Everyday examples of Yin/Yang within global issues

[Darryl]

An offshoot of the 'Dumb Americans' thread.

I recently watched Michael Moore's film, 'Fahrenheit 9/11' and while I didn't know the specific facts, I wasn't surprised by anything that I saw or heard. In the same way that an energy blockage's history may extend throughout your entire being, the points in the film and the history of the main figures within the film mirrored this. While this simutaneously gave me an even deeper appreciation of the philosophy contained within Chi Kung and Kungfu, it also highlighted that the fragmented thinking of the general public is one reason why the film shocked so many people.

In other words and in relation to my earlier post, we either return to the Microcosm of our own personal practice or the Macrocosm of our place in the world around us. I agree that both are extremely relevant and, ultimately, the same thing. If one person is just forgetting about it and hoping for the best (Option A), then I would not say that they are balanced in their own personal practice or understanding. If we choose Option B (Force for Good) then this returns to the basic understanding that nothing is ever good or bad, instead that it is just a result of perception (again, a lack of balance and undestanding). The (mis)Informed (Option C) is obviously a lack of understanding with an extremely unbalanced shift of knowledge and power.

In other words, Yin/Yang disharmony resulting in Non-Harmonious Chi Flow.

I accept that this is a rather simplistic summary of the sitation, but I also believe that it is very accurate. Since the forum and the Arts within concentrate on both Yin/Yang and Harmonious Chi Flow, I think that all future posts on this subject should include both Yin and Yang. If someone is not sure, they they could post just their thoughts or comments and see if someone else has their 'equal yet opposite complimentary action' .

[Mike B]

Total tangent

nothing is ever good or bad

Interesting post Darryl and as we have been ping-ponging elsewhere I will let others join in (on either side of the net ).

However as I have just replied to a PM enquiring about engaged buddhism/study courses I couldn't let the above go by without noting this precise thing (exact phrase came up last week).

Just as a matter of historical record (most notably re Japan & WW2 but also more recently in the US) Zen has blotted its copybook more than most on the ethical/moral front. The focus on going beyond 'dualism' has tended to produce a risk of adherents actually getting mixed up over the fact that some actions are most definitely bad (Japan WW2 & roshis (er deletes anglo saxon) 'having sex with' attractive female students).

Anyway as a word from the wise next time you get arrested for mugging grannies don't try and use the above as a line of defence

Now don't let me put others off actually replying to what you wrote rather than picking out a few words LOL.

Cheers.

Mike

[barrys]

"Since the forum and the Arts within concentrate on both Yin/Yang and Harmonious Chi Flow, I think that all future posts on this subject should include both Yin and Yang. If someone is not sure, they they could post just their thoughts or comments and see if someone else has their 'equal yet opposite complimentary action'"

Yin and Yang in action. I love it (and hate it obviously)

[cnholmes]

I love it (and hate it obviously)

No you don't

[barrys]

No you don't

I stand corrected Siheng. What I meant to say was "I do nothing, but conditions appear to result in a manifestation of emotions which some unenlightened ones label love and hate".

Barry

[Shaolinfist]

Non-duality

Carl Jung was also accused of Nazi sympathy when he agreed with the Taoist non-dualistic outlook. It just reinforces the need for a direct transmission of these teachings rather than intellectual understanding...
Namo Ami Tuo Fo
Phil
/

[Chiahua]

Traditional authoritarian Asian regimes have been well served by a philosophy which (largely) promotes societal disengagement. Equally in the West the Church-State axis worked hand in hand to promote militaristic and socially oppressive policies for much of the past 2,000 years.

At the same time as worrying about how America will conduct itself and how that will affect my kids I have also been looking at my marriage. I have had a few heart to hearts with my wife lately on what we both want out of our marriage and whether we are both getting it. At a practical level I decide to spend most of my effort on the latter. It affects me, my wife, my kids, my parents, her parents and our friends. Whether I am right or not I feel I have little influence over the former. Hopefully, the decisions my wife and I take and the way we conduct ourselves will ripple out in a positive way.

I was at a Taijiquan seminar with Sifu David Leung of Eugene, OR. He cited Thich Nhat Hanh's term, "inter-being". Here is a man, a Zen master, who through Buddhism has managed to effect some sort of positive change in the world.
An example of "inter-being" would be the choices one makes at the supermarket. When one eats an apple, one can eat it mindlessly, completely divorced from the experience of eating the apple. One could also choose to eat the apple mindfully, aware of the flavor, the texture of the apple. One can further go beyond the apple, and realize that to get to your hand and in your mouth, the apple had to pass through innumerable steps; from starting as seed, to the tree, to the fruit, the various distribution lines, etc. This is one way Buddhism is can be employed to combat the "societal disengagement" that a possibly perverted religious order would preach. As barrys and Darryl point out, things at a practical level do ripple out. This is one level of non-dualism. In Zen metaphor of searching for the ox, the final stage is the zen master in the market (if memory serves), maintaining zen while still being in the phenomenal realm while not being attached to it and not denying it. To me, inter-being is a very powerful concept, and it's not new. For me though, Thich Nhat Hanh is eloquent in illustrating it.

[Mike B]

Phil - re direct transmission on one level you are right and on another thats (one of) the danger(s) [hey Darryl is that yin and yang enough]. Direct transmission can be the most effective route of learning. However the whole guru/direct transmission process can be very damaging when it goes wrong - precisely one practical source of Zen's difficulties. Coming back to the democracy as a system strand, putting a lot of power in the hands of one man can lead to the best or worst results or in the middle (yin, yang, (yin+yang)/2? ).

Sunyata - indeed Thich is not only a great monk but also on of the small handful of clear global examples of Engaged Buddhists. He has a nice website (Plum Village) and is the prolific author of many books. Coming from the mahayana/Zen strands (although he has taken the traditional teachings 'further' in some respects) much of what he has written would be of interest to people here. His books are also quite short so they would suit those wary of 'intellectualism' The only thing that didn't ring true about your story (I'd heard the one about an orange ) is that a supermarket apple would have a taste - something of an oxymoron?

I am not sure what you had in mind as a 'perverted order' but the truth of the matter is that Engaged Buddhists are something of a novelty precisely because they are in a minority - the Buddha's order being sramanas (renunciants) and his prescription being (largely) to heal yourself first (rather like Sifu re people wishing to teach after one day of qigong). As an example of some of these points in the recent fatal floods/storms/etc in Japan monks in one monastery discussed whether they should go out to help the townspeople first or sort out their ruined stone garden. The head monk decided on the latter...

Mike

[Chiahua]

much of what he has written would be of interest to people here. His books are also quite short so they would suit those wary of 'intellectualism' The only thing that didn't ring true about your story (I'd heard the one about an orange ) is that a supermarket apple would have a taste - something of an oxymoron?

We in Oregon are fortunate to have many farmer's markets year round, in addition to some hippy grocers that provide tasty organic produce!

...
(although he has taken the traditional teachings 'further' in some respects) ....
I am not sure what you had in mind as a 'perverted order' but the truth of the matter is that Engaged Buddhists are something of a novelty precisely because they are in a minority - the Buddha's order being sramanas (renunciants) and his prescription being (largely) to heal yourself first (rather like Sifu re people wishing to teach after one day of qigong).

And I feel that what Master Thich Nhat Hanh is doing is right. I think that what I meant by perversion is a misapplication of the "heal yourself first" notion. For example, in my mind a rock garden is relatively unimportant compared to showing compassion to those in need. However, if this rock garden does happen to be some sort of ancient cultural treasure, then maybe it needs to be attended when the time is appropriate. It'd be like Sifu Wong, who says that he is on a level far below his master, using that as a rationale for not teaching qigong. We are fortunate that his compassion has brought this teaching to us. It's sad that the majority of orders are those who withdraw.
Back to eating my free-range orange....