Grass Hut - 15 - "Trust, Faith, and Ease"

[Jundo]

Dear All,

I trust that we have all come to Chapter 11, "A Great Vehicle Bodhisattva trusts without doubt" ....

We happen to have a little chat going on another thread about faith-trust ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13536-Faith

I take from this chapter a description of a grand Trust in a life and world of impermanence, which is always filled with unknowables, risks, unpredictables, that which is beyond our control. Being somehow completely at ease and at rest even with all that.

Something possibly to discuss ...

Has this Practice helped you develop such trust?

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Jishin]

Grass Hut - 15 - "Trust, Faith, and Ease"

Has this Practice helped you develop such trust?

Hi,

Yes it has.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Mp]

Thank you Jundo ... Yes, I have trust and faith that life will surely provide risks, unpredictables, and impermanence in it's many forms. I also have faith and trust in the teachings/Dharma and myself to be at ease/accepting with all those conditions of life, as best as I can. =)

Gassho
Shingen

#sattoday

[Theophan]

Jundo,
Yes this practice has helped me a lot. I do have faith and trust in my journey (walk in life), and my ability to accept and deal with life's ups and downs. I also remember Zazen is the key that helps me do this.
Gassho
Theophan
Sat Today

[Kyotai]

Yes. Certainly and Shingen echos my feelings on this exactly. And as Theophan said, zazen is the key to this experience.

Knowing not how, but accepting that this journey will end brings beauty to each moment.

Trust and faith, lack thereof, sitting with both.

Gassho, Kyotai
Sat today

[Jundo]

I encountered this today. A biopsy as part of the upper GI camera thing. The doctor says, "Probably nothing, just to be sure, but come back in two weeks for the results".

All good. impermanence, unknowable, risk, unpredictable. Some natural worry, but also Great Trust, Ease and Rest. "Probably nothing", yet "all will be as it be's".

I think one reason so many Jews in America are attracted to Buddhism is because we are a naturally worrying people. Old joke:

Old jewish man goes to the doctor for his annual check-up. He says, "Doctor, I think this pimple is cancer!" Doctor responds, "No, no. It's nothing. Don't worry, it is just a pimple."

Next year, same man goes back to the doctor. He says, "Doctor, I think this cough is cancer!" Doctor responds, "No, no. It's nothing. Don't worry, it is just a cough."

Next year, same man goes back to the doctor. He says, "Doctor, I think this headache is cancer!" Doctor responds, "No, no. It's nothing. Don't worry, it is just a headache."

Finally, the very next year, same man goes back to the doctor. He says, "Doctor, I think this other pimple is cancer!" Doctor responds, "Yes, I think it is!" Old Jewish man jumps up: "I KNEW IT!!"

Please, nobody post here "Jundo, hope it turns out well" and the like. Not necessary. It will be what will be. I have endless trust in that.

Gassho, J

SatToday


PS - (By best friend from college just died from cancer yesterday. He was an evangelical Christian, so not sure how he would feel about it. However, I will be sitting for him and his family this week).

[Joyo]

Thank you Jundo ... Yes, I have trust and faith that life will surely provide risks, unpredictables, and impermanence in it's many forms. I also have faith and trust in the teachings/Dharma and myself to be at ease/accepting with all those conditions of life, as best as I can. =)

Gassho
Shingen

#sattoday

I couldn't have said it any better myself. And thank you, Jundo, I will be re-reading this chapter this week....such a wonderful little book!!

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Christopher]

These last two readings have finally connected with me. For the past year I have been sitting, but without knowing where I was going...and why. Now the teaching looks as if I might learn to deal with the random and sensless fears that have arrived with old age and becoming a pensioner. The house is probably not going to fall around my ears...if I work diligently I will deal with all its defects.

I too, had a recent medical appointment that I had no need to fear...thanks Jundo.

And while I am writing I must thank whoever it is who decided to track all our birthdays...It gave me a great feeling of belonging. Not easy to kindle in this loner.

Gassho
Christopher

sat2day

[Jika]

Yes, I have trust and faith that life will surely provide risks, unpredictables, and impermanence in it's many forms. ... as best as I can. =)

This made me laugh, Shingen, thank you!

I know you meant differently, but for myself, I am so poor at the last part, it is almost irony.
On the cushion, I am most times able to relax into a deep trust.
As if I had been carrying a backpack of doubt and worry all day that I am allowing myself to put down.

But off the cushion, well - as best as I can, in this body and life, NOW.
And over again.

I must thank whoever it is who decided to track all our birthdays

Christopher, I like you mentioning this. I liked receiving birthday greetings too!

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Ekai]

Is it too late to join in this book study?

gassho,
Ekai
sattoday

[Mp]

Is it too late to join in this book study?

gassho,
Ekai
sattoday

Come on in Ekai, pull up a zafu, and enjoy. =)

Gassho
Shingen

#sattoday

[Jeremy]

This chapter has me thinking about the difference between "trust without doubt" and Shunryu Suzuki's phrase "accept things as it is". They're similar but very different.

Gassho,
Jeremy
SatToday

[Byrne]

Sometimes trust comes very easy to me. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes I trust things will be. Sometimes I distrust that things will be the way I want them to be. Sometimes I feel that I need them to be a certain way. When they aren't I trust that they are not that way.

Gassho

Sat Today

[orangedice]

This passage in particular hit me and is something I'd like to try when I'm off the cushion:

I encourage you to observe the fear and anxiety in your mind and body and see whether they help you and others. If not, there's no need to judge or throw out these feelings, just recognize them for what they are.

Whenever I have anxiety or depression, I turn inward and don't even consider how those thoughts are harming myself and most likely others. I want to become more conscious of these thoughts and let them go like Connelly suggests. It's definitely a game changer for me!

As for trust, I'm still working on it. :P I feel like I've logically--whatever that means--come to understand impermanence, but the fear of death still keeps me up late at night. Maybe not so often anymore, but it's definitely there. For me it's a heart-clenching, chest tight kind of feeling.

I also connected with Connelly's bit about Bodhisattvas as a "supernatural embodiment of Buddhism's highest ideals." Not because I believe in some supernatural deity, but like Jundo said in that other thread, it's a concept of these characteristics in all of us.

I hope some of that made sense...

Gassho,
June
#SatToday

[pinoybuddhist]

Recently I went through this period of just being really aware of my mortality. Maybe it's seeing the kids grow up and my wife and I grow old - whatever - I would lie awake at night just painfully aware of the inevitability of the breakdown of this skin bag, and I'd be anxious. And yet right there IN and AS the anxiety and fear is just this trust...

you know how sometimes Jundo writes about a peace beyond peace and not peace, and other stuff like that - and it's like one huge block of text on the screen, and you want to get what he's saying, and you do a little but you don't really REALLY get it? But then, like getting gradually wet while walking through a thick fog (like Suzuki described it), you start to get it. Well yeah... starting to be at ease even through the unease, even through the doubts and fears, and AS the unease, doubts, and fears.

Gassho, Raf
Sat today