7/23 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Dhritaka

[Shogen]

Re: 7/23 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Dhritaka

Stephanie said,"It is a paradox I have not yet fully resolved for myself... because as I see it, things as they are, are already perfect, or they are not and need to be worked on. It is either one, or the other. Either the mirror needs to be polished or there is no place for dust to alight.

I know many teachers, including Jundo, have spoken about this paradox... but as stated, I have not yet been able to resolve it for myself."
Hi Stephanie
Perfection is "THIS." Our judgement of it displays imperfection. Drop judgements and look. Gassho zak

[Jundo]

Re: 7/23 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Dhritaka

Stephanie said,"It is a paradox I have not yet fully resolved for myself... because as I see it, things as they are, are already perfect, or they are not and need to be worked on. It is either one, or the other. Either the mirror needs to be polished or there is no place for dust to alight.

I know many teachers, including Jundo, have spoken about this paradox... but as stated, I have not yet been able to resolve it for myself."

Hi Stephanie
Perfection is "THIS." Our judgement of it displays imperfection. Drop judgements and look. Gassho zak

Well the perfect mirror still needs cleaning, the laundry washing and the car scrubbing ... and that is my judgement. Drop the judgement, and the dirt is still there ... and the hamper is overflowing.

Best to see "no clean no dirty" and "not clean unless we wash the dirt away" at the same time.

[Seishin the Elder]

Re: 7/23 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Dhritaka

What I am taking away from this chapter is the unity of Master and disciple.

"This is the way it is when the paths of the master and disciple coincide.Even though you grasp it as principle and clarify it as the Way, you necessarily get it for the first time when you become greatly awakened"....Cook

"The wisdom spring of the successor can gush forth only from the lineage holder. The living Buddha must actually transmit Light. Awakening is not some independent project of the successor. Radical renunciation of self must be intended by the receptive disciple. Otherwise, apparent sages may arise who cannot truly transmit Dharma, whose expression of the principle of nonduality in tinged by arrogance, by formalism, by the nihilistic rejection of lineage, by subtle denigration: of discipleship, by absence of compassion." ...Nixon

For me this says that try as one may this ain't gonna happen alone, unless one wants an artificial reality tinged with all sorts of ego problems and totally devoid of true compassion. True compassion is both an unselfish opening on the part of the the master and on the part of the disciple. The master wants to give totally. The disciple wants to receive without reservation. That is the only way I can see that the "wisodn spring" can gush from one to the other and back again. This is why it is so important for the disciple to unreservely be able to trust the master, to know that in his abandonment of his former life ther will be new life given. This is always a question; "Can I trust you?" The only way I can see an answer to that question is by way of the open and compassionate giving of the master, thus opening the disciple to receiving.


Gassho,

Seishin Kyrill

[Shugen]

Re: 7/23 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Dhritaka

In Cook:

"When each of you breaks open your own treasure store and carries out the great store of sutras [which is you own mind], the holy teachings will naturally become your own."

You have to do the work, make it yours.

Hixon didn't really connect with me until the closing poem:

"Remove the mask of Buddha from your own face! Weeping and laughing transmit the treasure! Mind is enlightened just as it is!"

It's right here! As Chet (I think) used to say "you're soaking in it!"

Ron