Sunday September 27th, 2009. Posted by Alex W:
Catalogue
Bit by bit the project of making a basic catalogue of my Buddhist library is moving forwards – one bookcase is now done!
That’s 207 books so far. But have they done me any good?
I was trying to come up with an organization scheme recently and had pulled all the books off of my main shelves. Failing to come up with a satisfying way to order them I noticed how colorful Buddhist books tend to be. So ROY G. BIV it is! Now I may not be able to find a book quickly, but at least it’s pretty.
What you write with ink, in small black letters,
Can all be lost through the work of a single drop of water
But what is written in your mind is there for eternity.
6th Dalai Lama
A good Kagyu story is the one of Marpa, returning to Tibet with a load of teachings he had got from India. He met up with another searcher who became jealous of the teachings Marpa had. During a boat trip he contrived to throw Marpa’s teachings into the river. Although not happy at the time Marpa later realised the important part of the teachings were those that had actually become part of him.
For source of this story turn to pages 35 and 36 of Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism.
Couldn’t see it in the bookcase but I’m sure it’s around somewhere
Dave