Unanswerable Questions...
Some schools of Zen practice meditation by contemplating "koans." A koan is a kind of Zen riddle. These seemingly illogical questions cannot be solved with the powers of rational mind - only through a flash of intuitive insight. They are not answered by words but by transformation of consciousness.
SPONTANEOUS INSIGHT
Contemplating a koan sets up a deep tension in the logical mind of the student until a sudden call of a bird, a flash of lightining, a blow from a stick, or anything at all, triggers a spontaneous awakening. Until this happens the master will reject all the student's answers to the koan, no matter how philosophically erudite. When this expansion of consciousness occurs, any answer that the student may give will be the right answer - even something that is completely absurd.
What is the sound of one hand clapping?
Zen Koan
If all things return to the One, where does the One return to?
Zen Koan
What was your original face before your parents were born?
Zen Koan
As long as space endures, as long as sentient beings remain, until then, may I too remain and dispel the miseries of the world.
from Shantideva's book
There are only two ways to live your life - one is as if erverything is a miracle, the other is as though nothing is a miracle.
Albert Einstein
Some people change jobs, spouses, and friends - but never think of changing themselves.
Paula Giddings
When the heart weeps for what it has lost, the spirit laughs for what it has found.
Sufi Teaching
"As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields."
"What I think about vivisection is that if people admit that they have the right to take or endanger the life of living beings for the benefit of many, there will be no limit to their cruelty."
Leo Tolstoy
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
"To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being."
Mahatma Gandhi
"Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages."
Thomas Edison
"If a group of beings from another planet were to land on Earth -- beings who considered themselves as superior to you as you feel yourself to be to other animals -- would you concede them the rights over you that you assume over other animals?"
George Bernard Shaw
"For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love."
Pythagoras
SICH SELBST BEZWINGEN
CONTROL THEMSELVES
Wer andere kennt, ist klug; Wer sich selber kennt, hat Einsicht.
Who knows others, is clever; who knows itself, has examination
Wer andere bezwingt, hat Gewalt; Wer sich selbst bezwingt, hat Stärke.
Who defeats others, has power; who controls itself, has strength.
Wer weiß, was genug ist, ist reich. Wer unbeirrbar ist, hat die Richtung.
Who knows what is enough, is rich. Who is imperturbable, has the direction.
Wer seinen Platz behauptet, hat Bestand. Und wer stirbt und doch nicht vergeht, der lebt.
Who maintains his place, has continuance. And who dies and does not pass, nevertheless which lives.
Selbsterkenntnis und Selbstbezwingung sind die grundlegenden taoistischen Vervollkommnungen. Man erlangt sie durch Ausformung des inneren Bewußtseins, Verfeinerung der Instinkte und intuitives Reagieren auf die Welt. Das Ergebnis ist Einsicht: die Fähigkeit, die tiefgreifenden Einflüsse hinter spezifischen Phänomenen wahrzunehmen. Das innere Bewußtsein zu kennen und seine Verbindung mit dem sich entfaltenden Bewußtsein des Universums wahrzunehmen bildet die Grundlage für Voraussicht und dauernde Einflußnahme. Dank des inneren Wissens entwickelt man die Fähigkeit, die Welt durch kleine, mühelose Eingriffe unmittelbar beim Entstehen von Geschehensabläufen zu verändern. Es ist unbedingt erforderlich, zwischen taktisch-kluger Gewalt und einsichtsvoller Stärke zu unterscheiden, denn nur die letztere wird keinem Widerstand begegnen oder Gegenreaktionen verursachen. "Wer stirbt und doch nicht vergeht", ist ebenjener, der die Dinge der Welt in einem entwickelteren Zustand zurückläßt, als er sie angetroffen hat.
Self-knowledge and Self-defeat are the basic taoistischen perfections. One attains them by form of the internal consciousness, refinement of the instincts and intuitive reacting to the world. The result is an examination: the ability to perceive the radical influence behind specific phenomena. To know the internal consciousness and to perceive his connection with the developing consciousness of the universe the basis for foresight and durable influencing control forms. Thanks to the internal knowledge one develops the ability to change the world by small, effortless interventions immediately with the forming of events expiries. It is absolutely necessary to make a distinction between tactical-clever power and reasonable strength, because only the latter will meet no opposition or cause counterreactions. " Who dies and does not pass, nevertheless, ", is ebenjener which leaves behind the things of the world in an entwickelteren state when he has found them.
