Category Archives: Teachings

Daily Life, Teachings

No Gaps, Constant Choice

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My_turn_to_clean.jpg

On the monastic schedule the time between the end of meditation and morning service and breakfast is Temple Clean-up. As a young monk, under the direction of the Head Novice, one moved briskly from the meditation hall to ones clean-up assignment, there to scrub and polish. There were no gaps between activities, for tea or a chat for example, and no choice of assignment either. Early in the morning cold and hungry I’d sometimes weep, tears splashing into the sink or toilet I was cleaning. More often than not I’d long for the sound of the breakfast bell to bring the comfort of food and the warmth of the dining hall.

As a Senior the external pressure is off. There’s no Head Novice assigning tasks just my fellow seniors slipping the cleaning card behind the name tag on my door. (I just wish I could remember who it is I pass it on to!) Within the confines of the daily schedule one is responsible for planning ones own time. Even writing that makes me smile. Planning! Own time? Even finishing cleaning the bathroom has eluded me today.

9.15 am Cleaning toilet. 9.20 am Toilet half cleaned, remember to make a phone call and send emergency e-mail. 9.40 am Finish cleaning the toilet, hurry to Brunch. 4.15 pm Clean the bathroom sink, floor and ledges. Empty the rubbish bins. Need to do something else, can’t remember what now. The shower will have to wait until I next have one…

If there are tears nowadays they are either an allergic reaction to the cleanser or ones of gratitude. To bend and squat, to rub, scrub and polish are gifts. However the greatest gifts are the gaps, or more accurately the lack of them. Early training, lay or monastic, is learning to move from one activity to another seamlessly, constantly choosing to say Yes when the bell rings. Switching from one thing to another to another to another becomes reflexive action over time. The one who does fades in and out of awareness, as needed. Personal wishes and desires are there but not with such a loud voice, they too have a place.

For me and for those of you who read this the bell rings constantly not just for meals, meditation and work periods. Phone calls-emails-meetings-driving duties-town trip-classes-tea appointments-chats in the lane-walks on the bottom road-chats over the hedge-evening meditation-evening tea-seeking lost belongings-having a nap.

Could this be living Zen?

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Falls Between the Cracks, Information, Teachings

A Door that Can’t be Closed

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Former Muslim radical Shiraz Maher spent his student days campaigning for an Islamic caliphate in which execution for renouncing Islam would be written into the constitution. Now Shiraz is calling for moderation and greater Muslim integration into British life, a stance which has meant he himself is now labelled an apostate by some Muslim radicals, for which the penalty is death. He asks whether such an extreme punishment is really justified by the Qu’ran and the example of the Prophet Muhammad. ‘Could I Stop Being a Muslim?’, BBC Radio 4 FM
Listen on-line or to the repeat Sunday 27th at 5.00 pm GMT

This programme explores the issue of apostasy the formal renunciation of ones religion thus becoming an apostate.

Contrary to Abrahamic dogmas, there is no concept of an apostate in Hinduism or Buddhism, as everyone is accepted as one and the same. Converts to other religions from Hinduism or Buddhism are accepted in these communities, as there is no Hindu or Buddhist procedure that defines apostasy.
– Wikipedia.

Thank you to my monastic walking companion for bringing the concept of apostasy to my attention. This is a new word for me but not a new concept, thankfully not one we have in Buddhism. I’ll listen to the recording of the above programme when I return to the monastery tomorrow.

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Teachings

Teaching Off the Cuff

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This evening a chap reminisced about something he’d heard me say, off the cuff, in the Throssel kitchen while washing a plate. He was eighteen then, now his daughter is eighteen and he’s thirty six. I remember him well, he had long black shining hair, he was shining inside too. Still is. I’m remembered as being somewhat stern, he says the novices were obviously on their best behaviour when I was around. That’s not my memory of me and how things were, but never mind.

I passed on a plate I’d washed to the novice doing the drying. Err, Rev. Mugo the dish isn’t quite clean. Oh never mind it will get clean next time around! That is of course an outrageous thing to say in terms of health and hygiene. What kind of example is that? The chap wasn’t able to come again for ten years however the remark was remembered and he’d derived something positive from it. Beats me what.

This story proves once again that it is not the truth or falsity of the teacher’s words but the sincerity of the student that moves somebody along, or brings them back.

I’m left wondering what I might have said off the cuff and caused somebody not to come back, ever. If there is anybody reading this and are in that position…please come back. As with my good friend above it is the student’s sincerity that makes the difference. How could it be any other way?

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Information, Teachings

Flowers of the Mind

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If the right conditions are present, then flowers will bloom.
Soto-Shu Calendar

A nun from another tradition told me of a woman who had written from prison in East Asia. Every day they take me out and beat me and abuse me. Every day I do my walking and sitting meditation, and I am free!

It is sometimes the case that the conditions that seem wrong can be the very ones in which the lotus blooms. This comes about through the faith that blooming is not dependent on external conditions, and then acting on that.

May the flowers of the mind bloom in the springtime of Enlightenment.

For my good sister in the Dharma, may you flower where ever you are.

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Information, Overcome Difficulties, Teachings

Sitting Buddha

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In order to make the Dharma accessible to those who have visual impairments, the following downloads of Sitting Buddha by Rev. Master Daishin Morgan, Abbot of Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey, are available. This short book is an introduction to Zen Buddhism and sitting meditation (zazen) as practiced at Throssel. Please click on the links for each of the twelve chapters. (No file is bigger than 40k.) These files are for personal use only and should not be redistributed without checking with the guest department at Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey.
Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey

I found out about this recent upload via a Twitter site I stumbled upon yesterday. Isn’t it interesting how information is networked around the world and, in this case, lands back to it’s source here at Throssel. Having discovered this new download and who uploaded it I nipped down the corridor to question the monk responsible. What makes a download accessible, and for who in particular? Light briskly shone upon the matter.

Apparently Screen Readers are not able to read PDF files as accurately as DOC ones. A new world of website accessibility has now opened up before me. Already I know of at least two people who find it difficult to read the text on Jade Mountains. I’d like to do all that’s possible to ease the struggle.

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