Understanding Death

[Rich]

Enjoy your conscious awareness. THIS is more than you think.

Btw what were you before you were born?

SAT

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[Risho]

Now - I think that is a key point, but I forget this time and again. Often times I live as if I have a guaranteed future; if there's anything this practice teaches, it's to live your life like this is it because it is. Does that mean that we go willy nilly and live a life of hedonism, YOLO and all of that nonsense? I don't think so; it means we dig in, face things, take care of now; if we know better, do better. Make your bed, workout, eat properly (these are things I would focus on myself); priorities differ for each of us, but what doesn't is that this is a gift and we shouldn't waste it.

Gassho

Rish

[Shinshou]

I agree with what Brad said about the freaking out, that there's a way to freak out without acting on it. But I would hate for anyone to think that being sad about a loved one dying...or even our own certain death...is equivalent to freaking out. It's not. Just my view.

Dan (Shinsho)
Sat Today

[Shoki]

I do not fear death. 500 million years ago, before you were born did you sit around fearing birth and life? Me neither. I've heard people say; I would be afraid of death especially if there is no afterlife, no consciousness. That makes no sense to me. If you're not conscious then you wouldn't know anyway. Every single thing that ever lived is either dead or is going to die. So what are you going to do about it? Just live. I have a kind of "trust" in the universe. I guess it is human nature to think about it once in a while. But I see no sense in dwelling on it. As Bob Dylan sang: Where do you come from? Where do you go? Sorry that's nothing you would need to know.

Gassho LAH
Sat Today
James

[Jundo]

I have a kind of "trust" in the universe.

I just read a thesis (I can't link to it) which discussed two kinds of "faith" or "trust" in Zen.

One is ordinary "trust" like a small infant to its mother: We may not understand much about what is going on, or who these shapes are that keep putting food in our mouth, yet we trust and allow it to happen, go with the flow. Not like we have much choice in the matter, but enjoy the ride.

But the other "faith" or "trust" in Zazen is really interesting, because it completely rewrites the usual sentence "I trust it" to remove the "I" and remove the object "it" and just leave the "trust" right through subject and object. That is cool.

It is appropriate to this topic of live and death, because what is "death" when we also remove the "I" and "it"?

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Doshin]

Doshin
Stlah

[Risho]

how to remove the “I”? that is the trick

thank you Jundo

time to sit

gassho

rish

[Washin]

But the other "faith" or "trust" in Zazen is really interesting, because it completely rewrites the usual sentence "I trust it" to remove the "I" and remove the object "it" and just leave the "trust" right through subject and object. That is cool.

[Getchi]

Live a good and gentle life now. You are conscious now for sure.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

Gas ho, thank you.

These last few years I have had to accept death after death after death. Many friends and dear family have perished, and every platitude has tung hollow.

Only now, after enough "time has passed" have I realized; this was always going to be. I too, soon enough, shall pass.

I'm reminded repititiously that wood is the time of wood, ash the time of ash. I get that.

Without tree leaf, I would have forgotten I am still wood.
I can not make the words to be clearer, but I pray and offer much Metta to Jizo, kuanying, and all brings who have suffered loss.


Gassho,
Geoff.

SatToday
LaH

An extra round of Metta too.


Thank you.