Category Archives: Teachings

Teachings

Argus-eyed

Leave a comment

One who is argus-eyed is extremely observant; watchful; sharp-sighted. Also vigilantly; observant.

From here:

Argus was a 100 eyed monster in Greek mythology. It’s a long story, full of drama, however in the end the 100 eyes were transplanted to the tail of the peacock.

From Wikipedia on Argus Panoptes – the all-seeing one.

In the fifth century and later, Argos’ wakeful alertness was explained for an increasingly literal culture as his having so many eyes that only a few of the eyes would sleep at a time: there were always eyes still awake.

In terms of Buddhist iconography we have Kanzeon with a thousand hands with an eye in the palm of each one. The eye (and ear) of compassion, every watchful, every vigilant. Then there is Achalanatha Bodhisattva The Great Fierce One.

Within our liturgy we have a verse relating to Achalanatha and the aspect of training involving will and vigilance:

Invocation of Acalanatha
Hail to the Mandala!
Let us so be engulfed within its praises evermore
That, by our own wills and vigilance, may we our fetters cut away.
May we within the temple of our own hearts dwell amidst the myriad mountains.
Hail! Hail! Hail!
Copyright, Shasta Abbey Press.

All in all argus-eyed turns out to do quite well in terms of Buddhist practice. All-seeing, ever awake. Buddha, the Awakened One.

Thanks to Fred in Montana for bringing this word to share one Sunday morning in July.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Daily Life, Teachings

Friends in the Sangha

Leave a comment

Mugo_Kanzeon_and_Margaret.jpg
Margaret, loyal blog reader and long time Dharma Sister

I count myself fortunate to have known Margaret since 1981 when her sense of humour and fun injected many a ‘tea’ at Shasta with a liveliness not to be forgotten. For the last few weeks Margaret has been staying at Berkeley Priory. Her lively presence and sense of fun while here will not be forgotten. Tomorrow she leaves by car for the north. Safe travels and good fortune with your onward journey. Our paths will converge many more times.

Back in September 2005, while I was the prior in Edmonton, I posted about friendship titled Admirable Friendship the Whole of the Holy Life. Here is part of a quote from that entry attributed to the Buddha.

As he was sitting there, Ven. Ananda said to the Blessed One, “This is half of the holy life, lord: admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie.” “Don’t say that, Ananda. Don’t say that. Admirable friendship, admirable companionship, admirable camaraderie is actually the whole of the holy life.

Looks like Margaret left a comment to the afore mentioned post, and I left her an answer.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Daily Life, Overcome Difficulties, Teachings

Why Things Are The Way They Are

2 Comments

Driving down the road, nothing particular about the day. Life had been rough. Within the last couple of years deaths of two people. Too young to die, in her view. Then there had been many years of mother care. Of mother with Alzheimer’s care.

Suddenly, she said, while driving down the road I knew exactly why everything is the way it is. Everything! And then just as quickly the knowing passed. Just like that. She wanted to keep on knowing what she had known however the moment passed and was gone.

I doubt if anything will ever be quite the same again though.

There is no knowing why these moments come to people, and not necessarily to those who follow some kind of conscious spiritual path. It’s not really necessary to know why of course. And what would one do with that knowledge anyway?

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Daily Life, Out and About, Teachings

Buddha’s Kesa is Lived

1 Comment

On this day:

250px-SF_From_Marin_Highlands3.jpg

I didn’t look out for the Golden Gate Bridge, or view the impressive skyline from the Bay Bridge. No, I was reading this booklet. It is inspiring. It is about the Buddha’s robe, the kesa. It is about The Tradition of Sewing Practice in the Shunryu Suzuki-roshi American Lineage. I’d just bought it at the Berkeley Zen Center.

In one of the Forewords to the booklet Mel Weitsman speaks thus:

When we had the first Lay Ordination at Zen Center in 1970, I remember Suzuki-roshi saying: “When we receive lay ordination, it’s not that you’re receiving something that makes you better than other people. We don’t receive lay ordination just for ourself, but we do this to encourage other people, to encourage everyone. And we do it to encourage each other’s practice.”

On this day:

Lots of other stuff happened; a wonderful vegetarian lunch near the Civic Center, visits to the Fo Guang Shan temple, to Lacis–Museum of Lace and Textiles (they sell stuff too), to the Berkeley Hat Shop (replaced hat I’d lost in Seattle) and then to my companions workroom. There to be found tankas’ he’d painted, magnificent altars, statues he’d painted, inspiring books, inspiring thoughts. And good tea brewed by his wife.

This was a day, of everydays, when the Buddha’s kesa lives. Many thanks Mike, you are inspiration. And an encouragement since before Buddhism found me.

Please know that you can buy the booklet I refer to in this article by going to Buddha’s Robe Is Sewn.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email