That's interesting, Harriet. My own feelings on Buddhism is that largely we
have (in the West) cartoon-like notions of what it is, derived mainly from
scattered reading rather than experience. After all, what sense can a
culture that derives from canonical scriptures make of one that doesn't have
a canon? I know what Protestantism, Catholicism etc are like, from 'the
life', the Orthodox church, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism I have some grasp on,
from living in a very 'multi-cultural' environment, but Buddhism is mostly
something I've read about.
I like your point about demonstrative formlessness. It makes me feel less
formlorn! (That is a terrible pun and not even effective)
Best
Dave
David Bircumshaw
Leicester, England
Home Page
A Chide's Alphabet
Painting Without Numbers
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.bircumshaw/index.htm
----- Original Message -----
From: <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 2:52 AM
Subject: Re: Another five-minute poem.
Yes, it is a bit Buddhist, isn't it, but I must say that I am, I'm afraid,
very antagonistic toward Buddhist feelings in a Westerner. It seems to me
that neither our history nor our culture, and particularly not our
political,
historical, and economic culture encourages elimination of overt
demonstrations of feelings and actions. But form carries within it
demonstrative energy even in its more subtle formlessness.
Harriet
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