Being polite and being genuine are not opposites. And being positive is not thinking everything will go the way you want it to. Being positive is doing what you think is right regardless of what you believe the outcome will be. Being positive is doing. Not thinking or believing or wishing. Stop judging people and accept there are all different kinds of people in the world. That was my two cents. Sorry that it does not mesh with your views.

Zen monks who travelled the land would often stop at Zen Buddhist temples looking for a place for the night. At times, there would be a sort of Zen Dual. If the travelling monk could defeat the temple representative in a silent battle of Buddhist thoughts or understanding then they would be allowed to stay. One day, there was a travelling monk looking for a place to stay for the night.  The Abbot, who was very busy at the time, assign his pupil to go greet the monk. His pupil was a rather large fellow who only had one eye after losing the other eye in a childhood accident. So, he goes to the entry way and greets the travelling monk. The Monk bows and then puts up one finger. The abbot’s pupil bows and puts up two fingers. The travelling monk then bows and walks away. The Abbot sees the travelling monk and asked him what had happened. The monk said that he put up one finger to show the we are one with the world. Then the abbot’s student put up two fingers to show the duality that we all live under. Therefore, after having loss, the travelling monk was leaving. A little later, the Abbot saw his student and asked him what had happened. The student replied that the monk was very rude. He held up one finger to show me that I had only one eye. So, I held up two fingers to congratulate him on having two eyes. Then he turns and runs away. If I find him I will beat him up. The Abbot just smiles.

It is easy to misunderstand people cause we are into what we believe is going on. The truth is sometimes a little harder to see. I wish you happiness in your journey.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Tommy.

Dear Anita,

I apologize because you do so much here to try to help people. And, I can not even answer your post correctly.

Tommy

Zen master Hakuin lived in a village and was well respected for his teachings. Then, one day, loud voices are heard from the neighbor’s house. The parents found out their daughter was pregnant. They wanted to know who the father was and kept asking her. She responded by saying the father was master Hakuin. When the daughter had the baby, the parents brought the baby to master Hakuin and said that he must take care of the baby since he was the father. Master Hakuin responded, “Is that so?” The master’s reputation fell. Still, Hakuin took very good care of the baby. After a year, the daughter could no longer hold her tongue. She finally told the truth and said the real father of the baby was the boy in the fish market. The family went to Master Hakuin and apologized and asked for the baby. Master Hakuin said, “Is that so?” and handed the baby over to them.

Dwelling upon the way one wants things to be and it doesn’t turn out that way … it is called suffering. Acting with wisdom and compassion … that is where I see happiness. I wish you happiness.

Anita,

Sorry. May be something I read long time ago?

Personally, still on this journey.

Still practicing, meditating. Still learning.

Tommy

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Tommy.

My apologies to any I may have offended. To me awakening has to be worked upon to bring it to maturity. Hearing the lack of guidance and pitfalls, it does not align with all that I learned about awakening to the truth of ones nature. The experience of the mind fallen away. The sense of being whole like finding one’s head was attached to one’s body all the time one was lost.

Ones last thoughts are usually generate thru the Karma. What one sows is what one reaps. If you plant an orange tree then an orange tree will grow. If you live by the sword then you will die by the sword. Of course this then brings in the questions about free will and predestined determination of actions or predetermined destiny.

No simple thought will determine whether one is re-born a man or bug or animal or amoeba. That is part of Karma. If you want to know how you got here then look at where you were. If you want to know where you are going then look at where you are. The only constant is that all things will change. And there is a cycle to everything. Look at the universe and you can see the truth.

Just wondering what Shakespeare said, … Nothing is good nor evil but thinking makes it so.