[Buddha-l] Retreats, and fundraising for retreat centres etc

[Vicente Gonzalez]

Sally,

SM> Can anyone familiar with this school of thought explain this concept of
SM> why "emptiness" justifies the construction of stupas, mega prayer wheels
SM> etc (whether or not they agree)?

I am quite ignorant about these schools, however maybe you should
consider that when people builds an Stupa, they are putting a Buddhist
form in our reality. We know that there is not one reality having a
different quality of the one Mind. Therefore the people put that form
in the Mind so other people can pursue the truth.

Of course, putting a Buddhist thing in our reality is not valid
for all the people in an universal way. In the same way that you can
put 10 universities to develop Buddhist studies and later you can
read in this list the more unsuspected things.

Basically, there is not solution and we put in the reality what we
want. It is similar to those Japanese gardens, where some stones 
can be Buddhas but everyone see the stones with different eyes.
In the same way, the University cannot uncover by herself what the
nature still deny. A guy building Stupas develop a similar meritorious
action as any scholar translating some text. No less no more.
It depends of the different practice of the rest of people in front
these things.

Remembering actual times, a new Stupa in New Zeland can be an
extravagance. And remembering Vasubandhu, a new Yogacara book using 
Husserl's phenomenology is another extravagance.
I think all is ok. Enjoy the madness.

If you are Buddhist and sometimes you think that you are not mad, then
you can attack the moderator, Bush, or send your prayers to that
Mr.Goodman. It is logical at all. Also I make it. If we don't make
errors there is not motivation to be alive. The ultra-rational
masquerade where we are forced to be perfect, even saying that we are
not, it is another silly thing that a human being can believe.


br,