Tu-Shun

I did not fully grasp teh concept of this reading either, but was fascinated by it. When it is talking about the jewels I think it is kind of a metaphor about how each person, or jewel is interconnected. What one person does affects every other person in that network. They say by liberating yourself you liberate everyone, and I do not think this means imediately. It can be a process. The moment you do something it does not automatically affect everyone else, but eventually it will in some form or another. "In one jewel there are all the jewels." It just shows yet again how everything is tied together in life. I did not understand the last line though. "Nonsimiles are used as similies. Those who practice should think of this in accord with the similes."

The Upanishads

I did not understand any of the readings this week. I read them all in the hopes of finding one that I would be able to understand and discuss in depth. I found this particular one very interesting though. The beginning caught my attention when they say "That is perfect. This is perfect. Perfect comes from perfect. Take perfect from perfect, the remainder is perfect." In a sense the author does the same thing with peace by saying"May peace and peace and peace by everywhere." If you take this all at a whole then its a bit confusing, but line by line it makes perfect sense. Everything can be perfect, but everything isnt. If you take perfect from perfect then all you could possibly have is perfect. If peace can be everywhere, which is ideal....then peace peace and peace can be everywhere. It was also very interesting talking about how each thing alone is God. It is all these different ways of having God. They are all simple, but incredible things. Everyday things.

Chief Seattle

I also liked this story, but I did not find it quite as relatable as Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha. However, it is realatable in the sense that they were being pushed out. The white men came in and took what was theres, and many of the "red men" died because of it. The white men acted as though they were helping them, but the red men were fine on their own. The chief talks about how the white man acts like he is being generous by leaving the chief some of his own land. The chief says they dont need it all anymore since his people have died, but that the dead have power too. Even after they are all gone the red men will still be there. The chief also talks about how young men view revenge as gain. I dont believe this relates directly to young men, but it is still common today for people to want revenge. Once they get it they feel as though they have gained something. The chief says that "the old men who stay behind in time of war, mothers with sons to lose-they know better". That is a very true statement. People who see the paon caused, or who experience that pain know better. They know that revenge does not gain you anything. It isnt a worhty thing to spend your time on. These people are the ones who know better, and it kind of goes back to that whole respect your elders thing. Not that all older people are wiser, just in general they have had mor elife experiences and therefore more opportunities to gain insiteful knowledge such as this.

Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha

I really enjoyed this story. I found it very thought provoking. It applies to many different senarios. I like the part where he says "We do not worship the great spirit as the white men do, but we believe that forms of worship do not matter to the great spirit..." I think that most of the time when people try to preach their religion to anyone else that would be an amazing response. To just say I dont do it your way, but the "great spirit" doesnt care how I do it. I think people get too caught up in being right, and just. I also like how he talks about how if the same book was meant for them wouldnt the great spirit have given it to them also. Its not like one group of people were worthy enough to recieve it, so they were supose to pass it on and push it onto other groups of people. I also thought it was very interesting how the author started off by saying that the young minister represented "a narrowhearted, bigoted christianity". I believe that Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha was a very interesting man. He seems very smart, and very honest. I would reccomend this story to anyone, but especially to those who push their religion onto others. Religion is a personal choice, and should be respected.