Malcolm wrote: ↑Wed Jan 31, 2018 7:40 pm
In this threefold world, what is not expedient? What is not subject to arising and perishing?
It seems you mean the term "upāya" by expedient. But you are misusing the word "expedient" in this context, in addition to misusing the term upāya. "Expedient" is not a useful translation of that term. In fact, it is wrong.
Expedient:
adjective
(of an action) convenient and practical, although possibly improper or immoral:
Hell, for example, is not very expedient, since it is very inconvenient and impractical to be stuck there.
Yeah, we may have to see our differences and go our separate ways.
There is no place in the three-fold world where the Buddha does not penetrate. Even in hell, the Buddha makes an appearance to lead beings to Buddhahood. I have a Tibetan Wheel of Life hanging in my house and I notice that even in the hell section, there is a Buddha. Am I reading that wrong to understand that even beings in hell are not beyond the Buddha's activity?
In any event, the perfect extension of the Buddha means that even hell, from the Buddha's perspective, is edifying and to be found on the path to Buddhahood, hence, for those beings, even the tortures of hell are upaya, because even that path inevitably ends in Buddhahood.
I'd like to think I don't need to learn the lessons of hell again, but its vastly more likely than not that I will need to learn those lessons many, many more times before it finally sinks in.
I know for you these lessons are not in the cards. Congratulations! Schools out forever!