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Birth and Death
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Saturday Lecture
The lecture explores the themes of suffering, compassion, life, and death within the context of Zen practice, emphasizing the delicate balance between experiencing emotions without becoming consumed by them. The discussion highlights Suzuki Roshi's teaching that life and death are the same, which translates into having no fear of death and no problems in life. This understanding propels the practice of compassion, as it is through realizing others' suffering that compassion arises. The difference between the Arhat ideal, which focuses on personal liberation, and the Bodhisattva ideal, which seeks universal liberation, is crucial for the development of Mahayana Buddhism.
- Suzuki Roshi: Referenced for the teaching that life and death are the same, suggesting a perspective where fear of death and problems in life are absent.
- Arhat versus Bodhisattva ideals: Discussed to delineate personal liberation from the collective liberation ideal in Mahayana Buddhism, highlighting the transition from individual to universal compassion.
AI Suggested Title: Embracing Compassion Beyond Life and Death
#starts-short very short segment from the end of the talk
That's right, I think suffering is important. It's really important. But we should be careful not to get sunk in it. Experience that, but not to be sunk. Or in the same way as not to be sunk in joy, enjoyment. Well, first a little information, this isn't my question, but I just heard on the radio last week or so that there's a movement for some kind of natural burial, no embalming, the most like a cardboard box or something. There are places where you can do this, so feel free to look into that. Did you say embalming? No embalming. No embalming. Just decay. They promote the peaceful, joyful, generous, delicious mingling of your body with the earth.
[01:18]
But anyway, that's another new thing on the horizon. My question is something else. Going back to the quote that you mentioned from Suzuki Roshi that said that... Life and death is the same thing. But the then part was, you have no fear of death. and you have no problem in life. So this touches on the part of our practice where my craziness manifests itself. I think this is crazy. But if there's in reality no fear of death and no problem in life, why would we be so hung up on kindness and compassion? What's the point of being kind and compassionate? Whether or not you have a problem, other people do.
[02:23]
That's where compassion comes from. You realize you may be free from suffering yourself, but you realize how many people are suffering. That's where the compassion comes from. So this is the difference between the arhat, ideal, and the Bodhisattva ideal. The Arhat ideal is, I'm free from suffering, so goodbye! Whereas the Bodhisattva ideal is, I may be free from suffering, but I'm not going to say goodbye until everybody else is free from suffering. Well, I would say that that understanding falls short. That's what gave rise to the Mahayana.
[03:28]
And it's time, right?
[03:34]
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