Saturday, July 31, 2010

Buddhism: Lists, anyone?

I love me a good list, and even better, a list of lists.
But why stop there when you can make a list of lists of lists?

Short List of Lists -- The Important Stuff

Longer List of Lists -- 1 item through 37

Mega-List of Lists -- including some crazy crazy shit

No one gets more meta- than The Grumpy Buddha.

Fun stuff from the Mega-List:

8 guests at the chod feast
(I won't even bother listing them, the name of this list rocks hard enough on its own)

8 liberations 
4. attainment of the field of the limitlessness of space
5. attainment of the field of the limitlessness of consciousness
6. attainment of the field of nothing whatsoever (I think this one might be easier than #5 or #6)


9 Unfortunate Times:
1. being born in a hell-state (I cannot argue with this.)
3. as a hungry ghost (A ghost, though, is fine. Just not one that skipped breakfast.)
4. as a jealous god
5. as a god (No offense, but someone needed an editor. Shouldn't this be the 8 Unfortunate Times?)
6. among barbarians (So, you know, Alabama, or the South End of Boston)

10 powers: 
"5. transform earth into gold etc" (Admit it, now this Buddhist thing is starting to look tempting. The "etc." is really what makes this work.)

10 benefits of bodhicitta
3. you outshine the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas (whabbitahuh?) 
7. you accomplish whatever you wish (What is this, The Secret?)

10 Objects for Attaining Absorption: 
"6. Yellow" (I think this has something to do with fighting The Green Lantern.)

16 thoughts preventing realization
1. Dislike or disrespect for our spiritual guide. (Well . . . I'm fucked.)  

2 comments:

  1. I've been trying all afternoon to get myself started on some kind of writing project, any kind of writing project, no luck. It's frustrating.

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  2. You know what they say about writer's block . . . lower your standards, and try again :).

    You could also write a description of what you're thinking about writing about . . .

    ReplyDelete