Category Archives: Teachings

Daily Life, Overcome Difficulties, Teachings

Zafu Without Edges

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Years ago I remember listening to a chap in a spiritual counselling setting. Gradually we got around to what was really bothering him. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to get to the heart of the matter. I kicked my zafu (meditation cushion) across the room the other day! he confessed. I can’t remember what I actually said in response, I most likely smiled a smile of recognition before drawing out what might be behind this act. Those moments of utter frustration at seemingly not getting anywhere with meditation and Buddhist practice come to most of us in one form or another. Zafu’s are such a tempting item to heft across the room too!

Lurking below the frustration and the desire for progress is an ever-present sincerity of purpose which transcends any particular religious tradition. The rub of it is that what draws people to a particular practice, meditation/compassion/Precepts, is ultimately resistant to rational explanation. The Dharma, the teaching, points out the way others have gone before which we can learn from. Deeper encounters with Dharma, by my way of thinking, sets up a resonance within us with that which brought us to the cushion in the first place. Being around, talking with, sitting with, walking with those who (in Buddhism termed the Sangha) are living the practice can be both encouraging and taken deeper bring one to realize the zafu is without edges.

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Teachings, Transmission Lineage

Nothing to Seek

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From the Eihei Koroku – Dogen’s Extensive Record. Another gem from this huge tome.

Zazen within Desire and Stumbling
I can remember, Dharma Teacher Dayi of the Tang dynasty asking Master Ehu, “There is no dhyana in the realm of desire, how can we cultivate the samadhi of dhyana?”
Ehu said, “You only know that there is no dhyana in the realm of desire. You do not yet know that there is no desire in the realm of dhyana.”
Dayi had no response.

and that, you might think, was the end of that but no…
After a pause Dogen said:

Within seven tumbles and eight falls we still take up and use [meditation]. Both “no desire” and “no dhyana” are not true. In steadfast immovable effort there is nothing to seek. How can this be equated with the three realms [of desire, form, and the formless]?

We are constantly being pointed to ‘going on beyond’. No resting place and no ‘stumbling’ place it would seem.

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Teachings

Worry and Anxiety?

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Who doesn’t? Who hasn’t at some time worried and been anxious? There is usually a ‘story’ isn’t there, one that can be returned to and ‘seen’. Somebody said to me the other day that one way of thinking about or viewing the difficulties of worry and anxiety is to see them as a negative use of our powers of Visulization! This is not to suggest one then replaces the negative with the positive more to say that what we return to tends to be what we return to, over and over and over again. Pictures are compelling. Returning to just sitting, allowing thoughts to arise and pass without judging them, or oneself for having them, is worth a go. Regularly.

Simply sitting and opening oneself to oneself, which doesn’t look like much, does weaken habits. That happens without needing to consciously unravel the tangles of our minds. As one of our scriptures states The obstacles dissolve….  

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Out and About, Teachings, Transmission Lineage

Living Buddha Life – No Beginning, No End

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'Passage' Eden Benchmarks, Stenkrith Park, Kirkby Stephen. Crumbling.
‘Passage’ Eden Benchmarks, Stenkrith Park, Kirkby Stephen. Crumbling.

It’s a long time since I made myself a new day robe. Years possibly. Time passes and one doesn’t necessarily see the frayed cuffs and faded fabric. Imperceptibly, day by day material things age. A rip does get ones attention signally something needs to be done however for the most part the everyday wear and tear goes unnoticed. If the garment does the job that’s good enough and with a weekly wash appropriate smartness is maintained.

Yesterday was almost entirely devoted to making myself a new robe. That involves measuring the old one and then cutting out new fabric ready for sewing. So I’ve been taking a closer look from the outside at what I’ve been wearing every day. The fabric is not at its best, several seams need a few mending stitches and the sleeve cuffs are worn through and overdue for repair. I’ll be giving it some TLC after the new one is finished and then it will become my second best.

And I love that robe! Anything used, worn and handled daily builds a loyalty and a caring and a cherishing which forges a bond. One could say this is just attachment and in part that is true. Recognizing this dynamic between oneself and items of personal use though doesn’t mean the next step is to get rid of, or lower ones regard and gratitude. Not at all. In fact items of personal use that once belonged to revered masters and teachers are highly valued as an object of remembrance. I’ve several things which my late teacher used. In fact I have a brown small kesa made out of fabric from one of her day robes!

What’s stuck in my mind is a conversation from yesterday. I’d been chatting generally to an acquaintance and mentioned what I’d been doing all morning. Oh, are you going to put in part of the old robe? she asked. Why would I do that? I replied. For continuity, was her response.

Now pondering on this business of continuity generally I’m left thinking the marks we make in the world, which gradually crumble and eventually decay, are the visible marks of the life of the Buddha having been lived. I love my old robe because it has given me shelter to live this life, which has no beginning and no end!

The day in and day out living the life the Buddha taught is that which lives on. Unbroken continuity?

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Teachings

Green Leaves Turn Red

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Days of heat have left my brain numb. Coming to write here, thinking about writing here, has been like contemplating climbing a long and steep hillside. My mental feet not able to take many steps before having to sit down. At last this evening I pick up THE BOOK*, it is still rather heavy however this catches my attention:

You should know that becoming a buddha is not something new or ancient. How could practice-realization (training and enlightenment) be within any boundary? Do not say that from the beginning not a single thing exists. The causes are complete and the results are fulfilled through time. Great assembly, please tell me, why is it like this?
After a pause Dogen said: Opening flowers will unfailingly bear the genuine fruit; green leaves meeting autumn immediately turn red.

Let us endevour to be that opening flower and aspire to be the responding leaf.

*The Eihei Koroku – Zen Master Dogen.

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