tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post6314151543769923312..comments2024-02-06T22:19:13.028-08:00Comments on Mining Aśvaghoṣa's Gold: SAUNDARANANDA 10.24: Synthesis (Red + Blue >>> Gold)Mike Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-22276089991633540702011-06-14T23:18:26.141-07:002011-06-14T23:18:26.141-07:00Well thanks for your effort, Jordan, even if it wa...Well thanks for your effort, Jordan, even if it was a bit half-hearted. But on reflection I find myself reflecting on the practical wisdom of Frederique the builder who advised me last year, when I was moaning about the incessant crowing of roosters, to put a bit of cement in my ears.Mike Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-82557929506563984552011-06-14T03:11:00.778-07:002011-06-14T03:11:00.778-07:00I'd make a mess of it. I'm kind of trying...I'd make a mess of it. I'm kind of trying to nudge you in the direction of exploring it so you can make sense of how it worked out for me. Ha!<br /> Besides, I am working on preretirement homework at the moment.SlowZenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10589294912054724123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-70991772293261794052011-06-14T03:07:32.679-07:002011-06-14T03:07:32.679-07:00Come on... let's hear it straight from the hor...Come on... let's hear it straight from the horse's mouth!Mike Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-54928961780364335482011-06-14T03:03:40.676-07:002011-06-14T03:03:40.676-07:00I think it may be indirectly related to the hereti...I think it may be indirectly related to the heretical practices beginning on page 191 in the link above.SlowZenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10589294912054724123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-54790769106357085252011-06-14T02:45:02.981-07:002011-06-14T02:45:02.981-07:00Thanks Jordan,
I certainly would be interested i...Thanks Jordan, <br /><br />I certainly would be interested in hearing how you learned to deal better with distractions, particularly from the ear...Mike Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-78293924146391498542011-06-14T01:17:48.342-07:002011-06-14T01:17:48.342-07:00Mike,
In the past you may have disregarded the Sur...Mike,<br />In the past you may have disregarded the Surangama Sutra, but I have got to tell you it was very helpful to me in dealing with distractions, particularly from the ear. Here is another exert,note the translation chosen is not based not on the quality of translation, but on the ability to cut and paste:<br /><br /><i>Ananda, if a man suddenly closes his ears with two fingers, disturbance will arise in this sense organ and he will hear sounds in his head. (This, closing of the ears) as well as the ears and the disturbance experienced are trouble that comes from Bodhi. Since this hearing arises between the two states of stillness and motion, they are drawn into perception which is called hearing. This hearing has no substance independent of stillness and motion. Ananda, you should know that this hearing comes from neither stillness, nor motion, nor from a sense organ nor the void. Why? Because if it comes from stillness, it should cease to exist when there is motion and would not hear the latter. If it comes from motion, it should cease to exist when there is stillness and would not hear the latter. If it comes from a sense organ, there would be no (objective) stillness nor motion; then this faculty of hearing would have no nature of its own. If it comes from the void, that which can hear is (certainly) not the void. Moreover, the void would hear of itself and will have nothing to do with that entrance through your ears. Therefore, you should know that entrance through the ears is neither causal nor conditional nor self-existent.</i><br /><br />Like I said, I found the Surangama Sutra useful for my practice, particularly because I suffered from a similar frustration in my practice as you describe here. But then maybe I am just another annoying do-gooder.<br /><br />Anyhoo, you can download the PDF here: <a href="http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/surangama.pdf" rel="nofollow">The Surangama Sutra</a> if you are interested in investigating further.SlowZenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10589294912054724123noreply@blogger.com