#10

12/04/2000

not a weekly magazine


mailto:klein@zen.ru

In this issue:


Zen thoughts
Short conversations
Koan from Lotos
Annotations
Horror stories
Home task
Best Bodhi-Net sites

Reader's correspondence
To the reader

Brothers, if I shall hurt you, I'll do it regretfully.

ZenHelp

authors internet-magazine
chief editor: Klein

 

Zen thoughts

 

More fire?

Damn! I feel we can't do anymore without the topic "Second Logic"... What to do?... You grow so fast, monsters... I'll have to prepare the texts in short order... Now I'll only say:
1. Huay-Nen is good.
2. Shan-Su is bad.
3. A dispute about suddenness-course - is just a form, and it doesn't contain any (real, important) meaning. It's meaning is in another thing. Not in suddenness-course.
4. Enlightment is not sudden.
5. Enlightment is as sudden as the end of any action is sudden: you ran and ran - and you tuoched the finish line. Suddenly? You suddenly became world champion? Does anybody become a world champion suddenly??? But this is a trival meaning of suddenness, so there's no point in discussing it.
6. You can achieve enlightment suddenly, without any run.
7. But this will last only for a short time. Very short. Only, to help you to orientate yourself. And start your run consciously.
8. Enlightment is always a result.
9. Shan-Su is jerk.
10. Huey-Nen - hail Huey-Nen!
11. Suddenness of Norht - course of South.
12. Shan-Su - South, Huey-Nen - South.
13. I'm not joking. And I'm not Chan kidding.
14. I start to prepare materials on Second logic.

About Samurai Zen

Samurai strives for truth. All what samurai does - is a form of this striving for truth. I don't remember where I read recently such a phrase: "Spirituality is a strivement for thruth".. but is is either Gesse, or Kierkegor, or Nietshe.

When a person strives for truth, a concept "correct" or "incorrect" plays a very important role. Why? Because on this stage outer sets of criteria fall off one by one, and a striving for truth person has nothing to rely on except for worked out for himself criteria. This is called "correct" or "incorrect". These criteria may agree or disagree with existing in the world ones. But - important! - any of existing in the world criteria is taken (or not taken) concsiously. I.e. is worked out and becomes your own criteria. And one more important thing. A combination of these criteria (design, picture, pattern, system) - is always unique.

The more one moves on, the more he has to rely on inner value scale, the less becomes the importance of outer criteria systems. A "weak" "correct-incorrect" more and more becomes his only support. It is called - to rely on emptiness.

Samurais. Striving for truth. Samurai's actions, as a form of striving for truth. Samurais' "Correct-incorrect" relies on samurai's codex, taken by every Samurai as his personal pattern "correct-incorrect". And that's all. :)))

Samurai acts correctly and doesnt' act incorrecty. Size of correcness or incorrectness doesn't matter. Samurai talkes to elders correctly, samurai talkes to youngers correctly, samurai poures the tea correctly, samurai learns correctly, samurai dies correctly.

Only when "correctly-incorrectly" appears - appears the real responsibility for your actions. Responsibility, including "to go to all lengths" no matter what... no matter, for instance, all the gang course change...

Responsibility, including responsibility for all - for all! - consequences of your action. Only relying on emptiness you can stand the direct hit of a land mine.

 

Koan Liberation from thoughts

A unskilful intention to get rid of thoughts - is a reluctance to understand that great deals cant' be done by any other means than by a great tension of all forces. "To get liberaton from thoughts" - is a great deal. "To get liberation" from something you can only if you have this. :))) That light down which is usually considered as thoughts, - has nothing in common with them. :)))

It's possible to get liberation from this down (=rubbish) rather easily - in the very beginning of the way, if you go correctly... :)))) - Simply, throwing this rubbish away! To get liberation from thoughts - from thoughs, not rubbish - is a much more complex work!

To get liberation from thoughts - doesn't mean to lose abitity to think! To get libaration from thoughts - means to get ability not only to think perfectly, but also to think SO perfectly, that you overcome the ability of "subject of thoughts" to rule you.

That's what is called - "ability to dance on the whirlwinds of emptness" and "invincibility"... :))) - or, - "really cool"... :)))))))))))))

 

Koan "Why should I compare?"

"Why should I compare..." - do you distinguish letter "O" from letter "P"? Milk from vodka? Computer from lavatory pan?... You distinguish them - by COMPARING. Comparing is a base logic operation of brain. From it comes all the mathematics, art, etc, including - what to eat and how to reproduce. :))) Question: how do you distinguish things that should be told apart from onse that should not be? How do you compare things that should be compared with things that shouldn't be?

 

To say something clever

If you want to say something clever - like, where is top? where is bottom? what is better, letter "O" or letter "P"? what is linger - kilogram or meter per square second, what is heavier - green thing or rounded and so on, - skip it, please...

 

Koan-Instinct

If we speak about dogs, the word "desire" can be equally replaced with word "instinct". If we talk NOT about dogs, we also can replace "desire" with "instinct". :))) It is, in fact, - just a derivative from instinct of self-preservation... :))) Enlightment, by the way, - is also going away from dog's instincts... :))))

 

Easy way Chan

"Easy way" in the meaning "freebies" is completely opposite to Chan. "Easy way" as a result (everything at once!) :)) - is a basic result of education in the spirit of Chan. To come to "easy way" of getting any results, you have to go through a "hard way" of education. :)) But you must go through it merrily - "easily". Otherwise it won't be Chan. :) "Chan" is an almost relative concept. :)) Now it's called a bit different... :)) The content changed. The form changed completely. The essence is kept permanent. Hail Huey-Nengh! Hail Lyn-Tsy! Hail Bodhidharma! Hurray Buddha!

 

All roads lead to Rome

"All the roads, anyway, lead to Rome!" OK. But do all the wanderers COME to Rome? The speed is important. The speed is no less importnat...

 

 

Short conversations

 

Distinguish and appraise

- OK, I'll say stupidly: to distinguish and to appraise - are different actions. The first is essential, the second is from the Evil One.


- "To distinguish" means "to compare objects with something and then divide compared objects into one, two or several groups according to comparing criteria". "To appraise" means "to compare objects with some measure and then to divide compared objects into one, two or several groups according to amount of measures the object contains".

I.e. if we compare concepts "to distinguish" and "to appraise" using their essence criteria, namely - the criteria "comparing objects and the following dividing them into groups", then it becomes obvious, that this concepts are equal.

From the Evil One - is unskilful and unwilling thinking, - which increases complication (zone of turoid water) in this world, and this makes the task of catching souls for dark forces more easy. That's why it's called "from th Evil One". Pls... :)))))

 

Koan "What for do we need these points of view?"

- All this depends on the point of view. For example, considering the way of writing the letter "O" is simplier, therefore, better.

- Amoeba is simplier, than a man, therefore, better... "You can't jump over your head" - simplier means better... To continue taking in drugs is easier, therefore, better... What for do we need this mental rubbish? What is it's function in, except littering brain for you and the others? "Not to keep" an idea is simplier, then to "keep"... :)))))

 

Impartiality

- Why don't you treat people not impartially?

- And why SHOULD I treat them impartially? What for?...

 

Wisdom beyond limits - exists!

- Koan - is just a form of true reality or something like that...

- That's it! :)))) And here we APPROACH for the first time to the basics of Chan' (zen)! To the fact, that wisdom beyond limits can't be expressed by means of words or text, by means of technology "you - asked, I - answered"... But stop! Let's pause! :)) At first we need to PROCEED to the fact, that wisdom beyond limits - exists. :))) That it is, therefore, - quite exactly defined. :)) That wisdom beyond limits and so-called "points of view" - have nothing in common. :)) And that between the valley of "points of view" and the mountain of "wisdom beyond limits" there exists a WAY. :))) And on the Way - there are landmarks. :)))) And, therefore - there exists a direction :)) - quite exactly defined. :))) And that you may lose the way. In any of it's points, near any landmark... :))) And that - and so on. :)))))) I hope, you understand me correctly... :))) From the standpoint of me using your remark as a reason for a serious conversation :))) - conversations are also necessary sometimes :))) - how else?!...

 

About the use of ritual

- "Even if you EVERY day ONLY pour a glass of water into the lavatory pan - World - will CHANGE!" :) (c) A.Tarkovsky, "Sacrifice". Isn't it about the use of ritual?


- I agree, the world will change. But Tarkovsky didn't write about the use of ritual. He wrote about a great power of ANY intention (intention - in the meaning Don Huan used). I'll add: Rituals :))) have colossal PRACTICAL USE. Their colossal strategic harm therefore isn't visible.

 

Useless work

- Alexander, what is the energy spent on?

- On the useless work.

- How can I count it?

- What? Useless work?

- Yes. It.

- You want to do some useless work? :)))

- Who knows... :) I want to know how to count it.

- It's very easy to count it. Well, for example... You are capable of doing great deals, i.e. - a lot. And you only do some trifle, for example, - i.e. a little. What you get taking "a lot" from "a little" is the value of useless spared energy.

- So. Now, tell me about great deals - you asked for that :)

- Do you now want me to do useless work? :)))

 

 

Koan from Lotos

 

Basic KOAN

The basic KOAN is in the fact - "every dog can explain anything... and that's what doesn't let it turn to human!" :)))

Klein klein@zen.ru

 

 

Annotations

 

Robert Shekley. Mnemon http://zen.ru/old/Sheckly.htm

"...Mnemon had a natural enemy in the person of our tutor, Mr Vah, who taught us all the approved program. And one more enemy - father Dulcec, who took care about our spiritual needs in the bosom of Universal American Patriotic Church. Mnemon ignored these authorities. He told us that most of what they taught us is false. He said that they misinterpret the meaning of famous sayings, giving them the opposite meaning."

 

SIX PATRIARCHY PLATFORM SUTRA http://zenru.org/platform-sutra.htm

I'm now re-readind Platform Sutra - and I continue wandering, how quickly the meaning of what I'm reading changes for me! :))))) There are lots of moments, which I not only couldn't understand, but i EVEN THOUGHT that I understood, and therefore I skipped this quickly. I don't know if I understand it now, but only now I can see how many things I couldn't understand before! :))))) , So, you see what's going on! :)))))))))))
I'm still trying to catch that wave - well, I wrote about it in the last letter, - it seems to appear, but somehow very occasionally. But I manage to concentrate much quicklier than before! That's great! :)))) I remember all the time your replay to my request to teach me to stop inner dialog. :)))) And I noticed that almost all what you say can be found in Six Patriarchy Sutra! :)) I didn't notice it before somewhy. :))))))))))))

 

Horror stories

 

Stock Exchange

Once I was a well-known specialist in creating stock exchanges. This reputation got to other stock creators, and they sometimes invited me to create something like stocks. And one firm - from Saratov, it seems, - sent me by fax their regulations. :)) A paper with their regulations took about 8 meters, you see.. who needs this!... :)) I placed this paper on a table, took a pen - and underlined something, and drew out something, and put ticks somewhere.. - and wrote on the top that I have questions about their regulations! - and sent it back to them. By fax. Well, yes... Not by myself, of course, :))) - I had a secretary... :))) And 10 minutes later - I wrote that I'm worried if thay can read everything easily and that's why I send it them once more - I sent all this lent them again - but they stopped taking it in the middle. I guess, their fax exploded,, What happened to their firm - I don't remember...

Klein klein@zen.ru

 

 

Home Task

 

Task ¹ 7 "Doing only one action"

Every second try to do only one action. Well, it means: when you're eating - eat, when you're waking - walk, and so on... :))) Hi!

Report

 

Task ¹6 "The most useless action"

I want to mention - you had to find not a "useless action", but - "the most useless action"! The most useless! :))))

Aly. mailto:aly@sochi.ru Hello. The most useless action - is thinking, what is the most useless action.

No. :)))) You're not right. :)))) This is, actually, - very useful. :))))) I'll publish your answer. Hi! Klein. :))

Dealer steelsun@chat.ru Klein, hi. I've found the most useless action! It is turning on and off a lamp/chandelier/:)) Then - I don't want anything else, the desire disappears!!!! That's it!! Prajna-dinamita... pshaw.. paramita:))) By the way, how to practice it? I don't feel any energetic flows inside somewhy :)) But I became lazy. I wanted to eat yesterday in the evening. But I felt too lazy to go to cafe.

Alex R. AR_MYMB@MAIL.RU The most useless action - is to start to think, what is the most useless action. Thinking about it you can spend an hour or two - and this will be really useless.

Thank you for a letter, Alexander. :)))) No. :)) This is not a useless action. And, more - not "the most useless". Even more! - I think, "Thinking about it you can spend an hour or two" - is very useful! :))) Hi! Thank you. Klein. :))

Denis V. dionis@tranzit.donetsk.ua I'm sitting here and looking to the window... Just one trouble - a curtain encloses all the window for me... And what can I do? And whose life is easy now? ;-))) It's also possible like this... "I'm thinking about the Universe!" ;-))) And besides I'm thinking what did Pelevin want to say by his novell "Tarsanka"! It's also absolutely useless action... But still interesting!;-)))

No. :))) Not useless. And all the more, not the most useless. :))) Think more! Hi! Klein. :))

 

 

Correspondence with reader

* * *

Are you Zen-Buddhist, or just middling?

I'm not Zen-Buddhist. :)) Also not "middling". :)))

* * *

 

To the reader

Good-good... :)))))) What a word! - If you look at it for 5 seconds in silence, you can see at once that it's a Zen word. :)) Dear reader! Understand! Write! Send! - Well, like, - higher! thicker! braver! - or how did the Romals say?... Ah! Veni! Vidi! Vici! That's it. - Best regards! Kl. :)))))

 


Translated by Smile.

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