Thank you Shingen 
Rodney, that is a good question --> the moon is typically associated with enlightenment. The narrator mentions this in the audio, and you'll see it in Zen symbolism quite a bit. I think, and I want to try to answer your question because I have the same question in a way.... I think that the moon being reflected in the water is an image of the self. The self is in that bucket, and it reflects the moonlight - or it is enlightened. But I think that the nun was trying to grasp for enlightenment as something outside of herself. And to be honest, who doesn't come to practice looking for something. But when the bottom of the bucket fell out, no more moon in the water -- no more separation.. beyond form and emptiness, beyond self and other, just this.
What is just this?!
Dogen's famous question: we are already enlightened, so why do we need to practice? We practice because that is the activity of an enlightened being; it's an expression of who and what we all are; it is the path and the goal and everything here and now. We practice to practice, not as a means to grasp toward some thing out there called enlightenment. It's like if you saw someone on the street and asked them directions to planet Earth. Or in the Sandokai, "Walking forward in the way, you draw no nearer progress no farther".
But even though we don't gain anything, that dropping of gain and loss, that ability to be pulled by thoughts, but then to "VOOMP" back again over and over is something very, very special.
If you are not practicing to gain enlightenment. If this life, here and now is Nirvana. If all of the ups and downs, when we are in pain, when we face death, this is paradise. That is a very, very special way of living. It's like jumping into life without regret. And feeling like shit, but not worrying about feeling like shit. Allowing it, but still having that underlying stillness that it's ok; it's ok to not be ok.
Gassho,
Risho
-sattoday
Rodney, that is a good question --> the moon is typically associated with enlightenment. The narrator mentions this in the audio, and you'll see it in Zen symbolism quite a bit. I think, and I want to try to answer your question because I have the same question in a way.... I think that the moon being reflected in the water is an image of the self. The self is in that bucket, and it reflects the moonlight - or it is enlightened. But I think that the nun was trying to grasp for enlightenment as something outside of herself. And to be honest, who doesn't come to practice looking for something. But when the bottom of the bucket fell out, no more moon in the water -- no more separation.. beyond form and emptiness, beyond self and other, just this.
What is just this?!
Dogen's famous question: we are already enlightened, so why do we need to practice? We practice because that is the activity of an enlightened being; it's an expression of who and what we all are; it is the path and the goal and everything here and now. We practice to practice, not as a means to grasp toward some thing out there called enlightenment. It's like if you saw someone on the street and asked them directions to planet Earth. Or in the Sandokai, "Walking forward in the way, you draw no nearer progress no farther".
But even though we don't gain anything, that dropping of gain and loss, that ability to be pulled by thoughts, but then to "VOOMP" back again over and over is something very, very special.
If you are not practicing to gain enlightenment. If this life, here and now is Nirvana. If all of the ups and downs, when we are in pain, when we face death, this is paradise. That is a very, very special way of living. It's like jumping into life without regret. And feeling like shit, but not worrying about feeling like shit. Allowing it, but still having that underlying stillness that it's ok; it's ok to not be ok.
Gassho,
Risho
-sattoday
wow, this is brilliantly clear, thank you so much.
And thanks Shingen for sharing this story.Gassho
Lisa
sat today
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