True. But I think he finally had the good sense to learn when and how to stop beating himself to a pulp. I think he did come to savor the flowers.Originally Posted by Stephanie
And, if done skillfully, I believe the Practioner is then truly self-actualized, liberated, so much more alive for doing so ... not less.
It is not a matter of feeling "good" all the time. It is not a matter of giving up wrestling with existence or passion.
Instead, it is a matter of being at home in one's own being. It is not tranquilizers, but tranquility amid the fire.
We resolve the matter of life-death quite clearly. Not all the details of course, or even most of the details (I do not know if we get free ice cream sundaes for all eternity), but the very heart of the matter ... and with real answers (not fairy tales). All that is required is a new way or two of seeing things, and of understanding who we are. At least, I think so, and Dogen and others thought so, and so that is the type of Buddhism I try to teach around here.The way I understand the term (also spelled Bonpu) is that a Bompu Zen practitioner simply practices to improve quality of ordinary life, as opposed to striving to resolve the matter of life and death.
Life-death = piece-o-cake. :wink: It is just a question of whether folks can get their heads around it.
Gassho, Jundo