7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

[Stephanie]

Re: 7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

Nice! I like your version better

[Seishin the Elder]

Re: 7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

As I read this section the Robing Prayer repeated and repeated in my noggin, especially the line..."I wear the Tathagata's teaching".

Intellectually I "get" that these Transmissions are truly awakenings to what already is; but since I have not experienced the paroxysm of that "already is", I believe it is still something eluding me, or which I am eluding. I knw this will not come at the end of a long series of studies or a sesshin, or anything I can plan. Ok, all that is what I "know" in my conscious planning mind; but then I keep hearing a merry little melody seemingly being played on a "Jack-in-the-box" way in the back of my mind, tantilizingly drawing me to the plink-plink-plink of that wonderful music box with its wonderful surprise yet to come.

This section we just read refocusing for me something I believe I have heard Taigu say on several occastions about the Kesa actually also being Buddha, as well as his teaching. I haven't quite clearly seen that yet, but I do somewhat understand both the image and the transcendental feeling about the Kesa and its continual transmission of the Buddha's teaching. It is a continuation of what Ananda asked of Mahakashyapa. It is wound in the robe, in the threads woven by the Buddha, which he asked Ananda to make, which we make and then wear with a blessing. It is the same robe isn't it? The same robe which covers all of us and to which one day when the drawing music stops, will pop out of the box and delightfully surprise and amaze us.

Gassho,

Seishin Kyrill

[Silva]

Re: 7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

Patches floating around in my mind, I'm confused as ever. The robe of sewn and unsewn, that covers to reveal nakedness.

gassho


Sylvie

[Shohei]

Re: 7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

Hiyas!
Nothing to add that hasn't been said already (and so well!)by these ancestors today!
The Hixon reading (though its not like reading to me!) putting it out so clearly.

"this present life is not fundamentally different from the life of ..."


Gassho
Shohei

[Jikyo]

Re: 7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

Hi everyone,

For me this week it was Hixon's "The transmission is ours. It is like reaching up to touch our own face." that spoke the clearest. "It" has always been there, easily within our reach. It includes our reach...

Gassho, Jikyo

[AlanLa]

Re: 7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

We are always wearing the robe of awakeness, but sometimes it helps if a teacher tugs on it to remind us that "Total awakeness is tugging at you right now!"

[Fuken]

Re: 7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

I would like to have asked Ananda, what kind of thing is not the original nature of Buddha's Awakening?

Additionally, Hixon's writing has yet to grow on me. I can't quite place it.

Yours in practice,
Jordan

[Shogen]

Re: 7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

This is what I wrote down in the margins: if our present life is not fundamentally different from the lives of ants and mosquitoes, sages and Buddhas, compassion for all beings comes naturally and without hesitation.

This is true. Yet a spent a good amount of time swatting (after they wouldn't be persuaded to leave) mosquitoes in the Zendo last night.

Mosquitoes being mosquitoes true to the dharma. What a delicious meal you must have presented and without discriminating they ate. Yum Gassho Shogen

[BrianW]

Re: 7/9 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Shanavasa

Lots of catching up to do in the book club....limited to no Internet over the past couple of weeks. For Shanavasa I would like to riff a bit on what some others have said concerning clothing.

Continuous stream plunges
over ten thousand food palisade.
No dust mot comes to rest
on this pure silk
that forms our seamless robe,
this awareness always dancing
and singing, “Buddha is alive!!
Buddha is alive!

The continuous stream I see as thread. Thread responsible for the substance of clothing and in one respect hidden (i.e., there are no seams), yet there right in front of us. Unborn Nature holds together our clothing and reality. In the active gestured of Ananda tugging on Shanavasa’s robe, Shanavasa sees what has been right in front of him all along.

Gassho,
Jisen/BrianW