Born again? Or continually unborn?

lobster

Some of us (lobster raises claw) have been born into Christianity or willingly train ourselves for some future realm. However some kind souls have not relied on 'The Bourne Identity' but have suggested an unborn luminous virtue as already present.

http://www.dharmanet.org/Bankei.htm

Are we ready for now?

Jeroen

I always wonder when you read the words of a teacher such as Bankei who says, "the unborn Buddha mind is always there, all you have to do is let go, arduous practice is not needed". But in fact it was arduous practice that brought him to the point of that realisation, so how is it possible to know that the arduous practice did not purify him and enable him to see it, that it would be accessible to an ordinary man who had not gone through those practices?

So the question, are we ready for (it) now? Is very relevant... I think most people still have a few different hangups, they get caught up in the desires of the egoic mind. They may dimly see the unborn Buddha mind when it is pointed out to them, but they are not free to live in it full time.

DairyLama

I experience stillness surrounded by movement. The stillness seems more authentic.

Will_Baker

^+1

Lionduck

@Kerome, You make a good point. However, I believe it was when he ceased doing 'arduous practice' that he came to his realization. His arduous practice made him realize that such was not the path. (Something about a tree and such). But perhaps I parse too much here.

lobster

Easy practice or simple being, zen 'just sit', mindfulness 'at ease', dzogchen, mahamudra and living a life of attentive awareness are hard?

In fact their very easy attunement and Middle Way resonance are too near, too perfect, too adamantine, too flawless ...

We prefer the hard way of the Sleeping Buddhas? Dukkha zzz or Buddha. Easy choice, why knot?

And now back to where we are ...

DairyLama

^^
Reminds me of the example of the lute string being correctly tuned, not too tight and not too loose, being "in tune". Or being "in the zone", both alert and relaxed, riding the wave.

David

Thanks for the link @lobster. Bankei is right up my alley.

@Kerome, I think he's kind of likening it to a finger trap where the more we try to let go, the more entangled we become. At the same time, it's likely easy to say "don't try" when one has already tried and found the futility first hand.

lobster

Thanks guys,

Bankei's realisation is an important reminder that our being however flawed, is also residing in some form of higher awareness on the far shore.

We might hate our hatefulness, be staggered by our dukkha, self destructive or counter productive/ignorance loops or other unskilful behavour.

After hitting our heads againt the wall of our limitations, then what?

Use the negative Buddha qualities positively. Hate ignorance. Overcome dukkha one step at a time. Be forgiving and compassionate towards our and others difficulties. You know ... the usual Dharma stuff ...

Yep! Iz plan!
OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG

DairyLama

@lobster said:> OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG

I read that as "Om achtung!..." Too many war comics as a child I expect.

Richdawson

@Kerome said:
I always wonder when you read the words of a teacher such as Bankei who says, "the unborn Buddha mind is always there, all you have to do is let go, arduous practice is not needed". But in fact it was arduous practice that brought him to the point of that realisation, so how is it possible to know that the arduous practice did not purify him and enable him to see it, that it would be accessible to an ordinary man who had not gone through those practices?

I wonder the same thing. Seems like one of those AhhHaa! moments when the realization that the keys you were looking for were in your hand for the last 20 minutes that you destroyed your house looking for them. (Yeah I did that once)