apologies

Dear Readers,

I am sorry to inform you that I will no longer be continuing the blog. Due to physical illness, an increase in work responsibilities (both paid and domestic) and the upcoming holidays, I can't foresee having the time to write a blog every day as well. I tried to get back to the blog every day this week and it stressed me out not being able to do it. And well, that's just not very zen! So I remembered the Thoreau quote which was a blog entry back in September, and decided the stress isn't worth it.

It was short-lived, but great. I have learned a lot and definately feel that my mind and spirit are more at peace. I hope it was helpful for you too. I will continue practicing zen thinking, even though I won't be available to share the thoughts with you. I hope you will also continue with your zen path.

If I decide to continue the blog in the future and you would like to know about that, please send me your email address. Or if there is anyone out there that would like to take over the blog, that would be great too.

Until then, have a wonderful holiday season. Don't forget the Meal Gatha on Thanksgiving, and remember to have a thankful heart throughout the rest of the holidays! If you can't think of words of thanks, there is always Buddha's prayer of gratitude.

Good luck with your journey.

Heather

Dog kills Joju

Zen Master Seug Sahn and several others were once invited to stay at a student's house out in the country. The student had a large dog, which spent most the time looking out the front door, wagging its tail and barking anytime someone came near the house. In the evening, as everyone was resting around the fireplace after dinner, the dog came and sat next to Dae Soen Sa Nim.

The Zen master leaned over to the dog. "I have a question for you that all Zen students cannot answer: Buddha said that all things have Buddha-nature. But when asked if a dog has Buddha-nature, the great Zen Master Joju said, 'Mu!' ('No!') So I ask you, do you have Buddha-nature?"

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

"You are better than Joju," Dae Soen Sa Nim said.

Teaching of Zen Master Suen Sahn, compiled by Hyon Gak in Wanting Enlightenment is a Big Mistake

Commentary:


There is a famous koan that goes like this:

A monk asked Zhaozhou (Joju above), "Does even a dog have Buddha-nature?"

Zhaozhou said, "No."

This is supposed to be first in a series of koans to break down the barriers of the mind. One must reflect on and come to an understanding of this koan before preceding to more koans. The explanation of the koan (according to No Barrier - Unlocking the Zen Koan by Thomas Cleary) is that

a) nonhumans do not have the ability to attain enlightenment, because they have consciousness similar to humans' dream-state consciousness.
b) the word 'no' is not just an answer to the question but more like a mantra to concentrate on, so as to "free the mind from the limitations of fixed ideas and compulsive habits of thought."
c) the answer 'no' also means that there is no way to describe or imagine enlightenment; one can only experience it.

One is supposed to use this koan in meditative practice and when you observe your thoughts rambling on (in apparent 'dog'-like fashion) you are supposed to bring No to mind. Of course the trick is to clear the mind and thinking the word 'no' is a means to getting there, but thinking anything at all, even the word 'no' means you have not yet emptied the mind.

There is further, more profound explanation of this koan in Cleary's book, as well as warnings on malpractice of the koan. As this is a very famous koan, I am sure there are many more theories on its explanation. And as I read more of the koans, I am sure this one will be revisited.

I think Zen Master Seung Sahn student's dog (above) has the best explanation of all!

let go of anger

Let go of anger.
Let go of pride.
When you are bound by nothing
you cannot fall prey to sorrow.

*

Curb your anger,
just as a charioteer
controls the unruly horse.
Those who lack control
merely hold the reins.

*

Transform your anger with kindness,
Your meanness with generosity,
your lies with truth.

Buddha, translated by Karma Yonten Senge

we are what we think

We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts;
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
and trouble will follow,
just as the wheel follows
the ox that draws the cart.

*

We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind
and happiness will follow,
just as your shadow, unshakeable.

Buddha, translated by Karma Yonten Senge

Commentary:


Its all about attitude and I believe its possible to change your attitude about anything if you try hard enough.

hope

Once you choose hope, anything's possible.

Christopher Reeve

Commentary:

Finally, there is hope in the world again!

be tolerant in judging the opinions of others

Be tolerant in judging the opinions of others and moderate in expressing your own.

Baltasar Gracian, Spanish Jesuit of the seventeenth century

Commentary:

This is hard to accomplish at the height of election fever! Maybe I should have waited until next to week to post this one. I am not very moderate in expressing my opinion at times - something I should probably work on, because I think I often offend people inadvertently. While I don't really judge the opinions of others out loud, I do so secretly sometimes, and thoughts are one of the three producers of karma (words and action being the other two). I try to be open-minded toward other's beliefs, but I bet I could be even more tolerant than I am. However, I will not be swayed one iota in my opinion of who should win the presidential election! In fact I already voted, so its too late anyway. :)

I guess there's nothing wrong with having an opinion, as long as you don't force your opinion on others and you allow others to have their opinions too. Many of us talk to one another expressing opinions, expressing opinions, but often are only interested in hearing ourselves speak. We rarely take a moment to hear what the other person is saying. You never know when an opinion of someone else might actually help you to see things in a new light. If nothing else, being tolerant in others' opinions makes for smoother relations between people - which is why they say you should never talk about politics or religion at a cocktail party.

Have a great Halloween weekend!

the teachings of the Awakened are simple

It is hard to be born into this world
and even harder to live the life of a human.
Yet it is harder still to hear of the path,
and even harder than this to awaken,
to rise and to follow the sacred way.

*
Yet the teachings of the Awakend are simple:
"Cease to do evil, learn to do good, and purify your mind."

*
Practice patience,
harm no one,
so say the Awakened Ones.
Profund liberation is the supreme goal.

*
Offend no one
either by word, action or deed.
Eat with moderation,
live in your heart
and seek to know your mind.

Buddha, translated by Karma Yonten Senge

Commentary:

The teaching does seem quite simple. Especially the 'do good, not evil' part. The purifying of the mind is the real challenge, but if we can attain a pure mind, then everything else will be easy.

So how to achieve a pure mind? Practice, practice, practice. We must always be aware of the thoughts in our heads, and purge the negative ones. Purging the mind of thoughts all together, and achieving a blank/zero mind is the ultimate goal. This is hard to do without performing sitting meditation, but not impossible. When doing the dishes or picking up all 100 toy blocks (again and again), I try not to think about the drudgery of repeating the same mundane tasks over and over, when there are probably more 'meaningful' ways I could be spending my time. I just do it without thought. Life is meaningful now, because I am living it. No matter what actions I might currently be performing.