Zen and Passivity

[Junsho]

Among the many things I observe in my daily practice of living is that I often come across people who are petty, selfish, and deceitful. This wouldn’t be much of a problem if it didn’t result in harmful actions, especially towards more vulnerable individuals.

I notice these attitudes, and they infuriate me. Even though I examine my emotions and see how they arise from an egoic nature, I often find no alternative but to express myself with indignation and firmness in order to prevent or expose these injustices.

Thus, I have not yet found the balance, and I remain uncertain about the best way to act. If I simply observe selfishness occur, other beings may, and likely will, be harmed. If I act as I currently do, I notice my anger arise — I observe it — but I still act deliberately in a firm and harsh way that can lead to conflict. Neither option seems fully aligned with the bodhisattva path, though the second option seems more fitting: punishing one to save others.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how a student of the path should act in such a situation?

Gassho!
SatLah

[Jundo]

Speak up if you think it appropriate ... but with calm, not anger, in your heart. That is having the "best of both worlds," namely, being able to do what you feel is right, but without becoming angry and upset yourself in doing so.

If you become upset, you are just making it worse. You let the bad defeat you, and just add to the bad. Better to be effective in your criticism, not destructive of yourself too!

Try to remember that the people acting in greed, anger, selfishness and other ignorance are poisoned, and "victims" of the poisons too, so think of yourself like a surgeon who wants to cure the disease, not get angry at the patient and get themselves sick too!

Also, know what is effective ... not what just blows the situation up, and makes it worse. The surgeon uses a fine scalpel and good prescription to cure the patient, not a bomb or and overdose of medicine.

It sounds easy, but takes practice to do. I think any human being ... even old Zen Masters, even Buddha, had to practice how to do this.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Junsho]

This approach seems appropriate.

Thanks sensei!

Gassho!
SatLah

[Jundo]

This approach seems appropriate.

Thanks sensei!

Gassho!
SatLah

It is fine, by the way, to feel a kind of "righteous indignation" or "sense of injustice" that is a very low key channeling of anger. It is like a small fire, under control, directed in good ways ... for cooking and heat ... rather than running out of control to burn down the house!

So, you can feel "motivated" with a sense of "fighting the good fight" ... but don't let the fire explode. No need to be totally cool or happy in the face of a wrong that needs righting.

Even Dogen and the Buddha seem to sometimes have "gotten on the soap box" as we say, and expressed themselves ... but not overdoing.

Yes, it is an art to keep the fires low, like cooking or being a blacksmith of one's own heart.

Gassho, J
stlah

PS - I wrote this once ... something I must practice myself ...

~~~

A campfire, so useful for cooking our supper if skillfully made, will quickly burn down the woods if left untended. A single candle which offers light can burn us and others, and the whole house down, if handled wrong. So it is with our emotions. Thus I say that the Precepts guide us away from excess and uncontrolled anger, greed, jealousy ... Anger at injustices in the world, for example, may spur us on to fight for change ... yet that anger should be kept in balance, and tempered with an equal dose of acceptance of life, lest it burns us to ashes too. The desire for change should not be allowed to run rampant as greed for and attachment to change from 'how things are'. A healthy dose of competition need not become jealousy and violence. We should use strong words much as we would scold a 3 year old child found playing with matches ... that is, with love and concern and understanding, not simply to hurt the child. A harsh word can be an "intervention" to shake a friend up who needs to hear ... or it can simply be a cruel and destructive word meant to hurt someone (the most famous example of "Zen tough love" may be all those old tough talking Masters administering "40 blows" of Wisdom). Thus, do not extinguish life fires ... but handle them with care and use them in constructive ways!

What is more, we must all recognize that we have these fires burning within us, and we must be mindful of that fact. I tend to believe that we all have the potential for the best and worst of human behavior within us, given the right ... or wrong ... conditions. We each have a little bit of Hitler or Osama, the murderer or the thief or rapist, within us (Kannon and Mother Theresa too). Under given conditions, the fire within any of us can run wild, and we could do truly heinous things when pressed. We must be very careful, for fire is a powerful thing.

https://forum.treeleaf.org/forum/teacher-talks-tips/teacher-talks-tips-aa/talks-tips-and-topics-by-jundo/3439-playing-with-fire

[Onsho]

Love them.
Its a good thing that you protest the behaviour.
But loving them shows you the other side of that same coin.
It will be hard to find balance if you have met the situation with anger while hoping for indifference.
Yes, its extremely hard, but only until it isn't.

Gassho,
Onsho
satlah

[Junsho]

A campfire, so useful for cooking our supper if skillfully made, will quickly burn down the woods if left untended. A single candle which offers light can burn us and others, and the whole house down, if handled wrong. So it is with our emotions. Thus I say that the Precepts guide us away from excess and uncontrolled anger, greed, jealousy ... Anger at injustices in the world, for example, may spur us on to fight for change ... yet that anger should be kept in balance, and tempered with an equal dose of acceptance of life, lest it burns us to ashes too. The desire for change should not be allowed to run rampant as greed for and attachment to change from 'how things are'.

Hi Sensei,

Thank you for such beautiful explanation.

I would like to make sure and confirm if my understand now are aligned with the teachings.

After many years observing “my” mind, I don’t really recall the last time I experienced uncontrollable anger. However, two situations occurred recently (one of them today)where I observed and I felt compelled to answer in harsh way. In fact, I did feel a trace of anger, but nothing out of control.

What led me to raise the question here is that I found my attitude somewhat inappropriate for somebody that trail the Buddha’s path. I didn’t think, and still don’t think, that a disciple of the Buddha should behave in such a way, Talion law is an absurd way to deal with things.

Thus, after your explanation, I think that I was able to understand and please correct if I am wrong, that sometimes we do need to “slap” (not in a literal way, of course) people’s face to avoid cruelty, greed etc. However, we should do this settled in tranquility and compassion of Kannon Boddhisatva.

Sometimes this is the right medicine for the right problem, sometimes not (am I right?). This surgical precision is a difficult task and as I can see need to be polished during our life. I will work on it.

Gassho!
SatLah

[Shui_Di]

Hi Junsho,

I my opinion, Bodhisattva path has a lot to do with motivation. Motivation is what define our act as Bodhisattva's act, or Mara's act.

In the Bodhisattva vow, it is clearly stated about,

"All beings are numberless, though I vow to liberate them all."

I remember about a story in Upaya Kaishalya Sutras, about Shakyamuni as a Bodhisattva, who killed a pirate in order to save hundreds of merchant on his ship.

Killing is not a Bodhisattva's act. But in some condition, there is nothing else to do. The motivation of the Bodhisattva, is not anger to the pirate. But because there is no other way, to save "the pirate" from killing hundreds of merchant, and also save the merchants to be killed by the pirate, the Bodhisattva decided to kill the pirate for a greater goodness. The Bodhisattva's motivation is not anger, but compassion to the pirate and the merchants. But we should be careful, it doesn't justify the harmful act in the name of Buddhism, because all depends on the motivation, and as the last way to overcome some problematic situation like the Bodhisattva's one.

"Delusion is inexhaustible, though I vow to end it."

So, the most important is our motivation. That's why as part of our Bodhisattva vow, we should be aware of our motivation, to be kind, and refrain from anger, eventhough our action can be harsh out side. But yes, it is impossible for us now to completely compassionate 100% 24 hours. But yet, we keep practicing dropping body and mind in Zazen again and again. It is our repentance. It is our renewal of Bodhisattva vows and precepts, (beside the formal one in Uposatta day). Zazen reminds us, that no matter what happened, suffering only come when we have Ego. And in ZAZEN we drop that separation between I You Him Her Them. We realize that we are just one reality in suchness. The problems is not problems, yet we always try to solve it as best as we can, with all of trial and errors, and that's completely okay. The trouble is not in the person, it is just the situation of life that we should learn how to handle them wisely and kindly.

It is just my opinion.

Gassho, Mujo
Sat

[Jundo]

Thus, after your explanation, I think that I was able to understand and please correct if I am wrong, that sometimes we do need to “slap” (not in a literal way, of course) people’s face to avoid cruelty, greed etc. However, we should do this settled in tranquility and compassion of Kannon Boddhisatva.

Sometimes this is the right medicine for the right problem, sometimes not (am I right?). This surgical precision is a difficult task and as I can see need to be polished during our life. I will work on it.

Yes, yes! It is like being the father of a teenager or young child. Sometimes, I would need to raise my voice and put a stern face ... don't play with matches, do your homework or no TV ...

... but there should not be real anger there, only concern and trying to get the message across effectively.

By the way, I have been to Japanese Zen monasteries where the senior monk will yell quite loud at the junior monk for making a mistake in the kitchen, and sometimes there are actual little "slaps" and "nose tugs" in the old Zen stories. But it should not be in actual violence with anger, and more for a "wake up" and to soften the ego. It is a bit like boot camp sometimes. Still, there should not be real anger.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Junsho]

Thank you Onsho and Shui_Di for your comments and thank you roshi Jundo for your teachings, I am really glad. This topic really opened my mind about this tricky situation.

Gassho!
SatLah