Dharma Wheel

From The Gateless Gate : Nansen Cuts the Cat in Two Nansen saw the monks of the eastern and western halls fighting over a cat. He seized the cat and told the monks: "If any of you say a good word, you can save the cat." No one answered. So Nansen boldly cut the cat in two pieces. That evening Joshu ...

The actual circumstances matter. It isn't entirely the intention. For example, knowingly killing your biological mother is considered worse than thinking you are killing your biological mother, but the victim not actually being your biological mother (for example she might have adopted you, but you...

As I understand it, karma follows intention. In which case positive karma results from a well-intended action.

I too am very interested to hear what others say about this.

You seem to believe in an "I" that is in full control of itself and can maintain itself and its own volition indefinitely. You also seem to be attached to grasping at certain ideas and rejecting other ideas. You might want to take a closer look at that. I appreciate your concern, but question wheth...

In as much as magic and witchcraft are fundamentally based on an understanding of the 5 elements they can in fact lead towards real wisdom, as well as a connection to life and nature, these traditions are much much more earthy and grounding than Buddhism and so they may help somebody in that way al...

There's no room for independent thought here. There is plenty of room, as I believe we are demonstrating. Oh come on. I'm just having fun. I recognise this. Debate is a game. We disagree with each other and on a subject like this we're never going to get anywhere ultimately. We achieve an exchange ...

Huseng wrote:

dharmagoat wrote:

Huseng wrote:The Buddha was the teacher of gods and men. Hence, greater than a god.

Can we question the existence of gods?

I am certain you possess the ability to do so.

Your certainty may be unfounded, but I appreciate the endorsement. I will consider that another project for another time.

Huseng wrote:The Buddha was the teacher of gods and men. Hence, greater than a god.

Can we question the existence of gods?

So the original question remains. Can we know what the Buddha believed based on what he taught? If all teachings but the final teaching lack context and are limited in meaning, can they be used to gauge what the Buddha actually believed? What is the final teaching, and does anyone fully understand ...

I have nothing useful to say.

Huseng wrote:Your arguments are misleading and unreasonable. Pointless.

I disagree. My questions are proving to be quite revealing. Please explain how they are misleading and unreasonable.

If all teachings but the final teaching lack context and are limited in meaning, can they be used to gauge what the Buddha actually believed? What is the final teaching, and does anyone fully understand it? If he spent all his teaching career of about fifty years teaching that rebirth is real and m...

Stay busy. It is all about maintaining focus.

This is a spiritual technology that has been proven to work over dozens of generations of practitioners. Past practitioners within a specific culture. Reality is not at all how we think it is (and that, of course, is exactly the problem). By doing these practices, you will experience a new reality ...

odysseus wrote:"Buddhism is only for those who are ruined by society!" -- Anonymous

<grumble><mutter><snort>

Just to be clear, I am challenging the claim that we can know what the Buddha and Dogen believed based on what they taught. The Buddha taught different things to different people depending on their needs and understanding. Sometimes his teachings were contradictory. Was he lying to some and not to ...

Saying that what the Buddha and Dogen taught are not what they believed and realised is saying that they were speaking lies. Just to be clear, I am challenging the claim that we can know what the Buddha and Dogen believed based on what they taught. The Buddha taught different things to different pe...

Dentistry cannot in itself lead to Enlightenment. This is a reckless claim. While it can be said that dentistry doesn't aim toward Enlightenment, it does not follow that it cannot lead to Enlightenment. It is this kind of limiting thought that serves to perpetuate our limited view. Equally, to beli...

pueraeternus wrote:Oh did I ever say "you" in the last few posts? I just made a general comment and you speculated that I was referring to you specifically.

Who else were you responding to?