[Buddha-l] swearing

[Piya Tan]

Yes, I agree now, my intelligence has been greatly exaggerated in not seeing
more clearly your true intention.

  That's not the point I'm making. I'm saying that in some instances
> 'apiyaa' words spoken by wise people will have more effect than formulating
> a thought in such a way that no one might be affected emotionally. And it's
> this being emotionally affected that will lead to insight. In Zen
> monasteries master slap their students with a stick to 'awaken' them - not
> really sammaa sankappo (more specifically, not to harm; sammaa kammanto
> doesn't mention physical action), if you ask me, but it /has/ led some
> students to more discipline.
>



Besides spending a short spell at the Berkeley Zen Centre in the 90s
(hi Alan Senauke, hope you're reading this, too) and using the zabuton and
shashi, I know little else about Zen. I have heard two versions of what in
Chinese is called the xiangpan ("fragrant stick'): one is that it is used
simply to "refresh" a drowsy meditator: both the beater and beatee then
gassho to each other in formal Zen style. The other is that it is used in a
sort of "punitive" way. Not sure about this latter one.

Do enlighten me.

 Back to Dhamma, I think some occasions require 'akaarunika' (unkind)
> expressions. They are not a goal, but a means to achieve an end.
>

In the Pali texts we often find the Buddha using the term mogha-purisa (lit
"empty man" or or the hollow man of poetry) to address those less tractable
followers. Interestingly he does not seem to use this term for those outside
the Teaching (?)

Piya
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