Zafu Pad Confessions

[Ishin]

Hello all

A friend of mine commented recently that the reason he disliked Facebook is that everyone seemed to be posing their "ideal" selves onto the site, sharing all the good, the accepted, and the self aggrandizing; portraying themselves as having the ideal life. I decided to buck that trend here and talk a little bit about my experience with temptation, the precepts, and Zazen. Recently there was a thread about sitting through the bad times here:

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?12540-Sitting-in-times-of-trouble

What about the "really" good times when things seem to go your way. I recently had the experience of being tested with temptation of breaking the precepts ( won't say which one) through the experience of one who sits regularly. What is that like for you when you feel you are being tested? Maybe it's the drink too many, the make money easily or dishonestly, the gossip about people, the advances of someone, or the like. Maybe I am the only Zinner here, or do you all find the precepts come easily? Whatever your temptation may be, I found it interesting to sit through the excitement it brought on and see it through ordinary ME HUGE EGO small self and see it also through the Buddha nature lens as well. I really do think the adage that the [precepts support practice and the practice supports the precepts to be true. Seeing all experience as more equal for me helps to see problematic experience as less appealing.

Temptation averted even though ALL experience Buddha nature

Gassho
C

[Jika]

Temptation: to ask "Precepts?! Temptation? What? what? what???"
Nothing to obtain.
I'll go sit.

Gassho,
Danny

[Joyo]

You are not alone, Clark. I too can be a zinner, breaking the precepts. Anger, gossip, yup. Just go back and try again, learn, do my best.

Thank you for sharing. And, yes, I too have one particular fb friend who has the perfect life...go figure!! Perfect marriage, kids, home, career, geesh, some people have it way to easy (can you hear my sarcasm )

Gassho,
Joyo

[Jakudo]

I think everyone breaks some of the precepts now and then.

[Mp]

Hey there Clark,

We all break the precepts and yet keep the precepts at the same time. I feel that the value the precepts resides in one's own heart, not just the mind. Life is what it is ... sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly. We try our best to be accepting of life just as it is (whether beautiful or ugly) ... but we do make mistakes; yet mistakes is one of the best places to learn and grow. =)

Gassho
Shingen

[Meikyo]

Hello all

A friend of mine commented recently that the reason he disliked Facebook is that everyone seemed to be posing their "ideal" selves onto the site, sharing all the good, the accepted, and the self aggrandizing; portraying themselves as having the ideal life. I decided to buck that trend here and talk a little bit about my experience with temptation, the precepts, and Zazen. Recently there was a thread about sitting through the bad times here:

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?12540-Sitting-in-times-of-trouble

What about the "really" good times when things seem to go your way. I recently had the experience of being tested with temptation of breaking the precepts ( won't say which one) through the experience of one who sits regularly. What is that like for you when you feel you are being tested? Maybe it's the drink too many, the make money easily or dishonestly, the gossip about people, the advances of someone, or the like. Maybe I am the only Zinner here, or do you all find the precepts come easily? Whatever your temptation may be, I found it interesting to sit through the excitement it brought on and see it through ordinary ME HUGE EGO small self and see it also through the Buddha nature lens as well. I really do think the adage that the [precepts support practice and the practice supports the precepts to be true. Seeing all experience as more equal for me helps to see problematic experience as less appealing.

Temptation averted even though ALL experience Buddha nature

Gassho
C

I agree that precepts are pointers for morality. Still I find it interesting that a little anger flairs up in me when you use terminology such as "tested with temptation" and "sin". I don't think like that at all. I see the precepts as: "If you want to live a good and honorable life you'd better heed the following --->" They are not hard and fast rules that be can sinned against as such. But that does not mean they're not important. But that's old news and the point of the question gets across clearly. The interesting part is how this "godly" terminology gets on my nerves. So there's also an answer to the original question posed. Some anger for me to work on.

Thanks and Gassho

[Rich]

Hi Aske, I'm aligned with you on this except the godly terminology I think is just a cultural hangover.

Kind regards. /\

[Amelia]

What Rich said! Gassho

[Joyo]

Hey there Clark,

We all break the precepts and yet keep the precepts at the same time. I feel that the value the precepts resides in one's own heart, not just the mind. Life is what it is ... sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly. We try our best to be accepting of life just as it is (whether beautiful or ugly) ... but we do make mistakes; yet mistakes is one of the best places to learn and grow. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Very, very wise words Shingen, thank you!!!

As I've spoken of before, I used to be a devout Christian, but that is long gone. Religious words, therefore, do not have the same meaning. They can be interpreted very differently, even with a sense of freedom from religious guilt.

Gassho,
Joyo

[Nengyo]

I've never broken a precept, however, I also don't fart, yell at my kid, or get impatient in rush hour traffic. It's easy. I'm not sure why you guys are having problems.

[Daijo]

Yes. We all break precepts. But I question whether or not they're just pointers for morality. Or, actually I question whether they have anything at all to do with "morality". Aren't they really fundamental truths to be recognized as "dharma"? Or simply put, aren't the precepts our guides to the fundamental truth of cause and effect. If I do a thing, I'm setting into motion events seen and unseen? This has always been my understanding. They're more than just a code that I attempt to live my life by, they are daily reminders of the reality of cause and effect. If I get drunk, or kill, or lie, or steal, etc...I'm not "just" slipping, I'm creating consequences. For me it has to be seen this way, otherwise it's just something to believe. I need to know that causation is a reality whether we believe in it or not. And I'm pretty certain cause and effect has been proven, so I trust it as fact. Again, I'm not proclaiming this to be the way. This is just how I understand it. For whatever that might be worth.

[Marjorie]

I quit facebook all the "friends" i made just posted tons of feel goody pictures and such and nothing "reaL' >

[Marjorie]

I see nature has no concept of good or evil. I think thats only man made. Of course in my eyes what you do your actually doing to yourself because were all interconnected anyways..

[Daisho]

Nengyo, you and I have so much in common!!!!

[Daitetsu]

Or simply put, aren't the precepts our guides to the fundamental truth of cause and effect. If I do a thing, I'm setting into motion events seen and unseen? This has always been my understanding. They're more than just a code that I attempt to live my life by, they are daily reminders of the reality of cause and effect. If I get drunk, or kill, or lie, or steal, etc...I'm not "just" slipping, I'm creating consequences.

I fully agree with you, very nicely put! One might also call this "Karma in action".
The precepts are not commandments that come from "above", they are reminders/recommendations/guides.

For me it also helps to see the "big picture": If you hurt someone, you hurt "yourself".

Gassho,

Daitetsu