The Zen Master's Dance - 1 - Introduction

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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

[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.

[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

[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.

[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

[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

[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

[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 ]

[Hōkan]

I ride bicycles (and walk) for basic transportation -- don't own a car. I teach urban riding and I teach others how to teach urban riding. I advocate for cyclists at the local, county, state, and national level. I'm all about the journey -- alone and together.

Can we truly say that there are separate drivers in this all-encompassing trip? Endless trips are going on within each rider, each cell and atom, each tire and bolt,, each bond and reaction, just driving within and with each other ... driving within driving. We can experience all drivers and all reality absolutely absorbed in the constant motion of the trip. As the borders that separate our sense of self from the rest of the world soften or drop away, we see that there is no trip outside, no "me" and "you" inside the trip. There is only that which flows from inside to outside, inside to in -- all boarders, all barriers dropped away and the whole having no surface or curb.

Please don't understand the concept of this trip merely intellectually. Instead, join in, truly feel what it is to be swept up in this journey as this journey. Cycling Instructor Dōgen spoke of practice, putting it all in motion. Where this trip has come from, where it is going, is not as important as the trip that is truly realized -- made real -- right here, in your next signal and turn. The trip is always right before, so just drive, without thought of any other place.

[Seishin]

Nicely done Seishin. Your paragraph reminded me of the book Zen Guitar by Philip Toshio Sudo which you might find interesting.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

Tairin

Thank you. That rings some distant bells (maybe triads) as I am sure I had a copy years ago that was only partially read. I will look it up.
Deep bows my friend.

Sat n played and danced the dance of all dances.

[Kaisui]

All of these different expressions contributed by everyone are wonderful to read. I enjoyed putting this together too.

Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Master of long ago ... experienced reality as a great embroidered cloth being stitched through time, coming to life in the thoughts and acts of all beings. It is a most special cloth, for it is one that the whole of reality is stitched into, with nothing left out. You and I are threads within the embroidery, appearing here and there stitch by stitch as you and me. It is a vibrant, overlapping, flowing, merging and emerging unity that Buddhists sometimes call “emptiness,” as the completeness of all threads together “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 cloth began, or whether it even has a beginning or end. But we can come to see that it is being stitched now in each step and breath we take, much as each fresh stitch in an embroidered cloth renews the scene being constantly created.

You and I are threads in this cloth and we are embroiderers of the cloth, 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 stitching and embroidering together. And although we may feel as if we are separate threads —finite individuals on a grand scene spanning all of time and space—we are also the whole embroidered cloth itself embroidering through us. A universe of embroiderers and threads that are being stitched together in this embroidery that the whole universe is embroidering. Picture in your mind a spectator witnessing a great cloth being stitched in motion so swift, detailed, colourful and vibrant that its countless threads seem to vanish into its imagery: single threads becoming pairs, then groups, pictures that come together and separate in different places across the cloth, yet so merged as the overall piece that, from a distance, individual threads 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 stitch of each thread somehow embodies, depends upon, and also fully expresses every stitch of all the other threads on the cloth, far and wide, past, present, or future, and fully contains the entire cloth too. Dōgen experienced the time of the embroidery as the overall movement that is fully held and expressed in each individual stitch 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 whole piece.

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

Gassho,
Charity
satlah