Zen Writings and Ramblings

Writing, meditation, geekery, life

[itszengeek]

Sitting cushions bear fruit, which ripen all the time.

Eihei Dogen - Eihei Koroku #158

[zenmister]

So Logically...

Buddha tried all kinds of spiritual tricks before he experienced enlightenment. Once he experienced what he experienced he knew that the experience was possible for everybody, so he set about trying to teach everybody how to have that experience. That was 2500 years ago. In human time, we are slow learners.

Now that Buddha experience, that dawning of awareness, that opening of the mind’s eye, that suffering to end all suffering, that awakening was accomplished by just sitting there, watching, not knowing what to expect. However, once he experienced that, he knew that he knew what he knew. He knew that he had something to teach. He knew that his experience could not be passed through logic alone. It was beyond logic.

However, because Buddha was able to see this and teach the way beyond logic for others to see it, and because others have seen it, in all kinds of spiritual and intellectual endeavors, that demonstrates that it is there to be seen. Spiritual seekers, philosophers, random awakeners, have seen it in the East, West, North and South. It is one of the experiences that is common (although rare) and available to all humans.

To use logic to go beyond logic is tricky. However, logic can still point the way. If there is a way to end all of your suffering simply by changing how you think, then logic will tell you that suffering is a matter of thinking. You are already essentially enlightened, just like the Buddha. What do you think about that?

[itszengeek]

To arouse bodhi-mind is to vow and work for the salvation of all living-beings before saving oneself.

Eihei Dogen - Shobogenzo Hotsubodaishin (Arousing Bodhi-mind)

[itszengeek]

Only if you practice the Way inwardly, will the virtue of the Way naturally manifest itself outwardly. Without expectation or desire to be known by people, if you just follow the teachings of the Buddha or the Way of the patriarchs, people will believe in the virtue of the Way of their own accord.

Eihei Dogen - Shobogenzo Zuimonki - 2-3

[wilwheaton]

[itszengeek]

Where buddha ancestors meet, there is offering incense, spreading fragrance; flowers raining, scattering petals; consoling and asking after the harmony of the four elements [i.e., the other’s health]; and inquiring as to whether those seeking instruction are difficult. If this occurs, then the jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha will manifest.

Eihei Dogen - Eihei Koroku #133

[itszengeek]

Haiku #2

Thick red light sits on top of horizon mountain but where is the sun?

[itszengeek]

Though thinking and other activities perpetually beset you, if you examine them as you go your clarity will be like a mirror.

Eihei Dogen - Guidelines for Studying the Way #6

[itszengeek]

Haiku #1

I composed this short verse after having a deeply moving moment while sitting in quiet contemplation. Getting to see Mt. Washington on the horizon every day is a wonderful teacher for me.

Clouds gather atop Mt. Washington where the wind Slices through the mist

[itszengeek]

"Giving" means nongreed. Nongreed means not to covet. Not to covet means not to curry favor. Even if you govern the Four Continents, you should always convey the correct teaching with nongreed. It is to give away unneeded belongings to someone you don't know, to offer flowers blooming on a distant mountain to the Tathāgata, or, again, to offer treasures you had in your former life to sentient beings. Whether it is of teaching or of material, each gift has its value and is worth giving. Even if the gift is not your own, there is no reason to keep from giving. The question is not whether the gift is valuable, but whether there is merit.

Eihei Dogen - Bodhisattva's 4 Methods of Guidance

[zenmister]

Zen for All

The essence of life is joyful. This joyful essence is what makes suffering, suffering. There is a certain amount of suffering that is just pain, discomfort and problems.The rest of suffering is feeling disconnected from the joyful essence of life. The practice of Zen is using mindfulness and meditation to look through that layer of suffering to the basic joy beneath it.

If you do not practice Zen, you may not believe that there is a basic layer of joy beneath the suffering. You may think that suffering is at the bottom of everything and you have to climb out of it. However, if you are thinking about suffering and a way out, you are basically practicing Zen.

From a non-Zen perspective, most people don’t practice Zen. Even in the Buddhist world, most people do not practice Zen. From a Zen perspective, everybody practices Zen. They just call it different things.

Whether you are conscious of your Zen practice or not, you still have the essence of peace and joy within you. You are completely connected to it. That is how Zen you are. Believing that makes suffering bearable. Knowing that makes suffering tolerable. Being that spreads love to all.

[itszengeek]

Appearing before my eyes is wondrous suchness. Outside of this reality, why trouble dividing true from false? Seeing colors, hearing sounds, both fully verify it. Stepping forward and turning within both softly cry out the way.

Eihei Dogen - Eihei Koroku Vol 10 - Assorted Verses #29

[itszengeek]

Birds, Dinosaurs, Zen

I watched some birds flying around my neighborhood and over the ocean today when it occurred to me they used to be dinosaurs. It is a fitting lesson for today. Things are changing. Culturally, politically, economically, religiously, artistically, and any other way you can imagine. Those of us living the changes have two choices: become birds or remain dinosaurs. Choose wisely, no one gets to sit this out.

Whatever you choose, remember birds aren't better than dinosaurs, just different. If you choose to be a bird, good! Be a bird. Be fully a bird. Fly as high as you can. Stretch your wings. Don't shit on the beings below. If you choose to remain a dinosaur, good! Be a dinosaur. Be fully a dinosaur. Inspire those who come after you. Show them something bigger than they thought possible. Be the thing of dreams and stuff of legends. Don't treat the world like Jurassic Park.

[itszengeek]

The practice of zazen uses practice and realization as freely as one uses one’s right and left hands. Therefore, in order to enter the Buddha Way, you should not discard either one. If you do, you will never settle in the Way.

Eihei Dogen - Guidelines for Studying the Way #10

[itszengeek]

Following the sages in dwelling upright is like yearning for the wise ones. The lotus mind loves to be dry, not damp from the [muddy] water. You should know that here is the auspicious and dignified matter, passed on face to face for twenty-two hundred years.

Eihei Dogen - Eihei Koroku #519

[itszengeek]

People who study the Buddha Dharma are called those who create good karma. Those who seek fame and profit in worldly paths, or as government officials, are called people who create bad karma. It is bad karma because one falls into the three evil realms, and good karma because it allows us to attain the way of buddhas.

Eihei Dogen - Eihei Koroku #492

[itszengeek]

Still Laughing

I've been working on a particular koan for the past 6 months and on Friday, passed the final checking question. As often happens, I get a rush of pride at having penetrated the meaning of the koan and know in my gut that enlightenment is at my fingertips. I can practically feel it. This inevitably leads to a let down because it doesn't work that way and I don't get the thing I want. That's the way of gaining mind. It likes gaining and always wants gain more. I knew I'd have feelings like this when I passed this koan so I was prepared this time to not engage them. When the time came that evening, I was able to ask myself why enlightenment was so damn important. I wasn’t actually sure why, so I stopped what I was doing at that moment and just attended to my mental state so I could get a decent and honest answer. "If I become enlightened, I'll be happy and have a deep insight into reality and finally be able to make some sense of life," was the answer I finally came up with. It wasn't what I wanted to hear, but that's my grasping mind driving me forward into a nonexistent future where happiness suddenly loses its ephemeral qualities and sticks around for a while. That was step one. Having that answer, I next wanted to understand what about enlightenment would make a future like that possible. I couldn't ignore these desires if I ever wanted to go beyond them. More questions had to be asked. "What is enlightenment?" "Just this. Right now, right here." "And, what does that mean?" "If I could just understand who I am right here in this very moment, I'd be happy!" "So, if you're just yourself, you'll be happy?" "Exactly!" "What's stopping you from that?" That's when I started laughing spontaneously. I still chuckle every time I think about it.