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.
I did not want this day to pass without pausing for a moment to remember John Lennon, one of the ‘fab four’ Beatles, who was killed 25 years ago by one of his fans who turned against him. (I’ve not studied the details however that is my understanding of what happened). The song, “Revolution” had a huge impact on the direction I took in life. Namely towards working for a better world by working on changing myself although I did contribute in external ways too. And continue to do so, hopefully.
The words from the song I remembered were, “if you want to change the world, you need to change yourself instead”. Through my late teens and twenties this was my silent mantra, it kept me going, kept me focused. The other day I checked the lyrics and discovered John didn’t write my mantra, I did! Oh well.
So, I hope you will join with me in a few moments of reflection for a man who helped influence a generation. “A bird does not sing because it has answers, it sings because it has a song”. He was a ‘seeker’ of answers, did it within the public eye and could sing right down to the end of his toes and into the gravel beneath. John Lennon was ‘earthy’ and, in his own unique way, a charismatic figure.
Zen Master Dogen warns against getting involved in ‘fame and gain’ and the wisdom of not seeking out association with rich and famous people. Basically because of the potential to incite the desire to want more than one has. To ‘seek’ outside of oneself. Charisma is found in the light and in the shadows and I’m deeply sad that John Lennon and others get caught in the shadows of somebody else’s unhappiness and become a target.
Oh Buddha, going, going, going on beyond, always going on beyond.
In the sub zero temperatures we are currently enjoying I find myself glancing out of the kitchen window willing the birds to find the, afore mentioned, feeder hanging from the washing line. By the way that’s the bigger and better feeder, which has attracted very few birds since putting it up. The other morning I spotted a sorry sight, a bundle of feathers all puffed up with the cold and eating away like there was no tomorrow. A sympathetic thought passed through my mind, “Hah, sometimes it takes getting that desperate”. As with frozen birds so it is with us mortals!
Many months ago a woman of my acquaintance spoke on the phone, “Well, I would not have thought I’d be grateful for all that’s happened in my life, however I am”, “I’d not change a thing, everything has brought me to this point, painful as it is, and I have everything I need to move forward”. This kind of sentiment is not rare, these people we call ‘marvelous’. They catch our attention because they are inspiring examples of people overcoming great difficulties. We meet them at the bus stop, read about them in the papers, they are everywhere.
It is coming up to the eleventh anniversary of my mothers death, she was a ‘marvelous woman’. The first blog I ever wrote was called “Entrenching Tool”. A good friend helped me to edit it and in the process helped me launch myself into the scary world of talking to the ‘world’ not knowing who in the world is listening. That was back in June 2003. That article was dedicated to my mother, writing it helped me to clarify my Blogging purpose. Thanks to all you unknown people out there who visit Moving Mountains, may we all move together.
When walking just walk.
When Sitting just sit,
Above all, don’t wobble!
Zen Master Lin Chi
Out this morning quite early, before sunrise. The steady rhythmic sound of foot fall on dry snow almost hypnotic, the thin bright air had a particular ‘zing’ to it. My heart sang.
Anybody who is of a mind to ‘wobble’ at the moment, I would recommend not. Have faith, the Jewel is in the palm of your hand.
Remember, don’t wobble!
*Go to this link for the full verse. I particularly like the ending line: “The dewdrop slips into the shining sea”.
Unfortunately I had a problem with reflections in the glass covering the image so the photographer and camera feature in there as well as the message! Not quite what I had planned for however I did want this text, along with the full poem to have a wider audience.
Given by Rev. Master Koten of Lions Gate Buddhist Priory, Vancouver. It hangs in the dining area of the priory as a reminder of the long standing connection between Vancouver and Edmonton.
Here is the full version of the text:
True friendship transcends
Intimacy or alienation.
Between meeting and not meeting
There is no difference.
On the old plum tree
Fully blossomed.
The Southern Branch
Owns the whole spring.
As also does
The Northern Branch.
Nyogen Senzaki.