BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 62

[Mitty-san]

Wow. A lot of excitement happened here since yesterday. Deep thoughts you all have.

One interesting article I found talks about how violent criminals often view themselves as good people: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...lf-good-person. My humble and imperfect thought is perhaps as the article alludes to, thinking one is a good person makes one less of a good person as one may be thinking there's nothing more to do and become careless or not try to improve. The practice of focusing on being good in each new moment seems the most Zennish, to me at least.

Also, while we're on the subject of Zen speak, it turns out there was actually a Chinese Zen master who rebelled against over-intellectualizing in Zen even by burning his copy of the Blue Cliff Record and having his students just focus on for example a short phrase in a koan.

The Hua Tou method was invented[2] by the Chinese Zen master Dahui Zonggao (1089 – 1163) who was a member of the Linji school. ... Dahui was also against the intellectualism and literary commentary that had begun to enter into Koan practice with the Blue Cliff Record of his master Yuan-wu. In fact, Dahui burned his copy of the Blue Cliff Record.
...
Hwadu [Korean for Hua Tou] is the predominant technique cultivated in [Korean] meditation halls, and almost all masters advocate its use for students at all levels.

It was also popularized by the famous 20th century Chinese Zen master Hsu Yun. For Japanese Zen, from reading about it more, this problem appears to me to apply to Rinzai over-intellectualizing with its greater emphasis on koans than Soto with its Shikantanza.

Gassho

Sat today

Paul

[Eishuu]

I found this koan really helpful and have attempted to summarise some of my thinking. I'm sure this is pretty simplistic, but this is how it spoke to me.

From the point of view of ultimate reality, enlightenment, non-dual experience, there is no 'enlightenment'. If there were 'enlightenment' there would have to be a 'second level', which would create duality. From the point of view of enlightened experience, 'enlightenment'/'nonenightenment' are just ideas and concepts.

From the point of view of our normal dual thinking, there is enlightenment and non-enlightenment, and maybe sometimes this is a useful shorthand for conceptual discussions.

So I was trying to think how this applies to my practice and realised that during Zazen, the concept of 'enlightenment', of there being two 'levels', creates a problem. The thought of or desire for 'enlightenment' is just another thought or desire and I need to let go of it or just be aware of it like any other thought or feeling. When I want to 'get there' and 'away from here' (which I experience a lot) I create difficulty and suffering. And I do that with the concept of 'enlightenment' or memories of insights that I have had as much as I might do it with wanting/not-wanting anything.

I read a Suzuki quote the other day on Insight Timer that really stuck with me and resonates with this...it was “Without losing yourself by sticking to a particular role or understanding, keep finding yourself, moment after moment. This is the only thing for you to do”. I realise how much baggage, concepts and ideas I have been carrying into Zazen. The phrase “disregard traps and snares” speaks to this too for me...the need to constantly let go and open the hand of thought, to experience each moment anew and afresh for the first time, without even the concept of enlightenment...just this moment.

I shall attempt to take this into my practice.

Gassho
Lucy
Sat today

[Tairin]

I enjoyed this koan and all the comments here.

Unlike a few of the more recent koans I can relate to this one. When sitting Zazen I find that I alternate between moments of mindfulness and awareness interrupted by my incessant need to perform a self-commentary, almost as if I am performing an interview with myself on my current Zazen. As soon as the "interview" starts, I am at the second level.

Prior to the Olympics 100m men's final, Donovan Baily (former Canadian Olympic 100m champion) was asked what was going through the competators' minds as they prepared for the race start. He said (not a direct quote) that they weren't thinking about anything, they were at peace. If they were thinking about anything they were lost. Seems to be apropos to our koan. Do it/be it but if you sit and try to quantify or qualify it then you'll be at the second level.

At least that's what I got out of this koan

Gassho
Warren
Sat today

[Bokusei]

I'm with you Warren. This is the first koan which has resonated with me rather than creating a sense of missing the target (me, not the koan).

It reminds me of the sense of seemingly infinite freedom felt in the moment before commitment to an action when sparing in martial arts. Of course if you intellectualise it, there is no such freedom. But beyond the intellect this sense of being and not being resonates deeply.

Attempting to describe these things has a habit of muddying the water, at least when I clumsily attempt it. But maybe this makes some sense.


Gassho

Bokusei
saTToday

[Hoko]

"Do people these days have to attain enlightenment or not?"
Gassho,
K2
#SatToday

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[Jakuden]

Touché Kliff. Did we all do a good enough job illustrating this koan, or what ( because of course that was our intention all along, RIGHT GUYS?)
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


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[Onkai]

Right, Jakuden. I think I'll sit again.

Gassho,
Onkai
SatToday

[Jundo]

JUNDO NOTE: I HAVE SPLIT OFF THE DISCUSSION ON CRIME AND EUGENICS TO HERE:

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?14664-SPLIT-THREAD-Crime-Punishment-Eugenics-the-Future