The purpose of the practice and life ?

[John Cloud]

Hi dear teacher Jundo and other teachers

What is the purpose of our practice ?
Some of buddhist schools says to free our self from birth and death . And other to rebrith into buddha pure land . and other to attain happiness in this life .

Do we in soto school agree with one of them or we have other opinion ?

And what about the purpose of life ?

Deep bows for you dear teachers _/|\_

[Ishin]

Hi John

I think you are asking what is the difference between Soto and other forms of Buddhist theory?

I am not really sure that can't be answered with a little bit of reading, but I am wondering....

What does the meaning of the First Noble Truth feel like for you?

Gassho
C

[John Cloud]

Hi Clark

When i was practice pure land my purpose of my practice ( Chant Namo Amituofo ) is to reborn to Amitabha pure land . When start to practice chan my purpose of my practice is free my self from cycle of birth and death .
So i wondering what the purpose of my practice in soto .
I have some answer . Which i write it up . Is to live in happiness . But i am not sure so i ask this question

Gassho

[Ishin]

I will let those more quailfied answer this for you. But what I meant to ask you was... what do you understand Dukkha to be?

Gassho
C

[John Cloud]

Dukkha is mean the suffering .
And ofcourse there is way to end the suffering .

Ammmm . I think the purpose of my practice is to free my self from suffering or happiness

Gassho

[Myozan Kodo]

John Cloud,
What is the purpose of a single flower?

I don't know. I know nothing. But the flower in my garden now ... Ah!

Great to walk this path with you.

Gassho
Myozan


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[John Cloud]

Hi dear Myozan

Right !!!
The purpose of life should include all living being ! Not just human .
So don't know is the best answer .

Thank you very much .

Deep bows for you

[Jundo]

What is the purpose of our practice ?
Some of buddhist schools says to free our self from birth and death . And other to rebrith into buddha pure land . and other to attain happiness in this life .

Do we in soto school agree with one of them or we have other opinion ?

And what about the purpose of life ?

I would say we (me anyway) Practice to realize freedom from birth and death (right in and beyond this world of birth and death) ... to realize the Pure Land free of Greed, Anger and Ignorance in this life (and, should there be any more lives, in those too) ... and to attain a great Happiness in this life (although, strangely, this Big "H" Happiness includes and flowers as both the happy times and sad days of life. It is not a Happiness that means one always need feel "happy", which would be a very incomplete way to live). Discovering all the foregoing is freedom from "Dukkha", the separation, friction and dissatisfaction between our self and the seeming "rest of the world" of sometimes birth and death, happiness and sadness.

So, I see no conflict in any of this.

Our "purpose in life" is to live a good and wholesome life, living with wisdom and compassion, realizing (making real) all the above. To do so I chop wood and carry water, living gently and with dedication, do as I can to live in a healthful and harmless way toward my self and others too (self and others, not two by the way). We climb up up up the mountain, trying to stick to a good path ... all the while realizing each step of the way as a Total Arrival.

And so the flower in the garden grows.

No conflict.

Gassho, J

[John Cloud]

Thank you very much dear teacher Jundo

Deep bows for you _/|\_

[Myozan Kodo]

That's wonderful, Jundo.

Thanks for asking the question, John Cloud.

Gassho
Myozan


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[Hans]

Hello,

more intimate than our jugular,
this practise is a goalless path,
but only Buddhas together with Buddhas
can accept
and see
that it is a pathless goal as well.


Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Mp]

That's wonderful, Jundo.

Thanks for asking the question, John Cloud.

Gassho
Myozan


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I second what Myozan says ... has been an enjoyable thread. =)

Gassho
Shingen

[Kyonin]

Thank you, Jundo.

Gassho,

Kyonin

[Rich]

Thanks, jundo.

Kind regards. /\