That afternoon, Genesis was the guardian. She later sent me the following log with her comments. For more information about Avastu Maruti, see his blog http://avastu0.blogspot.com/; there is also a direct link from the PaB web site, titled You are Dreaming.
I arrived to meet Fael, Adams, and Solobill
Fael Illyar: Hi Gen
Adams Rubble: As always I have to leave early in this time slot. I find I miss alot
Adams Rubble: Hi Gen
genesis Zhangsun: Hi Fael, Adams
genesis Zhangsun: Hey Solo!
Solobill Laville: Greetings, Ms. Zhangsun!
Fael Illyar: Yes, somehow a lot tends to happen after the first half an hour in this timeslot
Adams Rubble: yes it seems it does
genesis Zhangsun: Yeah it makes me feel I should stay for the second half of the hour
genesis Zhangsun: which i usually do but sometimes should be getting back to RL
responsibilities
Adams Rubble: Yes those
Adams Rubble: :)
genesis Zhangsun: So anyone want to get the ball rolling?
genesis Zhangsun: Any interesting experiences with PaB this week?
Avastu Maruti drops his “I”
Fael Illyar: Pema brought a visitor to the Forest in Magoja today and I ended up talking with them since I’ve been spending time there lately.
Fael Illyar: Interesting visitor in a way.
genesis Zhangsun: what was his name?
genesis Zhangsun: if you don’t mind
Fael Illyar: Avantu … something, a moment I’ll scroll up
Fael Illyar: ah, Avastu Maruti
Faenik loves wells!
Fael Illyar: apparently he holds talks somewhere
genesis Zhangsun: hmmm don’t know him
genesis Zhangsun: what kind of talks?
Fael Illyar: Interesting person in that he didn’t use the word “I” even once while talking with us.
Fael Illyar: The way he talked reminded me of Zen masters in Koans I’ve read
genesis Zhangsun: wow never used I
genesis Zhangsun: that is amazing
genesis Zhangsun: was it confusing to talk to him?
Fael Illyar: He seemed happy that it was noticed :)
Fael Illyar: Yes, it wasn’t just that “I” words weren’t used, the topics were also a bit confusing.
Fael Illyar: [6:30] Avastu Maruti: the “I” is a false reference point, an assumption [6:30] Avastu Maruti: the illusion of the world revolves around this point [6:30] Avastu Maruti: in pure SEEing, there is no “I” and no “world”
Faenik: なるほど^^
genesis Zhangsun: hmmm sounds right up PaB’s alley
Fael Illyar: Pretty much, yes.
Solobill Laville: That is interesting, I wonder what he meant exactly by there is no “world”
The things you hear when you leave your avatar on….
genesis Zhangsun: there are so many interesting characters floating around SL
genesis Zhangsun: like this monk Bunan Solo
genesis Zhangsun: I have not run into him yet but he seems like such a character
genesis Zhangsun: have you run into him Fael?
Fael Illyar: Yes, I hear one story he told when I forgot my AV here, then Tara appeared and sometime after that Bunan appeared.
Fael Illyar: Then Tara asked him for a story
Solobill Laville: Do you recall the story?
Fael Illyar: I mostly just remember it was about how he first found out about Buddhism
Fael Illyar: I do have it in my chatlog though
genesis Zhangsun: oh yes share!
Fael Illyar: ok, will take me a moment. Should I just repeat it here or ?
genesis Zhangsun: whatever u find more convenient
Fael Illyar: ok, a moment then
Faenik: ah :)
Fael Illyar: http://pastebin.com/d67b65f9a
Fael Illyar: there’s the log … Gen, that link will expire in a day, if you think you want to include it in the PaB sessions log, save it somewhere.
Bunan’s journey in search of downtown
1. 2008/06/08 16:05] Bunan Bosatsu: Well… firstly, I would like to say that finding one’s way is more accurately ‘creating’ one’s way, .. no?
2. [2008/06/08 16:05] Tara Farmer: yes, agreed
3. [2008/06/08 16:05] Bunan Bosatsu: It arises in our mind… we are self-defining creatures…
4. [2008/06/08 16:05] Tara Farmer: some would disagree, however, i do not
5. [2008/06/08 16:06] Bunan Bosatsu: When I was living in Korea, when I had first arrived, everyone was talking about ‘downtown’ as though it were a fantastic Disney land sort of place…
6. [2008/06/08 16:06] Bunan Bosatsu: At that time, I was in the military, and the plane that had brought me there had actually LANDED right on the base… so I had never actually been off base up to that time…
7. [2008/06/08 16:06] Bunan Bosatsu: I decided to go downtown, and to check it out!
8. [2008/06/08 16:07] Tara Farmer: mmm hmmm
9. [2008/06/08 16:07] Faenik: ah :)
10. [2008/06/08 16:07] Bunan Bosatsu: I walked and walked, but couldn’t find the front gate! I walked for about an hour! First in one direction… then another….
11. [2008/06/08 16:08] Bunan Bosatsu: Finally, I came upon a gate with a Korean civilian gate-guard. He didn’t speak much English.. I spoke no Korean at that time… so I just waved and out I went!!
12. [2008/06/08 16:08] Bunan Bosatsu: Just outside the gate were rice paddies…. they were fallow at the time, it being around October…. and I just walked and walked… waiting to get ‘Downtown’.
13. [2008/06/08 16:09] Bunan Bosatsu: All I saw were oxen… chickens… and rice paddies!!
14. [2008/06/08 16:09] Tara Farmer: sounds hoppin
15. [2008/06/08 16:09] Bunan Bosatsu: Finally, I came across a small Buddhist Shrine…
16. [2008/06/08 16:09] Bunan Bosatsu: There was a solitary monk living there…. it was much like my Imje-Am, actually… except that there was a large stature of a standing Shakyamuni Buddha alongside… though I had no idea who it was at the time…
17. [2008/06/08 16:10] Bunan Bosatsu: I asked the monk where ‘downtown’ was…
18. [2008/06/08 16:10] Bunan Bosatsu: He smiled and handed me a persimmon.
19. [2008/06/08 16:10] Bunan Bosatsu: ??
20. [2008/06/08 16:10] Tara Farmer: LOL
21. [2008/06/08 16:10] Fael Illyar: :)
22. [2008/06/08 16:10] Bunan Bosatsu: (Be careful of the skins on thoe things! very bitter!)
23. [2008/06/08 16:10] Bunan Bosatsu: I pointed and I gesticulated and I repeated DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN louder and louder!!
24. [2008/06/08 16:11] Tara Farmer: ha h
25. [2008/06/08 16:11] Tara Farmer: a
26. [2008/06/08 16:11] Bunan Bosatsu: The monk smiled… then laughed, then motioned for me to sit down. And I did!
27. [2008/06/08 16:11] Bunan Bosatsu: He stood up… and did a very (creepily accurate) passable job at imitating me … pointing yelling and flailing around…
28. [2008/06/08 16:12] Bunan Bosatsu: We both cracked up, and he motioned at me… making it clear that he wanted to know if I was hungry. I was.. and nodded, and he brought out a tray piled with rice, kimchi, and vegetables.
29. [2008/06/08 16:13] Bunan Bosatsu: Over the next days I returned, and at one point I actually DID find the way to the FRONT gate… where I promptly bought Korean to English and English to Korean dictionaries…. AND RETURNED TO THE SHIRNE to visit the monk who became my first formal Zen Teacher….
30. [2008/06/08 16:14] Tara Farmer: cool
31. [2008/06/08 16:14] Bunan Bosatsu: I have since learned Korean well enough to converse, read, and write… and have become a monk myself… here, in SL, I live in a small hermitage/shrine…
32. [2008/06/08 16:14] Bunan Bosatsu: There as nothing DOWNTOWN… but I did find my way!!
33. [2008/06/08 16:14] Tara Farmer: yes, what a wonderful story…and exactly what I wanted to hear
34. [2008/06/08 16:15] Faenik loves wells!
35. [2008/06/08 16:15] Fael Illyar: Yes, very nice story :)
36. [2008/06/08 16:15] Bunan Bosatsu: Perhaps one day some lad or lass will happen along trying to find their way to DOWNTOWN!! Wow! I had better get myself some persimmons!! HA!@
37. [2008/06/08 16:15] Tara Farmer: LOL
38. [2008/06/08 16:15] Bunan Bosatsu: :-)
39. [2008/06/08 16:15] Tara Farmer: and a uncanny knack for mimicing
40. [2008/06/08 16:15] Fael Illyar: :)
41. [2008/06/08 16:15] Bunan Bosatsu: SO.. what are you folks up to today??
42. [2008/06/08 16:16] Tara Farmer: so Bunan, what was his name?
43. [2008/06/08 16:16] Tara Farmer: I have just come back from the small island I work at, on the weekends, and I am nursing a sunburn
44. [2008/06/08 16:16] Bunan Bosatsu: His name was Mil-Bohn Seunim… MIl means secret, and Bohn means root or origin… it is cognate with the Pon in Nippon (root of the sun… Il-bohn in Korean)
45. [2008/06/08 16:16] Fael Illyar: I was sitting here and reading zen stories until Tara showed up.
46. [2008/06/08 16:17] Bunan Bosatsu: What have you learned from them?
47. [2008/06/08 16:17] Fael Illyar: Either too much or too little. I’m at a loss of words.
48. [2008/06/08 16:18] Bunan Bosatsu: Words can be a problem!! But we are stuck with them! HA!
Solobill Laville: Thanks, Fael
genesis Zhangsun: Yes thankyou
Solobill Laville: That is a wonderful story
Fael Illyar: Yes, I thought so too :)
Solobill Laville: For many reasons, I think
Adams Rubble: Thanks Fael
genesis Zhangsun: finding one’s way and creating one’s way I like this a lot
Fael Illyar: I liked the way the monk handled the situation :)
Adams Rubble: :)
Adams Rubble: Now I must be going. bye all :)
Fael Illyar: Ok, Bye Adams :)
genesis Zhangsun: bye Adams
Solobill Laville: Bye Adams
Adams takes off leaving the three of us
Fael Illyar: You sometimes bump into interesting things just by sitting around in random places :)
Faenik: ah :)
genesis Zhangsun: yes I should do that more often…leave my avatar on
Solobill Laville: It reminds me of the fable of Enyadatta genesis Zhangsun: yes?
Fael Illyar: how does that one go?
The hour officially became story hour….
Solobill Laville: I’ll shorten it up a bit…
Solobill Laville: Enyadatta was a woman who woke up one morning
Solobill Laville: sure she had lost her head
Solobill Laville: she ran around and around looking for it
Faenik: could be
Solobill Laville: but her firends told her she still had her head
Solobill Laville: it was right there
Solobill Laville: finally they caught her
Solobill Laville: and calmed her down
Solobill Laville: until finally, she saw it
Solobill Laville: it was there all along
Fael Illyar: Sounds a bit like how you realize things about Being
Solobill Laville: searching for Downtown can be a fruitless pursuit
Solobill Laville: it is all right here, I think may be Bunan’s point
genesis Zhangsun: not necessarily fruitless
genesis Zhangsun: it got him to the monk
Solobill Laville: ;)
genesis Zhangsun: maybe that is how it is sometimes
Solobill Laville: and there is usually good beer
Fael Illyar: haha :)
Solobill Laville: he he
genesis Zhangsun: :)
genesis Zhangsun: the things you go in search of are not necessarily the end
Fael Illyar: I’d think they rarely are :)
Solobill Laville: yes, true
genesis Zhangsun: it is interesting how their use becomes outlived
genesis Zhangsun: like downtown
genesis Zhangsun: or like the cowherding pictures
genesis Zhangsun: often in zen stories like this
Faenik: なるほど^^
genesis Zhangsun: in my experience
genesis Zhangsun: there is the search for something
genesis Zhangsun: then you find it was there all along
genesis Zhangsun: and then there is nothing in the frame at the end
genesis Zhangsun: the cow disappears
genesis Zhangsun: it outlived its use
Fael Illyar: :)
Faenik: なるほど^^
Solobill Laville: like the raft to cross the stream
Fael Illyar: more common example for people with glasses would be looking for your glasses only to discover, eventually, that you’re wearing them
genesis Zhangsun: yes that is funny one
Solobill Laville: Yes!
Fael Illyar: Yes, an something that actually happens :)
Solobill Laville: http://itsmypulp.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/enyadatta-a-buddhist-allegory/
Faenik: why not?
genesis Zhangsun: http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/C%20-%20Zen/Zen%20Poetry/About%20the%20Ten%20Ox%20Herding%20Pictures/Zen%20Master%20Ji%20Bong%20-%20The%20ten%20ox-herding%20pictures.htm
genesis Zhangsun: Story time
genesis Zhangsun: cowherding pictures
genesis Zhangsun: or an explanation
genesis Zhangsun: though I am sure you both know them
Solobill Laville: Yes, the Oxherding pictures I am familiar with
Solo corrects me yes indeed they are the oxherding pictures though isn’t a ox a male cow hmmm…
Fael Illyar: I haven’t seen the oxherding pictures.
Solobill Laville: And again, to get to Fael’s point earlier, at least in my opinion, it’s all about Being
genesis Zhangsun: yes…
genesis Zhangsun: true but what does that mean really?
genesis Zhangsun: is it passive?
genesis Zhangsun: or an active process?
Solobill Laville: Well, just an analogy, but both active and passive in a way
genesis Zhangsun: yes how so Solo?
Solobill Laville: Well, the analogy is that “seeing” the ox is analog to realizing one’s “original” nature
Fael Illyar: oh right, I didn’t reply to Solo’s wondering about that no “world” part of Avastu’s lines.
Solobill Laville: and there may be stages of that realization
Faenik loves wells!
Fael Illyar: Earlier Avastu was talking about words having no meaning.
Solobill Laville: Ah
Fael Illyar: So, “world” would be a distinction made by words, therefore meaningless
Solobill Laville: Quite right, all subjective
Fael Illyar: no subject, no object
Solobill Laville: Oh I see, the Diamond Sutra talks to that as well
Solobill Laville: Very interesting person, it seems
Fael Illyar: Also, using words “I” and “world” is dualistic since those are defined as separate
Faenik loves wells!
Solobill Laville: Right, but as Bunan noted too, we still have to use ‘em ;)
Solobill Laville: Therein lies one of the pickles!
Fael Illyar: oh yes, just using words is dualistic in a way
Fael Illyar: too bad I didn’t realize that while I was talking with Avastu
Fael Illyar: would’ve been interesting what he’d have responded
Diamond sutra and sutra club
genesis Zhangsun: Solo you made mention of the Diamond Sutra and interchange between subject and object
genesis Zhangsun: could you talk more about this?
Solobill Laville: Well, I’m no expert by any means
Solobill Laville: Basically, the Buddha was noting a truth
Solobill Laville: That really all things we “know” in a daily sense
Fael Illyar: any calling him/herself an expert on sutras is not worth taking seriously ;)
Solobill Laville: are really conceptions
Solobill Laville: lol
Solobill Laville: yeah, well, me too!
Solobill Laville: he he
Solobill Laville: The point to me is that it is important too simply be aware
Solobill Laville: that most of things we take as true, or real
Solobill Laville: are really not so necessarily true, or real
Solobill Laville: when we start to unpack them, and see what is left
Solobill Laville: and why we are so sure they are true, and real
Solobill Laville: I’d recommend reading the Diamond Sutra when you have a chance
Solobill Laville: For book club!
genesis Zhangsun: ok and version specifically online?
genesis Zhangsun: *any
genesis Zhangsun: or not online?
Solobill Laville: oh, don’t know, but probably
Faenik: why not?
Fael Illyar has only read the heart sutra.
Fael Illyar: I’ve got that on a notecard.
Solobill Laville: I have a copy with the sutra of Hui-Neng
genesis Zhangsun: that is a good one
genesis Zhangsun: :)
Solobill Laville: Yes, that is another great sutra
genesis Zhangsun: Would be fun to have a sutra club
Solobill Laville: Great idea!
genesis Zhangsun: yes sometimes I get frustrated with lack of structure in these meetings
genesis Zhangsun: although there are definitely benefits to it too
genesis Zhangsun: but sometimes it would be nice to have a focal point
Fael Illyar: I think the meetings are better without a structure. It would limit too much,
Solobill Laville: I think there are two sides to that coin
genesis Zhangsun: yes it seems good for PaB
Solobill Laville: So, you’re both right!
genesis Zhangsun: perhaps sutra club could be something else
Solobill Laville: :)
Solobill Laville: Yes, I think so
Fael Illyar: Although, structure only tends to be necessary with big meetings :)
And it all comes back to PaB in the end…
Solobill Laville: But notice how when haven’t talked much about PaB, per se?
Solobill Laville: *we
Solobill Laville: but it all relates
Fael Illyar: It’s hard to talk directly about PaB :)
genesis Zhangsun: yes that was quite a dilemma with creating a logo!
Solobill Laville: he he, I kept out of that one!
genesis Zhangsun: I loved the sun/human design Moon came up with in the end
Fael Illyar: Well, something usable came out though :)
genesis Zhangsun: Is that the final logo?
Fael Illyar: final decision won’t be made fast.
Fael Illyar: it’s not necessary to decide on the final one yet.
genesis Zhangsun: no I suppose not…
Faenik is a hairy black ball with eyes and ears.
genesis Zhangsun: things seem to take quite a bit of time here
genesis Zhangsun: :)
Fael Illyar: Some things take time, others are over too fast ;)
Solobill Laville: And go fast too sometimes, have you seen the new land and buildings??
genesis Zhangsun: where?
Fael Illyar: Yes, like the new PaB meeting place
Solobill Laville: Yes, that’s what I was talking about
genesis Zhangsun: oh no I haven’t!
genesis Zhangsun: Is it finished?
Solobill Laville: Ohh, let’s go
Fael Illyar: let’s go there :)
We meandered over to the new and improved outdoor teahouse!
genesis Zhangsun: when will meetings be held there?
Solobill Laville: I dunno
genesis Zhangsun: will u give me a tp?
Solobill Laville: Just follow us
Solobill Laville: It’s close
genesis Zhangsun: lovely
genesis Zhangsun: is this a Dakini design
Fael Illyar: I think it is
Solobill Laville: Yes
genesis Zhangsun: Amazing what they have created
Solobill Laville: She is great at design and architecture
Solobill Laville: She has a solid handle on aesthetic
genesis Zhangsun: yes she does!
Solobill Laville: Though there are many others here with talent
Solobill Laville: Other kinds of talent too
I am so amazed by the variety of talent in this group…
genesis Zhangsun: yes that is true
genesis Zhangsun: your performance Fael was wonderful a couple of weeks ago
Fael Illyar: Well, the particle part was mostly me, Moon did the song and the circle.
Fael Illyar: But thank you :)
Faenik: ah :)
Solobill Laville: And humility…
genesis Zhangsun: Fael do you also landscape?
Fael Illyar: I haven’t tried that yet.
genesis Zhangsun: There is going to a PaB sandbox soon
Fael Illyar: Mostly what I have to show is my AV, of which only wings are entirely my own creation.
Fael Illyar: oh wait, shape too
Fael Illyar tends to not put much value on the shape so always forgets that.
genesis Zhangsun: oops * be a sandbox
genesis Zhangsun: well I must be on my way!
Fael Illyar: Ok, see you later Gen :)
Solobill Laville: Take care, friend Gen
genesis Zhangsun: Thank you for your presence
genesis Zhangsun: Bye Solo!
genesis Zhangsun: Bye Fael!
