The Zen Master's Dance - 18 - Genjo Koan (Top of p. 67 to End of Chapter)

[Jundo]

Dear You-nivese,

Let's go from the top of p. 67 (starting with "In truth, the place and the way are neither large nor small"), right to the end of the Chapter.

So, usually we think that we are just individuals acting in the universe. However, Dogen and so many Mahayana masters experienced the universe as so interconnected, inter-identical, that what you do is the whole universe doing what you do, everything in the universe doing it too, and you doing them.

We might say that it is not just you riding a bike down a road, but that your riding is the whole universe riding with your legs, all the trees, the farthest stars, the smallest ants, Britany Spears and Vladimir Putin, dinosaurs long ago and rockets of the future, riding the bike with your legs, while your legs moving make all of them spin round and round as they each and all make your legs move and the wheels of the bike go round and round.

This vision of the universe is not unlike this vision of intertwined gears, one turning the other, so all is spinning and spun by all, while all is the whole just turning ...

So, please pick an activity you do, and rewrite the following so that it is the whole universe, and any and everything in the universe doing so:

My [doing something] is the whole universe [doing this something], all the [unrelated object/person/place 1], [unrelated object/person/place 2], [unrelated object/person/place 3], [unrelated object/person/place 4] and [unrelated object/person/place 5], [some thing or event of the past long ago], [some thing or event of the future] each and all [doing this something] with my [body part], while my [body part] moving makes each and all of them move and their each and all moving makes my [body part] move and this [something get done]. In the end, there is just one Great Moving.

Because your doing is all things and everything, everywhere, including things and happenings of any time in the past or future, your smallest action is big small now then and all times, plus so much the entire whole and all time that it is beyond measure because nothing beyond it.

So, in Zen, when we "truly meet one thing" for a moment like sitting Zazen, it is the whole thing and all things and each and every moment of always forever sitting Zazen as our sitting for a moment.

This is so, just a fact, even when we don't realize and are not aware of this fact.

However, because this is true for our good acts and bad acts, it is important that we realize that our acts color, purify or pollute the whole universe. Thus, we should do our best to act in good ways (free of excess desire, anger and violence, jealousy and the like). We must fan the air to make it move, but let us do so in good ways ... fanning cooling breezes, not fanning war and flames. In other words, it is up to us to fan with grace, balance, poise ...

https://youtu.be/Cnq4LojdhYQ

Gassho, J

STLah

[aprapti]

My making tea is the whole universe making tea, all the guests, dogu, tea (plants), and rooms, former practising, next chakai each and all making tea with my hands, while my upper part moving makes each and all of them move and their each and all moving makes my hands move and this making tea gets done. In the end, there is just one Great Moving.

aprapti

sat

[Jundo]

My making tea is the whole universe making tea, all the guests, dogu, tea (plants), and rooms, former practising, next chakai each and all making tea with my hands, while my upper part moving makes each and all of them move and their each and all moving makes my hands move and this making tea gets done. In the end, there is just one Great Moving.

aprapti

sat

That is great and true! Beautiful! The whole universe is the Tea Room.

But can you go outside the Tea Room too, to places, times, things, that have little apparent connection to tea? Then, the Tea Room expands to hold the whole universe.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Tairin]

My playing guitar is the whole universe playing guitar, all the mountains, valleys, earth worms, eagles and fungi, the Big Bang, Super Nova, each and all playing guitar with my hands, while my hands moving makes each and all of them move and their each and all moving makes my hands move and this guitar is played. In the end, there is just one Great Moving.

Threw in the Big Bang and Super Nova to make my guitar playing sound particularly epic. . (Yeah I wish)


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Jundo]

[Tomás ESP]

My sleeping is the whole universe sleeping, all the books, windows, stars, waves and pizzas, births, deaths each and all sleeping with my heart, while my heart moving makes each and all of them move and their each and all moving makes my heart move and this sleeping is done. In the end, there is just one Great Moving.

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

[Amelia]

My walking is the whole universe walking, all the neighbors, houses, streets, trees and birds, my ancestors hunting for food, future generations going to Mars each and all walking with my feet, while my legs moving makes each and all of them move and their each and all moving makes my feet move and this walking get done. In the end, there is just one Great Moving.

Gassho
Sat, lah

[Jundo]

Nice

[Tai Shi]

Sensa Dr. Scott Voung. Last Brain Surgery before his two day Boards, exactly 9:00 a. m. Central US time, one to ten breathe meditation to "sleep," 6 hours later, bandages, into ICU bed, Marjorie entire 14 hours, orienting questions every half hour, phone app messages from Treeleaf, text from Church, tablet messages from friends, All Souls U.U. Rev Allan every day, wife Marjorie entire time for recovery of four days, kinks in body, six weeks before and after, asked questions every half hour, Treeleaf after ICU; the dance of nurses, techs, doctors, then home, next month after all therapies, reading eight books, writing poetry then Ubasoku, January, 2022, confusion will clear with Life, with less pain, this is success, I sit each day for Ukraine, final check at 6 months, Ten weeks total Physical Therapy, on my own at the gym, finally all honesty with Marjorie what I wanted from Treeleaf, Gengokoan; this is my dance of this universe fitting all together. Daughter calls from Tokyo. This is finally Remembering Jundo's successful surgery.
Gassho
sat/ lah

[Onkai]

My lying down is the whole universe lying down, all the trees, all the lakes, all the kittens, factories and roads, the ice age, the cleanup of the oceans each and all lying down with my head, while my legs moving makes each and all of them move and each and all moving makes my arms move and this lies down. In the end, there is just one Great Moving.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat/lah

[Chikyou]

My [moving] is the whole universe [moving], all the [fish swimming through the ocean ], [birds flying through the air], [squirrels scampering through the trees], [magma flowing under ground ] and [starstuff hurtling through space ], [the big bang], [the theoretical heat death of the universe] each and all [moving] with my [hands and feet], while my [hands and feet] moving makes each and all of them move and their each and all moving makes my [hands and feet] move and this [moving]. In the end, there is just one Great Moving.

Gassho,
SatLah
Kelly

[Tai Shi]

No tumor, total success. Sit with Tonglen for self, world, for all sentient beings. Think clearly, can listen. Surgery fading to universe October, 29, 2021, 9 a.m. Have read nine books, write fluid poetry. Ubasoku feels right. July 10, 2022. In 12 days I celebrate 22nd 35 yrs. no alcoholic beverages, I am 70. Doctor narcotics at nearly none for my arthritic disease. I am happy and friendly. I catch this reading.
Gassho
sat/ lah
taishi