LIVING by VOW: Sandokai - pp 205-218

[Tairin]

Thank you for the explanation Jundo.


Tairin/Warren.
Sat today

[Meitou]

The different flavours of Buddhism, or Buddhisms as James Ford recently described them in a recent article, don't bother me at all, in fact I find it quite interesting to contrast and compare - I came here from the Tibetan tradition and while some aspects have a fundamentally different tone, many more are fundamentally the same.

What does bother me is seeing how closed minded some practitioners are when it comes to the different schools of Buddhism, clinging to the idea that their chosen way is not just the Right way but the Only way. Just as some of us like vanilla flavoured ice cream, others chocolate, and some others bacon, and then those of us who don't like ice cream at all, so different flavours of Buddhism will resonate with each of us in different ways - and that's a good thing I think, because it encourages practitioners to take responsibility for their path, question their experience and develop compassion and wisdom in an authentic way, rather than going alone with a bunch of rules all coming from one place without choice. I'm not advocating cherry picking amongst the various traditions for the right fit, but rather finding that heart/mind connection, that sensation of recognition and homecoming which is beyond explanation - and that requires choices.

Gassho
Meitou
satwithyoualltoday/lah