The Zen Master's Dance - 1 - Introduction

[Yokai]

Wonderful everyone! Thank you Jundo for making this so interactive

Gassho, Yokai sat/lah

***

You and I are diners in this pizza party, as is every creature from the manager's Great Dane in the back office to the unwanted pesky fly, the looming palms and the customers flowing by, every dropped fry or and gently circling fans above, every ingredient that makes up each pizza and the whole glitzy pizzeria itself. Everything in this buzzing restaurant, no matter how grease-stained or kitchen-mechanical, no matter whether anchovy, spicy chicken, miss-center-of-attention or window-gazing loner, is dining together. And although we may feel as if we are separate diners — finite consumers on this LED-lit stage, this tabled space, open 24/7/365 —we are also the party itself partying through us. A universe of diners that are being consumed in this banquet that the whole universe is partying. Picture in your mind a passerby witnessing through the glass panes a party so vigorous and vibrant that its countless diners seem to vanish in the swirl of conversation, color, kitchen-clatter, music and motion: each diner an ingredient, becoming paired, then grouped, bonding with stone-baked base and melting mozzarella, each moment separating yet melding, so merged as the overall symphony we call "pizza eating" that, from a distance, individuals can no longer be seen...[only the pizza of Life...haha! cheesy ]

[Stewart]

What fun to both do and read what others have written. I loved this.

I think I shall call my contribution, 'Valhala is Empty'.

Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Master of long ago ... experienced reality as a great feast moving through time, coming to life in the thoughts and acts of all. It is a most special feast, for it is the feast that the whole of reality is celebrating, with nothing left out, that you and I are celebrating, that is celebrating as you and me. It is a vibrant, swirling, flowing, merging and emerging party that Buddhists sometimes call “emptiness,” as the motion and sweep of the celebration “empties” us of the sense of only being separate beings, and fills and reaffirms us as the whole. We, as human beings, can’t be sure when or where this began, or whether it even has a beginning or end. But we can come to see that it is being celebrated now in everything we do, much as a party unfolds and constantly renews with every action of its participants.

You and I are hosts, staff and guests in this feast, as is every creature great or small, the mountains and seas, every grain of sand or massive galaxy,the atoms that make up the universe and the whole universe itself. Everything in reality, no matter how old or vast, no matter how unnoticed or small, is celebrating together. And although we may feel as if we are separate participants—finite individuals on a grand stage spanning all of time and space—we are also the party itself feasting through us. A universe of partygoers that are celebrating caught up in this party that the whole universe is celebrating. Picture in your mind a spectator witnessing a celebration so vigorous and vibrant that its countless actors seem to vanish in the swirl of motion: single individuals becoming pairs, then groups, coming together and separating moment by moment, yet so merged as the overall movement that, from a distance, individuals can no longer be seen. ...

... So united did Dōgen see that whole that, in his mind, each holds all others, near or far, each miraculously fully contains all others, and each moment of time ticks with all other moments of time, before or after. It is much like saying that every action of every partygoer somehow embodies, depends upon, and also fully expresses everything by all the others, past, present, or future, and fully contains the entire celebration too. Dōgen experienced the time of the feast as the overall movement that is fully held and expressed in each individual gesture itself, with past not only flowing into present and future, but future flowing into the present and past, as the present fully holds the past and future of the dance.

Stewart
Sat

[Jakuden]

I always mean to reach out to you about being a veterinarian; sending metta your way; thank God for veterinarians. I know or have heard this is a very difficult profession; animals and pets are such a blessing, I can't even imagine the difficulty in caring for them; I also wish human physicians were more like veterinarians on so many levels. Many sincere bows to you.

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

Aw thanks, Risho! [emoji3526]

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Ryokudo]

Oh Jundo,

It's a great exercise, but unfortunately it brings out the "try-hard" in me, which always results in po-faced nonsense.

So I apologise in advance, even I don't particularly like it but I decided to try the first paragraph in a kind of "write what's going on in your head way".

So here it is:

"Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Master of long ago ... experienced reality as feeding the birds in his garden or writing stories, or perhaps it was feeding his stories and writing to the birds in his garden……I forget.

But either way, it wasn’t a static thing; and it came to life through seeing the whole picture; his conversations with the birds, the growth of characters in his story, ever moving across time, developing across the whole eco-system; or simply filling the blankness of a page.

It wasn’t about the feeder or the writer. Well it was about them, but also the reader and the plants that grew from seeds dropped by the birds.

Everything moved together; harmonious.

Birds wrote poetry in their song and the page was filled with ink-blotted outbursts of life. He read and he wrote, and he sang and he fed; he listened and was enriched and he saw the beauty in the small inconsequential things of the world. All of it merged into one, in the vibrancy of life, the story of the world and the song of the birds.

But surely this was too much for the brain to discern?

Perhaps….but it lived there anyway……ever-flowing, ever receding. A tide of infinite “emptiness”, nourishing the forms life.

When did the birds start singing to him?

When did he first start feeding their verse into the stories he wrote?

Who wrote whom and who sang to whom?

Who cares?

The song and the story are still there; as are the feeders and the fed, endlessly singing and writing and listening and reading to each other without understanding what they do.

Surfing on the empty currents"

Gassho,

Ryokudo

[Suuko]

Since I am a teacher, I will go with teaching.

So united did Dōgen see that whole that, in his mind, each point holds all other points, near or far, each point miraculously fully contains
the whole, and each moment of time ticks with all other moments of time, before or after. It is much like saying that every teaching of
each teacher somehow embodies, depends upon, and also fully expresses every moment taught by all the other teachers, past, present,
or future, and fully contains the entire teaching too. Dōgen experienced the time of the teaching as the overall movement that is fully held and
expressed in each individual lesson itself, with past not only flowing into present and future, but future flowing into the present and past,
as the present fully holds the past and future of the lesson.

Gassho,
Sat today,
Guish.

[Zenkon]

I thought of breathing, resulting in:

Picture in your mind a breather witnessing a deep breath so vigorous and vibrant that its countless breaths seem to vanish in the swirl of motion: single breaths becoming pairs, then groups, coming together and separating moment by moment, yet so merged as the overall movement that, from a distance, individual breaths can no longer be seen. It is like single raindrops vanishing in a distant storm. The deep breath is the ground below, the air that’s stirred, the light of moon and stars in the open sky above. We are such fragile drops in motion, but also the whole ground, the whole motion, every breath of air, the moon and all the stars, the entirety of sky that is deep breathing too — for the deep breath is the whole of everything. It’s a breath that leaves nothing out. Indeed, the swirling deep breath constantly spins out new shapes and creations, gives temporary form to each and all of the individual breaths. From this vantage point, each of us is no more solid or separate than eddies in swirling water, dust devils in the breeze, flashes of lighting casting momentary light and shadow, each there for a while before fading back into the breath. The breath of nature in motion seems to spin us out onto the stage, then spin us back in, giving the appearance of birth and death. But beyond those temporary appearances, we are also the whole deep breath itself — a deep breath which happens before, during, and after our limited sense of time. There are scenes during life of youth, health, love, joy, and beauty, as well as sickness and sorrow, violence and war. Yet all are outward appearances rippling across the surface of it all.

Gassho

Dick

sat/lah

[tclark7]

You and I are notes in this melody, as is every creature great or small, the mountains and seas, every grain of sand or massive galaxy,
the atoms that make up the universe and the whole universe itself. Everything in reality, no matter how old or vast, no matter how unnoticed or small, is producing this song together. And although we may feel as if we are separate tones—finite harmonics in a grand composition spanning all of time and space—we are also the song itself playing through us. A universe of notes that are being harmonized in this piece that the whole universe is playing. Picture in your mind a listening hearing a beat dropped which is so vigorous and vibrant that its countless notes seem to vanish in the swirl of motion: single notes becoming pairs, then groups, coming together and separating moment by moment, yet so merged as the overall movement that, with the volume turned up, individual notes can no longer be heard.

[Heitou]

Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese scuba diver of long ago ... experienced reality as a great dive moving through time, coming to life in the thoughts and acts of all beings. It is a most special dive, for it is the dive that the whole of reality is diving, with nothing left out, that you and I are diving, that is diving as you and me. It is a vibrant, swirling, flowing, merging and emerging unity that Buddhists sometimes call “emptiness,” as the motion and sweep of the dive “empties” us of the sense of only being separate beings, and fills and reaffirms us as the whole. We, as human beings, can’t be sure when or where this dive began, or whether it even has a beginning or end. But we can come to see that it is being dived now in each step and breath we take, much as a dive unfolds and constantly renews with every turn or leap of its divers.

Gassho
Heitou
SatToday

[Shade]

I used to skateboard as a teenager and I absolutely loved it, so it is fitting to use it here with this exercise:

Master Dōgen spoke of practice, putting it all in motion. Where this skateboarding has come from, where it is going, is not as important
as the skateboarding that is truly realized—made real—right here, in your next ollie and kickflip. The board is always right underfoot, so just
skate, without thought of any other place.

Gassho,

Shade

ST

[Heiso]

I used to skateboard as a teenager and I absolutely loved it, so it is fitting to use it here with this exercise:

Master Dōgen spoke of practice, putting it all in motion. Where this skateboarding has come from, where it is going, is not as important
as the skateboarding that is truly realized—made real—right here, in your next ollie and kickflip. The board is always right underfoot, so just
skate, without thought of any other place.

Gassho,

Shade

ST

I love this - I also skated back in the day and even in my 40s it remains a big influence on me!


But now I potter about in the garden so:

... Master Dōgen spoke of practice, putting the whole garden in motion. Where this pruning has come from, where it is going, is not as important
as the herbacious border is truly realized—made real—right here, in your next cutting back and mulching. The garden is always right underfoot, so just
garden, without thought of any other place.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

[CK732]

I like NASCAR, so let’s try it.

Picture in your mind a spectator witnessing a race so vigorous and vibrant that it’s countless racers seem to vanish in the swirl of motion: single racers becoming pairs, then groups, coming together and separating moment by moment, yet so merged as the overall movement that, from a distance, individual racers can no longer be seen. It is like single raindrops vanishing in a distant storm. The race is the ground below, the air that’s stirred, the light of the moon and stars in the open sky above. We are such fragile drops in motion, but also the whole ground, the whole motion, every breath of air, the moon and all the stars, the entirety of the sky that is racing too - for the race is the whole of everything. It’s a race that leaves nothing out.

Gassho

Nanto Sat/Lah

[Shinshi]

I like NASCAR, so let’s try it.

Picture in your mind a spectator witnessing a race so vigorous and vibrant that it’s countless racers seem to vanish in the swirl of motion: single racers becoming pairs, then groups, coming together and separating moment by moment, yet so merged as the overall movement that, from a distance, individual racers can no longer be seen. It is like single raindrops vanishing in a distant storm. The race is the ground below, the air that’s stirred, the light of the moon and stars in the open sky above. We are such fragile drops in motion, but also the whole ground, the whole motion, every breath of air, the moon and all the stars, the entirety of the sky that is racing too - for the race is the whole of everything. It’s a race that leaves nothing out.

Gassho

Nanto Sat/Lah

I am more of an Indycar guy but love NASCAR as well. That was lovely.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Bokugan]

This is a fun exercise! My spouse and I love camping and hiking. It is one of those activities that is very special to us. I chose to focus on hiking for my rewrites:


You and I are hikers in this journey, as is every creature great or small, the mountains and seas, every grain of sand or massive galaxy, the atoms that make up the universe and the whole universe itself. Everything in reality, no matter how old or vast, no matter how unnoticed or small, is hiking this journey together. And although we may feel as if we are separate hikers—finite individuals on a grand stage spanning all of time and space—we are also the hike itself journeying through us. A universe of hikers that are being hiked up in this journey that the whole universe is hiking,

----

Please don’t understand the concept of this hike merely intellectually. Instead, join in, truly feel what it is to be swept up in the hike as the hike. Master Dogen spoke of practice, putting it all in motion. Where this hike has come from, where it is going, is not as important as the hike that is truly realized—made real—right here, in your next stride and climb. The journey is always underfoot, so just hike, without thought of any other place.

Gassho,
Ryan
SatToday

[CK732]

I am more of an Indycar guy but love NASCAR as well. That was lovely.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

I watch Indy every now and then, but my heart has been in stock car racing since my teen years, even though I didn’t recognize it until later in life.

Thank you for your kind words about my post. The words I belong to Jundo not me. I only substituted the dance with the racers. His writing is beautiful and his message was clear. No changes were needed[emoji4]

Gassho

Nanto

[Inshin]

Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Traveller of long ago ... experienced reality as a great journey moving through time, coming to life in the thoughts and acts of all beings. It is a most special journey , for it is the travel that the whole of reality is travelling , with nothing immovable, that you and I are travelling , that is journey as you and me. It is a vibrant, swirling, flowing, merging and emerging unity that Buddhists sometimes call “emptiness,” as the motion and sweep of the journey “empties” us of the sense of only being separate beings, and fills and reaffirms us as the whole. We, as human beings, can’t be sure when or where this journey began, or whether it even has a beginning or end. But we can come to see that it is being travelled now in each step and breath we take, much as a road unfolds and constantly renews with every turn or leap of its travellers.

You and I are vagabonds on this journey , as is every creature great or small, the mountains and seas, every grain of sand or massive galaxy,
the atoms that make up the universe and the whole universe itself. Everything in reality, no matter how old or vast, no matter how unnoticed or small, is travelling on this journey together. And although we may feel as if we are separate travellers—finite individuals on a vast road spanning all of time and space—we are also the journey itself travelling through us. A universe of vagabonds that are being travelled in this journey that the whole universe is travelling. Picture in your mind a passer by witnessing a road so vigorous and vibrant that its countless travellers seem to vanish in the swirl of motion: single travellers becoming pairs, then groups, coming together and separating moment by moment, yet so merged as the overall movement that, from a distance, individual travellers can no longer be seen. ...

... So united did Dōgen see that whole that, in his mind, each point holds all other points, near or far, each point miraculously fully contains
the whole, and each moment of time ticks with all other moments of time, before or after. It is much like saying that every step of
each traveller somehow embodies, depends upon, and also fully expresses every step by all the other travellers on the path, past, present,
or future, and fully contains the entire journey too. Dōgen experienced the time of the journey as the overall movement that is fully held and
expressed in each individual move itself, with past not only flowing into present and future, but future flowing into the present and past,
as the present fully holds the past and future of the journey.

... Master Dōgen spoke of practice, putting it all in motion. Whenn this journey has begun , where it is going, is not as important
as the journey that is truly realized—made real—right here, in your next leap and gesture. The journey is always right underfoot, so just travel through this wondrous world
, without thought of any other place.