XPost: talk.religion.buddhism, alt.zen, alt.philosophy.zen   
   XPost: alt.buddha.short.fat.guy   
   From: firehose@everywhere.com   
      
   syringe nipples wrote:   
      
   > On 15/08/2010 11:58 PM, Julian wrote:   
   >> On 15/08/2010 16:55, syringe nipples wrote:   
   >>> On 15/08/2010 11:51 PM, Julian wrote:   
   >>>> On 15/08/2010 16:39, syringe nipples wrote:   
   >>>>> On 15/08/2010 11:32 PM, Julian wrote:   
   >>>>>> On 15/08/2010 16:08, Tang Huyen wrote:   
   >>>>>>> Evelyn wrote:   
   >>>>>>>> "Julian"   
   >>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>>> As for myself, I have only ever "chanted for" something once in   
   >>>>>>>>> my life and far from involving anything magic/occult it was a   
   >>>>>>>>> purely   
   >>>>>>>>> mundane transaction. In order to obtain a Gohonzon I had to   
   >>>>>>>>> demonstrate   
   >>>>>>>>> mastery of the Gongyo ceremony. There was nothing whatsoever   
   >>>>>>>>> magical   
   >>>>>>>>> or occult in my performance of the ceremony merely the result of   
   >>>>>>>>> the   
   >>>>>>>>> long   
   >>>>>>>>> and painful austerity of the assiduous practice that was (for   
   >>>>>>>>> me) required   
   >>>>>>>>> to master it. Just bloody hard work (and sore knees.)   
   >>>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>>> And you make fun of tibetan buddhism?   
   >>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>> Julian can speak for himself, but from my side, I can see the   
   >>>>>>> humour of what he says. He says that he goes through the motion   
   >>>>>>> without any faith in it. Just the bare motions, devoid of any   
   >>>>>>> supernatural superstructure to infuse meaning into them. Like many   
   >>>>>>> Christian priests and ministers who have lost faith. The   
   >>>>>>> part:<>>>>>> mundane transaction>> is very poignant. Also:<>>>>>> work>>.   
   >>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>> It is also very poignant that you miss his humour.   
   >>>>>>>   
   >>>>>>> Now just imagine a follower of the Tibetan religion going though   
   >>>>>>> the Tantric motions day after day in such spirit ...   
   >>>>>>   
   >>>>>> Went through the motion, not "goes."   
   >>>>>> Once I received the Gohonzon it was "game over!" :)   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> you can probably get those on ebay.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Indeed, although often they have to be paid for and it's unlikely   
   >>>> that they are hand delivered by a Nichiren Shoshu priest.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Also, one is unlikely to be star guest at an after-party and have the   
   >>>> close attention of a number of delighted Nip nubiles.   
   >>>>   
   >>>> Besides... buying off Ebay is, I suggest, not so likely to have the   
   >>>> desired effect on my "peers" at the time. They would have doubted   
   >>>> it's legitimacy and thus the whole point would have been undermined.   
   >>>>   
   >>>>   
   >>> did you convince yourself you were sincere at the time?   
   >>   
   >> Didn't need to. I knew my motive was, and still is, sincere.   
   >   
   > i could be forgiven for questioning. :)   
      
      
   You have no idea what it took for him   
   to act so civilized towards you.   
   He should be really grateful.   
   Still you were way out of line.   
      
   --   
   Firehose should be filtered out as well as those who talk to him regularly   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)