Comments on: A Shin Buddhist koan

By: isabella mori

isabella mori — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:14:50 +0000

running in circles
of yesterday, tomorrow.
and then a flash: now!

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:15:43 +0000

Hi Isabella: Who says that’s not part of the answer? I can’t say for certain, but I would say that Buddhism does indeed have a central question to it, but first one must know there is a question (i.e. awareness that things are not as they should be) and then go about coming to terms with it (progressing on the path). I think as one comes to terms with it, their focus does indeed turn to now, but it’s not something you can really tell someone to do, otherwise they short-circuit the process. Consider the classic Buddhist text, the Gandhavyuha Sutra, where the main character goes on this magnificent quest for answers, but eventually comes back around full-circle.

By: isabella mori

isabella mori — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:40:09 +0000

hm – i’d have to say that one of the things that has always drawn me to buddhism is that the meaning of life is NOT a central question. right now i’ll concern myself with the “nowlife”. the bridge of dying – i’ll cross it when i get there

By: Doug

Doug — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:59:07 +0000

I knew that was coming.

Cheers!

By: zensquared

zensquared — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:58:47 +0000

Today I watched three fine hawks circling slowly in a blue, blue sky.

That’s a Zen answer, of course.

Thanks for the story. I enjoyed it.

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:50:59 +0000

Exactly. I’d rather have something concrete to hold on to.

By: Tornadoes28

Tornadoes28 — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:41:45 +0000

I don’t know if I will ever be able to answer that question of the afterlife. People state that you just need to have a strong faith, whether it be Christians or Jodo Shinshu followers. But faith is still such a hard thing for me to grasp. I don’t know if I will ever fully understand what faith is or how you come to believe it or attain it.