Originally Posted By: Julian
Originally Posted By: MarkC
Originally Posted By: Julian
What is your signature line supposed to mean?
Quote:
The illusion of separateness is the foundation of human suffering.
It's a Buddhist thing, if it needs explanation, you wouldn't get it anyway.
Ponder it and see what you come up with.
So anyway, what are you, a genius or a magician?
In that context, it actually means "genie". It's a line from a movie, like the last couple ones (all from the same movie, matter of fact). The Devil and Dr. Fausto are having a couple drinks at a party and Dr. Fausto asks the Devil if he can make a wish for someone [else] to take care of his assistant, Julia. Fausto gives the Devil a hard time for saying "don't worry" instead of "granted", and then starts to walk away. The Devil asks where he's going and Fausto replies: "Take a [censored] guess, aren't you a genie?" Then the Devil says: "Genies never guess. Those are magicians." It's kind of dry humor.
The Buddhist thing isn't setting anything off, so I don't want to strain myself. If Buddhist rules are that I have to come up with an answer for myself in order for it to make sense, I think I've already got that part down. I'm curious why people have a fondness for referring to things as "illusions" though if they carry such a punch. "Hallucinogens" can really be a misnomer too in a lot of senses. Just my two cents.
I see.
As far as the Buddhist proverb, it's not really that deep.Human beings, on both an individual and a group basis, often think of themselves as separate, or apart from everything-other people, the cycles of life, etc. This attitude prepares fertile ground for many bad things such as prejudice, war, oppression, abuse of other people, animals, the planet, oneself, etc., as well as a deep loneliness that not many will admit to. It's also an illusion.
Everything is connected, as John Donne wrote "No man is an island...." you know the deal.
At least that my take on the meaning of the words. It's not a koan, nor is it meant to be.
Of course I could be wrong and the real purpose of life may be "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women."
Originally Posted By: MarkC
Originally Posted By: Julian
What is your signature line supposed to mean?
Quote:
The illusion of separateness is the foundation of human suffering.
It's a Buddhist thing, if it needs explanation, you wouldn't get it anyway.
Ponder it and see what you come up with.
So anyway, what are you, a genius or a magician?
In that context, it actually means "genie". It's a line from a movie, like the last couple ones (all from the same movie, matter of fact). The Devil and Dr. Fausto are having a couple drinks at a party and Dr. Fausto asks the Devil if he can make a wish for someone [else] to take care of his assistant, Julia. Fausto gives the Devil a hard time for saying "don't worry" instead of "granted", and then starts to walk away. The Devil asks where he's going and Fausto replies: "Take a [censored] guess, aren't you a genie?" Then the Devil says: "Genies never guess. Those are magicians." It's kind of dry humor.
The Buddhist thing isn't setting anything off, so I don't want to strain myself. If Buddhist rules are that I have to come up with an answer for myself in order for it to make sense, I think I've already got that part down. I'm curious why people have a fondness for referring to things as "illusions" though if they carry such a punch. "Hallucinogens" can really be a misnomer too in a lot of senses. Just my two cents.
I see.
As far as the Buddhist proverb, it's not really that deep.Human beings, on both an individual and a group basis, often think of themselves as separate, or apart from everything-other people, the cycles of life, etc. This attitude prepares fertile ground for many bad things such as prejudice, war, oppression, abuse of other people, animals, the planet, oneself, etc., as well as a deep loneliness that not many will admit to. It's also an illusion.
Everything is connected, as John Donne wrote "No man is an island...." you know the deal.
At least that my take on the meaning of the words. It's not a koan, nor is it meant to be.
Of course I could be wrong and the real purpose of life may be "To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women."