Dharma Wheel

Is Zen Buddhism? How do Huangbo and Linji answer that question? Isn't Buddhism about cultivation? Didn't they consider gradual cultivation and attainment to be outside of the "true way"? For example Huangbo says in the The Chung-Ling Record: "If Dharma students are unable to let go o...

Your vehemence and passion strongly suggest a lack of objectivity. 'Objectivity' is part of the problem. By all means, strive for detachment; but abandon objectivity as a philosophical maxim. It is useful in journalists and judges, but as a philosophical ideal, as in 'objectivism', It is invariably...

Just the kind of topic I often used to debate on Philosophy Forum before I signed out for good. From the article: Likewise, “life” is an idea. We find it useful to think of some things as alive and others as inanimate, but this division exists only in our heads. I vehemently and passionately disagr...

Simon E. wrote:Thanks you to all.

You're welcome.

Depends on how you define the word "zen". OK, I'll bite. How do you define the word Zen? For me personally? It depends on the context. It could mean "the uncreated, the deathless, ultimate truth, true nature, tao, emptiness, the void, etc, etc" or it could mean "set of prac...

Well he certainly didn't have a Chan teacher.

Hence the term holey man.

I wants to dance the pow wows 2.

Did I miss the posts that expressed anger? Can't allow that to be shown on a Buddhist forum.

Don't hate me cuz I'm always right.

I hate to break this to you but there's a lot of sugar in processed (juiced with fiber removed) fruit. With the fiber the sugar is metabolized at a naturally and health rate, but you may not get that "huge energy burst" from processing it and removing the beneficial fiber.

No.

Have you asked more that ____ questions today?

I never get angry online. It's just so many words, most of which aren't true anyway. Nevertheless, people react to some of my words in anger and hit the report button. Go figure!

You speak in extremely broad terms, Smcj, and of course there is nothing wrong with that. According to Buddhism, suffering does indeed begin with ignorance. Are you suggesting that renunciation, if that's what you meant to say, is synonymous with faith? Faith in Zen is the title of this thread. I d...

From my observations debating on philosophy forums, current culture puts a premium on the individual ego. The motto of most modern people really ought to be Nihil ultra sui , 'nothing beyond self'. They might be fine people, altruistic, but they reserve the right to be the sole arbiters of right an...

In a TB context (not Zen, as this thread is oriented) I've heard it said that when one "Takes Refuge" one is taking refuge from one's own unawareness, refuge from one's own mistaken interpretation of life. Somebody else, in this case Shakyamuni, has found the correct answer, so one takes ...

Real life generally unfolds seamlessly, I find.

Faith doesn't mean 'believe no matter what' in Christianity, or any other religion for that matter, and that's what Watts indicates. Watts is not saying to "let go" or don't cling, he is literally saying to "TRUST YOURSELF." We can rely on the Three Jewels in Buddhism, and that'...

Why did the chicken cross the road? Cuz she only knows one direction.