Twitter 2014-2020
[some selection, almost zero editing: posted here as archive] 2014 "Canon in use" is a very useful notion to delineate relevant scriptures of a living tradition, as opposed to comprehensive "library canon." > A dozen sutras, a dozen commentaries, and a dozen practice manuals, tend to suffice for a coherent practice mode. The idealistic notion of "beyond" is used quite indiscriminately in spiritual lingo. Is "in the midst of" not where it all ends up? Of many tropes in Buddhist scriptures, hyperbole is the most used, and very skilfully, throughout the long literary history. Hard to say who has more difficulty with hyperbole today, the conservative apologist or the rational detractor, both prone to literalism. "Everything you know is dead wrong." ~ tantra authors "No, old Buddhism is good." ~ tantra commentators (sometimes same people) There's always the danger of self-improvement. #thingsisaywhenmentoring "The world worlds." — Heidegger Meanwhile, selfs self. Student says: "I have not realized it!" Teacher replies: "I have not realized it either!" Student packs up and moves on. #storiesofsiddhas Faction: neo-feudal overlords embrace neo-vajrayana, while rewarding their serfs who practice mindfulness at home and at work. “Life’s barely long enough to get good at one thing, if [...]