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What is the cause of suffering?

Ignorance of what?

And one can find this truth through awakening?

When the mice feared the cat, one brave mouse declared that one mouse would have to put a bell around the cats neck. Then a wise mouse said," But who will do that, if it's not so bold of me to ask?" Silence among the mouses.

Somethign is easyer said than done.

I agree, many things can lead to awakening, this is a fact of life, but this is where it gets complicated, as most people can't agree on which practice should lead to awakening.

For me it is medetaion(or reflection), watching the world, resting, and working. these thins are only possible through generosity, love, and kindness. These things can only be possible through non attatchment and good in it's purest form. Non attatchment and good can only be perfected through working, watching, reflecting, and resting. It is a process that never ends.

I have allready read all of the text on sacred texts that interests me, and was usefull to me.

You keep saying medetation. Not all people believe in medetation. Some people jog. Some people have sex. Some people eat. Some people diet. Some people try to impress other people. Some people make friends and talk to them, and some try to be the richest. Some people pray to god, and some people walk on hot coals. Some people(including myself) practice martial arts.

To say that all of these things are medetation is rong, because that is a forced belief. To say everything is medetation is also a forced belief. In zen they often say that everythign is zazen. Anyway my point is, well...

At the church I go to, sometimes I medetate in the hallway inbetween the preaching. Many people there don't like that I do that. I ask them if they like to medetate, they said no. They think medetation is rong and say they never do it.

Therefore to say what they do is medetation is taking away there free will, which is stealing.

It is only medetation if you want it to be. But then again that is just my opinion.


I myself, sit down and medetate untill I am relaxed. First I assume zazen posture, then let my thoughts flow through my mind without restraint. No matter what the thought is I think it without rejection. Then they pass. Soon there are no more thoughts. Then I think of myself. Then I think of my family. then my friends. Then the girls I like. THen the world. Then my life. THen I stop.

I practice judo twice a week. There, I fight with another person. THrowing or pinning. We bow to eachother, to acnowlidge that I am allowing him to train with me, to improve his skill, and vise versa. WIth throwing the first person to be thrown, learns how to avoid it better. With pinning, the person pinned learns how to evade. Truely the loser wins.

I especially like pinning, because just abotu anything goes. I could put my leg around his head, or lock it against one of his arms, or legs. Perhaps use it to hold his chest or on eo fhis limbs down. Maby I could try to change my position all together. THe possibilities are limitless, therefore it is a matter of creativity and action. This calms me, and excites me at the same time, which is why I laugh while pinning, or being pinned.


My point is judo calms me in a way. THis is not the reason that judo is medetation. To me, judo is medetation, because I focus my mind and body to one purpose, which is to improve both, with the help of others, and at the same tiem I will help them as well. It is medetation to be becaues I make it that way. to the other people there it may or may not be different.

What do you think abraxas?

according to buddhist dharma, the cause of suffering is clinging to our desires and our aversions, clinging to the idea of how things should be rather than accepting things as they are. I put great stock in these ideas, for they have a ring of truth for me. it seems to make sense. I used to think the idea of non-attachment meant no longer caring about things. but I've found that that's not the case. it simply means having the ability to let go.

in zen buddhism the point (or one of the points.. and perhaps the main point) of meditation is to be mindful of the here and now... focusing on the present as opposed to dwelling in the past or future which is what most of us do all the time. it is the act of observing your own mind and eventually discovering the true nature of the 'self' (which I have yet to achieve). but this practice trains the mind to slow down and extends the little millisecond moments inbetween our thoughts, which eventually can and will allow us to assess situations and act rightly and accordingly to them as opposed to automatically re-acting to them. I can see great personal benefits in this. I to practice zazen, tho not as often as I should. I'll go for a few weeks sitting for 30 mins to an hour everyday, then stop for a while. I'm not really sure why I stop, but eventually I pick it back up again. it does bring peace. and a peaceful spirit leads to a healthier life.

yeah, I think it's a matter of finding balance. it's especially hard to do in a society so material oriented. that's why a lot of buddhist monks in the east sought to live outside the "world of men" and live as hermits. but it's true that with the right frame of mind, one can find spiritual practice in any menial task.. even washing dishes. there's a good movie that demonstrates this called The Razors Edge. but we tend to get so caught up in our material existence... work, kids, school, and the problems that come with it, that we tend to set aside our spiritual practices and persuits and sometimes even forget about them for a time.