Simile Of The Cup

[Seiryu]

A great Theravada Monk, Ajahn Brahm describing the process of stilling the mind. I thought this was simple and profound so I wanted to share.

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[Dokan]

Re: Simile Of The Cup

Mmm....mind juice! Yum.

Thanks for sharing Seiryu!

g

s

[Jundo]

Re: Simile Of The Cup

Hi Seiryu,

Thank you for sharing. I have offered a talk that was very similar, in which I had a bowl of water all stirred up and turbid. That represented the mind filled with storming thoughts and emotions. If I tried to pat the water still and calm with my hand, however, that would just stir up the water more. In fact, the best way to calm the water was just to put it down ... let the thoughts and emotions go and settle of their own accord. This is Shikantaza.

However, the perspective I wish to offer (a bit of Zen Mahayana to complement Ajahn Brahm's Theravadan perspective on "stilling") is our ultimate realization ... namely that the water, whether still or stirring, quiet or rolling with ripples and waves ... is ultimately Still. True "Stillness" is not merely a matter of stilling the mind ... but of finding the Stillness which is all stillness or movement, the Silence which sings both quiet and noise. If one believes that "stillness" is found only in a stilled mind, it is a bit like saying that the only "water" in the jar is still water, not flowing water.

To realize the wet wet water that is always here is Shikantaza.

Something like that.

Gassho, Jundo

[Seiryu]

Re: Simile Of The Cup

Deep Gassho for that Jundo, deep Gassho indeed.