Posting as Practice

- Right speech, as an element, - or a lane, - of the Eightfold Path, - is usually fundamentally interpreted as an avoidance of being untruthful.

- Not telling lies, - that is.


This interpretation does make a lot of sense given the time and place in which Gautama - the historical Buddha - lived, - and actually taught his Sangha. - This may be as complicated as he could get, - reasonably - that is, - there and then.


Then a reference is made to being considerate; - sometimes, not always. I came upon a claim as if being considerate is more “deep” than not being untruthful. I couldn’t very much see it that way. ^{[- + : - btw]}

Only combining the two simultaneously would or could justify speaking of depth here in this context, - in my view.


However, - this is as far as it goes, it seems. ^{[- i -]}


There is a book by Rudolf Steiner originally called “Wie erlangt man Erkenntnisse der höheren Welten?”. - (- 1904) In the sixth part of this book - “Veränderungen im Traumleben des Geheimschülers” - Steiner offers the following instruction to his students: -

“The student should utter no word that is devoid of sense and meaning; all talking for the sake of talking draws him away from his path. He must avoid the usual kind of conversation, with its promiscuous discussion of indiscriminately varied topics. This does not imply his preclusion from intercourse with his fellows. It is precisely in such intercourse that his conversation should develop to significance. He is ready to converse with everyone, but he does so thoughtfully and with thorough deliberation. He never speaks without grounds for what he says. He seeks to use neither too many nor too few words.”.

Though neither of the two fundamental earlier mentioned points is explicitly mentioned or demanded, - they would (- both - though not initially equally) naturally follow from the instructions handed (here above) by Steiner, - which to some degree, - views them as taken for granted or understood of themselves.

- However, - the seriousness and awareness, - plus maintenance of liveliness rather than its absence, which might sometimes follow from the attempt to stand up to the previous two, - plus the balance indicated, - would stabilize and nurture-the-essential-fundamental-outline of those two axises - (truthfulness and considerateness) which do - behind evident scene - form the structure of Steiner’s description, (- which in itself grows and develops around them as its initial (- rather skeletal) framework) even if not in the most evident and apparent manner - prior to the practice being enabled to permeate one’s being and become inherent in him.


- However again, - quite without regard to my words in the last two paragraphs, - the point I mainly wanted to relate to here this time is that in following the outline carefully introduced by Mr. Steiner, - (Rudolf) even in posting, - either a blog post or a comment, - on the Internet - one would be carrying out what may be said to be actual practice of the path.


I initially thought, (- I related to this matter some time ago on the comments section of Brad Warner’s blog - HCZ, - where I would sometimes express views before starting this blog, - but I was quite unlucky at the time as some troll who pretended to be me posted long copy-&-paste posts in which my initial intention seem to have got lost, - somewhat at least; - that is while Brad was (seemingly) having a quite strict non-deletion policy at the comments section at the time) that [in order] to have the text fit actual Buddhist running and spirit the word “deliberation” should be replaced by “mindfulness”.

- Anthroposophy is different from Buddhism at this point, - though since the text is translated [from German] I am not sure the word “deliberation” may not be somewhat of a mistranslation in itself.

I don't know German.


- During the writing of this post, - I have again observed Steiner’s words brought above, and I have rewritten them - all over again - as follows: -

       “The student should not speak else than in a sensible and meaningful manner, - all talking for the sake of talking draws him away from his path. - He should avoid the usual kind of conversation, with its random variety of rather arbitrary themes, and corresponding quite careless discussion. - This does not imply his withdrawal from human intercourse. - Rather it is just in such intercourse that his conversation would develop to significance and bloom into real contact with the actual reality.
       - He would fundamentally be ready to converse with anyone, - but his doing so is mindful and would bear appropriate (- though not necessarily evident) seriousness for the occurring facing moment. - He never speaks without grounds. - And as well he seeks to neither use too many words nor to employ too few.”.

This seems to be better in accord with the harmony I am familiar with in the house of Master Dogen, and in the larger house of Master Bodhidharma. Those treading other paths might differently adopt things according to their own conditions and circumstances.

Though I believe the harmony prevailing throughout the spirit of renowned Master Dogen (though not only) is unmatched.

The situation in the west might ridicule itself in comparison.

While at the same time other claims might be made vice versa, - but this is quite irrelevant here.


Anyway, - I have made my point.


Cheers.





_________
^{[- + : - btw]} - This considerateness is, to a great deal, - [- actually] the second of the four elements of the bodhisattva’s social relations, (- “Bodaisatta Shishobo”, - chapter 45 in the Nishijima-Cross translation (- Book 3) and 46 in the Nearman translation) but this is [- again, - actually] beside the point here in this post.
^{[- i -]} (- Steiner actually says otherwise: - “Students will recognize ... the instructions given by the Buddha to his disciples for the Path”. - That is to say his instruction is right speech. - The next post will tell you more of what this footnote is about. - Hopefully. - God only knows.
- Also I haven’t actually thoroughly checked so it may be that the common presentation [of “right speech”] is not as I imagine. - However, - the post’s main point will maintain itself, - I believe.)