May The Dalai Lama Forgive Me...

[Ted]

Koan

I have never met the Dalai Lama but sure would love to. I have, however, met a wonderful man who has little to no ego, Father Thomas Keating. He can be googled.

Shalom
Ted

[sunny104]

Oh young butterfly, first of all his fleshy vessel is all the physical world offers as host material. Secondly why would the master deny his being as luminous and learned ? His container if you will is only a means in which to travel in an Earthly manner.
His radiant lucidity shines beyond the confines of mans feeble understanding of the heavens.
To deny his own entity would be to deny his own creation.

I can't get past the 'fleshy vessel' part...................

[Bryn Mawr]

I can't get past the 'fleshy vessel' part...................

Oh Lord - it must be a big one

[Accountable]

[spot]

The one-L lama, he's a priest
The two-L llama, he's a beast
And I would bet a silk pyjama
There isn't any three-L lllama


Ogden Nash.

[Ted]

I am in the middle of reading a book by Karen Armstrong, "Buddha". She does address this issue of losing one's ego which is a part of the Buddhist faith.

Shalom
Ted

[koan]

awesome. I love her books.

Have to add that to my wish list!

[Ted]

Koan

I just ordered "The First Christmas: . . ." by Borg and Crossan. If it is anything like last Sunday's sermon on the Christmas story it should be excellent. Our guest priest was pointing out the metaphorical meanings of each part of the story. I'm looking forward to getting the book.

Karen has a good one out called "Bible a Biography". Excellent reading as well. Found it difficult to put down once I started.

Shalom
Ted

[laneybug]

...for my ignorance, but a question just arose regarding his person.

I was thinking about the Dalai Lama and how his profound thoughts might occur to him then thought "hey, what the hell is he doing with a 'him' anyway?"

If the Buddhists seek to destroy the ego and 'self' and the Dalai Lama is enlightened, then why does he keep coming back as himself? He identifies himself at a young age and is immediately rushed off to be trained and tutored so he doesn't have to wade through all the confusing crap from square one again... from what I understand. That sounds pretty fluffy. I can believe that he has identified himself adequately using various signs but... what happened to the egoless thing?

He's a bodhisattva. He comes back again and again, giving up personal ultimate enlightenment, to help others gain their own.