Same taste...

[Shinzan]

Thanks, Jundo. This thread has been really helpful. Part of the "Ploughing Clouds" poem by Dogen that you posted last winter.
_/\_ Shinzan

[Steven]

Jundo, you are quite the word-smith.

Deep bows,
Steven

[Jundo]

Thanks Jundo.

As I read here some folks did practice with koans, and also read from several Soto Teachers speaking about koans I wasn't sure it was quite a different thing.
After reading "Taking the path of zen" I somehow got the idea of MU-ing, although I know Aitken Roshi was more a Rinzai teacher.

I will keep practising shikantaza, I don't need to add more confusion to my already troubled zafu

I am happy with this and prefer not to keep looking in a lot of directions, I have so much ahead to learn about this "just sitting"


BTW, I had a quick look at "Three Pillars of Zen" and left it for later.


Gassho,
Walter.

I am slowly making my way through the "Book of Mu", and many of the essays are very hard hitting ... pouring all oneself into MU, as if a hot iron ball lodged in one's throat.

And then I came across this wonderful essay by the editor himself, James Ford, that shows the softer way to allow MU to pour. Wonderful, and I believe shows James Ford's Soto flavor even in taking up a Koan (he is from a mixed Rinzai-Soto Lineage, which he combines with his simultaneous role as a Universal Unitarian Minister). I wrote him ...

Just a cool breeze that knocks down walls and levels mountains. Thank you.

The title of the essay says it all ...

On the Utter, Complete, Total Ordinariness of Mu

You can read it here ...

http://books.google.co.jp/books?id=BGpH1Q3zK74C&pg=PT125&lpg=PT125&dq=james+ford+on+complete+ordinariness+of+utter+mu&source=bl&ots=LIgeV0DhRP&sig=QSppqZxgfX1Tc51qsImGpEj6F3A&hl=en&sa=X&ei=LWw6VJO-DoOO8QXbzIHoAg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

Gassho, Jundo

[Daiyo]

Thank you very much Jundo.

I'll read it today or tomorrow.

[Myosha]

Hello,

Thank you for the link.


Gassho,
Myosha

[Meishin]

I am slowly making my way through the "Book of Mu", and many of the essays are very hard hitting ... pouring all oneself into MU, as if a hot iron ball lodged in one's throat.

And then I came across this wonderful essay by the editor himself, James Ford, that shows the softer way to allow MU to pour. Wonderful, and I believe shows James Ford's Soto flavor even in taking up a Koan (he is from a mixed Rinzai-Soto Lineage, which he combines with his simultaneous role as a Universal Unitarian Minister). I wrote him ...

Just a cool breeze that knocks down walls and levels mountains. Thank you.

The title of the essay says it all ...

On the Utter, Complete, Total Ordinariness of Mu

Thank you Jundo for a link to this beautiful and simple commentary.

Gassho
John

[Meikyo]

Thanks everyone!

Gassho

[Kyonin]

Thank you all for this thread.

Tons of Mu and full of stuff to think and non-think about.

Gassho,

Kyonin

[Nameless]

Gassho, John

[Daiyo]

What a wonderful essay.
I've read it and I discovered that once I felt like the person rowing but while walking in the City surrounded by beatiful buildings, and the noise of the cars.
That moment, everything seemed to be perfect, in its place. Nothing to add or remove. All things were a perfect manifestation of life.
It lasted a few seconds and went away, but I've never forgotten the experience, that feeling of wonder.

Gasso,
Walter.