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#1467 - Friday, June 20, 2003 - Editor: Gloria
photo: Cyclists competing in the Giro d'Italia race stretch out on the course under heavy rain clouds May 21, during the 138-mile 11th stage from Faenza to San Dona' di Piave. The race ends June 1 in Milan.
"Followers of the Way, Buddha is not
to be attained.
There is no real Dharma; it is all but surface
manifestations, like printed letters on a sign board to
indicate the Way."
quote from Rinzai posted by wu nein
The Rinzai school of Zen is known for its extensive use of koans.
More about Rinzai Zen may be read here:
http://www.allspirit.co.uk/rinzai.html
Jan Sultan ~ SufuMystic
In Zen practice, to gain is to lose, to lose is to gain. To
let everything go is to gain it all.
-----------------------
{True zazen is surrendering every moment.} But surrendering to
what? It really does not matter what we call it: God or the
Tao or the Dharma or the Buddha or our true nature. They are
all concepts anyway. It is the act of letting go, of
surrendering, that matters. The very act of letting go opens
us up completely.
Dennis Genpo Merzel
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul ~ SufiMystic
How do you do that? -Amber
Hi Amber..
Another thing I do with letting go is to analyze what I can do
about
the situation. If nothing... then its inevitable that I must
accept
it....
surrendering or acceptance... same thing really....
there is the Serenity Prayer...
or some people say "Thy Will Be Done"
in Yoga, the people used to say what the Brahmins say when the
throw
the offerings into the fire... SWAHA!
some people in the 12 step groups say a bad word sometimes as a
joke... they call it the short form of the serenity prayer... eff
it!
Byron Katie has a real nice little deal on Inquiry into 'whatever
comes up'... and I have her book called 'The Little Book' In
there
she has a bunch of sayings... one of them is:
"I don't let go of my concepts --I meet them with
understanding.
Then they let go of me."
I guess the whole deal is about this very topic. In the 12 step
groups, there are 12 steps, but really three 3.
I cant, He Can, I think I'll let him
and the rest of the steps 4-12 are about the How of letting go.
but the pithy sayings are still good
like...
Let Go Let God.
or
Drop it.
I love Seung Sahn's book which has all the letters of people
writing
to him. And all of his material I have found on the internet....
What he says all the time is this:
Ask "What Am I?"
"Only Don't know"
"Put it Down, Put it down, Put it ALL down"
seems like a pretty simple deal...
yet, I get stuck in stuff all the time
because of self-interest
its not always so easy to 'put it down'
so instead I have to inquire and see if I can still really vote
on
it... from what I have seen, the vote is already over....
reality is the way it is...
might as well surrender
"Downstream" photo by Al Larus
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Practicing Spirituality in Nature
Day 9
June 17, 2003
FIGHT TERRORISM
As people and machines move into a wilderness area, such as the
Arctic refuge,
the homelands of the animals living there are destroyed, many are
killed, and
hundreds of thousands are terrorized. Is not this, from the
animals' point of
view, the equivalent of a terrorist attack? I find this
profoundly disturbing.
It applies to so much human activity such as logging, mining,
development, road
construction, the building of dams -- the list is endless. It was
Mahatma
Gandhi who wondered why, when someone harms a man-made object
such as a
building or work of art, it is described as
"vandalism," but when someone harms
an object created by God, it is simply shrugged off as
"progress."
-- Jane Goodall and Marc Bekoff in "The Ten Trusts: What We
Must Do to Care for
the Animals We Love"
Read a review of "The Ten Trusts":
http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/bookreview/item_5537.html
photo of Caribou herd in Arctic Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (often abbreviated to
ANWR) was established by President Eisenhower in 1960, and is
the largest wildlife refuge in the United States. Animals of
the Refuge include the 130,000-member Porcupine caribou herd,
180 species of birds from four continents, wolves, wolverine,
polar and grizzly bears, muskoxen, foxes, and over 40 species
of coastal and freshwater fish.
Gloria ~ NDhighlights
South and north, sharing a single mountain gate, above and
below, two temples both named T'ien-chu. Dwelling therein
is an old dharma master, built tall and skinny like a stork or
swan. I do not know what practice he engages in, but his
green eyes reflect the mountain valleys. Just looking into
them makes one feel fresh and pure, as if all one's baneful
vexations had been cleansed.
- Su Shih (1073)
"Downstream #2" photo by Al Larus
Song of the Diamond Heart
The pine tree's voice is
always whispering,
Yet how many pause to listen?
For when the churning mind is still,
The Diamond Heart within
Reflects even the falling dusk that
Shrouds every eye and branch,
And hears, but listens not.
Walking, then, with Courage
and Kindness,
Never ceasing to walk in Wonder,
We follow our ancient path.
For the Way of the sword is folded two;
Like the rose we have thorns,
And like the rose, we unfold.
- Ji Aoi Isshi
I've always loved friends of the Way
Always held them dear
Meeting a stranger with silent springs
Greeting a guest talking Zen
Talking about mysteries on a moonlit night
Searching for truth until dawn
When the tracks of our inventions disappear
And we see who we really are
- Cold Mountain
Mind set free
in the Dharma-realm,
I sit at the moon-filled window
Watching the mountains with my ears,
Hearing the stream with open eyes.
Each molecule preaches perfect law,
Each moment chants true sutra:
The most fleeting thought is timeless,
A single hair's enough to stir the sea.
- Shutaku (14th century)
"Downstream #4" photo by Al Larus
There is a reality even prior to heaven and earth; indeed, it has
no form, much less a name. Eyes fail to see it; it has no voice
for ears to detect. To call it Mind or Buddha violates its nature,
for it then becomes like a visionary flower in the air. It is not
Mind, nor Buddha; absolutely quiet, and yet illuminating in a
mysterious way, it allows itself to be perceived only by the
clear-eyed. It is Dharma truly beyond form and sound; it is Tao
having nothing to do with words.- Dai-o Kokushi
Joe Riley ~ Panhala
This Only A
valley and above it forests in autumn colors.
A voyager arrives, a map leads him there.
Or perhaps memory. Once long ago in the sun,
When snow first fell, riding this way
He felt joy, strong, without reason,
Joy of the eyes. Everything was the rhythm
Of shifting trees, of a bird in flight,
Of a train on the viaduct, a feast in motion.
He returns years later, has no demands.
He wants only one, most precious thing:
To see, purely and simply, without name,
Without expectations, fears, or hopes,
At the edge where there is no I or not-I.
~ Czeslaw Milosz ~
Web
version: www.panhala.net/Archive/This_Only.html
Web archive of Panhala postings: www.panhala.net/Archive/Index.html
To subscribe to
Panhala, send a blank email to Panhala-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Gill Eardley ~ Allspirit
"You're nobody
if you don't get booed sometime."
~Bob Dylan
Mazie Lane ~ NDS http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_475638.html?menu=news.quirkies
| University runs course on Homer Simpson |
A US university is running a philosophy course based on the wisdom and teachings of Homer Simpson.
Students will study The Simpson's for Homer's religious and philosophical insights. A course book is titled, The D'oh! of Homer.
Mazie interspersed Homerisms with quotes from the great Nisargadatta, which have been (gulp) edited out. So boo or cheer, whatever...the wisdom of Homer will stand alone here. Or you can read them in Mazie's message at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NondualitySalon/message/73478
Alright Brain, you don't like me, and I don't like you.
But lets just do this, and I can get back to killing you with beer.
* * *
Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.
* * *
Life is just one crushing defeat after another until you just wish Flanders was dead.
* * *
Marge: Lisa, Bart, what did you two learn in Sunday School today?
Lisa: The answers to deep theological questions.
Bart: Yeah, among other things, apes can't get into heaven.
Homer: What? Those cute little monkeys? That's terrible. Who told you that?
Bart: Our teacher.
Homer: I can understand how they wouldn't let in those wild jungle apes,
but what about those really smart ones who live among us?
Who roller-skate and smoke cigars?
* * *
Carl: Hey, Homer, you're late for English!
Homer: Pffft, English. Who needs that. I'm never going to England.
* * *
Bart: I am through with working. Working is for chumps.
Homer: Son, I'm proud of you. I was twice your age before I figured that out.
* * *
Homer: Here's good news! According to this eye-catching article, SAT scores are declining at a slower rate!
Lisa: Dad, I think this paper is a flimsy hodgepodge of pie graphs, factoids and Larry King.
Homer: Hey, this is the only paper in America that's not afraid to tell the truth, that everything is just fine.
* * *
Homer: No matter how good you are at something, there's always about a million people better than you.
* * *
Homer: I can't fake an interest in this, and I'm an expert at faking an interest in your kooky projects.
Marge: What kooky projects?
Homer: You know, the painting class, the first aid course, the whole Lamaze thing.
* * *
Homer: Marge, it takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen
* * *
Homer: If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing!
* * *
Marge: This chair is $2 000! We could buy a whole living room set for that.
Homer: Marge, there's an empty spot I've always had inside me.
I tried to fill it with family, religion, community service,
but those were dead ends! I think this chair is the answer.
* * *
Homer: Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it.
Now quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers.
* * *
Marge: Homer, please don't make me choose between my man and my God, because you just can't win.
Homer: There you go again, always taking someone else's side. Flanders, the water department, God...
* * *
God: Thou hast forsaken My Church!
Homer: Uh, kind-of... b-but...
God: But what!
Homer: I'm not a bad guy! I work hard, and I love my kids.
So why should I spend half my Sunday hearing about how I'm going to Hell?
God: [pause] Hmm... You've got a point there.
* * *
Homer: Marge, I'm going to miss you so much. And it's not just the sex. It's also the food preparation.
* * *
Homer: Ah, TV respects me. It laughs with me, not at me!
* * *
Marge: I want you to throw away these old calendars and TV Guides.
Homer: Are you mad, woman? You never know when an old calendar might come in handy. Sure, it's not 1985 now, but who knows what tomorrow will bring?
And these TV Guides: so many memories.
* * *
Marge: You could take an adult education course.
Homer: Oh, and how is "education" supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home wine-making course and I forgot how to drive?
* * *
Homer: I've always wondered if there was a god.
And now I know there is -- and it's me.
* * *
Homer: Lisa, if you don't like your job, you don't strike: you just go in every day and do it really half assed. That's the American way.
* * *
Homer: [reading screen] "To Start Press Any Key". Where's the ANY key?
I see Esk ["ESC"], Catarl ["CTRL"], and Pig-Up ["PGUP"].
There doesn't seem to be any ANY key. Woo! All this computer hacking is making me thirsty.
I think I'll order a TAB. [presses TAB key]
* * *
Homer: Marge, I'm bored.
Marge: Why don't you read something?
Homer: Because I'm trying to reduce my boredom.
* * *
Homer: What's the point of going out? We're just gonna wind up back here anyway.
* * *
Lisa: [wiping her dress] Oh, I can't get the smell of slurry out of my clothes
I was a fool to help that horrible old man!
Homer: I hope you learned your lesson, Lisa.
Never help anyone.
* * *
Homer: Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true!
* * *
Homer: [talking about his fatness] Marge, how could you let me let myself go like this.
* * *
Marge: This should be a time... for communication.
Homer: That's a good idea, dear. Bart, turn on the TV.
* * *
Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?
O O
O O
O O
O
* * *