Answers about Death and Happiness

[Guille]

Thank you Jundo.

Gassho.
Guille
Sat


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[Kyōsen]

I had another break-through with the stubborn and recurrent death anxiety that was very intense during the Fall of 2019. I was lying in bed and thoughts of death kept intruding (which had become normal after so many months) and something I think I remember getting out of The Power of Now way back in 2006 came to mind: "If what is bothering me feels so immediate and real, then I should be able to look around and see some evidence that it is real." I looked around and I did not see death or any trace of death, all I could see was my spouse who I love very much and my eyes started to well up and I felt so much beautiful relief. Instead of death, I get to have love.

Gassho
Kyōsen
Sat|LAH

[Jundo]

"If what is bothering me feels so immediate and real, then I should be able to look around and see some evidence that it is real." I looked around and I did not see death or any trace of death, all I could see was my spouse who I love very much and my eyes started to well up and I felt so much beautiful relief. Instead of death, I get to have love.

Hah. Death is always right around the corner for any of us, at any moment, as real as real can be. Fortunately, however, we also don't quite believe in death. Master Dogen wrote in Shobogenzo-Shoji (Life and Death):

When it is called life, there is nothing but life. When it is called death, there is nothing but death. If life comes, this is life. If death comes, this is death. There is no reason to try to escape from it, and their is no reason to cling to it either.

This life and death is the life of the Buddha. If you try to throw it away you lose the life of the Buddha. If you cling to it you also lose the life of the Buddha, and you will obstruct the activity of Buddha. When you neither deny nor seek, you are manifesting the mind of the Buddha. But don’t try to measure this by your mind. Don’t try to explain it by your words.

When you let go of your body and mind and forget them completely and you throw yourself into the Buddha’s abode, then everything is done from the side of Buddha and you just follow along without effort or anxiety – you break free from life’s suffering and are Buddha yourself. How can you then have any hindrance in your mind?
https://antaiji.org/en/classics/shoji/

As well, love is but a dream. However, it is a wonderful and joyous dream, so may you dream it long and well!

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH