Taoism - Daoism - Tao - Dao

VOL. 2, TAO: THE THREE TREASURES

Chapter-4

Buddhas And Fools

Fourth Question

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The fourth question:

Question 4

IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT A DISCIPLE SHOULD HAVE RESPECTFUL MANNERS AND A RESPECTFUL ATTITUDE TOWARDS HIS MASTER, BUT OFTEN I FEEL LIKE ASKING YOU PLAYFUL, JOKING AND NAUGHTY QUESTIONS. DOES THIS INDICATE LACK OF RESPECT AND 'SHRADDHA', TRUST?

It does not depend on the question, it depends on the questioner. The question is irrelevant. You can ask a playful, joking, naughty question with deep respect. There is no problem about it. In fact without deep respect how can you ask such a question? If you love the master and you love him so deeply, you respect him and you respect him so deeply, then you are free to ask anything.

It depends on the questioner, not on the question. If the questioner is in a deep love and trust with the master, then everything is allowed. He can ask any sort of question. But if the trust doesn't exist in the questioner you can ask a very serious and respectful question but it is just formal respect -- deep down there is no respect.

Try to understand the quality of the questioning heart.

If there is trust, then whatsoever you ask is good; if there is no trust, then whatsoever you ask is no good. You can ask anything you feel like asking, but before you ask, just try to see within yourself why you are asking it. If there is trust, trust makes everything holy. In the East, trust has been such a deep-rooted phenomenon that disciples have asked questions which in the West you could not even imagine. Nobody can imagine asking such questions about Jesus as people in the East have asked about Buddha.

A Zen master, Mumon, asked his master: What do you say about the Buddha-nature in a dog? Is a dog also a Buddha? Is there any possibility of a dog being a Buddha ever? And what did the master do? You know? He started walking on all fours and he barked. This was his answer: Yes, a dog is also Buddha, the possibility is there always, howsoever far away from Buddha he is now someday he will also reach the goal.

You can ask any question, but before you ask it always find out from where it comes -- from your love, trust? Then everything is good. You may be simply formal, serious, asking your question in a very soft and gentlemanly way, but if the heart is not there, it is dead.

In fact, that is disrespect.

Next: Chapter 4, Buddhas And Fools, Fifth Question

Energy Enhancement          Enlightened Texts          Taoism          Tao: The three treasures

Chapter 4

• Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 1
  Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 1, SOMETIMES YOU CALL US `YOU FOOLS' AND SOMETIMES YOU CALL US `YOU BUDDHAS'. ARE FOOLS AND BUDDHAS THE SAME TO YOU? at energyenhancement.org
  
  
• Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 2
  Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 2, AS I WATCH MY THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS I AM LEFT WITH A SENSE OF WONDER: I WONDER WHERE THEY COME FROM AND WHERE THEY GO at energyenhancement.org
  
  
• Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 3
  Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 3, YOU SAY WE HAVE TO COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN, UNTIL WE UNDERSTAND. BUT IF THERE IS NO 'I' -- WHO COMES BACK? at energyenhancement.org
  
  
• Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 4
  Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 4, IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT A DISCIPLE SHOULD HAVE RESPECTFUL MANNERS AND A RESPECTFUL ATTITUDE TOWARDS HIS MASTER, BUT OFTEN I FEEL LIKE ASKING YOU PLAYFUL, JOKING AND NAUGHTY QUESTIONS. DOES THIS INDICATE LACK OF RESPECT AND 'SHRADDHA', TRUST? at energyenhancement.org
  
  
• Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 5
  Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 5, CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT ACCEPTANCE AND HOW TO LEARN TO ACCEPT, BECAUSE I FEEL A PART IN ME THAT IS SO STUPID. IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE THAT PART OF ME MORE CLEAR TO MYSELF? at energyenhancement.org
  
  
• Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 6
  Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 6, THE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAVE REMAINING ARE ONES PART OF ME WOULD LIKE TO SUPPRESS. FOR EXAMPLE: I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT YOU LEAVE YOUR BODY FOR SEVERAL HOURS EACH DAY AND THAT WHEN YOU RETURN YOU ARE VERY HUNGRY AND THAT YOU EAT SIXTEEN CHAPATTIS. IS THIS TRUE? at energyenhancement.org
  
  
• Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 7
  Taoism, Daoism, Tao, Dao, Lao Tzu's Tap Te Ching, Vol. 2 Tao: The three treasures, Chapter 4: Buddhas And Fools, Question 7, WHENEVER A CERTAIN FEELING OF OPENING COMES AND A CERTAIN PEACE, ALWAYS A STRONG ANXIETY AND A DEPRESSION FOLLOW AND MAKE ME VERY TIRED. IT SEEMS TO BE A VICIOUS CIRCLE. WHAT IS THE ATTITUDE TO TAKE? at energyenhancement.org