From: Piya Tan
Message: 11145
Date: 2007-03-12
On 3/12/07, Peter Tomlinson <gnanayasa@...> wrote:
>
> Metta to all,
> As I grow older in my follies and view of the world's repeated sufferings,
> the personal tragedies of so many around me in this America, one of the
> world's richest countries, I see that even here suffering never stops. I am
> privileged beyond so many others yet so limited as well. Transfer of merit
> is something one can do and so is prayer, I don't know if any of that works
> or not. Uposatha observance and of course taking refuge and keeping sila and
> practicing meditation and studying the suttasare all things I have been
> taught to do. And I try to practice all of that while developing a mind of
> loving kindness. I do these things because they are NOT my inclination. That
> inclination is to be concerned only with my self and my desires even to the
> point of destroying any one else who is in the way or whoever I simply wish
> to.
>
> Lord Buddha taught many things, I believe all of them, yet know that
> saddha is not liberating in itself. I am admonished to love others so I will
> begin metta bhavana. If transfer of merit helps others I will do it, if
> meditation and study does that so be it. I do know that this is a dark and
> bloody world that is so lost and dangerous that when we see it as it is we
> can fall into madness and despair quite easily.
>
> That way is no answer, only another round of samsara. You Piya inspire me.
>
> I am glad to be on this site if only to have read your e mail, so
> compassionate and so wise and honest.
>
> Thank you so much
> Pete Tomlinson
>
> Piya Tan <dharmafarer@... <dharmafarer%40gmail.com>> wrote: Even
> some views of the sekhas, saints on the path, short of arhathood, may
> be flawed.
> Only the asekha, the arhat, has full right view. At least in theory.
>
> We can always keep trying and working towards right view, without paining
> one another too much. It's called compassion.
>
> Very often we forget that our ability to discuss some finer points of
> Buddhism, be it philosophy, Pali and meditation, is because we are blessed
> with good health (mental and physical), and some surplus income, and
> perhaps
> some academic qualification.
>
> So Buddhism becomes another "professional" topic like any other.
>
> Today, one of my ex-students emailed saying that his brother has been
> admitted into a local mental health institution because of psychosis. He
> is
> told by Mahayana teachers that "merits" should be transferred to him.
>
> In times like this, I leave the finer points of Buddhism aside, and simply
> say. may these suffering persons grow of their pains, as I am pained too
> to
> know of such sufferings so close to me.
>
> Be well and happy, so that compassion and wisdom can arise when we most
> need
> them.
>
> Piya Tan
>
> Piya Tan
>
> On 09 Mar 2007 07:51:09 -0800, Gunnar Gällmo <gunnargallmo@...<gunnargallmo%40yahoo.se>>
> wrote:
> >
> > --- rjkjp1 <rjkjp1@... <rjkjp1%40yahoo.com> <rjkjp1%40yahoo.com>>
> skrev:
> >
> > > Dera Gunnar ,
> > > and this view of yours (above)is it fallible?
> > >
> > > Is sammaditthi , right view, true and factual, or
> > > fallible?
> > >
> > > The view that the texts are wrong (fallible). Is
> > > that view true?
> > > Robert
> >
> > Every view held by a puthujjana is fallible.
> >
> > Gunnar
> >
> >
> >
> >
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>
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