alan... wrote:all differences are delusion.
Hi Alan, I think that we should take care that we don't live in clouds.
Retro posted something about not grasping self-identity... I'm not sure how he reads it, but I don't think it means that everyone suddenly becomes similar like oatmeal, and that their needs also become similar. That's absurd. I think it just means that we don't paste an identity over an experience, anymore.
What does the experience tell us? Does it tell us that everything (or everyone) is the same? Is everyone treated in the same way? Do you actually see this in real life, even at a Buddhist temple or monastery? What about all of the different ways of looking at the practice in between traditions, or even within the same tradition?
You don't see the separation in between the monks and nuns, and the different ways that they handle their affairs? Are you familiar with the way that nuns are required to act around the monks? Are there any agreement about whether the bhikkhuni lineage are valid in Theravada, even when we look at the way it's practiced only in Western? Not to burst your bubble, there are even some western bhikkhus who don't think that there should be bhikkhunis.
I think that when something is said (such as the Buddha Dhamma having one taste), and it isn't shown to be the case, then it's mere idealism, wishful thinking, or even hypocrisy. We should be careful with these in our dhamma practice.
We should always look at the reality the way it is... learn how to live within it skillfully, and with peace, without any greed, aversion (especially to the differences), and delusion (especially with the idea that everything should be seen as the same... as if they're all the one body of Brahma, or some nonsense like that).
Of course, I'm not trying to argue that there should be a women's only section... but I think it's overreaction to say that these would draw all the women away from us, and that they wouldn't be interested in participate with all of us anymore. Let's not worry like that, Alan.