"living Buddha, Living Christ"

[soma]

I wish my country and religion honored and respected peace like other countries. I don't think naming our missals peace keepers does the trick. We have some Chinese calligraphy we are going to frame and hang in our new house that comes from a Chines story that Buddhist love. It says,"The fisherman with patience get more than fish." The story continues where the fisherman makes business ties, social relationships and family harmonious and prosperous because of his peace of mind.

 

Steve driving from Reno to Vegas I passed many Brothels in the small towns one even had a Billboard with just the word Brothel on it. Prostitution is legal in Nevada except in Reno and Vegas where it is illegal. The legal ones are very strict where the rules are like a monastery without the 4hrs of meditation and frequent doctor visits and test. The illegal prostitution in Reno and Vegas is more brutal, violent and mean minded. I don't desire it, but I don't judge either how people find love and peace crude or subtle.

Edited September 3, 2016 by soma
note to Steve

[SteveS55]

Without getting into the sordid details, I'm a bit familiar with the brothels of Nevada. Actually, in the "old days" the Las Vegas casino bars were filled with prostitutes. Not anymore, I'm told. I'm not judging these things either. I was a bit wild in my youth, and many times went to the hotel bar I talked about earlier. Probably all the more reason I had to chuckle at the message they had posted. But, these experiences somehow made me much less judgmental of others' "character defects". It was all for the good.

 

But, getting back to "peace", unless we are at peace with ourselves, there can be no external peace for anyone. As Naht Hahn observed, peace is more than the absence of war. I think to do that we have to learn to accept all of our humaness, including the things we are not so proud of, like anger, resentment, hatred, envy and all of the rest. No one is immune to any of these. To pretend they are absent in our lives is just not true. To some extent they always will be. If we can reach that acceptance in ourselves and others, we can be "at peace" and maybe effect some small slice of our existence. To be of a "peaceful heart" means we have made peace with ourselves.

 

Steve

[Burl]

TNH mentioned one should not engage in sex unless it was within a long-term, loving relationship. Paul wrote that the particularly evil thing about sexual sin is that it is sin against one's own self. My experience with selfish sex is that these are both true. Some of my selfish sexual experiences are the ones I repent of the most deeply.

 

It's a lot like how one can stand in front of a stack of Marshalls and have a great headbanging time but eventually lose their hearing. The soul can withstand a lot of abuse, but eventually one's higher angels will take flight.

 

External peace really does grow from internal peace. There are a lot of effort being made today to destroy internal peace and break up healing societal connections. These are interesting but dangerous times.

[soma]

My comrades in the wild days most have crashed, burned and many died even though they had solid Christian up bringing, the problem is Christianity concentrates on rules and punishment or sin shaming. It has overlooked and has failed to see the importance of nurturing the awareness of our own being in the world and beyond in order to discover the Divinity within ourselves, which is one of Jesus’s main areas of interest. When we come to an understanding that the Divinity within is a Divine consciousness connected to everything, created out of God’s pure consciousness, then all circumstances can truly be seen as either positive or negative with pain, suffering, happiness, joy, evil and Satan working together for our education. At the same time we can’t justify killing, rape, hurting others, holding slaves, letting people starve and the other torments in the world as being good. These are indications that our world is divided with people thinking they are better or more righteous than others, and it is sad that the church helps to perpetuate this paradigm. We will continue to witness this brutality on others and ourselves if we don’t make a meaningful shift in our own paradigm as an individual, as a religion and as a society. Usually, this does not happen until we experience some sort of suffering from a disease, disaster or personal shock that changes us and makes us aware of the truth that we are coming to terms with. Severe suffering not only brings an impressive transformation, but also makes us stronger for a better future, but we are the ones who have to renovate our thoughts if we are a church member or not. When the church continues to hide pain behind prayers, it is better to sit on the beach and contemplate the situation than sit in a church and think about being at a beach. We are better off thinking about a painful truth than the hidden, political lies the church feeds us, the church needs to change and stop telling us what to do and not do, but help us open up and build a relationship with the physical, mental and spiritual realms that are all around and inside us. The Gospel of Thomas tells us that Jesus said: "Split wood, I am there. Lift up a rock, you will find me there." God is in everything including ourselves so everything has magnificence; the problem is that not everyone can see it especially our ministers, nuns and priest.

 

Priest and ministers are in the same boat as we are, but many of them have not been educated in mindful peace so they hold their desires out of fear of mortal sins or hell and when the dam burst they abuse children. I feel the church is at fault for not educating us in the art of self awareness and creating an atmosphere of fear instead. In Nevada and the US we are at the top of the list for teen pregnancies, rape, suicides, drug use and abuse and Palin's daughter, the spokesman for abstinence is a good example on how frustration doesn't work. We limit sex education, when I taught Biology in Nevada, I was told not to teach the reproductive system as if it was evil. Europe with a good sex education program has less teen pregnancies and Germany with a lower drinking age has less binge drinking because young people are educated and act responsibly. We want to get high so why not talk realistically about drugs, sex, and drinking, their positive and negative factors so they don't control our mind and we can see clearly what we are doing. In the sixties I did research on the government research at that time for a genetics class. LSD was singled out as Public Enemy Number One by the press, but their false propaganda that LSD caused permanent insanity was not believed so they doubled down with the frightening prospect of couples giving birth to physical and mental freaks because acid had scrambled their chromosomes. I found and demonstrated that the study was flawed. It didn't work and drug use increased.

 

Jesus came to help us deal with the basic problems of an average day in our life; for example, how to deal with fear, worry, anger and nervousness while putting together meaning, purpose, usefulness and happiness. Christianity similar to other commonplace belief systems is used a lot to justify extremism, dogma, fanaticism and atrocities that lead us away from a deeper sense of happiness and meaning. I solute the Buddhist for their morality and deep-rooted sense of fitting and piecing together our involvements, connections and consequences with nature and humanity by integrating an all-embracing awareness with scientific knowledge and the spiritual experience of wholeness and unity, Christianity needs to do the same instead of just giving a rule, commandment and its punishment.

[Burl]

Wow. You have pretty negative stereotype of Christianity built up there. I have seen a bit of that, but only in independent churches. I have been visiting a different church every week and almost never hear sin mentioned at all. Too many pastors more interested in people pleasing than in genuine spiritual leadership.

 

My complaint is that it is generally difficult to even find Christianity in many so-called Christian churches. Lots of lame praise songs with mayonnaise lyrics and sermons full of pop psychology. I was in a United Church of Christ a couple weeks where Jesus was only mentioned once incidentally in a prayer and the sermon was on the wisdom of Yogi Berra.

 

I don't think Jesus came to help us with everyday problems. In fact, he warned us that following him would make our everyday problems worse. He did not condemn everyday people for sin, but he did sharply criticize the shallowness of the Pharisees misuse of the law and pointed towards it's true spiritual goal.

 

Pick one of those sweeping generalizations and we can discuss it.

 

A direct question: Please describe the last time you attended a Christian worship service using the journalistic 5 W's.

Edited September 4, 2016 by Burl

[romansh]

Chapter 4

Living Buddha, Living Christ

 

Like I said earlier, I am beginning to struggle with this book.

When Hanh spoke the historical Christ being born in Bethlehem, I could not wonder which Christ Hanh is referring to? Just curious biblical historians actually promote this as a literal historical truth? There is scant evidence of Nazaret existing in Jesus's time ... it could have been a small hamlet. There is some archeological evidence of homes nearby today's Nazaret. ...

 

Hanh thinks the requirement for belief in a literal resurrection will put some people off. He is quite right there ... we can also include a whole bunch of miracles too. To me Hanh conflates the myth and literal, which for me is a shame.

 

Animated by the energy of the holy spirit? This is not in his glossary terms, so Hanh is leaving me behind here.

 

Jesus's life is his most basic teaching. I don't think Hanh means we should all become itinerant teachers giving up our worldly goods, but he is not clear what the teaching does actually mean.

 

Buddha ... who shows us the way in this life. Joseph Campbell would at this point interrupt and point out, yes but it hat to be our way. To be fair Hanh in the same passage does point this out.

 

Dharma seems to have many meanings but I put them into two basic categories. The Buddhist one is like a set of rules or guidelines and the Hindu version is closer to karma (but not karma) where say a cat's dharma is to catch mice and for mice it is to try and evade being caught. I always thought the Hindu version was more appealing. Having said that Hanh does point out the rules/guidelines do change.

 

true love and understanding? oh dear.

 

Conditions have to be right/phenomena to see sunflowers? This I find confusing. Just because I don't see the pestilence that may decimate my sunflower crop, does not mean it does not exist either.

 

Negative seed? For me they are all part of the interbeing. These negative seed are also a reflection of clouds, rain, sun and minerals. I am reminded of Joseph Campbell's quote which goes something like this. ...one of the greatest challenges in life is to say “yea” to that person or act or that condition which in your mind is most abominable.

Traditional Christianity has problems with this. I hope Progressive Christianity is a little more understanding.

 

Hanh frequently talks of God ... Campbell's take on the Buddhist perspective ... Buddha … God … It both is and is not; neither is nor is not.

Now that all is clear. This is why I am quite happy not to worry to much about this god concept. Having said that when someone tries to existence in terms of this concept, I personally don't find it helpful.

 

... but it is important to do so [find time to pray or meditate] Why? What is the evidence ... is this the only way?

 

I read the rest of the chapter ... I kept finding similar sort of questions. I will move onto chapter five. As I am getting bogged down.

[soma]

I like the concept of dharma and the different meanings and how they can be applied to the individual, religion or society. I like the dharma meaning for an individual as the management and regulation of life using our intentions and purpose to measure our aspirations. I feel both Jesus and Buddha gave us teachings to enhance our life and make our problems less annoying; therefore, we have individual, religious and societal dharma. To deepen our understanding of our different realities, the world, our mind and self we need a variety of experiences.

The Christian doctrine or dharma starts with ‘Original Sin’ where Christians see all humans starting with a sin from birth; therefore, Christians are encouraged to put their faith in one God and their salvation in Jesus Christ who died for their sins even though Christians are baptized in the Holy Spirit. This creates a clash with authoritarian legalism, rules, sins and punishment and the spiritual liberty presented by Jesus. Some theologians have contradictions to the Genesis interpretation of Adam and Eve and original sin. Buddhists consider us as good and sinless from birth and they exhort compassion for all beings as there is suffering in the world. Science does not think that evil was transmitted from every parent to every child like a genetic disease because they found no evidence of this in the genes. They found a universal moral code, or dharma factor in our species beyond the dharma of our religions according to the findings of Marc Hauser, a substratum of everything. I feel this substratum we can call as Jung did the collective unconscious or pure consciousness.

 

We see and experience the differences between the East and West without one being better or best, just different as we all look at this substratum through different lenses, angles and interpretations by our religions and societies. No need to go into societal dharma. I believe in the spiritual liberty presented by Jesus. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Matt. 5:8)

[Burl]

Original sin is nothing more than egoism. People are universally born thinking they are the center of the universe and ignorant of God.

 

Christianity can correct this, but it's not the only way. Embracing interbeing or the shahada serve the same purpose.

[romansh]

The Christian doctrine or dharma starts with ‘Original Sin’ where Christians see all humans starting with a sin from birth; therefore, ...

 

I am a little confused by original sin. As far as I can make out the first "sin" was when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and tasted the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Genesis 3:22 (if I remember correctly) describes God's reaction. Christianity seems to focus on the disobeying bit, but somehow misses the metaphor of the tree of knowledge good and evil completely (well almost completely).

 

I would argue the original sin is seeing the world in terms of good and evil is the "sin".

[Burl]

>>I would argue the original sin is seeing the world in terms of good and evil is the "sin".<<

 

Weren't you just insisting on the reality of evil the other day?

[romansh]

Definitely not!

[JosephM]

I am a little confused by original sin. As far as I can make out the first "sin" was when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and tasted the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Genesis 3:22 (if I remember correctly) describes God's reaction. Christianity seems to focus on the disobeying bit, but somehow misses the metaphor of the tree of knowledge good and evil completely (well almost completely).

 

I would argue the original sin is seeing the world in terms of good and evil is the "sin".

I would agree with Rom. If there is such a thing as "original sin ", it would be choosing to live in duality at the expense of the real unity of all life . Sin came with the law when we set arbitrary points of references on a continuum and named them good and evil, right and wrong, etc.

[JosephM]

I have found it true that as we measure others.... We are measured. As we judge others.... We are judged . All present tense and to me Poetic justice. To walk perfect before God or whatever word one wishes to call it to me is to walk without judgement or measure of the heart of another. This doesn't exclude using wisdom in choice.

Joseph

[romansh]

Chapter 5

Communities of Practice

 

Mindfulness of Working

When James died, after two weeks went back to work. People were kind and left me an appropriate amount of space. During the next few weeks I worked on a pet project that this `space` allowed me. Not directly relevant to my everyday work, but a useful tool for a quick check on thermodynamic feasibility. It involved primarily collating and checking data. It was mindless/mindful in that there was nothing else but the data and the spreadsheet. There was no perseverating grief during that time. Time for the perseverating grief was reserved for trips to the bathroom.

 

I know what mindfulness means for me. What does it mean for Hanh?

 

Monastic Culture

touching the ultimate dimension ... yes really?

Reads very new ageish ... not that there is anything wrong with the New Age ... just that it is not my path.

 

The Holy Spirit is the Energy of Love and Understanding.

Please don't practice "religious imperialism". Yes I get this. But some questions. Is it OK to question another's beliefs? If so how vociferously? I can't help thinking if someone actually believes an angel came to Mary and foretold that a Godly parthenogenic birth will occur, that any reasoning on my part will be pointless. Is it OK to promulgate this belief to little children? Is it OK to resist this promulgation?

 

To Be Real Salt

The teachings must be practiced as they were lived by Jesus. I asked before ... how far do we go? Do I give up all my worldly goods and become an itinerant teacher spreading the Gospel according to rom? Sort of doing that now except, have not given up my worldly goods and the internet allows me to be virtually itinerant.

[soma]

I agree with the statements posted that suggest ‘Original Sin’ is a mental condition and not a sin of disobedience, an honest mistake in the interpretation of Paul or Genesis. We can make allowances for personal inferences and Christian diversity. The Celtic Christianity did not baptize babies, but had an observance to bless the new being, I like that recognizing consequences in duality, but not emphasizing guilt with Baptism washing away original sin. In my personal interpretation I feel from the soul perspective we discover all things are pleasing because we see them in the big or whole picture where opposites come together like the beauty of the rose and the hazard of the thorn. I don’t feel the soul, spirit or subtle consciousness experience is wrapped up and captivated by the pain and distortion experienced on the material plane. I feel ‘original sin’ is an attempt to describe the change of our point of view from the grand picture of the Infinite to the small picture of the finite in its symbolism.

 

In our finite existence we all suffer and feel distressed importing and exporting difficulties into our mind on our limited planet while the infinite puts forth a much larger picture that stretches us beyond our thinking. I feel mindfulness for Hanh, which is probably just my speculation on my meaning, is to import healthy concepts and thoughts that keep us absorbed in the big picture, living the life of nature or our dharma in the moral nature of the infinite without the interference of our preferences. Witnessing through the soul’s view point we act with integrity, flexibility, and as satisfying as a rose that appeals to all so we don’t express a grumbling complaint or resistance to other people’s devils, original sin or what we feel is an immature belief. We can accept things in mindfulness the way they are, but can try to change the things we don’t agree with or change ourselves in the process. I feel mindfulness creates a natural magnetism, a kind of charisma where we don’t need better facts, but better understanding to find an open channel to come to grips with someone’s beliefs that we might disagree with. The sovereignty of nature seems to teach us these lessons calming us in our disturbances without generating better facts or arguments, but calming us so we can see them ourselves.

[Burl]

I would agree with Rom. If there is such a thing as "original sin ", it would be choosing to live in duality at the expense of the real unity of all life . Sin came with the law when we set arbitrary points of references on a continuum and named them good and evil, right and wrong, etc.

No, there are no arbitrary points. Righteousness is not relative.

 

In Christianity sin is anything which makes it difficult for the Holy Spirit to abide. Sin is a natural part of life one needs to deal with.

 

We shower regularly and brush our teeth. It's a practice of personal hygiene. If we miss a day our teeth don't fall out and we don't break out in boils. If we pretend personal hygiene is arbitrary, and many do, first people start to avoid us and then health problems eventually set in.

 

The practice of maintaining personal holiness is the same. Sin naturally occurs as a byproduct of life and we remove it by the practice of repentance and forgiveness. One cares for the cleanliness of the soul the same way one cares cleanliness of the body.

 

Sin is spiritual poop. Yes, it is natural but please don't tell me refusing to wipe yourself is arbitrary

[JosephM]

No, there are no arbitrary points. Righteousness is not relative;)

It is for humans. Try and get everyone to agree on hot or cold, right and wrong or good and evil. After all we are talking about original sin for humans..... Not God

[romansh]

I can't help thinking we are not understanding the flower, clouds/rain/sun allegory.

 

There might be actions or behaviours that each of us might not like. But those actions are all made up of aholy or holy movements. There are no evil actions (or good) just the so called sin of thinking in such terms.

 

Despite what Hanh might suggest ... there is no energy that is divine or not divine.

 

 

 

It is.

[Burl]

I can't help thinking we are not understanding the flower, clouds/rain/sun allegory.

 

There might be actions or behaviours that each of us might not like. But those actions are all made up of aholy or holy movements. There are no evil actions (or good) just the so called sin of thinking in such terms.

 

Despite what Hanh might suggest ... there is no energy that is divine or not divine.

 

 

 

It is.

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here, but it comes across as let's just dispense with critical thinking and reduce everything to the least common denominator.

[soma]

We see, hear, taste, smell and feel gross energy, but at the same time we can experience subtle energy. There is a limit to our senses and this boundary marks the experience of gross life because the subtle energy fields are out of our ordinary range of experience. Technology has shown us that there are subtle levels in our world, which we are not aware of because our senses are limited to the gross strata only. In order to experience the finer energies of life, it is necessary to improve our sense of being by aligning with the soul, Buddhist would call it mindfulness, Christians witnessing and Atheist nature.

 

There seems to be currents of energy that produce anger and divisive thoughts where destructive actions become apparent, and also energy currents that produce love, healing thoughts and constructive actions that bring our attention to the subtle field of energy where understanding the impersonal nature of energy and the interconnected dynamics of everything beyond the senses is beneficial to life. In this state of unity being we learn to love without restriction and accept without judgment because we are not on the level of thinking, which is well-versed and experienced in relative existence. Identifying with our subtle consciousness I call soul, we slowly learn about the energy of life, the value of creativity, healing and love. Releasing negativity, disharmony and violence by any means available, shows us the way to serve the higher power of energy by increasing our knowledge of the finer strata of existence so we can align with it. It is a journey through the layers of the mind leading to a perception that produces good results, good health and good habits, which could be the reason many people have migrated from a wild life to a calm and peaceful one. It focuses our minds into a laser promoting and facilitating the nervous and circulatory systems to invigorate our body and mind. A way the whole or holy self conserves and channels energy that is lost in drifting habits, a kind of healing, an adaptation, absorption and practice of spiritual knowledge to align our minds with our soul.

 

The air is loaded with energy from lightening to the Aurora Borealis, and water is charged with electrical, chemical and mechanical energy. The energy in water as ice has the force to break granite into pebbles; atoms also have energy and we are a combination of atoms, energy and life. A combination of millions of energies separated and disconnected until we unite them in our own life where when we act in harmony we educate, train and marshal our forces into a purpose and stop their meandering nature. This empowerment is the aligning of our minds with the energy of the soul giving direction to a rudderless ship at the mercy of the sea, simply put being mindful of the present moment. No longer drifting aimlessly with the wind, we seem to cultivate our energy to its highest degree of application to improve the faculty of our experience.

 

Energy radiates from us similar to an electrical current giving light to a bulb and when channeled and not short circuited, it is no longer rampant, but focused, connected with our core and the spiritual depths of our being. This consciousness does not judge, just witnesses with the understanding that we are drawn to the power of just being, a consciousness of bliss filling a powerless place with wisdom and knowledge. This requires inner work recognizing where we are influenced by external circumstances and lose energy where temptations are not ignored, but released by changing perceptions, self-image, concepts and one’s life. The resistance to change is witnessed with the recognition that our energy and power are lost in a diffused and unfocused state taking strength from every fiber of our body. Spiritual practice is a natural gift, a living grace that perfects our poise, manner, coolness and reserve in the muscular and nervous systems of our body. Spiritual development doesn’t invite physical health because it is done for spiritual reasons, but the mind and body do benefit, assisting our spirituality as we stand in awe of energy and its perpetual vastness. "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." (Albert Einstein)

Edited September 7, 2016 by soma
grammar

[romansh]

I'm not sure what you are trying to say here, but it comes across as let's just dispense with critical thinking and reduce everything to the least common denominator.

 

Well I don't know how it comes across to you Burl, but to me it comes across that you are unwilling to challenge your personal axioms.

[romansh]

We see, hear, taste, smell and feel gross energy, ...

 

I had trouble getting past the first phrase ... it should read: We see, hear, taste, smell and feel differences in energy, ...

 

Skimming the rest of the post I found similar sort of statements.

[soma]

The point was that our five senses are limited, we can't see something too big or small, hearing has a limited range also as do our other senses so we perceive the gross energies, but the more subtle energy we need instruments and even subtler we need another way to pick them up.

[romansh]

The point was that our five senses are limited, we can't see something too big or small, hearing has a limited range also as do our other senses so we perceive the gross energies, but the more subtle energy we need instruments and even subtler we need another way to pick them up.

 

Technically we have more than five senses ... but not really that important.

 

But this is fairly obvious ... Extremely subtle energy we will need more sensitive equipment. We can detect single photons (massless phenomena), so I am not sure how "sensing" even more subtle energies is relevant to my day to day activities. But you are right that our senses are limited ... so this is in part why I take an agnostic stance on the everyday as well as the supposed divine.

 

Chapter 6

Peaceful Heart

Generally found more in common here with Hanh than in the previous chapter.

 

Collective Awareness

Hanh thinks capital punishment is a sign of weakness. Personally if I ever needed to vote, I would vote against capital punishment. I would also avoid describing those in favour as weak. Having said that I don't think any rational debate would sway those. I would have to find some emotional hook.

 

Looking Deeply

I can't help thinking, it is not to have enemies or to be an absolute pacifist (eg Bertrand Russell) that is the issue. It is that if we do go to war we do it with understanding where the soldier or militant terrorist is coming from. ie not to go to war with hate in our hearts.

 

Highest Form of Prayer

Praying without practicing is not real prayer. ??? Why not just practice? Karen Armstrong in her book said of theists it is not what you believe that matters it is what you do. I can't help too many people focus more on what they believe (or not) than what they do.

 

Understanding Brings Liberation

I can't help but think of free will with this section title. While some might argue that understanding that we are causal beings (and that free will is a nonsense) is a form of liberation and people may find it freeing, the question for me remains why would I want to do anything independently of the universe?

 

But I agree with Hanh that any dualistic response ... will make the situation worse. Well sort of, I think we also need to understand the universe is just fine even with our dualistic responses.

 

Understanding Brings Forgiveness

I don't know if this title is tailored for Christians who are "into" forgiveness, but for me understanding brings the understanding there is nothing to forgive.

 

While I have no problem with compassion, I don't feel the need to perseverate on it. If it comes it comes. But my suffering, should I feel it, is OK. I don't need to see the many causes ... I understand they are there.

 

While I might agree with some of the details here, I do see that I am on a similar path.

[romansh]

Chapter 7

For a Future to be Possible

Hanh and I seem to wander off in different directions here

Rerooting

No longer believing in the traditions of parents and grandparents. This I don't think is necessarily a problem even if we have not replaced them, especially with some new dogma.

 

Who am I to suggest another person's values are lifeless?

 

While I agree religions should renew themselves. but the young are not leaving their churches because they don't think it is reasonable to be nice to another. They are leaving because these churches to varying degrees require a belief in some sort of literal belief or another.

 

Jewels of Our Own Tradition

Ancestors ... here are the ancestors of my tradition

 

Cultivating Compassion

This section I found difficult. I could not help thinking of how compassion has increased suffering in Africa. The food, medical aid. shelter we provide has allowed more to survive and then endure famine, war and devastation due to the elements; don't get me wrong I don't what is the right path. But I am well aware even our best intentions have unexpected consequences.

 

A classic example is some religions stance on AIDS in the west and particularly in Africa.

 

Hahn goes on about cultivating compassion, which is fine; but some reason would not go amiss either.

 

Hahn almost seems to want to step in to Jainism. If that is his path so be it. But he seems to be flirting with his own personal dualism. Joseph Campbell saw three types of religion 1) reverence of nature and the recognition of our part in it. 2) A withdrawal from nature and our part in it (as exemplified by Jainism) and 3) our modern religions that want to make nature better particularly that of humans. I must admit I am closest to number 1.

 

Cultivating Loving Kindness

No problem here ... put cultivating the ability to reason won`t go amiss either.

 

The Oneness of Body and Mind

I had high hopes based on the title.

I could not help thinking this section seemed a little sexually repressed. Personally I would not prescribe on what another`s sex life should look like.

 

More than One Root

`We know that when someone does not have any root he or she will suffer tremendously` Do we indeed? Well while I agree community is important, I think we can do without religious roots at least without tremendous suffering?

 

Unmindful Speech can Kill

While I do try to be truthful and I am cognisant of lying by omission as well as commission, there are times where a lie might be better. The classical example is a wife asking "does this dress make me look fat?" Not only do we have to lie with our words, our eyes, facial expressions and actions. The timing has to be impeccable. for there is no honest answer here.

 

Mindful Consuming

"... interbeing, your body is not yours alone. It also belongs to your ancestors, ..." to paraphrase "ownership is theft.

I can see connectedness and interrelatedness, but belonging?

 

Abuse of toxins? Every thing is toxic, it is simply a matter of dose. Moderation and awareness the various aspects of addictiveness we find in life.

 

We were definitely not on similar paths in this chapter.

Here Hanh is almost promoting that man is somehow separate from nature. He almost has taken on the mantle of a class 3 religion.

Edited September 10, 2016 by romansh