"I'm an Indian alright but here in The Nations they call us the civilized tribes. They call us civilized because we are easy to sneak up on. White men have been sneaking up on us for years. They sneaked up on us and they told us we wouldn't be happy. They told us we would be happy in The Nations. So they took away our tribal lands and sent us here. I had a fine woman and two sons but they all died on the Trail of Tears.

I wore a frock coat to Washington before The War. We wore them because we belonged to the five civilized tribes. We dressed ourselves up like Abraham Lincoln.

We got to see the secretary of the interior. He said, "Boy, you boys sure look civilized." He congratulated us and he gave us medals for looking so civilized. We told him about how our tribal lands had been stolen and how our humans were dying. When we finished he shook our hands and said "Endeavor to persevere!!" They stood us in a line John Jumper, Chili McIntosh, Buffalo Hump, Jim Buckmark, and me, I am Lone Waite. The newspapers took our picture and said, "Indians vow to endeavor to preserver." We thought about for a long time, endeavor to persevere, and when we had thought about it long enough, we declared war on the Union."

Lone Waite, Indian chief - from "The Outlaw Jose Wales"

"Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling." — Margaret Lee Runbeck, American author

Soyen Shaku, the first Zen teacher to come to America, said: "My heart burns like fire but my eyes are as cold as dead ashes." He made the following rules which he practiced every day of his life.


In the morning before dressing, light incense and meditate.

Retire at a regular hour. Partake of food at regular intervals. Eat with moderation and never to the point of satisfaction.

Receive a guest with the same attitude you have when alone. When alone, maintain the same attitude you have in receiving guests.

Watch what you say, and whatever you say, practice it.

When an opportunity comes do not let it pass by, yet always think twice before acting.

Do not regret the past. Look to the future.

Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of a child.

Upon retiring, sleep as if you had entered your last sleep. Upon awakening, leave your bed behind you instantly as if you had cast away a pair of old shoes.

During the Kamakura period, Shinkan studied Tendai six years and then studied Zen seven years; then he went to China and contemplated Zen for thirteen years more.

When he returned to Japan many desired to interview him and asked onscure questions. But when Shinkan received visitors, which was infrequently, he seldom answered their questions.

One day a fifty-year-old student of enlightenment said to Shinkan: "I have studied the Tendai school of thought since I was a little boy, but one thing in it I cannot understand. Tendai claims that even the grass and trees will become enlightened. To me this seems very strange."

"Of what use is it to discuss how grass and trees become enlightened?" asked Shinkan. "The question is how you yourself can become so. Did you ever consider that?"

"I never thought of it in that way," marveled the old man.

"Then go home and think it over," finished Shinkan

The Tendai School as originally practiced in ancient China might appear drastically different from its modern, Japanese offspring. Traditionally, Chinese Tendai, or T'ien t'ai, consisted exclusively of Lotus Sutra Teachings which were the underpinning of the classic writings of Chih-i. When the Japanese Founder, Dengyo Daishi first arrived on Chinese shores in search of Tendai doctrines, the entire School was experiencing a revival thanks to the efforts of the 6th Chinese Patriarch, Chan-jan.

Upon concluding his study in China, Dengyo Daishi returned to Japan to establish a much more eclectic Japanese Tendai; one infused with original Lotus Teachings, advanced meditative theories and even esoteric practices. It was not until years later that the esoteric practices, or Mikkyo, would be fully engendered within Tendai but the School itself had undergone a great degree of transformation from its original roots.

Japanese Tendai may be said to possess two "Gates" or "divisions" (called the KYOKAN NIMON theory) consisting of doctrine (KYOMON) & meditation (KANMON). The doctrinal aspects center upon the Lotus Sutra Trinity, three textual sources allowing the Seeker access to the Lotus Teachings. The meditative aspects are best exemplified through the practice of the MAKA SHIKAN (Great Calming and Abiding Meditation). United, these two Gates bring about realization of the Mahayana Bodhisattva Ideal, salvation for all sentient beings, regardless of how innumerable.

Is this spamming?  

Good morning to all.

ugh...it's close to goodnite for me... I work nights.....   

nah.....

but it is 1am here.....and my attention span is not beyond 1 liners......

night all.....good luck 500!.....



The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.

Gessen was an artist monk. Before he would start a drawing or painting he always insisted upon being paid in advance, and his fees were high. He was known as the "Stingy Artist."

A geisha once gave him a commission for a painting. "How much can you pay?" inquired Gessen.

"Whatever you charge," replied the girl, "but I want you to do the work in front of me."

So on a certain day Gessen was called by the geisha. She was holding a feast for her patron.

Gessen with fine brush work did the painting. When it was completed he asked the highest sum of his time.

He received his pay. Then the geisha turned to her patron, saying: "All this artist wants is money. His paintings are fine but his mind is dirty; money has caused it to become muddy. Drawn by such a filthy mind, his work is not fit to exhibit. It is just about good enough for one of my petticoats."

Removing her skirt, she then asked Gessen to do another picture on the back of her petticoat.

"How much will you pay?" asked Gessen.

"Oh, any amount," answered the girl.

Gessen named a fancy price, painted the picture in the manner requested, and went away.

It was learned later that Gessen had these reasons for desiring money:

A ravaging famine often visited his province. The rich would not help the poor, so Gessen had a secret warehouse, unknown to anyone, which he kept filled with grain, prepared for those emergencies.

From his village to the National Shrine the road was in very poor condition and many travellers suffered while traversing it. He desired to build a better road.

His teacher had passed away without realizing his wish to build a temple, and Gessen wished to complete this temple for him.

After Gessen had accomplished his three wishes he threw away his brushes and artist's materials and, retiring to the mountains, never painted again.

It is hard to understand how a cemetery raised its burial cost
and blamed it on the cost of living.

  

If a "fatal" error is made with the E-mail I sent, does that mean I killed somebody?

If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why isn't it #1?

   

Light travels faster than sound.
That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

World at a Glance

Population: 6,326,005,560 (October 2003 est)
267 nations, dependent areas, and misc. areas.
Total Area: 510,072,000 sq km
Land: 148,940,000 sq km - 29.2%
Water: 361,132,000 sq km - 70.8%
Average GDP $7,200 (2000 est)
Average Life Expectancy 63.79 years