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The idea appeared in Buddhism somewhere that the goal of Zen practice is eventually to feel peaceful, fearless, beautiful and wonderful 24/7/365.
Perhaps, when we are all perfect Buddhas, this world left behind, it is so. However, so long as we have these human bodies, I don't feel that it can always be so ... not if we are to truly live in this life. Still, that does not mean that the teachings of fearlessness, peace, beauty and wonder are not true!
Rather, there is a path to feeling wonderful about not always feeling wonderful, even when sometimes downright scared or blue. It is wonderful to feel wonderful sometimes, and wonderful to feel anything but wonderful sometimes. This is the wonder of life. One can sense the timeless that is also the ticking clock of 24/7/365 and passing years. One can see a certain beauty and light shining through even the world's sometime oh so ugly and dark moments. We can be at total peace when peaceful and total peace even when life does not give us a drop of peace ... peaceful with not always being peaceful ... peaceful yet not peaceful at once, as one. We can know the taste of nothing to fear and nothing possible to lose even while afraid and shaking sometimes, fearless about sometimes being afraid. In other words, one can be free and pure even while sometimes up to one's neck in burdens and mud.
Sometimes people write me to say that, some days, they do not feel wonderful, and are so afraid or sad that they cannot sit Zazen those days.
We sit Zazen each day, nothing to gain and nothing lacking. But some days, when we just can't and are unable, this is Zazen too. Sunny days are so because of the sometime rain. Do not expect the skies to be always sunny. Nonetheless, do not forget that the sky is always clear, bright, open and boundless whether seen or unseen, even when hidden by the clouds. We sit to realize such fact, we trust in such truth even on the stormiest days. Come back to sitting when you can, and realize this fact. Perhaps this practice is to learn to see when we see clearly, but also to see clearly even at those times we cannot see well at all.
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A couple of other folks wrote me to say that they were very upset sometimes about having physical limitations, unable to move about and go where they want freely. They wanted to travel and visit with loved ones, take a walk in a famous place, but could not. I have been there too. I wish I could give them young and healthy legs.
Instead, the only thing that we Zen folks can offer is the wisdom to go where you can, for the whole world is there. Nothing to be missed, and a treasure right here.
So, no need to go to and walk in a far off garden if you can see a garden from your front porch or in a nearby field where you do not need to walk so.
Be content to swim where you can. Remember the lines from the Genjo Koan ...
In other words, just go where you can and savor that. I can neither fly like a bird nor swim as well as a fish because I do not have wings or gills. I am just satisfied with that fact.
Gassho, Jundo
SatTodayLentAHand
The idea appeared in Buddhism somewhere that the goal of Zen practice is eventually to feel peaceful, fearless, beautiful and wonderful 24/7/365.
Perhaps, when we are all perfect Buddhas, this world left behind, it is so. However, so long as we have these human bodies, I don't feel that it can always be so ... not if we are to truly live in this life. Still, that does not mean that the teachings of fearlessness, peace, beauty and wonder are not true!
Rather, there is a path to feeling wonderful about not always feeling wonderful, even when sometimes downright scared or blue. It is wonderful to feel wonderful sometimes, and wonderful to feel anything but wonderful sometimes. This is the wonder of life. One can sense the timeless that is also the ticking clock of 24/7/365 and passing years. One can see a certain beauty and light shining through even the world's sometime oh so ugly and dark moments. We can be at total peace when peaceful and total peace even when life does not give us a drop of peace ... peaceful with not always being peaceful ... peaceful yet not peaceful at once, as one. We can know the taste of nothing to fear and nothing possible to lose even while afraid and shaking sometimes, fearless about sometimes being afraid. In other words, one can be free and pure even while sometimes up to one's neck in burdens and mud.
Sometimes people write me to say that, some days, they do not feel wonderful, and are so afraid or sad that they cannot sit Zazen those days.
We sit Zazen each day, nothing to gain and nothing lacking. But some days, when we just can't and are unable, this is Zazen too. Sunny days are so because of the sometime rain. Do not expect the skies to be always sunny. Nonetheless, do not forget that the sky is always clear, bright, open and boundless whether seen or unseen, even when hidden by the clouds. We sit to realize such fact, we trust in such truth even on the stormiest days. Come back to sitting when you can, and realize this fact. Perhaps this practice is to learn to see when we see clearly, but also to see clearly even at those times we cannot see well at all.
----
A couple of other folks wrote me to say that they were very upset sometimes about having physical limitations, unable to move about and go where they want freely. They wanted to travel and visit with loved ones, take a walk in a famous place, but could not. I have been there too. I wish I could give them young and healthy legs.
Instead, the only thing that we Zen folks can offer is the wisdom to go where you can, for the whole world is there. Nothing to be missed, and a treasure right here.
So, no need to go to and walk in a far off garden if you can see a garden from your front porch or in a nearby field where you do not need to walk so.
Be content to swim where you can. Remember the lines from the Genjo Koan ...
A fish swims in the ocean, and no matter how far it swims there is no end to the water. A bird flies in the sky, and no matter how far it flies there is no end to the air. ... When their activity is large their field is large. When their need is small their field is small. Thus, each of them totally covers its full range, and each of them totally experiences its realm.
Gassho, Jundo
SatTodayLentAHand
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