Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register
Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.

The age old question...

JustinJustin
edited May 2005 in Buddhism Basics
If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

Comments

  • BrianBrian Detroit, MI Moderator
    edited April 2005
    of course. The impact of the tree rushing through the air and the vibrations caused by the trunk hitting the ground still move the air, and creates sound waves. You could place a recording instrument in the woods, which is not a "someone", and it would capture the sound :p

    Signed,

    Mr. Pedantic
  • JustinJustin
    edited April 2005
    Well, duh!!! But as often as that question is asked, there must be a deeper meaning...

    What about the sound of one hand clapping?
  • DharmaKittenDharmaKitten
    edited May 2005
    I see sound as a metaphor for karma here. The karma of the action is still felt so in a sense, the tree is still heard. What we do when no one else sees us, still has effects on the world. In other words, what you do still matters even when no one is looking.
  • indeclineindecline
    edited May 2005
    ahhhh very insightful dharma, makes sense :D ty
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2005
    or even ...."fridge light; on or off when door shut?" aaaah, Grasshopper..... :lol:
  • indeclineindecline
    edited May 2005
    :D or possibly, "dumb man must get pail and fetch water, wise man must get pail and fetch water"...
    think about that one ;)
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2005
    or even deeper....

    "what is it?"

    - and -

    "Who are you and what do you want?"

    Think! No, Don't!!
  • indeclineindecline
    edited May 2005
    whats the deeper meaning to those ones? lol, i mean i see the tree falling in woods thing representing karma, and the dumb man wise man dealy is a metaphor for, well... you can be dumb or u can be wise but there are some things in life you just gotta do.... but uhh "what is it?"


    OH!
    sorry, i thought.
    i shouldnt have.. forgive me :)
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited May 2005
    " What is it" is actually a question posed by a Zen master in Japan. His altar has a simple bowl of water, and an incense stick burning, with a beautiful calligraphed Japanese word, which says "Remember!" hanging above it. Wonderful, simple, priceless.
  • indeclineindecline
    edited May 2005
    oic :D my bad
  • thebatmanthebatman
    edited May 2005
    It does not matter whether or not the tree makes a noise if it is not directly experienced by any sentient beings. Or maybe it does matter.
  • wolfscalissiwolfscalissi
    edited May 2005
    My nine year old nephew asked me if the taste of the food was on the food or on his tounge. wise beyond his years, for now he knows the flavor is in his mind

    ^gassho^
Sign In or Register to comment.