Fugen on the Lotus Sutra I - (and Jar Jar too)

[Jundo]

Hi,

As part of Fugen's Priest Training, we are working with the Lotus Sutra. I ask him to offer a short talk on the introductory passages, where myriad mythical personages and creatures appear to attend the Buddha's Talk ...

At that time Shakra Devanam Indra with his followers, twenty thousand sons of gods, also attended.
There were also the sons of gods Rare Moon, Pervading Fragrance, Jeweled Glow, and the Four Great
Heavenly Kings, along with their followers, ten thousand sons of gods.

Present were the sons of gods Freedom and Great Freedom and their followers, thirty thousand sons of
gods, Present were King Brahma, lord of the saha world, the great Brahma Shikhin, and the great Brahma
Light Bright, and their followers, twelve thousand sons of gods.

There were eight dragon kings, the dragon king Nanda, the dragon king Upananda, the dragon king
Sagara, the dragon king Vasuki, the dragon king Takshaka, the dragon king Anavatapta, the dragon king
Manasvin, the dragon king Utpalaka, each with several hundreds of thousands of followers.

There were four kimnara kings, the kimnara king Great Law, and the kimnara king Upholding the Law,
each with several hundreds of thousands of followers.

You can read more here (we are working with the first 20 pages) ...

http://ir.nmu.org.ua/bitstream/handl...d0ce0c0ce7.pdf

Well, of course Fugen asked if he could refer to Star Wars ...

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Jakuden]

Excellent, I hope this will continue as a series?

Gassho,
Sierra
SatToday

[Tb]

Hi.

Yes, of course.
And if you have other subjects you want us to talk about, Please say so.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

#notsatyettoday

[Kyonin]

Hi Fugen,

Thank you for this talk.

Many sutras begin or include a huge gathering of beings and all kinds of magical creatures to witness something. I have always believed it was a very poetic way to say that the whole universe was there, in just the right time which was frozen forever in history.

Using the Star Wars analogy is fun and makes this very understandable. Thanks!

Gassho,

Kyonin

[Jika]

Hi Fugen,

thank you.
In religious texts, these are always the points where I fall asleep: Well, is it really important who was there? If Jesus' cousin of third grade was there, does this mean the text is more believable because it offers such details? And if kings and magical creatures attended, does the author think we need this to see "Oh, this moment was really important!"?

Yours (and thank you, Kyonin) interpretation finally makes sense.

Although in an uncomfortable sense:
Jar Jar has not chosen his job as Senator. He was the victim to a well-laid plan.
So you say without choosing, I was present at Hitler's takeover?

We are all now present to countries closing their borders to refugees?

Please continue your series in your very own style .

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Tb]

Hi.

Hi Fugen,

thank you.
In religious texts, these are always the points where I fall asleep: Well, is it really important who was there? If Jesus' cousin of third grade was there, does this mean the text is more believable because it offers such details? And if kings and magical creatures attended, does the author think we need this to see "Oh, this moment was really important!"?

Yours (and thank you, Kyonin) interpretation finally makes sense.

Although in an uncomfortable sense:
Jar Jar has not chosen his job as Senator. He was the victim to a well-laid plan.
So you say without choosing, I was present at Hitler's takeover?

We are all now present to countries closing their borders to refugees?

Please continue your series in your very own style .

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

Thank you, how can i not do that?

An "zenny answer" would be to point to the mumonkan, case 1, Joshu's dog.

A monk asked Master Chao-chou, "Has a dog the Buddha Nature or not?" Chao-chou said, "Mu!"

A more Star wars answer would be

The force is an energy field crated by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together. -Obi-Wan Kenobi


"The ways of the Living Force are beyond our understanding… But fear not. You are in the hands of something much greater and much better than you can imagine." - Qui-Gon Jinn


"Jedi refer to the ‘light side’ and the ‘dark side’, but really, these are only words, and the Force is beyond words. It is not evil, just as it isn’t good—it's simply what it is." ―Barriss Offee

"For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere! Yes, even between the land and the ship."
―Yoda,

Don't separate and Think bigger.

As for choice, sometimes you choose, sometimes someone else chooses for you, sometimes choices choose you and sometimes there is no choice.


Thank you for your practice.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

#Sat2day

[Byokan]

Thank you for this teaching, Fugen

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

[Kokuu]

Good job, Fugen. I must admit I never expected to see Jar Jar and The Lotus Sutra in the same talk!


Gassho
Kokuu
#sattoday

[Myosha]

Hello,

The postscript made the talk. Thank you.


Gassho
Myosha sat today

[RichardH]

Thank you, Fugen.

Hmmmm... using a Vulcan gesture of benediction while invoking the Force.....?

Gassho
Daizan

sat today

[Rich]

Thanks, fugen. Looking forward to the next episode. Nice to know we were all there.

SAT today

[Myosha]

Thank you, Fugen.

Hmmmm... using a Vulcan gesture of benediction while invoking the Force.....?

Gassho
Daizan

Particularly enjoy the invoking gesture from the sci-fi 'future' of Star Trek with Star Wars 'A long time ago, in a galaxy . . . .'

Pulling together with eternal now creates its own legend.

Before? After? Now?

Yes


Gassho
Myosha sat today

[Jika]

I sat with the Bodhisattva Basics today.

The whole universe (and universes) was laughing joyfully with me, as me, just laughing.

http://www.treeleaf.org/sit-a-long/w...ntabhadra.html

Hugs to the bad guy. Great job, Jundo and Fugen.
Mtfbwy.

Danny
#laughedtoday

[Risho]

Thank you Fugen! I hope you will continue with the Lotus Sutra; I'd really like to study this with you all.

Sidebar: I hate the prequels, and I hate Jar Jar. lol

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Seido]

Hi Fugen,
Thanks for your thoughts on this. I'm looking forward to more.

Gassho,
Ken
SatToday

[Kaishin]

Thank you, Fugen! I will have to brush up on the Star Wars mythos

-satToday

[TyZa]

I know this is an older thread. However, I became way too excited when Emperor Palpatine and the Galactic Senate was mentioned in discussing the Lotus Sutra.
Thank you Fugen! Any other talks referencing Star Wars would be great!

Gassho,
Tyler

SatToday

[Jundo]

Any other talks referencing Star Wars would be great!

Oh, don't encourage him on that! We just kinda got him to stop! :-)

MTFBWY

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

[Tb]

Hi.

Tyza, just check out any of my other talks then, i usually throw in some star wars in my talks, but not always, as all today can relate to that and the teachings therein, and as such it makes it relevant teaching for these times we live in.
But really, its all good practice.

And thank you.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

#Sat2day