Dear all
This week we will look at sections 3 and 4 and the accompanying commentary. This comprises pages 83-91 in the physical book, and 89-96 on Kindle.
In this part of the sutra Huineng meets the fifth patriarch, Hungjen, and they engage in some Zen dialogue in which Hungjen asks Huineng how he can be a buddha when he comes from the poor south and is from a less favoured ethnic group. Presumably he is testing Huineng on this rather than believing it, and Huineng rises to the challenge. Huineng is then asked to work milling rice.
The sutra then shifts to eight months later when Hungjen gathers his monks together and asks them to write a verse expressing their understanding. Red Pine notes that the Chinese word for poetry ‘shih’ originally meant ‘words from the heart’. It is notable that Hungjen admonishes his monks for being more interested in gaining merit that seeing their original nature and that they should approach this assignment as if they were on fire. We might think of the time of the patriarchs as a kind of golden age of Zen, yet it is clear that his monks often lacked a sense of urgency. It is important for all of us to remember what we chant in the Evening Gatha: life and death are of supreme importance, time quickly passes by and opportunity is lost.
Questions for reflection:
Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-
This week we will look at sections 3 and 4 and the accompanying commentary. This comprises pages 83-91 in the physical book, and 89-96 on Kindle.
In this part of the sutra Huineng meets the fifth patriarch, Hungjen, and they engage in some Zen dialogue in which Hungjen asks Huineng how he can be a buddha when he comes from the poor south and is from a less favoured ethnic group. Presumably he is testing Huineng on this rather than believing it, and Huineng rises to the challenge. Huineng is then asked to work milling rice.
The sutra then shifts to eight months later when Hungjen gathers his monks together and asks them to write a verse expressing their understanding. Red Pine notes that the Chinese word for poetry ‘shih’ originally meant ‘words from the heart’. It is notable that Hungjen admonishes his monks for being more interested in gaining merit that seeing their original nature and that they should approach this assignment as if they were on fire. We might think of the time of the patriarchs as a kind of golden age of Zen, yet it is clear that his monks often lacked a sense of urgency. It is important for all of us to remember what we chant in the Evening Gatha: life and death are of supreme importance, time quickly passes by and opportunity is lost.
Questions for reflection:
- Red Pine notes that it is interesting that Huineng is put to work in the milling room and does not get any teaching or see the inside of the meditation room. Now, with knowledge of texts such as Dōgen’s Advice for the Zen Cook (Tenzokyōkun) we know that kitchen work is not inferior to Zazen. The question is, how easy or otherwise do you find approaching everyday tasks with the mind of Zazen?
- This is entirely optional but if you wish, have a go at writing a four line verse. This can either be to express your original nature or else on something else dharma related. I can’t promise a robe and bowl for the winner, though! As is only fair, I have written one and will post it at the end of the thread.
Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-
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