8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

[Jundo]

Is this vessel mine or yours? pure or impure? full or empty?

Cook from p 60, Hixon from p 61

[BrianW]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

This weeks reading was so wonderfully poetic. I would summarize by the following:

Upon transmission the vessel is found to be insubstantial; like echos from a bell no need for a container.

Gassho,
Jisen/BrianW

[Taylor]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Not much to say. I disagree with hixon's assertion that each transmission goes deeper than the last. Certainly one is not higher than the other, certainly they are not on the same level, certainly one is no deeper than the previous. Walking along the ground you come upon stairs to the top of your bamboo pole which you must promptly fall off of into a pit only to wake up to the idea you haven't even taken a step.

What ounce of the past can you hold in your gourd? What cloud or star can you make ring with a striker? Start listening, they have never stopped ringing.

Gassho
Taylor

[Tb]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Hi.

Like a potterer creates something around nothing, and thus creates nothing, so do we.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

[Rimon]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Enlightening story!

I specially enjoyed how the vessel which seemed to be the main subject of discussion dissapears at the end. We care about our minds, purifying them, improving our practice, but when he reach the "end" we realise that there was no mind to worry about, and so it dissapears, like the vessel in the story.

It also makes me think how the vessel doesn't break, to make the situation more dramatic. It just dissapears. It doesn't break as there was nothing in the beginning, so nothing could break. Same thing with our mind.

Also, I was wondering. Are there contemporary stories of transmission of the light, like detailing how in 2000 a master passed the light to a disciple?

Gassho

[Shohei]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Enlightening story!

I specially enjoyed how the vessel which seemed to be the main subject of discussion dissapears at the end. We care about our minds, purifying them, improving our practice, but when he reach the "end" we realise that there was no mind to worry about, and so it dissapears, like the vessel in the story.

It also makes me think how the vessel doesn't break, to make the situation more dramatic. It just dissapears. It doesn't break as there was nothing in the beginning, so nothing could break. Same thing with our mind.

Also, I was wondering. Are there contemporary stories of transmission of the light, like detailing how in 2000 a master passed the light to a disciple?

Gassho

Heh great minds think alike (or warped ones wobble alike... ) I was thinking the same thing. Ill post something on the readings soon as i read ops:

Gassho
Shohei

[Silva]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Throughout these two books a vein is slowly taking form : dropping preconceptions, letting go of the need to control, affirmations, intellectualisations, breaking barriers and limitations... and here the self, myself or the self others want me to be, in order to be just Self.
Am I ready to accept the elusive ? to be elusivity ?
In peace in the fathomless
Free from the desire to grasp
WOW

gassho,

Sylvie

[Shohei]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

I read Cooks a few weeks ago and I found and Hixon's played well together for me.

this stood out to me from Hixon's writing:

The offered vessel is always impure, no matter how clean and clear the disciple is, no matter how spiritually advanced. There always remains the subtle impurity of falsely perceived duality-- between master and disciple, between enlightenment and something else.

Though Vasumitra was open and ready to receive, by something, when he wasn't searching, this new Buddha was filled up to the brim.

Gassho
Shohei

[AlanLa]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Disappearing vessels? I thought we were through with magic with Micchaka? :roll: :wink:

The vessel is a symbol of buddha nature. Yeah, I got that.
Wine as a symbol of impurity. Yeah, I got that.
That the vessel disappears is a symbol of buddha nature not belonging to either of them. Yeah, I got that.
That Keizan says this story makes no sense to people today. Yeah, I really got that! But then Hixon helped me out a lot.

Is the ringing of a bell the vessel or what the vessel contains?
Neither are two, nor are they one.
They just are.

Same for students and teachers
Raising up/lowering down
Neither the who
Nor the where
No separation.

[Shogen]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Letting go of any symbols of attachment and allowing this moment, which is always here. Gourd and self gone within the light. Gassho

[Fuken]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

One line of Hixton's comment has resonated with me:

"When the teacher is ready, a student will appear."

I have heard the reverse of this many times, and I find Hixton's take on it both refreshing, and encouraging.

Still, I balk at the notions of pure and impure when there is no vessel to be called pure and impure.

[AlanLa]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Jordan, maybe it's more that when someone is ready to teach a student will appear.

[Fuken]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Thanks Al.

[Hogo]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Many good post above, Thank you. I have nothing that I can add intellectually, but did want to share what my mind cooked up as I read.

This time the picture of Vasumitra wandering about howling with his wine vessel reminded me of the ranting drunk homeless people I have encountered downtown, or the clearly crazy guy who walks down main street yelling at the world and no one in particular. Along with everyone else I tend to ignore them or look away, or in the more extreme cases watch them guardedly and pull my daughter just a bit closer to my side.

This made me pause and wonder, how easlily we disregard the mentally troubled souls walking the city streets......as silly as it seems I wonder is it possible I am the damaged one? Who is that crazy guy talking to, what does he see that I do not. Am I missing something? What if we all got it wrong and that guy claming to be Jesus ressurected was the real deal? Too bad the cops just sent him off to the funny farm. :shock:

O.k. enough being silly, I have fun with my thoughts some times. I just thought it interesting. Good thing I guess that Michaka saw through the craziness,
thank you for tolerating mine. :lol:

Gassho
D.

[Shogen]

Re: 8/6 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Vasumitra

Many good post above, Thank you. I have nothing that I can add intellectually, but did want to share what my mind cooked up as I read.

This time the picture of Vasumitra wandering about howling with his wine vessel reminded me of the ranting drunk homeless people I have encountered downtown, or the clearly crazy guy who walks down main street yelling at the world and no one in particular. Along with everyone else I tend to ignore them or look away, or in the more extreme cases watch them guardedly and pull my daughter just a bit closer to my side.

This made me pause and wonder, how easlily we disregard the mentally troubled souls walking the city streets......as silly as it seems I wonder is it possible I am the damaged one? Who is that crazy guy talking to, what does he see that I do not. Am I missing something? What if we all got it wrong and that guy claming to be Jesus ressurected was the real deal? Too bad the cops just sent him off to the funny farm. :shock:

O.k. enough being silly, I have fun with my thoughts some times. I just thought it interesting. Good thing I guess that Michaka saw through the craziness,
thank you for tolerating mine. :lol:

Gassho
D.

Wow D and you said you had nothing intellectually to add. Add you did ... a great teaching. Thanks! Gassho zak