Mastodawn

#mastodharma

and its not for no reason . the whole point is that attachment to form, even good form, even religious form, becomes a cage. you cannot be smug about your meditation practice while you're laughing at yourself

Neia masks 2d ago

#Mastodharma This is a goofy way to present things. It leaves me wondering if Vimalakirti is being posed as a parody of Buddhist teachers.

There are a couple stories in there about Vimalakirti chastising people about their thoughts rather than providing material aid when they needed it.

The rest... it's kind of an argument for Jantëloven. Vimalakirti was not humble, so a lot of people are bothered by him, and he has no one to help him when he's in need.

#mastodharma

the Buddha: hey Mahāmaudgalyāyana, can you go check on my boy, Vimalakirti?

Mahāmaudgalyāyana: no thank you, World-Honored One. I tried to teach laypeople the Dharma and he hit me with a 'but do you understand the nature of teaching?' so hard my past lives got embarrassed

I also really enjoy that the vimalakirti sutra uses comedy to make its points

Mr. Funk E. Dude 🤷‍♂️2d ago

@Taweret This is what I think Vimalakirti is saying. That all of the Monks he interrupted were clinging to "how things should be" instead of letting go and embracing "What is." and resting in the Dharma.

It's a reminder that even the things that we think are worthy, can trap us in a circle of attachments.

Yes, *that* dawn person 2d ago

#Mastodharma chapter 3

Vimalakirti continues his masterclass of equanimity. This time around, he’s moved on from raising the lowly to bringing down the haughty.

Where a respectful monk would acquiesce to an elder, V sees the mud of a too-strait way obscuring the Dharma and calls it out. Harsh and loving:ooh, the burn stings.

Then V’s Buddha-field permeates the disciple’s. If that course correction hurt, how does it feel to sense the elevation of those you were trying and failing to lead?

I must turn the page now, curious how the Buddha will respond to his five hundred disciples who have each stumbled and chosen to cling to resentment and reluctance.

Mr. Funk E. Dude 🤷‍♂️2d ago

@Taweret When I first came to the Dharma I thought "If I do this right, and then I do this right, I'll get this result.". It took me some time before I realized that this was another form of attachment.

It was then thru Zen that I learned that the Buddha nature I was looking for, was already here with me. That I needed to let go of my preconceived clinging to "the rules" and instead embrace the Dharma as not something to gain, but something to release from within.

ernie: bert! the buddha asks his disciples to go visit vimalakirti and every single one of them says no

bert: why, ernie?

ernie: because last time he roasted them, bert! told shariputra his meditation wasn't real meditation. it's a buddhist roast battle and vimalakirti is undefeated

bert: ernie that's not-

ernie: subhuti got dragged so hard he dropped his rice bowl, bert

bert: ernie

ernie: but bert, he wasn't being mean. their practices had turned into little boxes. the rules became the thing instead of the truth being the thing

bert: ike if i cared more about organizing my paperclips than enjoying them?

ernie: bert. that's the sutra

bert: huh

ernie: hehehehe