Word Zendo

[MBH]

A purple lump is lovely, especially when it has a bunny inside it.

(Quoted for truth)

[SparkOut]

And so I take up the staff and mantle of the master once more. Thank you to our previous master, and farewell on the journey back to college.

Good students, gather round and prepare for the new lesson, for on our journey to enlightenment our trek may seem arduous, but I am afraid it is on the stony path that we must tread, as the paved route will lead us in a false direction.

On the track
bacon, bananas, calculator, mango, path, satsumas, stony, VAT

In the pits
computer, eggs, fried, grapes, lemons, lettuce, mangoes, omelette, oranges, paved, route, scrambled, taxes

Podium places
Scurra
Bunnylump
evilkeen
scarletannie (x3)

[LAT]

As we journey on our way to enlightenment will the Buddha choose oranges or lemons for refreshment?

[SparkOut]

Dear student LAT, I would have liked to ask you to rephrase your enquiry or adopt a splash of color (sic), so that your suggestions may be compared with one held as virtuous, with the other not of the Buddha nature. I am afraid however, that both oranges and lemons are frowned on by the Buddha, so it is not necessary in this case.

[Scurra]

I see fruit-based offerings have maintained their popularity.
May I ask the Master if the Buddha would like these satsumas in preference to some mangoes?

[SparkOut]

Student Scurra, indeed fruit is received graciously by the Buddha when he feels it appropriate, and right now, satsumas are welcomed, but mangoes are not.

[Bunnylump]

A purple lump is lovely, especially when it has a bunny inside it.

(Quoted for truth)

Aw, shucks!

Welcome, esteemed Master. I would like to offer you bananas, as I feel these would be preferable to grapes.

[SparkOut]

Your inkling seems correct dear Purple Student, it is true that bananas are well received, but grapes are not.

[evilkeen]

Ooh, late on parade today, good to see we have a new master - that last lesson was hard! Anyway, in working this one out, I would venture to suggest that the Buddha would prefer to use a calculator rather than a computer.

[SparkOut]

The Buddha is most pleased as it seems all students are working hard to successfully attain enlightenment. Student evilkeen, it is correct that he does prefer a calculator to a computer.

[scarletannie]

Bother I can't get the colour to work and I can't find the instructions which were posted earlier. If someone can tell me where they are I'll check back.

[SparkOut]

I've added the colour information to the bottom of the first introductory post on page 1 of this thread. I'll also repeat here, Nobody should be penalised for not being able to format words in colour, or for not making any other use of the forum code tags.
As long as you can make it clear which words you are suggesting, and that the master or mistress can tell which you are suggesting as meeting the rule for the Buddha nature, and which you are suggesting does not comply, then it is the duty of any good master/mistress to interpret and award appropriate results.

[scarletannie]

Thank you SparkOut, and also to Bunnylump who hopped to my aid but it still didn't work. As all good novices should, I shall persevere.

Edit: However i have repeatedly, and still it won't do it for me. I've tried typing in the instruction 'n everything.

Before I forget what I wanted to say .....


Your Notable Worthiness, I will not insult Buddha by offering him mangoes (displeasingly red) but would he accept a single mango (a green one)?

And without appearing to pry, may I ask if his Respectedness prefers to pay VAT to horrible taxes?

[SparkOut]

Dear student scarletannie, do not be disheartened at the use of formatting tags. If you persevere, I'm sure you will get there, but for our lessons there is absolutely no need to worry about them. Sorry to bang on, but for the benefit of any onlookers who may feel daunted as to the technical knowledge required to play, there is none! As long as it is clear which word is offered as meeting the Buddha nature rule, and which is offered as a non-compliant example, then that will be fine.

It is quite clear from your enquiry, and I am very pleased to report that a single mango of whatever colour is pleasing to the Buddha and devoured with gusto, but multiple mangoes just make him see red.

While deploring taxes generally, the enlightened one is also careful to stay on the side of the law. Since he lives on charity and has no taxable income, he generally has no business with the Revenue men, but when making his own purchases he would certainly not try to avoid his legal obligation to cough up the VAT.

Well done! You have earned two tries at identifying the Buddha nature. *

* yes, I know "mangoes" has been used already, but never mind. On this occasion, anyway!

[scarletannie]

Would the Master humour a simple novice (who can't believe what she was doing wrong with the colour business!) and tell her if he would rather eat bacon with eggs than an omelette with lettuce ?

[SparkOut]

Well student scarletannie, very good progress on the color (sic) codes. Your offerings for this lesson can not be interpreted quite so readily, I'm afraid.

It is true that the Buddha will happily munch on a bacon sandwich, but he doesn't have it with eggs, whether scrambled or fried, and he especially detests an omelette. He might include tomato, but he'd prefer to stick with "BT" than "BLT", as lettuce is not wanted either.

I shall take it that the first of each pair are to be compared with each other. Bacon therefore is pleasing, while an omelette is not. Therefore your tally is improved by one, scarletannie. Both eggs and lettuce are unworthy, however.

May I please ask that (although I feel the above is a fair and natural interpretation) that each word offered as meeting the rule and not are directly compared with each other, as a similar situation to the above may result in a less satisfactory result.

[scarletannie]

I bow before your wisdom O Master and thank you for your patience with the simplest of your novices.

[scarletannie]

The simplest of your novices can only suggest the simplest of answers - too simple I am sure to be worthy of submission.

Can it be correct to ask if Buddha dislikes any word which contains the letter 'e' ?

[SparkOut]

Simplest of novices no longer, pray now take up the staff and mantle of leadership and teach us a new lesson, for it is absolutely so! The words of the Buddha nature are any that do not include the letter "e".

[scarletannie]

Oh flip! Now what do I do..

I mean

Thank you Enlightened One. Luckily the robe is roomy (does my bum look big in this?). I must meditate for a period before conversing with the pupils.