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On learning Chinese...

Buddy1Buddy1
edited September 2005 in The CenterTao Lounge
"By the way, you can make your own Zen (i.e., Buddhism + Taoism = Zen). My 'problem' with Zen is that, as a synthesis of Buddhism and Taoism, it leaves out some parts of each for me personally. So I just take from each what I wish, add my own two cents, and make a 'personalized Zen'. "

Carl I jus thave to say thank you! This is exactly what I have been doing for the last 40 years, and I love this journey! ~/~

I also study and reflect on the "The Upanishads", "The Bhagavad Gita" by: Eknath Easwaran and "The Gossip of Thomas", but it is the Tao Te Ching that allows me to look into the mirror and see myself at that moment! :lol:

Comments

  • Buddy1Buddy1
    edited December 1969
    Carl was right: Oregon high schools are now part of a pilot program where students are being taught Mandarin Chinese. those who stick with the study of it will be given full ride scholarships to university and opportunities at foreign exchange programs...

    and the best part: it's funded by...the Department of Defense
  • CarlCarl
    edited December 1969
    [cite] Buddy1:[/cite]Carl was right:

    Finally someone agrees with what have I always been saying! :lol:

    Seriously, a culture that spawned Taoism has some awesome potential I assume - even though only a tiny minority are actually 'consciously' Daoist. They got bogged down by a few thousand years of 'status quo', but now...watch out :!:
  • Luke AbbottLuke Abbott
    edited December 1969
    Link to related article: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/1127214001239650.xml&coll=7
    The Defense Department is funding grants to promote the teaching of four languages considered critical to national security: Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Korean and Arabic.

    Additionally, as part of [the] national security-based initiative, Portland students who promise to continue studying the language in college will be eligible for 12 full-ride scholarships to the University of Oregon, worth $15,000 a year, and a free year of study in China.
  • Lynn CornishLynn Cornish
    edited December 1969
    Well shoot...I'm throwing away all my shoes and cutting the legs off the furniture. This guy is on to something!
  • Buddy1Buddy1
    edited December 1969
    one billion Chinese can' be wrong...

    but i misstated the extent of this program-it's beginning in the lower grades, which is only right-best time to teach anyone languages (or musical instruments, imo) is when they're young-kids are capable of learning more, easier and faster than we give them credit for-sometimes thats the only time some people ever learn anything...

    now if we could just teach more kids to speak English!
  • unclebobunclebob
    edited December 1969
    like what Buddy said ... when I was a little kid, about 5 or so, my mom was taking a conversational Spanish class and she took me with her. I picked up on it really quick and amazed the rest of the people in the class. this was in the early 60's.

    So YES, kids, especially young kids and pick up on stuff faster and easier than adults.
  • Buddy1Buddy1
    edited December 1969
    similar story: when i was 4 or 5 we had a sweet old german couple next door I used to visit, and before long i was chattering away with them in german...then we moved, or they died or something and so, long story short, now I can only read Goethe in translation :(
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