From: sjeff70
Message: 9961
Date: 2006-02-09
--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, redlotustemple@... wrote:
>
> Well,the Buddha once told his closest disciple that having loving
compasions
> on the Path was one of the highest parts they can achieve. Loving
kindness
> and equinimity somewhat seem to counter each other don't they. If
you truly
> have equinimity, then you wouldn't have any feelings what so
ever? But, the
> Buddha has told us that the 4 Divine Abodes/Abidings are equal and
all lead to
> cessation of suffering. Equinimity means that favoritism,
especially when it
> comes to anger, is important!
>
> I think the problem for many outside the practice of Buddhism and
without
> direct instruction/an acarya in the scriptures and day to day
practice is that
> most forget we are all human and have flaws, and are not Arahats
and this and
> that. We should learn to love and have relationships with each
other, we have
> to or we'll never learn to deal with each other. The Sangha is
one big
> relationship, espcially if your living in the monastery.
>
> You canot leave this world nor avoid humans, even as the all
mighty perfected
> monk, because, as the scriptures state on a monk's daily
reflection, "My life
> now depends on others." Theory and application are two different
things and
> in this world nama and rupa are important. What the Dhamma
teaches us is to
> learn that even though discimination will take place it is how we
embody our
> relationship to that which is apart of our Path. Being in the
world but not of
> it.
>
> What we must use is the example of those who take the Path of the
Dhamma,
> embody qualities, love, nurture, and grow with each other, not
simply cease to
> interact. The Buddha never said we had to do that, only that it
is much easier
> to learn to let go without all these attachments. In many
scriptures, there
> are stories of householders reaching heaven and a sublime state
without giving
> up everything. Look to the AN, MN, DN its right there for us to
lead a life
> within the context of a householder and grow to become illuminated
and happy.
>
> Myself, I am married and many other lineages are as well, as all
have roles
> to play in the congreagtion, Sangha. Ours grows very well and the
members all
> embody the Dhamma in many ways and their lives are enriched for
it. Yes, it
> is different than some monk who sets away and separated from the
congregation
> but we are in American that is hard to do with our social
structure. Plus,
> what we have to look at is that many who are these seprated
individuals are
> miserable so they aren't getting it, they missing the point, ha
ha. Religion and
> practice can make one free or chained to misery and
morification. This is
> what the Buddha found on his journey when he first started out.
>
> Do you reach rapture and release or unhappiness and nihilism.
> Do you reach happiness or misery.
> Do you love the Path and feel free from it or bound by chains of
discontent
> and judgementalism.
>
> As they say, the proof is in the pudding....
>
> Virupa Arya
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>