tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post7012863932887989803..comments2024-02-06T22:19:13.028-08:00Comments on Mining Aśvaghoṣa's Gold: SAUNDARANANDA 16.35: Balance Holds Faults At BayMike Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-91468180139306414392009-03-22T06:21:00.000-07:002009-03-22T06:21:00.000-07:00Hello Markus,My mother's grandfather, Bill Howarth...Hello Markus,<BR/><BR/>My mother's grandfather, Bill Howarth, as I remember him, was a lovely man. He would go over the road to the Anchor pub for half a pint, and a pipeful of cheap, strong tobacco, keeping himself to himself. He was a very quiet and modest man, not known for holding strong views of his own on any issue but known as a hard worker. <BR/><BR/>All the best,<BR/><BR/>MikeMike Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-89127108648847112932009-03-22T04:43:00.000-07:002009-03-22T04:43:00.000-07:00Hi Mike,I think you're right. I really can't fully...Hi Mike,<BR/><BR/>I think you're right. I really can't fully understand your words or anyone else's words. After all, they are just words and words are not the same as this reality.<BR/><BR/>Take care, Mike!<BR/><BR/>Yours,<BR/>UkuUkuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04703263700723051345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-36623676926373719062009-03-20T00:56:00.000-07:002009-03-20T00:56:00.000-07:00Hello Markus -- you are welcome.And, after due con...Hello Markus -- you are welcome.<BR/><BR/>And, after due consideration, I would like to add the following:<BR/><BR/>Integrity weakens the hold of ignorance.<BR/>Balance holds ignorance at bay. <BR/>But wisdom destroys ignorance without a trace.<BR/>This is Ashvaghosha's teaching.<BR/><BR/><BR/>And this is my experience:<BR/>The word "balance" does not hold ignorance at bay, at all. But actual practice of integrity does weaken the hold of ignorance.<BR/><BR/>And even though you are now reading my words "actual practice of integrity," I am afraid that you do not know, you cannot know, what I really mean.Mike Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-1614156629528639742009-03-19T12:50:00.000-07:002009-03-19T12:50:00.000-07:00For, as long as a man remains in balance,faults do...<I>For, as long as a man remains in balance,<BR/>faults do not venture to attack him:</I><BR/><BR/>Nice one, Mike! Balance is indeed very important in every aspects of our life. Thank you!Ukuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04703263700723051345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-78399487377552965352009-03-19T05:10:00.000-07:002009-03-19T05:10:00.000-07:00Hi Plato!The "aggressive intent" is my interpretat...Hi Plato!<BR/><BR/>The "aggressive intent" is my interpretation of how Buddha and Ashvaghosha are exhorting us to go about destroying the faults.<BR/><BR/>I am not sure if I have got that far yet in my own practice -- I think I might still be staring up at the foothills of siila and samaadhi. <BR/><BR/>But it is becoming more clear to me what Ashvaghosha meant by his military metaphor -- that we have an ultimate objective, which is eliminating the faults, on the basis of prajnaa. And in order to gain that objective, we had better pay attention to the proper means, beginning with siila and samaadhi. <BR/><BR/>So I am not preaching what I practise here, but rather just thinking aloud as I try to be clear in my own mind what Ashvaghosha is saying. <BR/><BR/>I think my attitude hitherto has inclined to what you describe as ignorance -- just accepting and observing and not trying to change. But I sense that Ashvaghosha is pointing to a more positive attitude beyond that. <BR/><BR/>Thank you for your coninuing encouragement!<BR/><BR/>MikeMike Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12712396374023835678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7296606518210633585.post-71857150714976056152009-03-19T04:47:00.000-07:002009-03-19T04:47:00.000-07:00Hi Mike!How do you try to apply "the exercising ag...Hi Mike!<BR/>How do you try to apply "the exercising aggressive intent towards the faults" in you daily life? In many spiritual paths this attitude to "faults" is either ignored (people just accept and observe them and do not try to change them) or takes the form of self-punishment (like a catholic monk whiping his back to subdue his sexual desire). So I think it will be very helpful to try to understand what Buddha and Ashvagosha mean with "aggressive intent" or at least what they do not mean.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for the continuous effort regardless the congestion!<BR/><BR/>PlatoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com