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New to buddhism, but also not.
I've found that in reading about Buddhism, its tenets and philosophies, in researching the fundamentals of why the eightfold path is considered noble, I've been surprised to see that much of the Buddhist philosophy is one that I'm already living.
There are a few discrepancies, such as the levels of respect for living beings that being mobile/nonmobile seems to imply, even though being aware that everything interpenetrates and that all boundaries are arbitrary in nature is considered "right". I am eaten as I eat - I consume myself and am transformed from one set of systems to another. Taken as a whole, nothing has changed, regardless of what state changes have happened to promote homogeneity in the system. This is how I already see the world, so the concept of Indra's net was a familiar and eloquent symbol, as is the wheel. The two are essentially describing the same concept of the eternal flow of oneness.
Anyway, while I have read the word "right", I've often used the the word "excellent" to portray a similar meaning. I use "excellence" rather than "perfection" because "perfection" is a static end of a continuum, whereas "excellence" is a dynamic state that is always becoming. One can be excellent, and yet still strive for excellence. The same is not true of perfection.
Also, I do wonder at the term "namaste" being translated as "the deity within me recognizes the deity within you" - if there is no begining or ending, and all is arbitrary distinction, how is this a good response, this singling out of yourself as "other"? (Even if it is "other deity") What am I missing?
Good day to you.
~Sere
There are a few discrepancies, such as the levels of respect for living beings that being mobile/nonmobile seems to imply, even though being aware that everything interpenetrates and that all boundaries are arbitrary in nature is considered "right". I am eaten as I eat - I consume myself and am transformed from one set of systems to another. Taken as a whole, nothing has changed, regardless of what state changes have happened to promote homogeneity in the system. This is how I already see the world, so the concept of Indra's net was a familiar and eloquent symbol, as is the wheel. The two are essentially describing the same concept of the eternal flow of oneness.
Anyway, while I have read the word "right", I've often used the the word "excellent" to portray a similar meaning. I use "excellence" rather than "perfection" because "perfection" is a static end of a continuum, whereas "excellence" is a dynamic state that is always becoming. One can be excellent, and yet still strive for excellence. The same is not true of perfection.
Also, I do wonder at the term "namaste" being translated as "the deity within me recognizes the deity within you" - if there is no begining or ending, and all is arbitrary distinction, how is this a good response, this singling out of yourself as "other"? (Even if it is "other deity") What am I missing?
Good day to you.
~Sere
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Comments
There is only a certain distance reading from books can get you, you need to actually take that knowledge and put it into practice and practice practice practice. Also I saw that you mentioned 'striving' to reach excellence, in Buddhism IMO we should not want to become anything, in fact we should let go of things and learn to slow down and stop striving or grasping as these lead to suffering. Or this is my take on things so far anyway.
Do you meditate at all out of curiosity? It is nice to meet a new comer with enthusiasm though
-Tom
Let us 'have a nice day' :wave:
Let's not neglect the illiterate sixth patriarch, Hui Neng:
Fundamentally no wisdom-tree exists,
Nor the stand of a mirror bright.
Since all is empty from the beginning,
Where can the dust alight?
Concepts can't reach in the end... or in the beginning either, come to that.