cheshireallycat (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Once a monk with no robes who had even lost his begging bowl - decided it was best to meditate and find who is hungry. After a few hours of meditation he realized his fundamental error - and sought out some rice and a bed. Do not seek to attain the non existent Rest with what IS Attend to the work at hand

lawman308 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Yes, I deny it.

chexed (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

There is a phrase that has not died and has been around for what seems to have been a long time... "Out of sight, out of mind..." This doesn't apply with sight only though... One can control his or her mind by recognizing his or her own patterns... With this being a most basic one... E.g. If I want to think of art a lot, will myself to view art, and challenge myself to create art. Naturally I will be thinking more of art and less of other things.

acetheheretic (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Ha.....haha....ha Buddhist. Thats a funny word.

sand6026 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Thanks for posting this. If u can, please post more interviews with experienced teachers. Thanks again for the post.

koblen123 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

try what? positive thinking or meditation?

OMBhuvah (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Precious! Such a lovely, inteligent, healthy, relaxed, happy, charming human being, with 85!!!!! I loved this ZEN video and this Priest. Thank you very, very, very much!!!!!!!! :)

Orishanla (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

I haven't figured out yet, after years of medittion, how to "control" my mind. Thoughts come and go; that's just what the mind does. For me, meditation is as an effective mind training technique. It's how we look at ourselves, others and the world that shapes our lives. I've never met folks who have become disassociated through meditation, although I've heard that some have. But I believe these folks came to meditation with psychological problems that would have been best addressed on the couch.

SiAz23 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

The art I practice is a branch of tendai buddhism. I do utilise meditation, sparingly. Please don't make assumptions my friend. My point, was that meditation and buddhism in general CAN be forms of mind control. Meditation can lead to disassociation as much as it can lead to clarity. It will depend upon the individual, it will depend upon method. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that you should understand the history of something before you throw yourself into it.

Orishanla (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

How is meditation different from the "power of positive thinking" or "yes, i can, I know I can . . . ."? But there's a very wide gulf between these forms of mind training techniques and brainwashing, for sure. Besides, meditation is not just wishful thinking, the action that proceeds from meditation, and the way you change your life, is beyond anything you've ever experienced. Just try it once a day for 10 minutes and then come back and report to the rest of us re your experience.