email to TJ

I find myself imitating the style of my master friend here already. :)

> I found myself in need of the enlightment: freedom,
> joy and peace. I have forgotten this for long and had
> thought there it no need for it. I had thought all we
> need are just success, love, and a good free and
> fearless spirit.

I am so happy for your enlightenment. Indeed, freedom, joy and peace. You should write your thoughts down while you are there, and share with us. I am nowhere near freedom, joy and peace right now, but I shall work my way back there, soon.

> Many (10-11) years ago when I read Razor's Edge and
> Hesse's buddism novel, I was inspired. But I was so
> young at that time, youth itself was such an
> enlightment that I never felt the need to go further.
> I thought Larry in Razor's Edge is a hero for us,
> while "us", ordinary and happy people, still only need
> success, love and a good common sense.

There is no real difference between people in the sense that nobody is a hero for nobody else.

> But today I feel I was wrong. There is an inner world
> inside us; there are mind, body, spirit, emotions and
> their interactions. Even if we achived success, even
> if we know the right theory/philosophy/rules in words
> and writing, we won't be happy without inner peace and
> harmony of what we think, what we do, and what we
> feel.

Now you are right. We all need to reach our own self in life. The theory/philosophy/rules are probably just good guidelines of conducts for us to follow when we have forgotten how to get back to our inner peace and harmony.

> Larry in Razor's Edge can achive a "normal" happiness
> with success and love. But he is simply after for
> something even more joyful.

You can derive so much from this book. I will have to read it soon.

> For years I was wondering why I cannot go back to my
> old happy and carefree college days. Now it seems that
> it is simply because youth is such an enlightment that
> when I become older I have to work to get it back
> again. When I was in college, "the sky seemed so blue,
> and the wind seemed so breezy". I want to feel that
> again.

I think when we were younger, we had less external influence in our lives, so it was easier for us to have more internal peace and joy. How to get it back? I think the first thing is to recognize it and be aware, like what you do now.

> We have only one life. We shall live it
> enlighted :)

Yes, let is live our only one life enlightened.