[Buddha-l] On Dylan and Poetry

[Michael Paris]

Replies below, and various unnoted snips applied throughout.

--- "Richard P. Hayes" <rhayes at unm.edu> wrote:

> True enough. I have never liked poetry much. I must admit I haven't
> read any since 1966, when I escaped from the hell of being an English
> major.

Classic Japanese Haiku is cool. My wife writes pretty good tanka. 

>
> My point is, why waste time with anything that is not an argument?
Why waste time with anything that does not help to improve one's
character? Why let one's mind be filled with noise and nonsense, as if
they do no 
> damage to the quality of one's soul?
> 

Because it's fun. 

Sez what authority they damage the soul? What soul, anyway?

Besides, who's to say what will improve character? Being a sourpuss
surely won't. Not good for one's health in general. 

>
> I've been following it for years. Now explain to us why any Buddhist
would listen to music for the purpose of being moved by it. This seems
exactly the opposite of the advice to guard the doors of the senses
(one 
> of which is, the last I heard, the ear).
> 

See above. 

Really, are Buddhists supposed to be prudish and Puritanical with
overly-constricted sphincters retaining solid waste matter? How very
dull.

Do tell just what is to be guarded? And who is the guard? 


--Michael




		
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