[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Book of Questions #4

[Sister Mary Lunatic]

>>>>>>Amy wrote:
(well, I'm a Buddhist, but a weak, lazy one)
<<<<<<<<

That sounds like me -- I describe myself as a "half-assed Taoist"

I understand what you mean by living in the moment, but I don't know whether
it's achievable or even desirable to forget the past.  Did you ever see that
British musician whose long-term memory-making ability was destroyed by a
fever?  He remembered things from before his illness, but was unable to form
new memories since then.  His wife could walk into his room 25 times in one
day, and each time he'd greet her like he hadn't seen her for months -- he
simply could not remember what had happened just a few minutes before.  It
was very sad, and frightening.

Krishnamurti claimed in later years that he had forgotten his younger self.
I would think that if you were a teacher and an example for youth, that
remembering your life experiences would be helpful in dealing with other
people who hadn't reached your level of spiritual advancement.

To me, forgetting the past means more like "letting go of past anger,
resentment, bad feelings, etc"  -- forget them if you can, but certainly let
go of the effect they may be having on the present or the future.

Ugh - I always start to sound like some sanctimonious guru....

SML

==================================
Inside every older person
is a younger person -
wondering what the hell happened.
==================================



-----Original Message-----
From: Amy Z [mailto:aiz24 at hotmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 10:21 PM
To: HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Book of Questions #4


--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Sister Mary Lunatic" <klaatu at p...>
wrote:
>
> My instinctual reaction to this is... I'd rather have the
memories.  What's
> the point of having a happy year if you can't remember it?  Even if
I have a
> terrible year, it's good to have as a memory.  Yeah, if somebody
offered me
> this, I'd probably say "no thanks" !
> For all I know, I may already have had this happy year, but if I
don't
> remember having it, then it's just the same as NOT having it.

Is it?  What does it mean, not remember?  You've still been affected
by it . . . like Harry (if I may drift onto our mutual favorite
topic) is affected by his parents' love for him even though he can't
remember them at all.  You will be a different, no doubt happier and
better, person for having had that year.

I still think I'd say no thanks, but it's making me think.  The
Buddhist ideal, after all, is to live in the present moment, not
dwelling on plans or memories but being fully aware of what is
happening now. . . I do believe, with the Buddhists (well, I'm a
Buddhist, but a weak, lazy one), that this would be a very joyful
life.  The thought-experiment sounds like a version of this.  Just
happiness, no memories.  Maybe you could make it last your entire
life...that's what the Buddhists say, anyway.

Amy Z



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