11-11-2013, 02:44 AM
much has been made in certain traditions of having a lineage of teachers and training. Here the disciplining and screening and assessment is strong. This is more a personal tradition, of one to one teaching.
Then there is the written tradition, which enables a wider dissemination of ideas, but also permits the proliferation of confusion as the written word can be much misinterpreted, and there is not the corrective measure of a teacher assessing the learning as the teachings are given.
it is not one or the other; we can make use of both techniques.
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there also seems to be something in the written tradition which leads to codification and rigidity; although the same thing can happen in any group where there is a strong leadership presence.
in the end, its the transmission and dissemination of understandings, regardless of the words used that is the important thing. Or as the buddha has referenced in the past - the use of expedient means.
anyway, the thought just came up in relation to a small quote; which was purely informative (on Ra's part) and contained no seed of this written/spoken divide. (that was purely me).
"88.20 Questioner: Well, how did the teacher relay information to the student with respect to visualization?
Ra: I am Ra. The process was cabalistic; that is, of the oral tradition of mouth to ear."
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Then there is the written tradition, which enables a wider dissemination of ideas, but also permits the proliferation of confusion as the written word can be much misinterpreted, and there is not the corrective measure of a teacher assessing the learning as the teachings are given.
it is not one or the other; we can make use of both techniques.
- -
there also seems to be something in the written tradition which leads to codification and rigidity; although the same thing can happen in any group where there is a strong leadership presence.
in the end, its the transmission and dissemination of understandings, regardless of the words used that is the important thing. Or as the buddha has referenced in the past - the use of expedient means.
anyway, the thought just came up in relation to a small quote; which was purely informative (on Ra's part) and contained no seed of this written/spoken divide. (that was purely me).
"88.20 Questioner: Well, how did the teacher relay information to the student with respect to visualization?
Ra: I am Ra. The process was cabalistic; that is, of the oral tradition of mouth to ear."
- -