not judging

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  • Taigu
    Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
    • Aug 2008
    • 2710

    not judging

    As I witnessed a drunk couple fighting yesterday in a train station of Kobe, the girl ended up thrown on the tarmac (rare sight in Japan...). I happened to be witnessing the whole thing for a good four minutes. It reminded me of a great thing we could all commit ourselves during this ango: not judging. Or at least be aware of how often, how much, how quickly our mind is prompt to decide who is who. This would very naturally nurture a more subtle, flexible and fluid mind.

    gassho


    Taigu
  • Hogen
    Member
    • Oct 2009
    • 261

    #2
    Re: not judging

    I think in some ways, judging is hardwired into our system...a kind of survival of the fittest aspect to human nature. Realizing how often and minimizing the amount of judging I do will be a goal of mine.
    Hogen
    法眼

    #SatToday

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    • Taylor
      Member
      • May 2010
      • 388

      #3
      Re: not judging

      Gassho,

      We construct a whole world of our own making around a single moment. How little we actually know is amazing.

      Flowing flowing flowing
      Gassho,
      Myoken
      [url:r05q3pze]http://staresatwalls.blogspot.com/[/url:r05q3pze]

      Comment

      • Myoku
        Member
        • Jul 2010
        • 1491

        #4
        Re: not judging

        Thanks Taigu,
        reminds me of nurturing seeds, one of my major tasks during Ango. And yes,
        I even judge my tea as being to cold to be tasty, ts ts ts ...
        _()_
        Peter

        Comment

        • Shokai
          Dharma Transmitted Priest
          • Mar 2009
          • 6456

          #5
          Re: not judging

          Did anyone attempt to assist in her distress?? :roll:
          合掌,生開
          gassho, Shokai

          仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

          "Open to life in a benevolent way"

          https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

          Comment

          • Taigu
            Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
            • Aug 2008
            • 2710

            #6
            Re: not judging

            Indeed,Shokai, two people did. Two women. In Japan, a man helping a woman out of the blue is a bit weird...And for once I gave up my shining armour for the role of witness. Loving and caring witness for both of them, and all of us.
            Thank you for asking.


            gassho


            Taigu

            Comment

            • Taigu
              Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
              • Aug 2008
              • 2710

              #7
              Re: not judging

              By the way...It is really important guys, you are all excited about Dharma big ideas and would be philosophical stuff...
              No judging is the core of our practice.
              If there is one direction I would give my students it is this one. Not exciting. Not thrilling. Not rocking.
              Sorry to disappoint an it is what Dharma is about.

              Not knowing, not judging.

              from Issa:

              in holy Jizo's lap
              squatting, croaking
              a frog




              gassho


              Taigu

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              • Seiryu
                Member
                • Sep 2010
                • 620

                #8
                Re: not judging

                We rarely see what's infront of us, we tend to see only our thoughts and projections about what is in front of us... Not knowing, not judging.... To step away from our thinking patterns and just to look and see... Like our practice... See a thought let it pass... Take this with you into everyday life.... See a thought about something let it pass....
                Humbly,
                清竜 Seiryu

                Comment

                • Taylor
                  Member
                  • May 2010
                  • 388

                  #9
                  Re: not judging

                  Taigu,

                  Might it also be true that there can be action in non-judgement? Yes, sometimes we give up the shining armor but isn't there no shining armor to begin with? If someone falls down, we act without thought of "That person on the ground" and "me the knight in shining armor". Just me on the ground with me helping myself up and moving in both directions. No selfish desire for that glory of the savior.

                  Originally posted by Seiryu
                  We rarely see what's infront of us, we tend to see only our thoughts and projections about what is in front of us... Not knowing, not judging.... To step away from our thinking patterns and just to look and see... Like our practice... See a thought let it pass... Take this with you into everyday life.... See a thought about something let it pass....
                  I think this is important, but even more important not to fall into stagnation of "Oh, no judgement, let it pass" when things REALLY need to be done. Maybe I'm complicating a simple point, but I'm not sure if that's the case. I believe that we can simultaneously not assign all of our complicated BS to a situation and still manage to help if help is needed. Completely content in whatever arises.

                  But just a few thoughts.
                  Gassho,
                  Myoken
                  [url:r05q3pze]http://staresatwalls.blogspot.com/[/url:r05q3pze]

                  Comment

                  • Hoyu
                    Member
                    • Nov 2010
                    • 2020

                    #10
                    Re: not judging

                    Originally posted by Taigu
                    As I witnessed a drunk couple fighting yesterday in a train station of Kobe
                    One of the many undesirable traits alcohol bestows upon us. Which is why I avoid it altogether!

                    O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts!  ~William Shakespeare, Othello
                    Gassho,
                    John
                    Ho (Dharma)
                    Yu (Hot Water)

                    Comment

                    • Taigu
                      Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
                      • Aug 2008
                      • 2710

                      #11
                      Re: not judging

                      Yes, I was expecting this...something like...Why did'nt you help this poor woman? What on earth did you do not doing anything?
                      Judging. Our poison. Our drunken state.

                      Now, a simple invitation : let us look at ourselves and the ten thousand judging thoughts we generate every day.

                      In this case, non action was true action. And what took place in my gentle witnessing confirmed this. My clumsy gaijin ( a word which means foreign in Japanese) intervention would have caused more trouble than help. The girl was shaky but fine (having two Japanese women helping her), the boy really sorry and scarred at what he did (he was also trying to help her and show her compassion).

                      And to be honest, I am getting tired of this, because this empty forum is filled with opinions and thoughts and this and that...

                      NO MIND !


                      gassho

                      Taigu


                      Taigu

                      Comment

                      • Taylor
                        Member
                        • May 2010
                        • 388

                        #12
                        Re: not judging

                        Gassho Taigu,

                        If I came across that way, I apologize, it was not my intention. No judging on your action, really! I suppose more so what I was getting at was the fact that action can be taken in the heart of non-judging. No good guys and bad guys. No me no you. All embraced in not-knowing-not-judging-fluid-act-when-acting-sit-when sitting mind. The giant blanket of BIG MIND.

                        Action non-action (not INACTION, no such thing), not one not two.

                        Something more like that, I think is what I was getting at. Pardon clumsy words.
                        Gassho,
                        Myoken
                        [url:r05q3pze]http://staresatwalls.blogspot.com/[/url:r05q3pze]

                        Comment

                        • Taigu
                          Blue Mountain White Clouds Hermitage Priest
                          • Aug 2008
                          • 2710

                          #13
                          Re: not judging

                          I totally agree with you, Taylor. Action-non-action is not inaction.
                          Every situation is different.

                          gassho

                          Taigu

                          Comment

                          • Ekai
                            Member
                            • Feb 2011
                            • 672

                            #14
                            Re: not judging

                            Letting go of our judgements allows us to respond with compassion instead of our knee-jerk reaction. It is dangerous when we quickly assume what we think is true without knowing the details of any situation.

                            It is also important to let of our self-judgements. How can we expect to let go of judging others if we are constantly judging ourselves? However, I admit that self-judging is something I need and have working on.

                            Thanks,
                            Jodi

                            Comment

                            • ChrisA
                              Member
                              • Jun 2011
                              • 312

                              #15
                              Re: not judging

                              Great topic!

                              Oops...

                              Seriously, gassho for this discussion.
                              Chris Seishi Amirault
                              (ZenPedestrian)

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