritual but who don't have a clue what they're talking about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 18, 2009 Is there a Tao Bums festival that I can attend? Wouldn't it be great if we could have a get-together somewhere, sometime? Peace & Love! I personally don't believe in happiness...at least not in the way most ordinary Americans would term it. Valid what you have said, I think. Perhaps when we get to that point in this story we will be able to make this a part of our concluding arguements. Thanks for sharing. Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 19, 2009 The Sage looks down again at the "Small Illustrated Pocket Medical Dictionary" sitting on the table that Bunny had offered him and thinks to himself, "This is not what will aid me in my search." So he stands up, picks up the dictionary and returns it to where Bunny had gotten it from. He then begins looking around the shelves and after a few minutes finds what he believes he is looking for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tao99 Posted December 24, 2009 (edited) In the mean time some crazy old kook in the back starts rantin about how Laozi had described the ancient masters of the Tao (albeit rather arbitrarily as they were too deep to comprehend), and surely they were happy (is that the same as blissy or serene?) as one can be! Tao Teh Ching Chapter 15 Of old those who were skillful masters of the Tao were subtly mysterious and profoundly penetrating; too deep to comprehend. And because they cannot be comprehended, I can only describe them arbitrarily: Cautious, like crossing a frozen stream, Careful, like one guarding against danger, Reserved, like one visiting, Flexible, like ice melting. Genuine, like uncarved wood, Open, like a valley, Merged, like muddy water. Who can make muddy water gradually clear through Quietude? Who can make the still gradually come to life through Tao-embracing activity? He who embraces this Tao does not want to fill himself to overflowing. It is precisely because there is no overflowing that he is beyond wearing out and renewal. Edited December 24, 2009 by Tao99 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thuscomeone Posted December 24, 2009 I personally don't believe in happiness...at least not in the way most ordinary Americans would term it. Whenever I hear someone say "I'm happy" I am so tempted to ask them why they are happy. Not that there should be a "why" to authentic happiness (bliss). But I think most self consciously "happy" people would say one of the following: Because I have a fulfilling job. Because I have a beautiful wife whom I love dearly. Because I make a lot of money. Because I have a lot of friends. And so on and so forth. But what if you were to lose all of the above? True happiness can withstand any calamity, no matter how devastating or frightening. Most Americans--myself included--would not be able to withstand such things. That's why I am very reluctant to call myself happy. That is also why I am suspicious of people who self consciously call themselves happy. People like that remind me of people who call themselves spiritual but who don't have a clue what they're talking about. Love it. Spot on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tao99 Posted December 26, 2009 (edited) Is real happiness the same as being blissy, or full of bliss? Is it the same as being tranquil or serene? Is is real because its based on a necessary real cause, and not on a secondary side effect like being rich? So easy to question, so hard to answer ... Edited December 26, 2009 by Tao99 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 26, 2009 So easy to question, so hard to answer ... Yeah. But we are working on that. We have some really great comments so far that I plan to revisit later. Peace & Love! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted December 31, 2009 The Sage returns to the table, places the book on the table and takes a seat. The book is titled "Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary". It is the first print of the first edition. What a gem! He opens the dictionary very carefully and begins looking for the word "happiness". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C T Posted January 16, 2010 Hey MH, Here is the gift of an ounce of inspiration related to your topic: Its called the Pursuit of Understanding, Happiness and Virtue! Have a great weekend mate! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted January 16, 2010 (edited) Hey MH, Here is the gift of an ounce of inspiration related to your topic: Its called the Pursuit of Understanding, Happiness and Virtue! Have a great weekend mate! Thanks. I'll check it out later. I'm recording right now and YouTube would destroy my work. Peace & Love! I like that Bob. Thanks for sharing. Peace & Love! Okay. I checked the video out. What can I say? Outstanding!! That is how is see "real" Buddhism to be. Thanks very much for that. I hope many members of this forum watch it. Peace & Love! Edited January 16, 2010 by Marblehead Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tao99 Posted January 17, 2010 (edited) Happy: 1. favored by luck or fortune: fortunate 2. notably well adapted or fitting: felicitous <a ~ choice> 3. a. enjoying well-being and contentment: joyous b. expressing or suggestive of happiness: pleasant c. glad, pleased 4. a. characterized by a dazed irresponsible state <a punch-happy prizefighter> b. impulsively or obsessively quick to use something <trigger-happy> c. enthusiastic to the point of obsession: obsessed Happiness: 1. good fortune: prosperity 2. a. a state of well-being and contentment: joy b. a pleasurable satisfaction 3. felicity, aptness The Sage put the note pad and pencil in his pocket, replaced the dictionary to the bookshelf and headed toward the main lobby to collect all the seekers. So said one in the back: Can being completely emotionless, that is flat calm, serenely tranquil and unmoving, make one happy? Does happiness need an anchor the way fire needs a log (combustible object)? Is bliss another term for happiness? Right now I have more questions then answers. Edited January 17, 2010 by Tao99 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted January 17, 2010 "Patience, my young seeker", replied th Sage. "Let us get everyone together and find a comfortable place where we can discuss these and other questions." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Apech Posted January 19, 2010 "Patience, my young seeker", replied th Sage. "Let us get everyone together and find a comfortable place where we can discuss these and other questions." After they sat down in a comfortable place one seeker raised his hand. "Yes?" asked the Sage. "Um ... if Bunny the librarian would like to join our quest would it be all right if she sat on my lap?" asked the young seeker. "Silly boy!" tutted the Sage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
