Grass Hut - 13 - "Everything's Included"

[Jundo]

Today, "Chapter 9 / Everything's Included" ... Though the hut is small, it includes the entire world.

Some seed questions ...

Has Zen Practice helped you get a feel (beside some intellectual understanding) of statements such as the following, and why this means YOU!?

... each thing is intimately connected to every other thing, each thing is an expression of the interdependence of everything else, the whole universe is an expression of each individual thing, and each thing is exactly itself. In other words: everything is interdependent; you are just the universe expressing itself; your actions have infinite impact; and each thing is simply itself, you are you.

How is experiencing this helpful to you or (if you still do not have a sense of the above yet), how do you imagine it would be helpful to experience?

Gassho, Jundo (aka, the universe expressing itself and an expression of each individual thing).

[Jundo]

Another way to express this ...

A frequently cited expression of this vision of reality is the simile of Indra’s Net from the Avatamsaka Sutra, which was further elaborated by the Huayan teachers. The whole universe is seen as a multidimensional net. At every point where the strands of the net meet, jewels are set. Each jewel reflects the light reflected in the jewels around it, and each of those jewels in turn reflects the light from all the jewels around them, and so on, forever. In this way, each jewel, or each particular entity or event, including each person, ultimately reflects and expresses the radiance of the entire universe. All of totality can be seen in each of its parts.

Another time, Fazang illustrated the Huayan teachings for Empress Wu by constructing a hall of mirrors, placing mirrors on the ceiling, floor, four walls, and four corners of a room. In the center he placed a Buddha image with a lamp next to it. Standing in this room, the empress could see that the reflection in any one mirror clearly reflected the reflections from all of the other mirrors, including the specific reflection of the Buddha image in each one. This fully demonstrated the unobstructed interpenetration of the particular and the totality, with each one contained in all, and with all contained in each one. Moreover, it showed the nonobstructed interpenetration of each particular mirror with each of the others.

...

A frequently cited expression of this vision of reality is the simile of Indra’s Net from the Avatamsaka Sutra, which was further elaborated by the Huayan teachers. The whole universe is seen as a multidimensional net. At every point where the strands of the net meet, jewels are set. Each jewel reflects the light reflected in the jewels around it, and each of those jewels in turn reflects the light from all the jewels around them, and so on, forever. In this way, each jewel, or each particular entity or event, including each person, ultimately reflects and expresses the radiance of the entire universe. All of totality can be seen in each of its parts.

More here ...

http://www.lionsroar.com/the-phenomenal-universe-of-the-flower-ornament-sutra/

Gassho, J

SatToday, one Jewel of Indra's Net expressing all of reality.

[Rich]

Every morning I go outside and start appreciating the sun and moon, the air and water, the plants and animals, my internal organs that function effortlessly. Then I go about my business of doing the things life requires. Knowing I will go down with this ship is kind of strange but forgetting the self is joyous.

SAT today

[Myosha]

Hello,

Realizing life with human experiences is ok.




Gassho
Myosha sat today

[Jeremy]

Realizing life ...

Through Zen practice and mindfulness, what's 'real' reveals itself. It's here, now - the visual field which includes the wardrobe door which faces this body when sitting Zazen; the soundscape of traffic, birds, central heating; the thoughts which arise and fall away (thoughts about the past, the future, imaginary conversations, other places). This is what's real. This is the whole world. Perhaps.

Here's another description of "Everything's included" from wikipedia on the French phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty:

The object of perception is immanently tied to its background—to the nexus of meaningful relations among objects within the world. Because the object is inextricably within the world of meaningful relations, each object reflects the other... Each object is a "mirror of all others."

Gassho,
Jeremy

Sat Today

[Myosha]

Through Zen practice and mindfulness, what's 'real' reveals itself. It's here, now - the visual field which includes the wardrobe door which faces this body when sitting Zazen; the soundscape of traffic, birds, central heating; the thoughts which arise and fall away (thoughts about the past, the future, imaginary conversations, other places). This is what's real. This is the whole world. Perhaps.

Here's another description of "Everything's included" from wikipedia on the French phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty:

Gassho,
Jeremy

Sat Today

Life as it is.


Gassho
Myosha sat today

[Jishin]

1 . Has Zen Practice helped you get a feel (beside some intellectual understanding) of statements such as the following, and why this means YOU!?



2. How is experiencing this helpful to you or (if you still do not have a sense of the above yet), how do you imagine it would be helpful to experience?

]

1. Does a bear shit in the woods?

2. Yes.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Ed]

Sat today.

[Jundo]

I'm full of inner peace to bursting point since a couple of days. And there's a new and very weird feeling sometimes, like, when I walk, I'm walking and not walking, there's no distance or border or how you may call it between my body and the surroundings. There's the function of the senses, like feeling and hearing the feet stepping on the ground, seeing the grass, the trees, the clouds and so on, but there's no "I have this feelings, I am perceiving this", there is no I at all.
And, yes, I'm pretty sure that Zen practice is the cause for that.
Gassho
Hen

Hi Hen,

Well, sometimes we feel so, sometimes we feel perfectly ordinary, somedays we might get up on the wrong side of the bed.

Sometimes we feel as if all things are one without border, sometimes we feel like there are sharp edges everywhere and we just bumped our knee on life's table corner.

Enjoy the experience, but do not chase after it ... neither grieve and mourn and long when (and it certainly will) it passes.

I sometimes describe the Shikantaza Way as a hike through the mountains, and how we handle such peak experiences as you describe ...

A perspective of our Soto tradition which many seem unusual compared to the emphasis in many other schools of meditation is that we do not necessarily take such experiences as something to run toward, or run away from for that matter. Better said, we cherish and welcome and learn from such moments when there ... then cherish and welcome the moments when something else is there. There are profound insights to be gained in such experiences, but we do not remain there nor seek such "peak experiences" out. It is all part of life's mountain hike ... with vistas constantly changing ...

In our Soto Zen Practice, such states and experiences are but one perspective, one observation point, on a long hike on the mountain. In our philosophy, such experiences are not the "goal", just a precious and useful reference. Some folks reach it in deep experiences on the Zafu, some in small tastes and step by step realization, some in a bit of both, some while literally hiking through the mountains! It is all a lifelong hike up a mountain where, every so often, we get to a vantage point where the trees and rocks clear away and we can see the wide valley and how all is connected and whole. Perhaps we get to a peak where all is visible in all directions, and even the mountain drops away. You know the old saying: "In the beginning, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers; later on, mountains are not mountains and rivers are not rivers; and still later, mountains are mountains and rivers are rivers again.”

I will use another example ... In fathering a child, there is nothing to compare with those "peak" moments when you first hear of the pregnancy, or first hold the newborn child in your arms. Yet, the true riches and lessons of parenthood are to be found in the whole, long trip, the ups and downs of what is to come ... all sacred, each a jewel in its way.

If today is a day with sharp corners, keep on walking, keep on sitting!

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

[Daiyo]

1) Has Zen Practice helped you get a feel (beside some intellectual understanding) of statements such as the following, and why this means YOU!?

2) How is experiencing this helpful to you or (if you still do not have a sense of the above yet), how do you imagine it would be helpful to experience?

1) Honestly, after sittting or some time I've started to feel a suspicion (not a thought) that something like that could be how things actually are. Not yet a conviction or something deeply rooted.

2) I believe that to fully experience it could help to actually feel at-oneness as you like to say, Jundo. Getting that feeling for real, could help arising a natural compassion.

Until now, many times for me compassion is kind of self imposed, like a discipline, because I have a tendency to be always reacting and defending and seeing others as competitors or even enemies. Zazen practice is gradually helping me to let go of those unskillful, negative feelings. And when they are totally gone I believe I will be able to act whith compassion naturally, without having to think and decide.


Gassho,
Daiyo

Sat today

[Byrne]

Intellectually the teachings of Buddhism have always made sense to me, but applying those teachings into daily life has always been problematic. Daily sitting absolutely has helped shift my perspective on the nuances of the riddles of Zen.

Believing the connectedness of everything is easy. Understanding is hard. Seeing the self destructive ego in myself has been illuminating. Seeing those negative traits in others is tempting, but can backfire real fast. Leaning to live with my thoughts and feelings has been wonderful. This year has been very difficult for me and my wife. Sitting with disappointment, frustration, anger and letting them be what they are has made things a lot better. I don't get sad the way I used to. I mean, I still get sad exactly the same way I used to but it's not the same as it used to be. Giving other people the space to feel their own feelings without judgement has been a focal point for me recently and while I doubt I will always do the right thing in every situation I am communicating better with other people, especially about very difficult stuff. If someone else is upset, someone is upset. Not me or them. Someone.

Gassho

Sat Today

[Meishin]

I tend toward extended ADHD -- become obsessed with something for a while then lose interest. This is the first time that when the disinterested part came, I just stayed present. The idea that it's all part of the same river, rapids and still water... the highs followed by the lows and all is what-is. So I sit each morning, I check in here, and I let it play out. It's different. A work in progress (which I guess is a description of this life).

Gassho
Meishin
Sat today

[Daiyo]

I tend toward extended ADHD -- become obsessed with something for a while then lose interest. This is the first time that when the disinterested part came, I just stayed present. The idea that it's all part of the same river, rapids and still water... the highs followed by the lows and all is what-is. So I sit each morning, I check in here, and I let it play out. It's different. A work in progress (which I guess is a description of this life).

What an excellent description, Meishin.
I think that applies to me to, the obsession has almost vanished, yet I sit everyday, seeing how it plays out.

A kind of anxiety is still left, in my case, but gradually vanishing into an observation attitude.

Gassho,
Daiyo

Sat Today.

[Jeremy]

Has Zen Practice helped you get a feel (beside some intellectual understanding) of statements such as the following, and why this means YOU!?

... each thing is intimately connected to every other thing, each thing is an expression of the interdependence of everything else, the whole universe is an expression of each individual thing, and each thing is exactly itself. In other words: everything is interdependent; you are just the universe expressing itself; your actions have infinite impact; and each thing is simply itself, you are you.

At first glance, a list like this is quite seductive, but if you read it carefully, it's giving another four (or is it three? two? one?) views of reality. The first three are quite extravagant, while the fourth comes back down to earth with a bump.

...As I was driving home the other night, pondering this and other mysteries such as what happens when Darwinism meets Zen, I saw the moon and all the arguments about the finger pointing at it vanished

Gassho,
Jeremy
Sat Today

[Joyo]

Has Zen Practice helped you get a feel (beside some intellectual understanding) of statements such as the following, and why this means YOU!?



How is experiencing this helpful to you or (if you still do not have a sense of the above yet), how do you imagine it would be helpful to experience?

I've always had a sense that we are all connected, but Zen practice has definitely given me a greater understanding and appreciation for this.

This experience is helpful to me as it makes everything become more alive, more vibrant. It has also helped me be able to take care of disabled children as a job. We are all connected, what we do for others we do for ourselves. Perhaps that is what Jesus meant by "do unto others as you would have them do unto you"

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today