8/8 - Seven Points of Practice Point 7 Recap - p. 167

[Jundo]

Oh, I almost forgot to post this this week. :oops:

I hope that "Point 7" is not about being attentive and mindful ...

Gassho, J

[Tony-KY]

Uchiyama on page 168,


There is no one who can claim to always embody bodhi-mind, the mind that aspires to practice and attain enlightenment. Each of us gathers and contributes his or her own little bodhi-mind to the general effort.


For me, these two sentences sum up the purpose and the value of the sangha in general and Treeleaf in particular.

Gassho, Tony

[lindabeekeeper]

For me, these two sentences sum up the purpose and the value of the sangha in general and Treeleaf in particular.


Hi Tony, I wholeheartedly agree. One thing that Uchiyama said gave me pause, though.

A good practice place must neither be a place for carrying on religious political intrigues nor a place to try to clamber up the pseudo-spiritual ladder.

That is pretty challenging for any type of group. I keep thinking back to my posts at Treeleaf. Did I engage in any gossip that might exacerbate "religious political intrigues" or express something in a competitive way?

I confess to being competitive. And, I see the negative impact of this behavior on others. The challenge is how to be supportive and helpful to fellow sangha members without being pedantic or resorting to one-upmanship.

I think that it is probably impossible to avoid religious political intrigues and competitiveness in any society. But the better I can understand the root causes of my behavior, the better I can contribute to the sangha and make it a "good practice place." And after all, my practice seems to benefit the most from repeated attempts and failures.

Gassho,

Linda

[Bansho]

Hi,


Cooperate with one another and aim to create a place where sincere practitioners can practice without trouble.

Hey, that sounds like Treeleaf, doesn't it? Well, OK, 99% of the time anyway. :wink:

Gassho
Ken

[Janice]

I enjoyed the old saying (on page 168):
The poor farmer makes weeds, the mediocre one makes crops, and the skilled farmer makes soil.

My take was: making soil is about developing the foundation with a focus on conditions and processes that are life-supporting and enhancing. Whereas making crops, suggests a focus and perhaps an attachment to a particular outcome.

Janice