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Zen
Mar 14, 2004 12:11:24 GMT -5
Post by Jarous on Mar 14, 2004 12:11:24 GMT -5
Is there anyone interested in eastern philosophy/religion? Even if you are not, you may enjoy this great collection of Zen stories: www.rider.edu/~suler/zenstory/zenstory.htmlThe site contains about 50 short Zen and taoist stories with readers' comments (which are in many cases more interesting than the stories themselves). These centuries old wisdoms hold so much truth about life - both subtle and mundane. If you want some food for thought, visit the site. Many of the stories have themes that must appeal to shy people: worrying too much about future and past, highs and lows of life, conformity, dreaming and reality etc.
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Zen
Mar 18, 2004 1:48:21 GMT -5
Post by Nicole on Mar 18, 2004 1:48:21 GMT -5
I am - it's probably the subject I'm most interested in. I'm currently getting my Master's in Religious Studies, and was planning on specializing in Zen Buddhism until I realized that I probably couldn't become fluent in Japanese in a couple years. (And I would need to.) I mean, I could if I spent a lot of time on it, but I don't *have* the time. Graduate school is insane. Anyway, I switched to South American indigenous religions since I already have a little background in Spanish - and I'll probably be able to visit there more frequently. OK, I'm rambling now, back to Eastern religions...
I would definitely recommend Alan Watts to you. He's my favorite writer - and he's written a lot about both Buddhism and Taoism. He's wonderful because he's a scholar but he's also very accessible because he writes for a popular audience. That's what I love most about him - his lack of academic snobbery that so many scholars have in abundance. His background is in Christianity, but he writes mostly about Eastern religions. Anyway, he comes highly recommended from me.
Thanks for the link! I will check it out.
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Zen
Mar 18, 2004 1:53:23 GMT -5
Post by Nicole on Mar 18, 2004 1:53:23 GMT -5
I've been reading these; you're right - the comments are hilarious. This is great.
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Zen
Mar 18, 2004 8:14:28 GMT -5
Post by Alecto on Mar 18, 2004 8:14:28 GMT -5
I've never really had too much of an interest in it.
But the peoples comments are funny
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Zen
Mar 19, 2004 20:51:46 GMT -5
Post by spitzig on Mar 19, 2004 20:51:46 GMT -5
I'm a big fan of Zen. I call myself a Buddhist a lot of the time. The label is not as important in Zen as in Christianity, and neither are any beliefs connected with it(that is, if they are not helpful, ditch them).
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Zen
Mar 20, 2004 19:10:36 GMT -5
Post by Nicole on Mar 20, 2004 19:10:36 GMT -5
Here is a favorite passage of mine from TEXT by D.T. Suzuki. (That book changed my life!)
"A Confucian scholar writes, 'They seek the truth far away from themselves, while it it right near them.' The same thing may be said of Zen. We look for its secrets where they are most unlikely to be found, that is, in verbal abstractions and metaphysical subtleties, whereas the truth of Zen really lies in the concrete things of our daily life. A monk asked the master: 'It is some time since I came to you to be instructed in the holy path of the Buddha, but you have never given me even an inkling of it. I pray to you to be more sympathetic.' To this the following answer was given: 'What do you mean, my son? Every morning you salute me, and do I not return it? When you bring me a cup of tea, do I not accept it and enjoy drinking it? Besides this, what more instructions do you desire from me?'"
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Zen
Mar 20, 2004 19:11:42 GMT -5
Post by Nicole on Mar 20, 2004 19:11:42 GMT -5
Wow, I really screwed that up. That part that says simply "TEXT" was supposed to read An Introduction to Zen Buddhism.
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Zen
Mar 29, 2004 18:09:38 GMT -5
Post by traveljunkie on Mar 29, 2004 18:09:38 GMT -5
Great find! Zen stories always make me laugh.
Zen is one of my favorite interests. I was bitten by the Zen bug after reading Zen Mind, Begginers Mind when I was 20 and I have enjoyed studying it ever since.
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