Even if there is no robe, just wear it

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

    Even if there is no robe, just wear it

    Even if there is no robe, just wear it
    ...this is what Koun writes in his striking attempt to express directions for sitting.
    Sitting arises from the mind of awakening. Sitting is the shape and colour of the moon. As we sit, we sit in this. Nothing is excluded or rejected from this. You belong. The kesa, Buddha 's robe and body, is beyond beliefs and thoughts of all kind, it does not mind if you dislike religious aspects, if you don't give a s... about pieces of fabric sewn together, as you sit, it is already covering your left shoulder. Kesa and sitting are not two just as this whole reality and you are not two. Buddha did not merely borrow a few clouds, glimpses of sky, haze and mists, the form of a rice field, earthy shades and a bunch of rags to turn them into a robe. No. The robe IS this whole reality we live in. So not having a kesa is impossible. Not being a Buddha is total delusion.

    We don t practice to carve a Buddha of flesh, bones and breath:this Buddha sits us. We don' t sew to make a robe, the robe is sewing us.
    Last edited by Taigu; 04-08-2013, 10:44 PM.
  • Kyonin
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer
    • Oct 2010
    • 6749

    #2
    Thank you, Taigu.

    I will sit with this.

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

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    • Jiken
      Member
      • Jan 2011
      • 753

      #3
      as the path walks us. Gassho Taigu

      Comment

      • Yugen

        #4
        Deep bows

        Yugen

        Comment

        • Mp

          #5
          I sit to live this life ... I live this life to sit.

          Gassho
          Shingen

          Comment

          • Kaishin
            Member
            • Dec 2010
            • 2322

            #6
            Thank you, Taigu.
            Thanks,
            Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
            Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.

            Comment

            • Daitetsu
              Member
              • Oct 2012
              • 1154

              #7
              Thanks a lot, Taigu!

              It was just yesterday that I stumbled upon the following sentence in the Shobogenzo:
              "The buddha robe is beyond silk, common cloth, and cotton."
              (Tanahashi translation)

              Gassho,

              Timo



              no thing needs to be added

              Comment

              • Myozan Kodo
                Friend of Treeleaf
                • May 2010
                • 1901

                #8
                The robe on our left shoulder ... there before our birth ... there after our passing ... having never been born and never passed ...
                Gassho
                Myozan

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                • Shokai
                  Treeleaf Priest
                  • Mar 2009
                  • 6394

                  #9
                  Thank you Taigu

                  Not being a Buddha is total delusion.
                  90% of life is attitude; the other half is being there.
                  合掌,生開
                  gassho, Shokai

                  仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

                  "Open to life in a benevolent way"

                  https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

                  Comment

                  • Heisoku
                    Member
                    • Jun 2010
                    • 1338

                    #10
                    Thank you Taigu. All of life is our robe, no getting away from it! Gassho.
                    Heisoku 平 息
                    Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home. (Basho)

                    Comment

                    • Shujin
                      Treeleaf Unsui
                      • Feb 2010
                      • 1094

                      #11
                      Thank you - I am in need of letting my tangled mess of planning and worry go. I'll sit with this tonight.

                      Gassho,
                      Shujin
                      Kyōdō Shujin 教道 守仁

                      Comment

                      • Run_CMD
                        Member
                        • Mar 2012
                        • 31

                        #12
                        Thanks Taigu,

                        Gassho
                        =/\=

                        Comment

                        • murasaki
                          Member
                          • Mar 2009
                          • 473

                          #13
                          I am being stitched wonderfully

                          Gassho,
                          Julia
                          "The Girl Dragon Demon", the random Buddhist name generator calls me....you have been warned.

                          Feed your good wolf.

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