The Swan
Rainer Maria Rilke

This clumsy living that moves lumbering
as if in ropes through what is not done,
reminds us of the awkward way the swan walks.
And to die, which is the letting go
of the ground we stand on
and cling to every day,
is like the swan,
when he nervously lets himself down into the water,
which receives him gaily
and which flows joyfully under
and after him, wave after wave,
while the swan,
unmoving and marvelously calm,
is pleased to be carried,
each moment more fully grown,
more like a king, further and further on.

Translated by Robert Bly

As I stood waiting to cross Calgary Trail to-day I realised for myself, not for the first time, that it takes a special courage to “let ones self down into the water”. The word courage comes from an old French word ‘cuer’ which means heart. Ours is the Wholehearted Way, no half measures, no half lowering oneself into the waters that carry us with infinite compassion. Thinking about it, there is no room for half heartedly crossing Calgary Trail either!

It has been an interesting day. Hope you like the poem as much as I do.

Time to inject a photograph I have been wanting to offer for some time. Somehow this picture always makes me smile. I hope it does the same for you.

Cactus ready to shoot baskets in Arizona!

I took the picture in Tucson in 2001 while taking a night stop-over on the way to visit congregation members, a very long days drive, further East. I have always had a fascination with cactus, beside this array of ‘adults’ were vast green houses stocked full of ‘infant’ ones!

Infant cactus.

It might have been the young women in black charging down the isles with headsets on asking me, “can I find something for you”, “do you need help”? Or it could have been because it was the end of the day and it was getting dark outside. Or simply that there was just too much choice and I didn’t actually need any of the books. What ever it was I left Chapters book store this evening empty handed, again!

There is a line from a scripture which goes something like, The True Way is easy for those who do not pick and choose. Of course we all have to make choices all the time. This line is pointing out the mind of discrimination, a mind set in the opposites. So when I can discern wisely what it is ‘good’ to buy with my gift card I’ll return.

We had a good day on Sunday with quite a few people coming for the Buddha’s Enlightenment Ceremony in the morning. Afterwards a number of us went to a vegetarian restaurant run by a devout Indonesian Buddhist. Thankfully I’d been there before and so I just ordered what I’d had last time. Menu’s are particularly difficult as monastic training in Zen is very strongly geared towards exercising non discrimination around food.

Zen Master Dogen wrote rules to regulate every aspect of the trainees life in the monastery. They are called the “Eihei-shingi”. The Fushuku-hampo (Meal-Time Regulations), being one of the rules, starts with this quote from the Vimalakirti Scripture (written by a lay-man by the way).

“When one is identified with the food one eats one is identified with the whole universe; when we are one with the whole universe we are one with the food we eat.”

The first time I went to the above restaurant the owner asked me, just as we were leaving, if I’d do a Dharma talk at the restaurant. I said “I’ll think about it”! Returning this time I kinda hoped he would not ask again since talking in public is not something I am naturally drawn towards. As it turned out he didn’t ask; I offered! The generosity emanating from the people there just caused me to set caution aside and be generous back. If something comes of this I am sure I’ll be able to think of something to speak about. The Tenzo-kyokun (Instructions to the Chief Cook) for example is all about the attitude of mind while cooking; cooking with a pure and gentle heart. That kind of ‘heart’ can go anywhere.

I happened upon the Oprah Winfrey Show this evening while taking a moment to relax and found myself gladdened to encounter a highly creative performance of a poem entitled An Amazing Peace. It’s author, Dr. Maya Angelou, was joined by Oprah and a choir, not your ordinary poetry reading however I don’t remember ever seeing one before anyway.

Maya Angelou said “I wrote about what is in everybody’s hearts”, she spoke to mine. The poem is a call to peace with arms wide open, heart extended far beyond the boundaries of religious affiliations. Beyond affiliations of any kind, she was after all pointing to a ‘heart’ at rest. Dr. Maya Angelou, you are quite a lady. Thanks.

Today a good friend of the Prioy came for tea and most generously brought a Gift Card for “Chapters”. That’s the oft mentioned book shop on Whyte Avenue that I visit from time to time. Now, armed with this card I can allow myself to wander the shelves with intent to purchase. Maya Angelou’s poem has just been published, I’ll certainly pick it up and take a look if I see it.

If you follow the link you will understand the title of this blogger.

Back in Taiwan I spent a lot of time with the nun Du-an. The other day she sent me this image which I thought was a brave undertaking on her part since she has very little English.

December 8th is the day devout Buddhist all over the world celebrate the Buddha’s Great Enlightenment. We at the priory will be doing that together on Sunday.