What is a Buddhis master?

[Kyonin]

Thank you, Yugen.

Deep gassho,

Kyonin

[Yugen]

Kyonin,
It is I who must thank you and all my dharma sisters and brothers here at Treeleaf for teaching me and practicing with me. I could not do it without you.

Deep bows to you my friend

Yugen

[Geika]

Then, why is it people tend to think you have to be like a powerful wizard to study Buddhism?

In my experience, it is different. When I tell people I am Buddhist, people get the idea that it is simply a rejection of Christianity. Others think it is a personal statement of some kind with no real dedication. Most people I talk to about it don't even really know what Buddhism is.

Aren't Buddhist masters just like any of us?

I don't know about that. If there was no difference between a master-- or someone simply more skillful-- and someone like me, then how would someone stand out as a master in the first place?

I read somewhere that a true master of any art can never recognize himself/herself as one. It is the fool that calls themselves "Master".

I have read that too.

"Wisdom begins with the acknowledgement of ignorance..." Socrates

[RichardH]

I read somewhere that a true master of any art can never recognize himself/herself as one. It is the fool that calls themselves "Master".

Now just talking about painting here.... "Mastery" in an art or craft is no mystery. It is fair and square, and self-conscious doubt or "humilty" is no more a part of it than getting high and mighty. If in your craft you do not know absolutely when a skill is mastered, you are lost. Professional recognition follows, it does not lead. That does not mean you walk around saying "look at me I'm a master".. in fact the word "Master" doesn't occur, ....but if considered "has this craft been mastered?". There is an answer either way without hesitation. It's one of those "shit or get off the pot" things.

Gassho, kojip


Ed. just to give this post some context. Talking with young painters, one of the most common obstacles is a confusion of this topic with ego. There is a sense of "how dare I presume to know best". It can take years to get past that ego and get straight to "this eye". This eye, knows best, instantly. Thats all.

ok.. enough bathering.. gassho.