1. I don't know if it is indeed extremely rare to be born a
human, considering the population growth explosion in the last
century alone. Furthermore, if the chance is almost zero, any hope
you may have to attain it in this life is depressingly remote. You
can only hope that you don't come back as an ant in the next life
which would really set things back.
2. Re the Blissful body, I am interested to know how it is like.
Is there anyone alive now who has this?
3. The idea of a changing self is problematic. I think it is a
result of confusion between the immaterial "I" versus the physical
body that changes throughout one's life. Yes, things do change over
time, but I think it is rather erroneous to call it emptiness.
4. Thanks for the book link. Re the point about letting go of
attachment. I think the issue is not attachment per se, but what
one is attached to. Should one be attached to Buddha's teaching?
Should one seek to be free of samsara? Should one desire the
attainment of nirvana? Should one desire not to have any
desire?
yea, people tends to use the living beings on this earth only.
like say we have 10 billion world systems in one Buddhaland, and
not to mention hell and heavenly realms. Buddha also use another
analogy to explain the rareness of human encountering dharma by
grabing fine sands and releasing them, the number of sands that are
left inside his finger nails. Buddha also pointed that ants are the
most stubborn beings. 7 Buddhas were Born before they are reborn
into higher realms. samsara is indeed a infinity rebirth. to get
out, the monkey just don't grab the food, and it will be
free! u can say if u miss this train, then to the next
life, u might not know the next encountering could be, given how
our karmic wind may blow, as Xtian may say forever in hell, but for
us is a very very long time in samsara. however an affinity with
dharma, is a seed planted in the subconsciousness, and that seed
will grow into fruition one day.
hah, its Embodiment of Bliss, Sambhogakaya , not just
"blissful".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trikaya
its not problematic,
when u don't consider countless rebirth. indeed emptiness is not a
good word. better as :-
Śūnyatā, (Sanskrit, also shunyata;
Pali: suññatā), is a Buddhist term that is translated into English as
emptiness, openness, thusness, etc.
Śūnyatā refers to the absence of inherent existence in all
phenomena, and it is complementary to the Buddhist concepts of
not-self (Pāli: anatta, Sanskrit:
anātman)[note 1] and dependent origination.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emptiness_(Buddhism)
Sunyata
Affirms the Existence of Existence;
Sunyata Negates the
Self-nature of Existence.
in the sense dharma is only like medicine that u take and cure
attachment. when u talk a boat to the other shore, u leave the boat
behind. dharma is just a teaching tool. i think u heard that. and
yes it's indepthness will also lead to the detachment of dharma and
attaining nirvana, and returning back to samsara to help others,
selflessly forever. the ultimate happiness/bliss is not just
nirvana but helping others 助人为快乐之本 its the root cause of bliss.
when u reached the end of the road, there's actually no reward. the
reward IS the way there. the Right attachment is Right Mindfulness,
a practice of Buddhism. yes, sometimes u do need to use posion to
cure posion per se. non attachment is only the first stage,
there's second stage of non-discrimination and third, non-wandering
thoughts or Equanimity. its
ok to attached to helping others giving that one had already
realised not-self. as there's no suffering or karma without a
self.
/\