Dear Helcat:

You mentioned the Lotus Sutra and the story about the burning house. From online:  The Parable of the Burning House is one of 5 main parables of the Lotus Sutra, a classic Mahayana Buddhist text.

I understood only part of the story: a wealthy man’s house was on fire with his kids playing inside. The father, understandingly, wanted his kids to exit the burning house. But they were playing games and did not even understand the words “fire” or “house”. So, to motivate them to exit the house, he told them that there are 3 carts outside the house, each attached to a different animal that the kids were familiar with. When they exited the house, they didn’t find the 3 promised carts. Instead, they found a cart attached to an ox (an animal that they were not familiar with?)

The 3 carts that were promised represent teachings in earlier Buddhism, and the cart that they found represent the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism adds to (does not replace) earlier teachings. Did I understand correctly? Can you explain this to me a bit?

anita

Dear Helcat:

Your take on the story inspires me to think this way in regard to the story: living unskillfully (suffering) is like being in a house that is burning. Living skillfully (no unnecessary suffering) is like exiting the burning house and having fun, is that it?

anita

Dear Helcat:

I would think that anything that would coax children out of a burning house is skillful.   “Perhaps fun is a happy side effect… Buddhism would include… being open to happiness and fun” – when I posted to you last, the thought of fun as an option occurred to me, and that by itself made me feel free of the stress I experienced just before that thought. We have to believe that something is an option for us, that something is possible for us, or available to us, before we can feel/ experience it.

anita

Dear Helcat:

I enjoy our discussion too and hope that more (friendly) members join this discussion.

“Not being able to imagine or understand the possibility of a different future is a large problem in the world” – it makes me think of the song Imagine by John Lennon, “Imagine all the people, living life in peace”, etc.

“Depression can provide a measure of comfort. If we tell ourselves, we are going to fail so there’s no point in trying we don’t ever have to put ourselves through the stress of trying” – not trying then is a way to regulate emotions, to keep the anxiety down, and depression perhaps is the result of over-regulating anxiety.

“Having a supportive network is beneficial for any kind of growth” – social animals, including humans, need social support.

Thank you for starting this thread and I hope that you continue to post here whenever you feel like posting.

anita

I’ve enjoyed following the conversation.

“He knows the way through the desert and many people follow him. But they get tired following”

When Gautama becomes Buddha and returns he recognizes his task is to teach what cannot be taught. I think he knew we tend to mistake the path and teachings as the destination. Meditation by a still lake, so wonderful who would not want to stay but meditation is not the destination. The teaching is not the destination.

In Christianity I often wonder how many worship a book as being G_d. The words as the destination. But I do not find that a moment of rest though it may be a necessary part of the journey. As goes the saying one must lose God to find G_d.  Similar I think to “If you meet the Buddha, kill him.”

Dancing is a great teacher. When learning to dance your are not dancing, that ok learning is necessary. Dancing happens when you get to forget what you leaned and Dance. What you learned will be their if you trust the body, ears… the body always new how to dance. The mind only necessary to notice the moment.  But the mind will want to step in, judge it. the mind is too slow to dance. So easy to mistake the studio, the community the classes, the learning as the destination.

Next time you are meditating and stressed watch parts are you are not relaxed, where does your stress rest on your body? Where is your mind, where is your breath. There is no judgment,  just noticing, the mind quiets or it doesn’t, you are not your mind.

Being relaxed when Meditating is great Meditating while not relaxed is better. 🙂

Dear Helcat:

Good to read your reply just as I am about to head for a walk to where the scared cat is, will get to him in an hour. His name is Simon. Will reply further later.

anita