Difficult times..

[Jakuden]

Thank you for your practice Horin, and much Metta.

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday

[Tomás ESP]

Sending you metta Horin

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

[Koutoku]

Gassho,
Judy
SAT

[Horin]

Thank you all for wishes and Metta.
Up to now, no therapy is working really well.
All I can do is trying to wait and trust in the work of the doctors. And sit zazen.

Yesterday I was reading somewhere a quote, I think by kosho uchiyama roshi.. My free translation into English is something like:

"This body is a bag of bones,
Our mind is walls and fences,
The phenomena are just like drunkards."

Although I feel resistance against the circumstances, I try to surrender to life and try what is possible for me. What else can I do? Certain things will come, if I want or not.

Gassho

Horin

Stlah



Enviado desde mi BLA-L29 mediante Tapatalk

[Geika]

Sitting with you, Horin.

Gassho
Sat, lah

[James J.]

Thank you for your post, Horin. Metta to you.
Gassho,
James
Sat today

[Heiso]

Sitting with you, as ever.

Gassho,

heiso.

StLah

[Nengei]

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

[Horin]

Today, I made the mistake of using Google what caused many sorrows.

Most of the time I'm confident, yet here and there I'm not sure how everything will continue. For 4 weeks, I feel sick, at least, the fever is gone for now. When I feel too bad, ibuprofen helps from time to time. Antibiotics are obviously not working properly but I try to support the cure with 3 cloves of garlic a day (apologies to my wife, kids and colleagues), manuka honey and other stuff that might work against the infections that I brought from the hospital.

But at least my practice became more intense, so I manage to sit more zazen. Another side effect is that I'm reading many teachings (oh, I assume it's the fear of annihilation that drives me to practice more and to deal with the teachings - as if I will get satisfying answers.. Or as if there's any benefit.. [emoji12]). Nonetheless it's a good thing to empty the mind and gain some energy to deepen the own practice on the way. Crisis are opportunities to learn, for sure.

BTW, a very inspiring teaching from Dogens Shobogenzo Zuimonki (Book 1-14):



"In an evening talk Dogen said,

Even people in the secular world must concentrate on one thing and learn it thoroughly enough to be able to do it in front of others rather than learn many things at the same time, without truly accomplishing any of them.

This holds all the more true for the buddha-dharma, which transcends the secular world, and has never been learned or practiced from the beginningless beginning. We are still unfamiliar with it. Also, our capacity is poor. If we try to learn many things about this lofty and boundless buddha-dharma, we will not attain even one thing. Even if we devote ourselves to only one thing, because of our inferior capacity and nature, it will be difficult to clarify buddha-dharma thoroughly in one lifetime. Students, concentrate on one thing.

Ejo asked, “If so, what thing or what practice should we choose to devote ourselves to among the various ways of practice of the buddha-dharma?”

Dogen replied, “It depends upon one’s character or capability, however, up to now, it is zazen which has been handed down and concentrated on in the communities of the patriarchs. This practice is suitable for all people and can be practiced by those of superior, mediocre, or inferior capabilities. When I was in China, in the assembly of my late master Tendo Nyojo, I sat zazen day and night after I heard this truth. When it was extremely hot or cold, monks there stopped sitting for a while because they were afraid of getting sick. At the time, I thought to myself, “I may become sick and die. Still, I should just practice zazen. What is the use of clinging to this body? How can I refrain from practice when I am not sick? Dying from illness because of practice accords with my original wish. First of all, I am fortunate to be able to practice and die in an assembly under a good teacher in great China, and to be buried by such great people with an authentic Buddhist funeral. If I were to die in Japan, it would be impossible to have a funeral service performed by such people according to the Buddhist rituals. If I were to die during practice before clarifying enlightenment, I would be born into the family of Buddha again because of having established the relationship. It is meaningless to live long without practicing. It is useless. Furthermore, even if I wished to keep my body secure and healthy, I might drown in the ocean or meet an accidental death; how regrettable it would be’!

With such resolve, I continually sat upright day and night. Yet I never once got sick. Now, each of you should practice exclusively and wholeheartedly. Ten out of ten of you will attain the Way. My late master Tendo encouraged us in this way.”

Just after Dogen met Tendo Nyojo, his Japanese teacher Myozen who came to China with him died in the infirmary of the monastery. Also the voyage between China and Japan was very hazardous. So there was no exaggeration in Dogen’s resolution."


Sorry for that much text


Gassho,
Horin

Stlah