LIVING by VOW: The Heart Sutra - pp 193-200 (Stopping at Great Bright Mantra)

[Shugen]

Hello again,

In this section, Shohaku reminds us that we, once we have aroused “bodhi-mind”, are bodhisattvas. Perhaps not “great” bodhisattvas but bodhisattvas nonetheless...

As bodhisattvas, we must be aware of our own individual hindrances (“something that covers our mind or an obstacle that prevents us from seeing reality as it is”). The tricky part is not denying them, but embracing them as seeds for our practice....

Shohaku’s explanation of “zuimonki “ from Shobogenzo particularly struck me. I have had the opportunity to go to two “Genzo-E” retreats at Sanshinji (http://www.sanshinji.org/). At these retreats, one fascicle of Shobogenzo is broken down and explained in great depth. They last about 5 days. Each day is broken up into 3 hours of lectures and 7 hours of zazen. If you every have the opportunity, I would highly recommend it! They are very kind and welcoming.

Did anything speak to you or NO?

Gassho,

Shugen

Sattoday/LAH

[Mp]

Thank you brother. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Seishin]

Thank you Shingen look forward to continuing, after a little break and my mini flood.

[Tairin]

So just be right now, right here, and put your whole energy into what you are doing. This is prajñā. It is very difficult. Moment by moment we have to let go of worry and fear and return to this moment. That is our practice of mindfulness, sitting in zazen, letting go, and coming back to this moment. This letting go is the practice of prajñā.

Very difficult indeed. It is what I put my faith in. After a few years of dedicated practice I can see that it has helped. Yes I still have concerns for the future but I am better equipped to recognize when I am spinning it into a story, put it down and come back to here-now.


Tairin
Sat today & LAH

[Onkai]

p 194

We are born as human beings and we gain nothing. We will die sooner or later and lose nothing. We are born with nothing but this body and mind. While we are living we think we attain, gain, or accomplish something. But when we die we leave everything behind, so only this body and mind die.

This quote struck me. It breaks through ego thoughts of gain and loss. Much of my time and energy are spent in pursuits for the ego. The quote Tairin brought up seems like the way to deal with the reality of no gain, no loss, and the reality of impermanence and constant change.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat

[Seishin]

p 194

This quote struck me. It breaks through ego thoughts of gain and loss. Much of my time and energy are spent in pursuits for the ego. The quote Tairin brought up seems like the way to deal with the reality of no gain, no loss, and the reality of impermanence and constant change.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat

This especially 02:35

[Seishin]

Worry dilutes our effort and it’s not healthy. So just be right now, right here, and put your whole energy into what you are doing. This is prajñā. It is very difficult. Moment by moment we have to let go of worry and fear and return to this moment.

Reading this section again a few times, I've been drawn to this reference to Worry. How true it is that we waste so much time and effort worrying. How we look, do we make our bosses/family/friends even our gods happy, did I do that right did I do that wrong. The examples are endless and I guess the result is endless negativity. As is often said spending all our time thinking and worrying about the past or what's to come, we miss the Right Here Right Now.

But as Okomura says "It is very difficult", oh yes easier said than done but I guess we just need to trying but try not to worry too much about how difficult is difficult.

[pthwaites]

Hello all,

A couple of sections caught my attention in this part of the book. The first was was the concept of "no border", on p193. I like this conception of our practice. It chimes with his zazen feels at times - borders seem to slip away and I perceive myself as nothing more than just my own breath (at least until the next thought revives my ego).

Another thing I liked was the section about Dōgen’s teaching mushotoku. At times, I've found it difficult to keep sight of the idea of "vow" in the book. The discussion has illuminated my understanding of these texts in general, but I've not always been able to see how they represent vows that we make. This section made some of that explicit:

"In the case of laypeople, taking care of our families, living in communities, and working is what we do"

And

"In each activity we should think of how we can benefit all living beings. That is our vow."

And

"We have many problems in this world today. We should do what we can to make it a better place for those who follow us. That too is our vow."

Here, though, I guess I come up against the reality of where I'm at with my practice: the last two of these feel quite intimidating ("I have to make the whole world a better place!?"), but if I truly feel that there are no borders, then this task becomes much more simple - any act of kindness, towards myself or someone else - its an act of kindness towards the whole world.

Gassho

Sat today

Peter

Sent from my SM-G935L using Tapatalk

[AlanLa]

No hindrance therefore no fear is my favorite part of the Heart sutra. In my mind, I always think of it like being on top of the 100-foot pole and only needing one step to get off. That pole is delusion, and the step is practice to free myself from delusion. The fear is thinking delusion is reality. And then the next line about far from all delusion nirvana is already here leads to asking, what pole? what step? It's all right here if I just let go of finding it in order to actually realize it.

[Eishuu]

The part about practising 'without expectation of result or reward in the future... We simply need to trust the lifeforce itself' stood out for me. It made me wonder if this trust is a kind of faith. Also the bit at the end about continually opening our hands and not grasping spoke to me...the whole section reminded me of that saying about hitting the bullseye in each moment. It seemed to be unrelentedly pointing at the practice of being in the moment with no thought of gain, attainment or Enlightenment...at least that's what it said to me.

Gassho
Eishuu
ST/LAH