Loving kindness - "Metta"

Originally posted by Taoman
That painting, it is definitely not the space that is empty.

The painting is a good koan. Take it with you.

"That painting...it is definitely not the space that is empty."

Let us leave the words now. I suggest you carry the koan wherever you go and do not put it down. May you ever be happy.

thanks, very positive sentiments 🙂

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
thanks, very positive sentiments 🙂

Talk later about that painting and its emptiness, eh? Give it a week or two, if you wish to continue. Words, no words, breathing.

Painting is a very good subject in this regard.

We could begin to look first for where the painting is. Can you find it?

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Following on from the logic derived from this post it stands to reason to 'get at' Zen one must realize the "anti - logic" of Zen.
Poems like these point the way,(to a certain practice here), which seeks to clarify the mind of the adept.
After you get into the spirit of Zen writings, including koans, you can see that the author is trying to communi ...[text shortened]... e moment is to understand the only moment is to understand the whole (mind) of the universe.

Thank you karoly for your thoughtful, helpful words.

"To understand one moment is to understand the only moment is to understand the whole (mind) of the universe."

I sip my tea, and the Yellow-tailed black cockatoo calls...the moment I think about the moment to "understand" it, I lose it.

Watch that rock there, I have stubbed my toe on it a few times now.

We all stumble on, chatting away.

Originally posted by Taoman
Thank you karoly for your thoughtful, helpful words.

"To understand one moment is to understand the only moment is to understand the whole (mind) of the universe."

I sip my tea, and the Yellow-tailed black cockatoo calls...the moment I think about the moment to "understand" it, I lose it.

Watch that rock there, I have stubbed my toe on it a few times now.

We all stumble on, chatting away.

Yeah, just don't correct too much or you'll hit it on the way back too, ow 🙂

Originally posted by Taoman
Talk later about that painting and its emptiness, eh? Give it a week or two, if you wish to continue. Words, no words, breathing.

Painting is a very good subject in this regard.

We could begin to look first for where the painting is. Can you find it?

Ever since it was deemed to be more than merely imitating nature, (most early art was
concerned with this idea, of imitation) all art is essentially conceptual, in that it begins
in the mind. It was thought that since the mind was the most wondrous thing that
nature had produced that it should be capable of animating its own reality. This is
perhaps the appeal of chess also, the realisation that the intellect is giving the breath of
life to the inanimate pieces and is in some sense a reflection of the universe, in that
behind so many apparently disconnected and seemingly chance happenings in the
physical world, lies the one great ruling spirit, some term it the law of nature, others
perceive it as God.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Yeah, just don't correct too much or you'll hit it on the way back too, ow 🙂

🙂 🙂

Originally posted by robbie carrobie
Ever since it was deemed to be more than merely imitating nature, (most early art was
concerned with this idea, of imitation) all art is essentially conceptual, in that it begins
in the mind. It was thought that since the mind was the most wondrous thing that
nature had produced that it should be capable of animating its own reality. This is ...[text shortened]... , lies the one great ruling spirit, some term it the law of nature, others
perceive it as God.

"Monks, there are these four modes of practice. Which four? Intolerant practice, tolerant practice, self-controlled practice, and even practice.

"And which is intolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, returns the insult; when abused, returns the abuse; when bickered with, bickers in return. This is called intolerant practice.

"And which is tolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, doesn't return the insult; when abused, doesn't return the abuse; when bickered with, doesn't bicker in return. This is called tolerant practice.

"And which is self-controlled practice? There is the case where a monk, on seeing a form with the eye, doesn't grasp at any theme or variations by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye.

"On hearing a sound with the ear...

"On smelling an aroma with the nose...

"On tasting a flavor with the tongue...

"On touching a tactile sensation with the body...

"On cognizing an idea with the intellect, he doesn't grasp at any theme or variations by which — if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect — evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the intellect. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the intellect.

"This is called self-controlled practice.

"And which is even practice? There is the case where a monk doesn't acquiesce to an arisen thought of sensuality. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, wipes it out of existence.

"He doesn't acquiesce to an arisen thought of ill will. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, wipes it out of existence.

"He doesn't acquiesce to an arisen thought of harmfulness. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, wipes it out of existence.

"He doesn't acquiesce to any arisen evil, unskillful qualities. He abandons them, destroys them, dispels them, wipes them out of existence.

"This is called even practice.

"These, monks, are four modes of practice."


Note
1.These four terms rhyme in the Pali: akkhama, khama, dama, and sama.

Originally posted by mikelom
"Monks, there are these four modes of practice. Which four? Intolerant practice, tolerant practice, self-controlled practice, and even practice.

"And which is intolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, returns the insult; when abused, returns the abuse; when bickered with, bickers in return. This is called intoleran ...[text shortened]... 1.These four terms rhyme in the Pali: akkhama, khama, dama, and sama.

ok

Originally posted by mikelom
"Monks, there are these four modes of practice. Which four? Intolerant practice, tolerant practice, self-controlled practice, and even practice.

"And which is intolerant practice? There is the case where a certain individual, when insulted, returns the insult; when abused, returns the abuse; when bickered with, bickers in return. This is called intoleran ...[text shortened]... 1.These four terms rhyme in the Pali: akkhama, khama, dama, and sama.

Do these four modes represent a general trend, ie does each mode get more difficult as we move from 1 to 4 ? ( Or are they just different practices? )

I remember coming across this,( a while ago now), and think I know what you are on about here, but I would just like a bit of clarification please.