Grass Hut - 16 - "Don't Judge"

[Jishin]

Hi,

It is not possible not to judge. It is possible to judge with good intent.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

Hi Jundo,

You know what I mean. No judging and no not judging. And with nothing to judge I go about my day judging who needs a diaper change around my house.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Jundo]

The part of this that sometimes puzzles me is "knowing each as precious" and I wonder why it's not "knowing each as ok". Viewed from a relative viewpoint 'precious' is a very strong value judgement, and saying everything is 'precious' would be like looking at life through rose tinted spectacles. A bit cloying. Likewise, it's one thing to say "Each moment of Zazen is complete, a perfect action, with not one thing to add, not one thing to take away", but to insert 'precious' or 'sacred' into this, e.g. here http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...%28Part-XIV%29 is something very different, a value judgement on top of seeing things as they are.

Yes, this is just something to be sensed.

Buddhist Practice is not about just some neutral "ok" or "just what it is". There truly is an amazing specialness, a wonder, a precious jewel quality to this world and our being alive in it that, well, is hard to convey in words. "Precious" and "Sacred" are about as good as it gets. It ain't merely "just what it is", but rather "JUST WHAT IT IS!".

That is why the Mahayana Sutras, Dogen and most other old Zen guys tend to express reality in the most superlative terms! I mean, those old visionaries did not speak in understatement!

From the Lotus Sutra ...

Thus have I heard:
At one the time the Buddha was in the land of Magadha, in a state of purity,
at the site of enlightenment, having just realized true awareness. The ground
was solid and firm, made of diamond, adorned with exquisite jewel discs and
myriad precious flowers, with pure clear crystals. The Ocean of
Characteristics of the various colors appeared over an infinite extent. There
were banners of precious stones, constantly emitting shining light and
producing beautiful sounds. Nets of myriad gems and garlands of exquisitely
scented flowers hung all around. The finest jewels appeared spontaneously,
raining inexhaustible quantities of gems and beautiful flowers all over the
Earth. There were rows of jewel trees, their branches and foliage lustrous and
luxuriant. By the Buddha’s spiritual power, he caused all the adornments of
this enlightenment sight to be reflected therein.

From Dogen, Shobogenzo Shoho Jisso (The Real Form of All Things) ...

By making use of the intention to train, training and practice, the attaining of Wisdom, and nirvana, we thoroughly explore that the human body really is birth-and-death and coming-and-going, and, in protecting what we have received, we now hold firm and we now let go. With this as our bloodline, the flower opens and bears its fruit; with this as their bones and marrow, Makakashō and Ananda existed. The forms, just as they are, of wind, rain, water, and fire are what Makakashō and Ananda fully realized, and the innate natures, just as they are, of blue, yellow, red, and white, are what they fully realized as well. By relying upon our physical body and spiritual abilities, we turn the mundane into the sacred, and by relying upon their effects and consequences, we surpass Buddha and transcend Ancestor. By relying on these causes and conditions, we take hold of dirt and transmute it into gold. By relying upon effects and consequences, we receive the Transmission of the Dharma along with the robe.

I believe I am being pretty conservative, actually, to merely hint at some "Precious" and "Sacred"

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Jeremy]

Yes, this is just something to be sensed.

Buddhist Practice is not about just some neutral "ok" or "just what it is". There truly is an amazing specialness, a wonder, a precious jewel quality to this world and our being alive in it that, well, is hard to convey in words. "Precious" and "Sacred" are about as good as it gets. It ain't merely "just what it is", but rather "JUST WHAT IT IS!".

Crystal clear - thanks!

Gassho
Jeremy
Sat Today

[Kaishin]

Hi,

It is not possible not to judge.

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

That has always been my experience. I am now, at least, aware of my judgments, and can consider them more realistically. But upon encountering anyone or anything, a snap judgment appears right there along with it.

[Jeremy]

Hi Jundo,

Hi,
It is not possible not to judge. It is possible to judge with good intent.
Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

You know what I mean. No judging and no not judging. And with nothing to judge I go about my day judging who needs a diaper change around my house.
Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

Hey Jishin,
This was a very interesting exchange . It started with a deep thought ("It is not possible not to judge") in the world of the middling and lowly, went to a beyond-deep thought/non-thought ("No judging and no not judging") then returned to the world of the middling and lowly ("And with nothing to judge..."). This is "Just my opinion" - which is to say, that's the way what you said meshes in with all the junk that's found a temporary home in my head.

Where I'm standing, I'm with the middling and lowly

Gassho
Jeremy
Will Sit Later

[Jishin]

Hi Jeremy,

Please forgive my absolutely worthless words. They are just garbage.

Gassho, Jishin

[Jeremy]

Hi Jeremy,
Please forgive my absolutely worthless words. They are just garbage.
Gassho, Jishin

Gassho,
Jeremy
Will Sit Later

[Byrne]

I wear a full thick beard because it intimidates people. I am constantly meeting new people and I carry everything I hold dear to me in the world with me everywhere I go. My van has no windows and has an official Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Bureau sticker on the back and South Carolina tags. I don't lie when people ask me about it. A Mormon friend with the ATF gave it to me for that reason. He was concerned that I didn't travel with a gun so he gave me that to ward off some "bad guys". (Seriously) I do what I can to be misjudged by potential trouble. I keep it clean. I don't drink at all. I don't get chatty with people until I feel comfortable with them.

But with all that I do to deliberately get misjudged, it makes me really question my own judgement. I suppose a fine balance of right thought, right speech and right action are in order. I can't help but make mistakes about other people's character or intentions. The potential consequences of my poor judgement could be severe. Practice has helped me let those observe those judgements for what they are when they occur. If they are merely empty illusions, I can let them pass. If there is something to be concerned about, I can let that translate into the real world.

I screw this up constantly.

Gassho

Sat Today