Teachers checking students

[Ishin]

Thank you everyone. And Kevin, this was a great question to ask.

Gassho
Ishin
Sat/lah

[Onka]

Jundo wrote (As well, if someone is only faking or fooling themselves, that is not hard to see either.)

I regularly think I'm kidding myself or faking it in relation to practice. Not sure if that's my brain's unique design features at work sabotaging progress or if I'm subconsciously trying to justify holding on to elements of the life I'm trying to move forward from.

Gassho
Anna
stlah

P.S. I concur with what Byokan said above too.


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[Risho]

It is like sweeping a clean floor constantly because the dust can keeps coming back ... because as Shen-shiu wrote in the famous poetry contest ...

The body is the bodhi tree,
The mind is like a clear mirror.
At all times we must strive to polish it,
And must not let the dust collect.

... and yet, and yet ...

... as Zen folks, we also believe this too, as written by the 6th Ancestor, Hui-neng ...

Bodhi originally has no tree,
The mirror(-like mind) has no stand.
Buddha-nature is always clean and pure;
Where is there room for dust to alight?

Really, it is not that Hui-neng was right and Shen-shiu wrong, but that both are true at once.

Gassho, J

STLah

That's a low blow - pulling out the 6th patriarch story; just when I throw out the form, you counter with the emptiness

Seriously, and uncannily, I felt like you were going to respond with that story. I remember the first time I read your explanation of it, and it really flipped a switch; I previously always thought that Huineng had "won". But that's not it, as you explained. It's both form and emptiness, sudden and gradual. It also draws comparisons to the transmission from Buddha to Mahakyasapa. I mean there was more going on than just a smile and a flower.

To echo Ishin, really good question to kick this off and great discussion!

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Kevin Benbow]

Thank you all so much for your collective wisdom.

I feel that a lot of misconceptions are falling out of my head as I participate here and practice.

Gassho

klb

sat today

[Tai Shi]

I am sitting in my easy chair recliner with alter in basement about down half flight of stairs and 40 feet (ca. 12 meters) away and I feel hurting in my neck, I decide not to descend stairs because it makes more hurt; I fix pot of coffee, drink two cups at 5 am, taking morning med. I eat my healthy breakfast thinking how great I am I will think wow let's keep at friends to eat a healthy breakfast-- it comes to me they probably need to find healthy breakfast on their own, I think of the 1/2 cake I've eaten in two days and the 2 lb (ca. 907 g). I've gained, and how I can't do that again, I have applied the home remedy to my sinuses recommended by my P.A. I have decided to be lazy, and try zazen in my easy chair. I check the time as I usually go thinking I'd like to sit 20 minutes, tune into free sitting room on Treeleaf thinking two thinks-- boy I would like to join the live Zazenkai, and to turn the old Chromebook kilter I bow- I'd like to use that sleek i 5 HP; I got it for $250 which is not paid for yet. The old Chromebook was paid for long ago, so I bow while sitting to the free room, I begin to focus on breath in out, in out like cow chewing cud, and my thoughts are straggled. Hear there, then I'm into my breath relaxed with no pain, I'm breathing, and sometimes I stray then come back to safety of breathe then breath, Then a thought comes to me.

I say reality is boundless, and sitting in easy chair is okay, It's okay the bananas that they are slightly brown, and my A.S. support probably won't care, reality is boundless, then I think I'd like to tell my Sangha, reality is boundless, those grapes five days old are okay to the folks will eat them. I remember, to save all sentient beings, I think of the man I am going to eat breakfast tomorrow with, a sponsoree, and to save all sentient beings, I'll order that vegetarian, but they only make it with two eggs maybe order other omelette with bacon or another egg, reality is boundless, I can't tell him save all sentient beings now I atone for them all, he won't do anything at all, will he bring his Big Book? I'll bring mine, and should I bring my 12, and 12? Reality is boundless, I'd really be okay with death or life, so far I'm not hurting, breath in out, in out, I decide I will end zazen. I check the time 25 minutes have passed I did not know, should I claim more, now this new honesty is important. I want to tell my Sangha what I've discovered, I don't hurt, I end Zoom, I notice It'd be hard to get back into right now, reality is boundless, to save all sentient beings. Right now I ask if I've exaggerated just a little maybe about verse of atonement, besides that's my discovery, maybe he needs to learn on his own.

Tai Shi
sat
Gassho
I proof my entry-- Reality is boundless-- I'm hurting just a very little bit.