Dear All Path Finders,
We continue with the sections "Path" and "Transcendence?" on pages 9 through 18.
A few suggested questions ... they are just suggested themes, so feel free to say something else or nothing ...
-Before you began your Buddhist Practice (and/or now), how do you picture or imagine "nirvana"? What would it be like to finally realize "nirvana"? (Don't feel the need to be logical about it, and please feel free to speak from your imagination. What do you hope that "nirvana" will be like?).
-Do you lean toward a "transcendent" interpretation of Nirvana as a realm unborn, or a more "immanent" psychological interpretation as an overcoming of craving and attachment, or both, or neither, or something else?
-Does it matter to you that we may never know what was the "original teaching" of the historical Buddha?
-Would later traditions and interpretations that deviate from some "original teaching" be less legitimate?
-What do you feel about the notion of Buddhist doctrinal development as, rather than "branches that diverge from the same tree trunk", something better described as "a braided river [of] multiple interacting streams that do not derive from a single source"?
-What is your feeling about the Joseph Campbell quote?
Gassho, Jundo
SatToday
PS - Please remember this about "Beyond Word & Letters Book Club" participation ...
Feel free to talk among yourselves here too, and comment on each others' comments, if you want. Visualize that we are all sitting in a circle with coffee and donuts (mmmm, Donuts!) at the local book store (those are becoming more and more imaginary too!). Everyone says their piece if they wish, but you can also ask each other questions or talk of impressions and insights from other members' words if you want.
However, okay not to as well, and just lay back and listen too. You can just stay for the coffee and donuts too, all free.
(IN MODERATION!)
