Grass Hut - 6 - Unwithering Fertility

[Meishin]

I like that, Danny.

Gassho
Meishin
Sat today

[Ansan]

Where I live in the desert, there are miles of open land. Weeds grow everywhere. Wild flowers attract people and insects. Desert wild life depends upon the nourishment and protection from the foliage, no matter if it is large or small. About 2 years ago, large equipment vehicles descended upon 1 acre near the freeway. This equipment plowed the entire acre until there was no foliage. No creosote bushes, no mesquite trees, no palo verdes, nothing but dirt. We thought perhaps they were planning a community, but they were only using that acre to test tractors. Every day, and every night, one or two tractors like groaning beasts would plow the acre giving rise to a brown cloud that spread, camouflaging the blue sky. The Javelinas were seen more frequently with their babies crossing the road, as were the fox. Coyotes too appeared more often looking for water and food.

Early this year, the tractors stopped. A little green haze could be seen emerging from that dusty acre. The "weeds" were growing again.

No matter how much we try to suppress weeds or whatever we call burgeoning growth of any kind, they will return. Vigilance will keep the desirable weeds and control the undesirable. Life as it is. Death of the land would cause natural devastation and no weeds. But while it is still alive, weeds happen. How much do we want to cultivate and how much do want to destroy? As an individual, as a country, as Earth. And especially as an individual who sits in daily Zazen to try to understand the process of weeding and cultivating. After the dust settles.

Gassho,
Ansan

SatToday

[orangedice]

Fresh weeds appear, but often we meditators don't want the weeds, we want the cleared-out garden with just what we planted, we want a different garden than the one that's here.

When I'm feeling fine or good, it's easy for me to sit down and meditate. It's easy for me to see my thoughts come and go--and if I have feelings of frustration with myself or restlessness, I'm learning to just sit with it. But even so, sometimes I'll notice a thought is bothering me, or that my mind seems overly distracted, and I'll tell myself, "it's okay that I'm distracted." And to me, that seems like I'm not really SITTING with it because I'm reminding myself to be okay with it. Perhaps it comes with time?

And like I mentioned in the "going away but coming back" thread, when I'm depressed, I don't sit. I think I'm afraid that the dark thoughts will be like an avalanche that I won't be able to sit with non-judgmentally. That instead it'll fester and grow until the weeds overtake my mind and not even the good flowers or vegetables can push themselves through. That's a scary thought for me.

[michaeljc]

I do not have the book but found the poem on the net. I am not dissatisfied as I feel these writings should speak for themselves. Rightly or wrongly I get irritated by editors explanations as I feel the message should be direct from author to reader. If I don't get it then its back to the cushion. Commonly editors commentaries in books on classic zen literature far exceed the word count of author. Something ain't right.

Whatever, to me the poem projects total surrender with total faith. What is a weed? S/he is far beyond discrimination

m

Sat2-day

[orangedice]

That honestly seems very limiting. Hearing other people's interpretation, even if it takes more words than the original work, can be a breath of fresh air. Sometimes we get stuck thinking our own thoughts, seeing the world in our own eyes, that we forget that other people have other viewpoints. I see no harm in reading commentaries on poetry or literature. In fact, I think it does the opposite of harm.

Gassho,
June

#sattoday

[Risho]

That's a good point June. Plus, think about all of the writings on other teachings like the Heart Sutra, the Bodhisattva vows, the Faith in Mind Sutra, Fukanzazengi, Tenzo Kyokun (by the way Jundo has an awesome video series on these) The number of words far outweigh the number of words in the source texts, but that doesn't invalidate them.

The teacher has a responsibility as does the student to bring these teachings to life in their own way. We each need to read them, practice and understand why they have meaning to us. Ben Connelly is doing that in his book. From the introduction, "This book is not an attempt to explain the 'Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage.' Instead, I write in order to engage my understanding with the text - in order to engage with your understanding."

And he does a great job; I never really paid much attention to Shitou's poem, but Ben has opened my mind, and I really love it now. And the Sangha members here have opened my minds.

These commentaries aren't about telling us how things are; they are often times inviting us to expand our view of our practice, of life. You may agree or disagree, but it gets you thinking about how this still relates to you.

And that is a big part of practice. Sitting, dialogue with the Sangha. Like June said, others' interpretations grow us, grow our practice.

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Byrne]

I read the poem before reading Connellys book and was really moved by it. It spoke to me directly. I was really excited to read Connelly's book and at first I honestly felt a little disappointed. It had nothing to do with the book. It was that I came to it with my own thoughts and feelings and was expecting to have those thoughts and feelings compounded on and possibly challenged. But that didn't happen. I was judging the book based on what it wasn't and not on what it was. I wanted to read an extension of me, but instead I got this other guy who took the time to write the book. I've taken to reading smaller portions at a time, not allowing myself to worry about what he isn't talking about and just letting his perspective fall alongside mine, alongside all y'all's. Without constant dialogue and re-interpretation what will happen to Buddhism?

Gassho

Sat Today

Gassho

Sat Today

[michaeljc]

I am not suggesting that Jundo does this. He more invites discussion and contemplation

I will make a point of not reading any published commentaries until after the discussions here are completed. If and when I respond it will be in relation to those paragraphs referred to in the poem. At this point I am more inclined to take the story literally - a recluse who has surrendered to to the way, describing his/her mind-state. It is an example of how we/I should live if we/I had the courage

The contradiction, as I see it, is that we do need an introduction to this practice -yet- ultimately, cannot rely on other' s interpritations

I do appreciate Jundo introducing this work. It strikes a cord

JustSat

m

[Joyo]

Little mind focused on controlling thoughts....big mind focused on mindfulness----what a wonderful thing to practice.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Jundo]

It strikes a cord

I will say that it is a wonderful book, itself an "original" of what it is. It is not just a "commentary", but itself is a work of Wisdom for modern times.

One might also ask if Shitou was merely commenting himself on the mountain and weeds ... and What the mountain and weeds were themselves commenting on.

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Ansan]

Where I live in the desert, there are miles of open land. Weeds grow everywhere. Wild flowers attract people and insects. Desert wild life depends upon the nourishment and protection from the foliage, no matter if it is large or small. About 2 years ago, large equipment vehicles descended upon 1 acre near the freeway. This equipment plowed the entire acre until there was no foliage. No creosote bushes, no mesquite trees, no palo verdes, nothing but dirt. We thought perhaps they were planning a community, but they were only using that acre to test tractors. Every day, and every night, one or two tractors like groaning beasts would plow the acre giving rise to a brown cloud that spread, camouflaging the blue sky. The Javelinas were seen more frequently with their babies crossing the road, as were the fox. Coyotes too appeared more often looking for water and food.

Early this year, the tractors stopped. A little green haze could be seen emerging from that dusty acre. The "weeds" were growing again.

No matter how much we try to suppress weeds or whatever we call burgeoning growth of any kind, they will return. Vigilance will keep the desirable weeds and control the undesirable. Life as it is. Death of the land would cause natural devastation and no weeds. But while it is still alive, weeds happen. How much do we want to cultivate and how much do want to destroy? As an individual, as a country, as Earth. And especially as an individual who sits in daily Zazen to try to understand the process of weeding and cultivating. After the dust settles.

Gassho,
Ansan

SatToday

I need to make a correction to my comment. And for my own edification. The area I speak of is not one acre but one mile or 640 acres. That poses another thought about the weeding. Does size make a difference with regard to destruction or weeding? Does it make a difference in meditation? Can weeding be more effective and easier to accomplish in doing Zazen in shorter periods, or over longer periods? As a new member of TreeLeaf and to Zen and to Zazen, I began with short periods, 15 minutes, which basically taught me how to sit physically. Now, I have increased it to 45 minutes and have started doing Zazenkai on the weekend. With the increase of time, I am becoming more aware of the importance of living in the present and doing a lot of weeding, which affects all things. Of course, there seems to be more weeds but that adds to my awareness. When I first heard about meditation a long time ago, the thought of trying to not think seemed impossible and mindless. I tried but had no idea what I was doing or why. My practice has begun and grown here on TreeLeaf. Because of Jundo and the Sangha, the more I learn and study and participate in these forums, the larger my understanding. As I look at my one mile, until the day that weeds no longer grow, I am weeding as it is.

Gassho
Ansan

SatToday

[Rich]

A line in Shobogenzo, Genjokoan, says:

And though it is like this, it is plainly that flowers, while loved, fall and weeds while hated, flourish.

Sat today

[Joyo]

Sometimes it is good to do some weed pulling, and the way to get rid of them is simple awareness that they are there.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Mp]

Each independent of the other
Like leaves that come from the same root.

And though leaves and root must go back to the Source
Both root and leaves have their own uses.

Snippet from the Relative and Absolute. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday

[michaeljc]

There is no word for weed in Nature's vocabulary