Grass Hut - 3 - Nothing of Value

[Jundo]

Hi,

Nothing of Value in this week's section.

A mind content with just a warm place to sit and the birds singing, all things equal. We learn a way of being which drops valuations, valuing everything equally.

Of course, Ben reminds us, that dropping all judgments in this way is not simply about dropping all judgments. "We can experience the sparkling dust completely and take care of our hungry baby wholeheartedly too".

Shitou has "invited you into this simple place to give you a space to let go of wanting -- wanting things, wanting spiritual achievements, wanting peace of mind -- to let go of the endless separation of yourself from this infinitely unfolding shapeshiftingness by relinquishing picking and choosing."

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Christopher]

I like backwards logic, but don't get this one...
The contents of this hut are nothing of value, which is to say, not valuing things is not of value.
What am I missing?

Gassho
Christopher
sat2day

[Risho]

Nothing to reply on this one yet; i just wanted to say a very cool practice that I've been doing. My wife has no interest in zen, but she's been listening to me read each of the chapters out loud. Its a bit different to read it that way and its a cool way to share this wonderful book! And its a treat that she actually enjoys it.

Gassho

Risho
-sattoday

[Kokuu]

Dear all

I really like this chapter.

When I was young, I never saw the point of cleaning, cutting the grass, sweeping up leaves and other activities. However much I cleaned, tidied or swept, there always seemed to be more to do. Why not just leave it as it was? My kids have much the same attitude to tidying their room.

A similar case could be made for easing the suffering of others. However much we do it, there is always more suffering. Why should we bother at all? More weeds, more suffering, however hard we try. Nothing we do is of value. Yet, there is no value in anything else.

Right effort is practice enlightenment in and of itself. Like the hand reaching back in the night to plump the pillow and Kannon offering a hand to those in need, it is just what we do, because we are human and others are in need.

Even bears do it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ_3BN0m7S8

Gassho
Kokuu
#sattoday

[Jika]

Thank you all.

Kokuu, a very appropriate video.
May there always be a bear at your side .

Risho, you made me smile: I have to read the text aloud, otherwise I don't understand anything.
I hope my pot plants like it, will observe them.
Great to hear you two are sharing the book that way.

Christopher, I find the following rest of the chapter helpful as an explanation (please correct me).
When you are not valuing, you give up picking and choosing.
Nothing is picked. So there is no treasure to be displayed.
Without the mental process of wanting, picking and choosing, one can't end up with anything of value.
(See the exercise on p. 21 "Do you value everything equally?")

Very interesting question, thank you!
Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Kyotai]

"Sometimes this austerity seems difficult and we feel deprived, at other times we realize the total freedom it offers." p 20

I don't have many words to share, but I enjoyed this chapter very much.

Gassho, Kyotai
sat today

[Byrne]

A few things or many things inside the hut, still nothing of value. As much as we all fetishize living with few things, how many of us truly do? Not just our material possessions, but also the parts of the world we live in and the privileges that go along with it that aid in living our lives.Those things too. Still, nothing of value. Buddha is no more inside no things than inside many things. Nothing of value regardless of quantity.

Gassho

Sat Today

[Shoka]

This chapter confused me a little bit. The first analogy of his friend who likes to pull weeds and work in the garden was working for me. I had a whole another post ready about pulling weeds even through more would come. But then I re-read the line from the poem and realized I didn’t think it was really talking about pulling weeds, or about right effort (like the chapter goes on to say). There is nothing in that line that talks about doing anything about the weeds, the dweller wasn't upset, didn't tear the hut down…. He just realized they are there.

For me this line speaks more to the fact that things change and “weeds” come. For me the weeds are symbolic of the suffering in life, the things we don’t want to have around; but they just are. Shitou doesn’t offer a judgment about the weeds; he just says they are here. Very gently reminding us that these things will come, they will be around.

But maybe I’m missing something. We are reading chapter 3 right?

Gassho,

Shoka
sattoday

[Kyotai]

I thought we were on topic 3 of chapter 1 "nothing of value" which is on pages 20-22.

Sat today

[Byokan]

Yes, chapter 1, third section, "Nothing of Value".

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

[Joyo]

Yes, chapter 1, third section, "Nothing of Value".

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

I thought we were on to chapter 3, third week-third chapter. So I am wrong, we are only on pages 20-22 nothing of value?

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Jundo]

Hi Guys,

Yes, no where to get ahead to ... we are "only" on pages 20-22, nothing of value.

I thought to take the book in small bits, no rush and at a pace befitting nothing to do in a grass hut, letting go of wanting to get ahead ... but we might speed up at some point.

Even a small bit holds the whole world.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

[Joyo]

Oh geesh, I'm embarrassed now lol!! Ok, I will re-read Nothing of Value. Thank you, Jundo and all for pointing this out

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Jika]

My potplants (no weed) are voting for slow speed... (see above)
Or a middle way.

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Kokuu]

Hi all

Oops, I was replying to the first part of chapter 3. Sorry. Even then I have missed the point by only taking in the first part. At the moment my concentration is poor and I am finding myself getting a slanted view both in reading and in posts here.

Shoka is right about it being about weeds just being there.

But, anyway, rewind back to the first chapter. Have been getting ahead of myself (and everyone else)

Gassho
Kokuu
#sattoday