one

[Tobiishi]

Gassho

Everyone and everything is composed of atoms and molecules and particles that used to help compose something else. There are particles in me that used to be rock, and the sea, and other people. When did those particles stop being what they were and start being me? The delusion is in the distinction- there is no 'was and is'. Each particle just is, always, past and future. If once it was rock, it still is. If once it was another person, it still is, and is me at the same time, as well as just part of the larger organism we call earth. And, by extension, the universe. By this we know that all is one.

This view completely extinguishes many things (or can, if we let it in)

Everything is vitally important,
and nothing matters.

gassho
tobiishi

[StephanCOH]

Gassho Tobiishi.

That's one of the most interesting concepts. Once, back in time, everything was literally one (or quite similar to one), which was just before the Big Bang happened. So everything is of the same origin. Everything is Everything. The particles and atoms never really change, it's just that we put different labels on different combinations of what's always the same.

[Shonin]

I've heard Quantum physics suggest that when reduced to our smallest particle we all share that same particle in common. So hmmmm on that one.

Dave

[Rich]

The problem with that view is that everything is always changing, even the particles and atoms. So I think calling it something ineffable or universal substance may be closer to reality since its not entirely material or idealistic. The most important thing is that we are totally dependent on each other and are interconnected by some universal substance. Something like that.
/Rich

[doogie]

Oscar Wilde once said that love is the illusion that one woman is different from another. I don't think he was quite talking about what we're talking about, but I think he inadvertently touched on the truth. Not just about women, but all of us. An individual is the illusion that one person is different from another. Maybe we're all just expressions of the same thing.

Most people don't want to deal with that. They don't want to believe that they're the same person they just cursed out in traffic, or the unfortunately voiced contestant they laughed at on American Idol, or the terrorist on the other side of the world that wants to blow them up. But there are advantages to this world view. My neighbor's success is my success. His child is my child. When I die, he will live on. If not him, another him. Another me. This applies to not only humans, but dogs, cats, canaries. All expressions of the same things. Fingers on an unseen hand.

The Aspen tree forms large stands of genetically identical trees connected by a single underground root system. These trees form through root sprouts coming off an original parent tree, though the root system may not remain a single unit in all specimens. The largest known fully-connected Aspen is a grove in Utah nicknamed Pando, and some experts call it the largest organism in the world at 106 acres.

[Cameron]

http://tinyurl.com/n6m5vn ...unfortunately cut short.

and we must remember: http://tinyurl.com/m94kh6

One of my favourite movies... well parts anyway.

[Myoshin]

Each particle is the same but different. The particles in a rock are rock particles, the particles in trees are particles of trees, but they are all made up of the same particles, and yet different. I like to think of it as uniquely the same. Superficially we appear different, but on a chemical level we are all alike. Just my thoughts.

I really like that information on the Aspen trees, I never knew that.

i heart huckabees is one of my favorite movies as well. Dustin Hoffman is priceless in that movie. Thanks for the clips.

Gassho,
Kyle

[Taigu]

Great stuff, guys. Wonderful big pictures. Very large screens. The movie cuts are priceless, thank you DeadBuddha. One thing Tobishi, if I may say, the everything as one is not yet hitting the mark. Still dualistic. One, yet two. But again, dualistic. So we say neither one nor two, closer, much closer. Don't you think?
I am not into cosmic philosophy and Buddhist quantics anymore, but I liked your posts. Really. At the same time just washing our bowl, or doing the dishes, is a complete and perfect expression of this understanding. Or...maybe neither nor :lol:



gassho


taigu

[Tobiishi]

So we say neither one nor two, closer, much closer. Don't you think?

baby steps, sensei... can you elaborate?

gassho
tobiishi

[Tb]

So we say neither one nor two, closer, much closer. Don't you think?

baby steps, sensei... can you elaborate?

gassho
tobiishi

Hi.

If you have one, you must have a "not-one" (maybe "zero"?)...
By naming one you must have the other, then you are separating.
And as one of my masters always says "Don't separate hot and cold"...

Mtfbwy
Tb

[Taigu]

Gassho Fugen sensei!

Tobishi, as one of our ancestors, Sozan, in the Shin Jin Mei says:

The great way is not difficult, just avoid picking up and choosing

, one is still choosing, not one is also choosing. Neither one nor two allows and manifests both without choosing any and separating one from the other.
In fact, if I may say, it is where Advaita is really different from our path. There is an element of dissolving the self into a bigger one in Advaita. It is still a very theistic path. Attached to the big picture, the great dance, the wonderful extasy ( as something that takes you out of yourself) In Zen, not really. as Jundo repeats...we don't linger there.
Baby steps are great, Tobishi, they go further than quantum leaps.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/zen/fm/fm.htm is where you ll find this poem

Thank you


gassho

Taigu

[AlanLa]

Great thoughts starting this thread, really! And then there is zazen where we let go of all these great thoughts in order to experience what all these thoughts are about.

Mea culpa: I thought of this during zazen ops:

[Tb]

Gassho Fugen sensei!

Hi.

Please don't call me sensei, i left that part a long time ago.
When i left my "teaching" at "Kalmar martial arts centre", i got an belt wtih an belt with my name and the text awasedo onshi.
Onshi is the title i've used since then, until lately.
Now, when asked, i refer to myself as untenshu...

But i Bow anyhow.


Mtfbwy
Tb

[StephanCOH]

Great thoughts starting this thread, really! And then there is zazen where we let go of all these great thoughts in order to experience what all these thoughts are about.

Nice!

[Rich]

"So we say neither one nor two, closer, much closer. Don't you think?"

Fugen and Taigu, thanks for the explanation on that. For me its more in the action, the thinking sometimes gets me in trouble. I guess I'll just keep trying.
/Rich