Yin-an (d.1163) is to have said, “This mind cannot be transmitted but can only be experienced in oneself and understood in oneself. When you get to the point where there is neither delusion nor enlightenment, you simply dress and eat as normal, without a bunch of arcane interpretations and lines of doctrine jamming your chest, so you’re clear and uncluttered (page 89)”[1] No picking and choosing as we often say in Zen.
Sometimes I think that people misunderstand Buddhism and think that it is the way and the answer to all of their troubles and woes. They believe that if they can just meditate enough, chant enough, pray enough, eat the right foods enough their life will be transformed by some “Magic of Zen.” Then when it doesn’t happen, they stop sitting, meditating, practicing, and begin to disparage the teachings as if “they” were the problem.
When they got to the point where they felt their practice did not bring them perfect health, wealth, happiness, and peace of mind they threw away their cushion and their Buddhist books and went their merry way looking for the next quick fix. But Buddhism is not a quick fix it is a way of life. It gives us the tools to deal with all of our challenges and joys. It offers us some time in stillness and quiet. Both of which are lacking in our society for sure. So no matter how we feel before we sit down or how we feel after we get up, we are changed by simply taking the time to go within and quiet our minds if only for a nanosecond!
This mind is a dangerous thing! Mark Twain is quoted as saying “I must have a prodigious amount of mind; it takes me as much as a week, sometimes, to make it up!” I wonder what would happen in our lives if we let our hearts be in charge instead of the silly old mind?! That can happen with the Magic of Zen…one breath at a time.
In the introduction chapter of the book Cleary talks about the influence that conventional religions had on Buddhism. “On a deeper level, Zen masters sought to restore and express the living meaning of religion and philosophy; the Zen teaching was to ‘study the living word, not the dead word.’ Not only did Zen reawaken Buddhism in this way, but it also revitalized Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism, and Shamanism bringing out their higher spiritual dimensions (page xiv).”
Kaz Tanahashi writes about it so clearly. What an “original face” he has! Filled with joy for sure!
A young mother lived in a cabin in the woods. When she journeyed to town she would take different paths so her views might be varied. One day she walked down a path she hadn’t traveled on before and there in the middle of the road was a large boulder. This bothered her and seemed out of place. So she tried hard to move it. But it was too large. So she walked around it and went on her way. Some time later she came down that trail again where the boulder was. This time she brought some colorful chalks with her and tried to disguise the rock with bright colors. It looked better, but it was still there. One summer many years later she happened down that road again, where the disturbing bolder lay. The years of rain and sun had washed away the chalk. A fine layer of dust coated the surface now. As she looked down into its depth more closely, she noticed it had both smooth and rough places. It was actually not an unattractive object. She brushed the dust from it with her hands and noticed some glints of quartz. She sat down on it and rested in silence and realized she really didn’t need to do anything about it. It was and so was she. There was just being with it and that was, or it should be.
Or are you like Bartholomew in Dr. Seuss’ book The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins creating the same old hat over and over! Are you sitting in the same old chair with the same old ideas one on top of the other over and over?
The Secret to a More Fulfilling Life! Part 3 Living your life like Avalokiteshvara the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion
Posted in birth, BUddhism, cause and effect, chant, Christianity, discrimination, diversity, education, enlightenment, Ethics, fears, happiness, hate speech, human race, illusion, Kazuaki Tanahashi, love, meditation, Metta Prayer, Mindfulness, Noble Eightfold Path, old age, oppression, planet earth, prayer, religion, self-help, sickness, suffering, The Four NOble Truths, The Heart Sutra, Uncategorized, wisdom, Zen, tagged Avalokitesvara, Buddhism, Christianity, environment, faith, feelings, focus, Foundations of Buddhism, friends, fun, Great Compassionate Heart Dharani, humanity, inspiration, Joan Halifax, learning, prayer, questions, relationships, religion, Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen, sharing, thoughts, Truth, women, Zen Chants Thirty-Five Texts with Commentary on June 5, 2018| Leave a Comment »
Avalokiteshvara is known as the person “Who hears the outcries of the World.” There are so many on this earth today who are crying out for help in war zones, from hurricane devastation, earth quakes, in draughts, and famines, through poverty, and more.
As you see in the picture she is depicted with many arms. In other pictures she also has many heads. I know that some of you can relate to her very well. You see her reflection in you. Every time you encourage a child or an elderly person to go beyond their struggles and challenges you are Avalokiteshvara in action. Every time you drop off food at the foodbank, or volunteer with a non-profit organization, or mow the lawn of a disabled vet Avalokiteshvara is moving through you as you. I know sometimes you feel like you could use those extra arms and at least one extra head if you had access to them. But I always say, “Fake it till you make it.”
Joan Halifax and Kazuaki Tanahashi translated the Sutra “Great Compassionate Heart Dharani” in the most beautiful way (pages 138-39).[1] Below is a list of things for you to think about or meditate on. Are these actions appearing in your life on a regular basis? If not, why not? How can you make these actions more alive and present in your life each and every day? If yes, think about a few examples of who, how, and when they appeared.
Make this your project for the year and let me know how it goes!
[1] Tanahashi, K. (2015) Zen Chants Thirty-Five Essential Texts with Commentary. Shambhala: Boston and London
Picture: Avalokitesvara B&W Foundations of Buddhism
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