everyday is a good day

[Jinyo]

Thanks Jundo.

I have read through Taigu's words again.

I'm struck by 'something for what has courage in us'.

The more I think on this the more it resonates.

Also - the notion of starting from a point of Zero - as expressed by Govinda.

Very helpful


Gassho

Willow

[Myoku]

I feel like everyday is. if it seems good or bad, if it is good or bad, it just is the best day we can get at that day. I once read why the opposite "Everyday is a bad day" is _not_ ok, but I forgot why. That everyday just is as it is - thats enough for me. And thats good :-)
_()_
Myoku

[Omoi Otoshi]

Some days suck.

/Pontus

[Nindo]

I think I am going to recite this verse every morning and evening as a practice, and see what happens.

[Risho]

Thank you.

Gassho,

Risho

[Jundo]

Some days suck.

/Pontus

Yes. Some good days really suck. (a koan)

Gassho, J

[disastermouse]

A bad day that kicks you in unexpected ways can be invigorating...humbling - a teacher.

A good day of getting everything you want can inure you to the idea that lasting happiness can be attained via external circumstances.

[Myoku]

A bad day that kicks you in unexpected ways can be invigorating...humbling - a teacher.

A good day of getting everything you want can inure you to the idea that lasting happiness can be attained via external circumstances.

Well put, thank you
_()_
Myoku

[Omoi Otoshi]

Yes, I agree. The sucky days are not less valuable than the days you feel great. Just different. They are just sucky days. No need to add a lot of extra.

Gassho,
Pontus

[RichardH]

It's the "good days" when dukkha is glazed over with " things going my way" that trip me up. The days with a nice chunky dukkha are easier.


Gassho, kojip... wearing a hair shirt.

[Jundo]

"Every day is a good day" ... 日々是好日 ...

Might I respectfully suggest that it is not really a matter of "looking for the bright side" in the hard days, the "silver lining" in the clouds. It is not merely saying that "hard times build character" or "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" (even if true sometimes). Toss such bumper sticker, fortune cookie crap in the crapper!

Rather, what happens when you drop all thought of "good" "bad" "how things should be" or "I wish they would be"? What happens when you drop "you" clean away? What is beyond your little self and its demands on the world, on life? What happens when the walls come tumbling down holding this self-life-world apart, both the sunny days and the rain?

Nishijima Roshi, and countless other teachers, say that Buddhism is a positive, even optimistic philosophy (despite all the talk of "suffering", the real focus is not that ... but "Liberation"). When we drop thoughts and selfish judgments and appraisals, what remains is ... not an empty nihilistic hole, not directionless chaos, not greyness, not darkness ... but peace, freedom and fertile possibility! Not an empty hole ... there is Wholeness. Even a Wholly Holy Wholeness.

There is something about this reality that is positive, not negative, going in the direction all needs to go, so Beautiful ... even though ugly sometimes. It is a Beauty encountered when we drop all small human judgments and demands of "beautiful" (small 'b') and ugly.

And, while it is not always us, we are just that.

I sometimes compare our attitude to that of innocent babes with a deep trust in this source and world that birthed us, that feeds us and which somehow allows us air to breathe. Sure, it is not a perfect place as we might always wish it to be (and certainly, if I were in charge of its making, I might choose to do things a bit differently), but it is an amazing place and a miracle that we are here. Do you know all that was involved in allowing that to be, in allowing you to be ... from the stars ... to the flowers and trees ... every twist and turn of history and natural conditions that allowed you to be?

No, as the spring time comes following the winter, and life returns ... I say that we are grateful to that which allows it all to be, and us to be. Thank you.

In dropping our sense of separate self, we trade our limited perspective (as but tiny cogs, pointlessly spinning) for a vision of the whole "Universal Machine" ... 'tis precisely us, and we are that. Amazing!! AMAZING!

Gassho, Jundo

[Omoi Otoshi]

I sometimes compare our attitude to that of innocent babes with a deep trust in this source and world that birthed us, that feeds us and which somehow allows us air to breathe. Sure, it is not a perfect place as we might always wish it to be (and certainly, if I were in charge of its making, I might choose to do things a bit differently), but it is an amazing place and a miracle that we are here. Do you know all that was involved in allowing that to be, in allowing you to be ... from the stars ... to the flowers and trees ... every twist and turn of history and natural conditions that allowed you to be?

It's a very good comparison!
Sometimes when sitting, it feels like returning to the warmth and complete safety of the womb, where there is nothing to do except just being.
No one to do anything either, just the womb as the whole universe, which could indeed be seen as the source of our life.
Other times, the innocent child may have gas pains. And no matter how much the child trusts, gas pains suck. There's no way around it. But the child in gas pains doesn't add any extra. It just cries.
And when the pain passes, it goes back to just smiling at everyone and everything. No matter how much the gas pains hurt, it never ceases to trust.

Gassho,
Pontus

[Mp]

[I]I sometimes compare our attitude to that of innocent babes with a deep trust in this source and world that birthed us, that feeds us and which somehow allows us air to breathe. Sure, it is not a perfect place as we might always wish it to be (and certainly, if I were in charge of its making, I might choose to do things a bit differently), but it is an amazing place and a miracle that we are here. Do you know all that was involved in allowing that to be, in allowing you to be ... from the stars ... to the flowers and trees ... every twist and turn of history and natural conditions that allowed you to be?

I also agree with Pontus, this example really resonated with me, thank you Jundo.

Gassho
Michael

[Risho]

"Every day is a good day" ... 日々是好日 ...

Might I respectfully suggest that it is not really a matter of "looking for the bright side" in the hard days, the "silver lining" in the clouds. It is not merely saying that "hard times build character" or "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" (even if true sometimes). Toss such bumper sticker, fortune cookie crap in the crapper!

Rather, what happens when you drop all thought of "good" "bad" "how things should be" or "I wish they would be"? What happens when you drop "you" clean away? What is beyond your little self and its demands on the world, on life? What happens when the walls come tumbling down holding this self-life-world apart, both the sunny days and the rain?

Nishijima Roshi, and countless other teachers, say that Buddhism is a positive, even optimistic philosophy (despite all the talk of "suffering", the real focus is not that ... but "Liberation"). When we drop thoughts and selfish judgments and appraisals, what remains is ... not an empty nihilistic hole, not directionless chaos, not greyness, not darkness ... but peace, freedom and fertile possibility! Not an empty hole ... there is Wholeness. Even a Wholly Holy Wholeness.

There is something about this reality that is positive, not negative, going in the direction all needs to go, so Beautiful ... even though ugly sometimes. It is a Beauty encountered when we drop all small human judgments and demands of "beautiful" (small 'b') and ugly.

And, while it is not always us, we are just that.

I sometimes compare our attitude to that of innocent babes with a deep trust in this source and world that birthed us, that feeds us and which somehow allows us air to breathe. Sure, it is not a perfect place as we might always wish it to be (and certainly, if I were in charge of its making, I might choose to do things a bit differently), but it is an amazing place and a miracle that we are here. Do you know all that was involved in allowing that to be, in allowing you to be ... from the stars ... to the flowers and trees ... every twist and turn of history and natural conditions that allowed you to be?

No, as the spring time comes following the winter, and life returns ... I say that we are grateful to that which allows it all to be, and us to be. Thank you.

In dropping our sense of separate self, we trade our limited perspective (as but tiny cogs, pointlessly spinning) for a vision of the whole "Universal Machine" ... 'tis precisely us, and we are that. Amazing!! AMAZING!

Gassho, Jundo

This is a freaking awesome topic and gets to the heart of it. So many awesome posts from everyone!

I know zennies are famous for saying "Just Sit!" But it's also "Just Stop!" When sitting, the thoughts that come and go. Sometimes they are funny. Sometimes I jsut can't take and I think seriously, are you really thinking that again?! lol It's almost like saying "Just Stop already!" But not a forceful stop. Trying to stop just makes it worse. but an objectless stop. I know you mentioned the joke about going to the doctor and the patient complains that it hurts when they do something, then just stop. But the thoughts we tell ourself are addicting. I don't know if that's the correct word... maybe just more of what we are used to.

For instance, I'm so used to thinking out problems and emails and conversations so I can present the facts, but that can get ugly in mind. I then start repeat stories I tell myself about how I'm right, or if they do that I will just snap and tell them what for! So in that sense, zazen is like a breath of fresh air. Actually it's more like the freshness has already been there, but I had to get out from under the covers of my repetitive mind games to even know it was there at all.

Interestingly, I was reading through Zen Seeds again, and I happened upon the chapter that points to this point:

From A Brocade Cannot Be Woven in One Color (pg. 33):

Life goes on without regard to our partial or selfish desires. Accordingly, joy and anger, sadness and happiness, love and hate, and all kinds of thoughts and emotions are woven together. If everything, including misfortune, illness and failure, is unconditionally accepted as it is, then all experience may be constructively enjoyed.

The merciful world of the Buddha embraces all people exactly as they are. It is a world in which people who swear they will never be deluded but who will soon fall into bewilderment are generously embraced as they are by the Buddha."

Gassho to everyone for your wonderful posts.

Risho

[glow]

A wonderful thread, and amazingly right on target for me and my life right now. Thank you, everyone.

Gassho,

Glow