BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 54

[Meishin]

As Jishin points out, there's no need to search for extraordinary ways to act with compassion. Every moment one is touched by opportunities. What I often miss is that the opportunity right in front of me is IT. Just need to wake up. Or only reach in the dark for the pillow.

Gassho
Meishin
sat today

[Tairin]

As Jishin points out, there's no need to search for extraordinary ways to act with compassion. Every moment one is touched by opportunities. What I often miss is that the opportunity right in front of me is IT. Just need to wake up. Or only reach in the dark for the pillow.

It is a fantastic lesson and one that I endeavor to follow daily. Thank you for the reminder Meishin and Jishin.

Gassho
Warren
Sat today

[Shurin]

The man reaches for his pillow in the night because he is the one suffering in that moment and the way to alleviate that suffering is by grabbing the pillow. We can realize the hands of compassion when we are able to compassionately respond without thinking when the need arises. I think this happens when the idea of a self and other becomes blurred.

Gassho,
Shurin
Sat today.

[Risho]

This has got to be one of the core questions of Zen practice - there are no hindrances except for the limitations that I place on myself, the separation I put in place in my mind. So those separations are both real to me, but ultimately not real.

I'm not going to lie, this is easy to state. But this is the crux of my practice; it's something that I will work with until I die, I'm certain. Sitting, we meet these hindrances, observe them and they fall away. But there is countless karma, baggage that needs to be worked through.

This morning I woke up to the news that a gay club in Orlando, my sister city, was the victim of the worst mass killing in US history by a gunman. One of our closest friends is a DJ at gay clubs. So we usually go every weekend to dance and hang out. I would never imagine something like this happening, which is what I guess terrorists count on.

This is when freedom is hard. This is when Buddhism is hard. This is when it's difficult to show gratitude or compassion to people who we don't think deserve it. But if we separate those that we feel undeserving, if we portion off a segment of our community and put them in camps or monitor them and let that fear control us, if we start grouping "those people" vs. "our people", I think it makes things a lot worse. Fear turns good people into monsters.

Obviously people like this need to be brought to justice for the safety of our community, but there is a fine line between that and revenge killing or hatred. We have to keep ourselves in check constantly with this. Hell, I get furious when people cut me off in traffic. The war always starts and stops in our hearts.

It is our choice to be Avalokitesvara or Mara; it's a constant effort, but that struggle is so needed right now. This practice is so needed right now so that hopefully we learn to love and respect each other as one, large, beautiful and different family.

Metta to all.

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Myosha]

Metta to all.


Gassho
Myosha sat today

[AlanLa]

This one is timely. Orlando, as Risho mentions, is a horror. I have no direct connection to that horror, but it hurts me just the same. Times of great tragedy require great reaching out. To reach out is to act, to hug someone, to take some sort of compassionate action, to get off the damn cushion (or stop praying) and go out in the community and Do Something. To feel bad for others is worthless. To wish well upon the misfortunate is crap. Go out and make your metta real, not just a damn chant. At a minimum, share the pain. But better is to clean to the dog poo.

It's not about finding your own damn pillow; it's about giving someone who needs it a pillow.