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Trevor Atkinson
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Thanks Gerg
I found a copy of Mark Epstein's book "Thought Without A Thinker" at my local library today and read the exchange between Kalu Rinpoche and Seung Sahn and have finally got the message - the only point is indeed the humour. I'm a slow lea…
Thanks for your thoughtful and helpful response Praticia - I'll try to track down a copy of Mark Epstein's book so that I get a better understanding of the context of the Kalu Rinpoche exchange.
I still have a lot to learn, thank goodness.
Debate (rather than argument) has been part of my practice too these past few years fivebells, but it seems that engaging in dialogue on this website really upsets some people which is such a shame. I would imagine that trying to be mindful when inv…
An interesting response Leslie. Can we be sure that Kalu Rinpoche wasn't also holding on to emptiness ? - although, I have to confess I don't really know what you mean by "emptiness".
Greg
The internet response you quote about the exchange between Kalu Rinpoche and Seugn Sahn seems a bit garbled to me - "the two Zen Masters" ? I didn't realise that Kalu Rinpoche was a Zen Master, but you live and learn I guess. Was the piece you…
Hi Patricia
I'm sure it's just me, but I don't really understand the exchange in London between Kalu Rinpoche and "a Zen Master". I find these cryptic exchanges baffling and don't know why they should matter to ordinary practitioners like you and I…
No, I'm not mocking you Rob. It was just a poor effort on my part at taking my own responses less seriously.
I appreciate your comments and hope you keep posting too.
Maybe so fivebells but it's not for me I...(I was going to say "I fear" but I don't want to upset Rob anymore than I have already).
Hello Rob
Thanks for putting me in my place, although I have to say I didn't realise my questioning was "obstinate", still no matter. The use of word "fear" was perhaps ill-advised but we Brits do tend to over-dramatise things sometimes (my apologi…
Hello John
I have to say that I'm much impresed by the certainty you express in your views so thank you for sharing them. There's nothing wrong with being cynical (after all, isn't it at the heart of the Buddha's message to challenge and question r…
I don't think there's much to be gained by comparing Buddhism and Christianity to be honest Leslie - even in terms of its "effects". All we can really do is appreciate what works for us, whatever religious label we choose to put on it. It's not real…
Hi Leslie
This seems like a big question to me because of the word "better" - which implies a value judgment of some kind. You mention the "effects" of practice but I don't really know what you mean I'm afraid. And of course, any question that asks…
Hi Tardy Eye,
It sounds as though you are stepping into your own strengths. This will free you from the need to compare yourself to others, and in doing that, you will perhaps go beneath the filters of pride/shame, more than/less than. Good to hear…
It's varied as things have progressed. At the moment, it involves making a response in an on going argument, then sitting down to meditate and releasing all the hostility and rhetorical planning energy which comes up, to return to resting in direct…
Greg
Perhaps the problem here is: who decides whether the meaning of a particular Buddhist teaching is "definitive" rather than "interpretive" ? Buddhist teachers can have their own agendas I would imagine. And I've read that schisms occurred soon a…
I always have to smile at your posts fivebells your quirky sense of humour always shines through. How do you enter into the process? I have caught myself engaging into the same script only with different players. Since Franca introduced me to the co…
Profile Information
- About Me:
- I've been a dharma practitioner for many years
- What brought you to the Unfettered Mind community site?
- A friend here in the UK told me about it
Trevor Atkinson's Blog
Reflections on Unfettered Mind
I was introduced to the Unfettered Mind ning a little while ago by a close friend here in the UK but I have never subscribed to a Buddhist website before - and as my practice has been mostly in the Theravadin tradition I was not really sure what to expect. However, I do have a very basic understanding of Tibetan Buddhism and have been curious about its attraction for Westerners for quite some time, so I thought I would dip my toe in the Tibetan Buddhist water and just see what happens.
So far,… Continue
So far,… Continue
Posted on August 15, 2009 at 12:17pm — 113 Comments
Comment Wall (10 comments)
- At 4:25pm on September 8, 2009,
Roger O'Donnell said… - I'm aware of them, and have some of the Shasta dharma talks. They're alright, as far as any organised group can be. I tend to be leery of places where 'respect' veers into 'veneration', and there's a pretty strong element of that with Peggy Jiyu-Kennet, while a good teacher, has some manifest flaws that wouldn't allow me to venerate her (nor her ability, with the best of intention, to royally screw people's lives)
Burn me as a heretic if you wish, but Roshis (or whatever) are still human, just somewhere else on the trail. Some of us remember the mistake that shattered the SFZC, and learned that lesson.
My approach to teachers is pretty much Korean Zen - one of the things about the Dharma being a jewel is that one only fully appreciates it when one sees more than one facet...
- At 8:54pm on September 7, 2009,
Roger O'Donnell said…
- Sorry for the delat, I don't tend to frequent the place much. I like Ken's books, overall, while personally not being a 'Tibetan' practitioner (closest fit is Soto Zen, but I tend not to think every jot and tittle of Dogen Zengi is all but sacred...)
Ken certainly points to stuff that makes sense to me (in a Kalama Sutta sense)
- At 5:21am on August 31, 2009,
Ross Crookshank said… - Hi Trevor,
So very good to hear from you. I've just got back from 3wks holiday in Devon and have been delightfully incommunicado during that time.
I love the site and do consider it a valuable resource and support to my practice, but I am mostly a lurker I'm afraid. I was initially drawn to Ken's podcast teachings which I discovered on iTunes. He speaks to me more clearly than any other I've encountered thus far. I've only been practicing for a little over 3yrs.
I am kept busy with studies alongside a full-time job so often just don't comment as I don't have the time to follow through.
I would like to contribute more to your enquiry about how users benefit from the site but as usual I'm running out of the door, to take the dog for a walk on this particular occasion.
best wishes,
Ross
- At 5:04pm on August 22, 2009,
Ann Braun said… - What a wonderful title! No, I haven't read it -- will see if the library has it.
- At 2:56am on August 22, 2009,
Ann Braun said…
- I'm glad you like the recent changes, Trevor, and thanks for your appreciative comments.
- At 5:55pm on August 21, 2009,
Ann Braun said…
- Just read your comment about irony and for some unfathomable reason it reminded me of Stephen Fry's blog.... have you read this?
- At 5:40pm on August 14, 2009,
Ann Braun said…
- You've raised a number of things here and I very much appreciate your reflections, Trevor. I've also noticed that the number of members is large relative to the number of people who leave visible evidence of their participation. Having served elsewhere as a community steward in the online setting, and through reflecting on the dynamics of such communities with others who do this sort of work, I've learned that this pattern is very common. The rather pejorative sounding term "lurker" was coined to describe people who take in content without contributing any. An assumption here seems to be that active participation is more legitimate or valuable.
Some time back I did a few blog posts on how the site is being used and maybe this is the moment to do that again. Having shared your observations through this exchange, it would would be wonderful if you would share the questions they're raising for you through a forum or explore your experience of UM Ning through a blog. Another possibility would be to engage with some of the UK members of this site to ask how they experience the site, and what would encourage or enable them to contribute content.
- At 4:48pm on August 11, 2009,
Ann Braun said…
- How about a not so burning question? Maybe "burning" is too strong an adjective.
- At 3:56pm on August 10, 2009,
Ann Braun said…
- The same question arose for me before I posted a series of blogs about enriching Unfettered Mind. What was my intention? Was it to stimulate the community to discuss this, or was it to share what I had been doing, hear any comments that people wanted to make and take things from there? In the end I chose the blog. However, I've noticed that one of our most prolific contributors often shares something, a personal experience, and then asks a question of others -- and she does this via the Forum. So I guess the Forum might be the way to go if there is a burning question at the heart of your contribution -- but there is no "right" way -- you could try both! Having said that, my feeling is that there is at least one clear case where it it makes more sense for people to use the blog rather than the forum. Sometimes people want to make personal arrangements with others. They might post something like -- "I'm attending Retreat X on such and such a date. Does anyone want to share transport?" Since this sort of thing is probably not going to be of interest to the majority of people visiting the site, my feeling is that it fits more as a blog.
- At 3:39pm on August 10, 2009,
Ann Braun said…
- Blogs are associated with you personally -- your take on something. Whereas in the Forum people generally pose a question or topic for discussion, in a blog you are sharing your reflections on something. People can add comments to your blog, so the discussion element can be there too. And in the context of the Forum, people often share reflections -- so the difference is rather fuzzy. Does this help?
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