Today I realized that I’m really missing that key part of zazen. I’m viewing most of the time this Ango like a race, and there is nothing to accomplish
Nowhere to arrive
There is nothing to accomplish
There is nothing to gain
And there is nothing to loose too.
Wake up! Let’s go back to Mu.
I’m fascinated by that song today. Nice how Ango helps you to see Dharma in lots of things.
Whirpool’s whirl
Dragnet’s drag
Hell is no the fire
Hell is your belief
In yourself as the higher
Gasho
Just follow the breath
Nothing boring about it
Yes, it is boring
Incredibly boring, man
That makes it soooo amazing
One important thing I’ve forgotten is the idea of complete actions. Another way to connect zazen with daily life. Like we take the zafu out of zendo witb both hands, consciously, we can do the same when we pick up dishes from the table. To do just one thing./ to do it completely/don’t start anything else/ that is the key for practice
What if I turn this into a twitter experiment. It could be fun. So I’ll the poetry, but then try to fit in in 144 characters, and send it through twitter with my @neurobuddhist account
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica}
discipline is key./
repeat practice every day./
Years of wisdom ruined/
For a single lazy day/
But that is also practice/
#tankas
delete edit
What is it like to be enlightened?
I’ve thinking about this passage the whole day:
One of my teachers, Soen Nakagawa Roshi, was Abbot of Ryutaku-ji, a monastery in Japan. Nevertheless, he still did sesshin with Harada Roshi, clarifying his practice. In fact, he was criticized by some people; “Why are you going for sesshin to another Roshi? You are Abbot, you have monks.” Nevertheless, he would go, as well as do private retreats as a hermit. Always polishing, clarifying his practice. During or after one of these sesshin he “had” a “great” enlightenment. Several months after that, he told his monks the following, which I will paraphrase. Soen Roshi often went to Tokyo and elsewhere to lead zazen meetings. On the train, there was an elderly woman who, whenever she saw him, would come over and talk about all sorts of things. She would chatter on endlessly, tell him about her family, all the gossip, and so on. He didn’t particularly look forward to this. He would sit there, be very nice and polite about it, but, to put words in his mouth, “Ah well, I’ll put up with her.” You all know about this sort of thing. I am sure there are people you meet who go on and on about whatever. Though one may say “emptiness of all forms, oneness of multitude of dharmas,” this remains conceptual, even if you try to “act” it out – it is not actualized as your life. And though you are polite and even friendly, there is a trace of annoyance. After this enlightenment experience, Soen Roshi said he noticed that when he encountered the old woman he was delighted to see her. When she started talking, there was not even a trace of annoyance. In fact, just the opposite: he felt enormous love for her just as she was. Circumstances and conditions did not change; she did not change, and he did not do anything different, and yet, just of itself, something was completely transformed.
I’ve been there too, annoyed with a person that talks too much, getting angry and also getting angry at your getting angry. I hope one day I can reach that state too.
Loving everyone
Just as they really are now
Genuine love in
All our actions and deeds
Soen Roshi, guide me please
Today I surprised myself doing some mindful breathing before starting several tasks. It made me really happy. Sounds like practice is settling little by little. :)
Counting my own breath
But email is waiting me!
Counting my very breath
And those dishes are dirty!
It does make a difference
One grain of rice or two halves
This sentence poppep up in my mind several times while doing zazen today. It is the title of the third chapter of “How to cook your life” and It’s getting little by little my motto for this ango
Not sleeping much
Visiting doctors today
Watching my child play
Having a nice cup of tea
All you find is life. Your life
I met my adopted child only four days before starting the Ango. He helped me to understand
, to experience some key ideas of Buddhism and Buddhist practice of the Ango clearly helped to be a better father.
Today a Japanese friend tells me that Keita, besides being an African name is also a Japanese name, and it means: “the treasure of a child” yes, he really is a treasure. The biggest I could ever find
Yesterday it was a poem with no comment. Today a comment with no poem. ;)
While doing kinhin
I hold my son in my arms
relaxes and sleeps
Taking care of him
Helps me to be more focused
Not the reason I’m holding him