Eihei Dogen Links (updated)

I have found the works of Eihei Dogen to be quite beneficial to my practice.

I thought it would be good to post some links up here where the subject matter often relates to his works in the hopes that folks interested in Zen might have a chance to enjoy them as I have. This list may not be all inclusive, as I discover new ones they might be posted. Just because I am linking them dose not mean I am endorsing them either. You have to be a grown up and decide for yourself what is true. If you feel there is a link that should be added to this list feel free to drop a comment. This dose not mean I will add it, but I might. If you feel like a link should be removed, feel free to drop a comment. This dose not mean I will remove it, but I might.

Yours in practice,
Jordan

http://bodhiarmour.blogspot.com/2010/04/quick-reference-for-shobogenzo.html



http://www.numatacenter.com/default.aspx?MPID=81

http://nothingbutthelifeblood.blogspot.com/

http://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/eng/index.html

http://www.stanford.edu/group/scbs/sztp3/translations/shobogenzo/index.html

www.shastaabbey.org/shobogenzo1.htm

www.zenki.com/AboutDogen.htm

www.uoregon.edu/~rwh/buddhism/dogen.html

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogen

www.gudoblog-e.blogspot.com

www.dogenandtheshobogenzo.blogspot.com

www.dogensangha.org

www.numenware.com/article/category/dogen

www.the-middle-way.blogspot.com

www.fukan-zazengi.blogspot.com

www.hardcorezen.blogspot.com

www.mindfullivingguide.blogspot.com

CASE 17 AS I SEE IT

I thought I would give this one some a more full treatment.

With the disclaimer that people should really come up with their own view.

Mumon's comment about Chu provides some good background for this case.

Chu was getting decrepit and lonesome, and his method of teaching was like holding a cow's head to feed it clover.

So we have the national teacher, getting older, who force feeds people the dharma.

Then we know about Oshin, the attendant of the national teacher. A bright student who's been in the presence of the national teacher and has a solid grasp of Zen.

We have an aging teacher and a bright student.

We have a lonely old man and his caretaker.

We have two zennists with different styles.

We have Chu, we have Oshin.

Chu calls out to Oshin: OSHIN!

And Oshin Replies: YES!

Chu calls out to Oshin: OSHIN!

And Oshin Replies: YES!

Chu calls out to Oshin: OSHIN!

And Oshin Replies: YES!

What was Chu really calling for?

Oshin responded immediately as is custom for an attendant.

A crisp YES!

But that is not what Chu was looking for at all.

He knows Oshin is full of his teachings.

He is lonely.

He is going to die.

What does he desire from his student?

He certainly does not want a quick "Yes" in response to his calling.

Trying to get what he want, he has become a pest.

Oshin knows his teacher and his teachings.

Oshin did not trouble to show his Zen either. His satisfied stomach had no desire to feast.

He knows the doctrine and what is "Right."

But his knowing is not helping him at all in this case.

Because his knowing has become an enemy.

His knowing has caused him to let down his teacher.

Chu's teachings filled up Oshin, Oshin should have vomited them up when he was called.

Sometimes I am Chu, Mostly I am Oshin.

THE GATELESS GATE CASE 17. ECHU'S THREE CALLS

The case is below. Sometimes one of these things hit you like a whirlwind hits sand, sometimes like a breeze to a mountain. I used to really enjoy "Zen Play" or the fun conversations about awakening and doctrine and whatnot. Lately I have not had much will to do much with "Zen" besides drag my sorry behind to the little round cushion twice a day.

You don't penetrate a koan, it penetrates you.

I am aware that I am not always the clearest communicator folks, so in the spirit of the case below:

All my past harmful karma,

born from beginningless greed, hate, and delusion,

through my body, speech, and mind,

I now fully avow.

Chu, called Kokushi, the teacher of the emperor, called to his attendant: "Oshin."

Oshin answered: "Yes."

Chu repeated, to test his pupil: "Oshin."

Oshin repeated: "Yes."

Chu called: "Oshin."

Oshin answered: "Yes."

Chu said: "I ought to apologize to you for all this calling, but really you ought to apologize to me."

Mumon's comment: When old Chu called Oshin three times his tongue was rotting, but when Oshin answered three times his words were brilliant. Chu was getting decrepit and lonesome, and his method of teaching was like holding a cow's head to feed it clover.

Oshin did not trouble to show his Zen either. His satisfied stomach had no desire to feast. When the country is prosperous everyone is indolent; when the home is wealthy the children are spoiled.

Now I want to ask you: Which one should apologize?

Dogen's Bible and Enlightened Teachers

This is why I intend to gather together the few experiences I

had abroad, and to record the secrets of an enlightened teacher, so that they

may be heard by any practitioner who desires to hear them.

Shobogenzo Bendowa Nishijima and Cross translation

There has been a bit of scuttlebutt about internet teachers/communities versus real life flesh and blood teachers/communities that I caught wind of recently.

That, coupled with what ideas of mine of things like teachers and organizations that have been totally smashed, I would like to put forth that the argument either for and against is pretty lame.

First of I think this is a phenomenon that is primarily occurring in the western zen communities so that is where I'm coming from.

The first idea I'd like to smash is that there is a fundamental difference between the two.

Lets think about why we committed ourselves to this practice for a moment. It should not take very long. Most of us came to this practice because we know that something is not quite right and we want to get to the bottom of it. After a bit of practice most people (who are not mentally disabled, or acutely insane) figure out that it is themselves that is not right.

The more not right the person is or the more they are affected by this not rightness is frighteningly proportionate to how dedicated they are to the practice. So the most messed up people end up being zen teachers (or at least zen bloggers.) Just because they have become teachers doesn't mean that they have solved all of their problems either. From what I have seen Dharma transmission doesn't make someone a perfect human being. That goes for pretty much any of our zen sanghas weather online or physical here in the west. I'm sure there are exceptions, but the exceptions are pretty small and are likely not part of the echosphear. Anyone of these zen teachers who present themselves as being anything but a flawed human being is probably a U.S. Marine... unh no I mean a liar liar pants on fire. Yeah, they have likely been practicing for a while, they are likely well versed in dealing with their stuff (maybe) and most of them can actually be quite helpful in coming up with ways to help point you in the right direction for you deal with yours. You may even get really lucky and find a good friend that can point you to see things as they are instead of how you are.

In the interest of full disclosure, at the time of writing this, I have no pretty bolt of silk with a list of names on it to indicate I am a somebody in the zen community. After publishing this, I probably will never get one. Oh, I'd like one, but I think what I am doing right now is more important.

Ok, on to Dogen's bible, The Shobogenzo. While as my friend Ted pointed out it is only 95% complete, it is what Dogen left behind so that we could get the stuff from the guy who kicked off this whole tradition.

So, if you can get together with a group of folks, practice sitting-zen, and clarify the Shobogenzo for the benefit of all sentient beings (it's OK if your just doing it for yourself too, I think the sentient beings will benefit regardless), I think your going in the right direction. Along your way when the time is ripe, your probably going to run in to some guy or gal that might just help you out. They may not have anything to do with zen or be a kind of zen pariah, you may meet them in the flesh or out on the interwebs. But you are going to know when you meet your real teacher. I meet them everywhere.

ANGRY ZAZEN NON-ANGRY ZAZEN

Yesterday I was resistant to everything.

Irritable. I did not want to hear the noise of life and the goings on around me.

I was mad at myself for sleeping in and not getting to sit before the world woke up and started doing all of those things that distract me.

Today I slept in as well. But I just accepted the wife’s clackity clack on the keyboard, the kids running about playing and fighting. The noise from outside. The TV turned up too loud.

Experiencing resistance, I often find that I want to run away from it all. Go off to some mountain retreat and shut out the world.

Experiencing acceptance I find I am deeply in love with every little thing. Even the airplane flying overhead and the neighbor practicing the drums as I sit., a crying child rushing to my lap as I type.

WONDERMENT

I have done my best to try and unwind this weekend. I think I have done OK at it.

Despite having a lot of work to do at the casa de Fountain and a mountain of work to get through at the office I concentrated on doing a whole lot of nothing this weekend.

I was only partially successful but I think it was enough. I will have to make up for some of the stuff I did not do this weekend during the week but that is OK. I will get the main bath fixed this week for sure. I may take a look at some other projects after that.

I still have a sense of wonderment about this assignment to Okinawa and the 31^st MEU.

I’m not sure how to express that other than “Don’t Know.”

I have found myself leaning forward during sitting practice. I realize I am doing this not through feeling but through reason. When I lean forward I’ve noted that I begin to daydream about future possibilities. So when I recognize this I sway side-to-side and forward and back until I am upright again, but I have also noticed that I am doing this much more than usual these last few days.

WORST TEA EVER AND ZAZEN 98662

Seriously, if you ever see the package pictured above, do not believe it is choice or even extra choice. If your green tea when freshly brewed, does not appear green, that is a sign. If it tastes like a compost heap, that is a sign. I don't know what GARASHA means, but to me it means "tastes like bad." This has been a public service announcement.


This mornings sitting was pretty serene. ZMH joined and she sat very still only asking about time once. Serene sitting will not happen all the time. Serene sitting will not happen all the time. But I think it is OK to appreciate it when it does.


After sitting ZMH was a bit despondent that I had to go to work. I couldn't come up with anything other than that I have to work so we can have a roof over our heads and eat.


I shoud make some kind of plan of attack for today's workday. Little steeps are likely going to be the best rout today. I spent yesterday looking at the big picture and failed to get anything accomplished.

LIES & ZAZEN 98662

Last night Was busy. Got off work in time to rush home, than rush to a PTA meeting, than rush ZMH to her Karate class. Then get home, take a look at the computer for a few than evening office. Good news is everyone joined in for at least a couple of minutes for the evening sitting. Bad news is my wife is still suffering from a sinus infection that she refuses to go to the hospital for. I would like to ask all the readers here to encourage her to get treatment and or if she refused to get treatment quit bothering the rest of the family about how her sinuses hurt. You can e-mail her at megumif(at)gmail.com. Thanks!

This morning I found I was really grateful for sitting the first sitting by alone. ZMH woke up and had a waffle before the second sitting and it seemed to have disastrous effects. She was sliding off her Zafu (slick pajamas) complaining about this and that and asking an apparent never ending stream of questions. Finally, out of desperation, I told a LIE!!!
I told her the most the most important thing was to be upright, still, and silent. It seemed to actually have some effect so hopefully I will have a chance to explain what the most important thing is properly one day. I don't think she is really ready for that talk yet anyway with her "why mind." Then again maybe it is the perfect time.

Listened to a SFZC podcast and a half on the drive in to work. Has anyone else noticed that they seem to have integrated allot of nontraditional stuff into whatever it is they do?
I am not saying it is good or bad, but it is often quite different.

Got more to say but no time to say it. Boo!

ZAZEN & HEARTBURN 98662 (UPDATED)

ZMH, the PoC and a duck puppet all joined me for the evening sitting.
I believe that the PoC is so close to Buddha hood that she was channeling Master Rinzai, cool points to whoever makes the connection on that one.

This morning I got up super early due to a burning in my stomach. It seems that the 800mg Ibuprofen have taken their tole on my belly. So I decided to sit with that... Now I am sure allot of people have heard about some meditation skills to be used when dealing with discomfort. Heck I know I have used them. The one I am most familiar with is turning attention to the pain and realizing it is impermanent an watch it arise and pass away...

Did not work this time. Sure the pain would arise, and arise, and arise some more until I could not stand it anymore and got up to take some antacids and drink a couple of glasses of water. When I sat back down I changed game plans and decided to take a southern zen approach. Yes that right. A little "Mindfulness" that I have been picking up from one of Thich Nhat Hanh's children's books... Breathing in, I know I am in pain, breathing out, I am taking care of my pain. And you know what... It seemed to work, or maybe it was just the antacids.

Any way after about an hour of sitting I got up had breakfast and tea then made the rounds to wake up my sitting partners, ZMH was kind enough to join me again and after the sitting I made her some toaster waffles before shaving and grabbing a cup of tea to go.


At work the admin shop smells like fear and pine oil. I know hope is not a method, but I do hope the fair well in this inspection. I look at it like if they fail we all fail. And I have never failed an inspection.

Back to work!

Update: It turns out it wasn't fear I smelled after all. The water cooler sprung a leak and soaked the CO's carpet. P~U

ZAZEN & KAPOK 98662

Late last evening my Kapok Zafu and 10lbs of Kapok filling arrived. I emptied out the two oldest Buckwheat filled Zafus and gave them a needed washing. I then proceded to stuff them with kapok. If you are ever inclined to undertake such an operation I would like to warn you that this is a messy process. Particularly with ZMH and the PoC trying to help. Kapok fluff ended up a lot of places other than inside the Zafu covers. After a period of time I did manage to get enough kapok stuffed into the Zafu covers to be adequate for the little ones to sit on. I think I have enough kapok to fill two ore three more Zafu’s and I know I have seen patterns for them. I am thinking I will make some more. Can you ever have enough Zafus? I tried out the new one that was sent and I noticed that it does seem to have the benefit of not constricting the blood flow to my left leg as much when sitting full lotus.

I was on a day of leave yesterday so I decided to not bother coming to work this morning at the usual time but instead come in at the “Prescribed” time. Still I only managed one sitting after morning office but I did get good nights sleep. The Wife and the PoC were invited to sit but again only ZMH joined me. The timer got hung up though and we ended up sitting for 45 minutes. ZMH wanted to know how long and I obliged her by checking, as soon as I opened the application the bell went off.

It is kind of weird because normally my internal clock knows approximately when the bell should go off. Maybe I successfully let go of that, I don’t know.

Breakfast of cereal, hygiene and some genmai~cha to go. Hugs from ZMH and gratitude to her for sitting with me.

Now I am at work, reservists coming this weekend and a Commanding Generals Inspection. Joy!

ZAZEN AND MOTRIN 98662

The pain in my head got so bad yesterday that I went to the acute care clinic yesterday afternoon. The prescribed some antibiotics and 800mg Motrin (Ibuprofen.)

Ibuprofen, affectionately known as “vitamin M” in the Marines, turns out to be quite effective at dulling the pain caused by “Acute sinusitis.” I think this is something everyone who suffers from sinus pain should know about. Really wish I had known about it on Friday, but oh well.

This morning I did morning office at 0415 and ZMH Joined me for the second sitting. The offer was extended to the PoC and the wife but they declined to join.

The first sitting was visited by some stray thoughts of the “Sara Conner Chronicles”. I don’t even like that show. Weird. Second sitting was again more settled, attention flowing inward than outward, kind of nice I guess.

Regarding Gregory, these were my last comments to him:

Gregory,
Serving with honor has nothing to do with our elected officials.
It deals with real matters of life and death on the battlefield and personal conduct. I hope you can open your heart to that.

So it is not a matter of cognitive dissonance but a matter of it being a non-issue. I have no say over what our elected officials do weather I agree with it or not. It simply dose not matter. I do not want to imagine living in a country where the military could openly disregard the orders of its elected civilian government do you?

I have not heard from him since.

Staff meeting this morning, Joy!

NO ZAZENKAI 98662

This morning I allowed myself the luxury of waking up without using an alarm. I needed it and feel much better.
The kids were already up by the time I was ready for morning office and both participated.
The PoC really impressed me by her ability to remain relatively still for so long. I know allot of adults struggle to sit for 20 minuets a day and here is a four year old sitting for a half hour.

Anyway normally I do about four hours worth of sitting on Saturday mornings but I am letting it go this weekend because I woke up so late. Maybe later.

Looks gloomy out. Good day for naps and reading I think.

Oh, and if you want to read some important news, click here!

ZAZEN REPORT 98662

Got out of bed way late this morning. Not sure what happened there. I guess I just needed the sleep. Morning office did not go until 0510 and I only had time for one sitting. ZMH did sit with me through the whole half-hour though. That was cool.

Funny how one little thing can totally through you off your routine though. This morning I was 100 meters down the road before I realized I had not shaved, had to turn around, go beck and take care of that.

The cough that came with the virus I picked up is starting to break up causing a lot of mucus to be ejected from my lungs. I had to get up off the cushion once to take care of that. Yuck.

Mornings work practice is planned out. Time to execute!

ZAZEN REPORT 98662

Woke up early (around 0300) in order to send an e-mail to an acquaintance who appears to be fully realizing the first noble truth.

When I went to the living room for the first sitting and found it was a mess so I conducted a furious clean up effort before morning office.

I noted I had a hard time settling down.

Had a nice breakfast of nato (fermented soybeans) and rice and some tea.

I went to ZMH’s room to ask her if she wanted to sit but left quickly and she started crying “Daddy I want to sit with you” from her bed; I had already left for the living room.
This woke up her mother and they both came to the hall together.

Second sitting I was able to settle down despite the wife’s squirming, coughing, and clockwatching on the zafu.

I tried to give her some constructive criticism after sitting before I left for work. I told her how she is on the zafu is exactly how she is.

Hugs, kisses, and tea to go.

Back to listening to Ajan Bram on the morning drive to work.

Today I have to reconcile my consolidated memorandum of receipt with the supply section. It is kind of a sore spot for me. Time for work practice.

I may try and do a book review during lunch break.

98662 ZaZen till you puke!

This morning I snuck out of bed and deliberately did not wake the kids, I did try and stir the wife but all I got was some grumbling.

Some coughing from the other room, but only the cat sitting with me.
Three minuets till two bells there was a presence over my left shoulder.
Like that feeling you may get when you know there is a monk behind you with a big stick. Thwack!”DAH~DY, YOU NEED TO GIVE ME THE COLD MEH~DE~SIN!”

The Princess of Chaos (PoC) was up and angry. Bows to the wall, Zafu, Buddha, and to the PoC; appropriate time for breakfast anyway.

So We go to the kitchen, Raisin bran for breakfast. We eat quietly after the five reflections. I finish first and observe the PoC eating only the bran flakes and avoiding the raisins. You should eat the raisins sweetheart. “I don like it raisins.” Try? “Un Uh”
Would you like daddy to feed you? “Uh Hu” Close your eyes and open your mouth….
Was that good? “Uh huuuu” see; raisins are good! (smiles) Breakfast complete and back to the Zafu, the PoC wakes up her big sister “HANNAH, YOU HAVE TO GET UP FOR ZAZEN!” hmm, subtle. Sleepy eyed six year old takes her place on the Zafu beside me. The PoC on a butterfly pillow. Bells and bows. 20 minuets in they get up, Hannah says “I’m Done” and the PoC gets up too, both with the appropriate bows. The kindergartner goes back to bed, The PoC goes to the bathroom to vomit. I thought she had been really still during this morning sitting…Guess the raisins weren’t that good after all.. Mom is up to the rescue, than sits till the bell. Bows, kisses hugs, a pot of tea to go. Ajan Bram on the podcast today. Nice comments on the blog. Work!

03/10/2009 ZaZen Update 98662

Last night I thanked Hannah for joining me for ZaZen that morning. She said she would like to do that every day. I was doubtful… When the alarm went off in the morning I considered waking her up, but I decided not to. I did decide not to go straight to the Zafu but instead unload the dishwasher and put some dishes away. That did the trick as a Han (the wooden board that monks beat in a monastery to let people know that a practice period is about to begin.) Hannah woke up and helped me with the dishes. I asked why she got up and she said it was ZaZen time…. Of course it was. So we lit incense, did prostrations and then I put on my Rakusu… Now she wants a Rakusu too… I told her she would have to ask her mother about that.

Anyhow Hannah got up at 21 minutes into the sitting; hey a six year old being still for 21 minutes is still pretty impressive to me… Bowing the Zafu and saying in a mater of fact manor “That’s enough; I’m going to go make you waffles now Daddy.”

Awwww…

So about 20 minutes later I got off the Zafu and the toaster waffles were on a plate in the kitchen waiting for me. The waffles were lovingly slathered with margarine and enough maple syrup to drown a Canadian in. Needless to say the waffles were also ice cold.

Best ice cold toaster waffles I ever had. I fried a couple of eggs to supplement our waffles, ate, and thanked Hannah for joining me once again. Hugs, kisses, and out the door.

I could get used to this.

Hurt Feelings Report

This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in saftey,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be;
Whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!

Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings:
Radiating kindness over the entire world
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.





OK, I know this isn't "nice."
Sometimes the truth is just like that.
When your feelings are hurt, look inside before projecting your own pain on everyone else, please.

From Robet Aitkin

I picked this out of the comments section of Robert Aitkin's Blog.

"Care too has Karma. Choose care and the Buddha will smile."

That impacted me in a nice way.

Fuke Stories from the Sayings of RinZai

One day the master and Fuke went to a vegetarian banquet
given them by a believer. During the meal, the master asked
Fuke: " 'A hair swallows the vast ocean, a mustard seed contains
Mt. Sumeru' — does this happen by means of supernatural
powers, or is the whole body (substance, essence) like this?"
Fuke kicked over the table.
The master said: "Rough fellow."
Fuke retorted: "What place is this here to speak of rough and
refined ?"


The next day, they went again to a vegetarian banquet. During
that meal, the master asked: "Today's fare, how does it compare
with yesterday's?"
Fuke (as before) kicked over the table.
The master said: "Understand it you do — but still, you are a
rough fellow."
Fuke replied: "Blind fellow, does one preach of any roughness or
finesse in the Buddha-Dharma?"
The master stuck out his tongue.


One day the master and the two old teachers Kayo and
Mokuto were sitting in the hearth pit of the meditation hall. The
master remarked: "Every day Fuke plays the fool in the street
markets. Does anyone know whether he is a vulgar fellow or a
sage?"
Before he had finished speaking, Fuke came in. The master asked
him: "Are you a vulgar fellow or a sage?"
Fuke replied: "Say it yourself whether I am a vulgar fellow or a
sage." The master gave a Katsu.
Fuke, indicating each with his pointing finger, said: "Kajo's style
of the newlywed bride, Mokuto's grandmotherly Zen, Rinzai's
little servant — all three have the single eye."
The master remarked: "This robber."
Fuke left, shouting "robber, robber."


One day Fuke was eating raw cabbage before the meditation
hall. The master saw him and said: "You have quite the air of an
ass." Fuke began to bray.
The master said: "This robber."
Fuke went away, shouting "robber, robber."

Fuke always used to roam about in the street markets, ringing
a bell and shouting: "When it comes in brightness, I hit the
brightness. When it approaches in darkness, I hit the darkness.
When it comes from the four quarters and eight directions (of
space), I hit like a whirlwind, and if it comes out of the empty
sky, I thrash like a flail."
The master made one of his attendants go there, instructing him
to grab Fuke while speaking and ask him "If it does not come in
any of these ways, what then?"
Fuke freed himself from the grasp of the attendant and said:
"Tomorrow is a vegetarian banquet in the monastery of Great
Compassion."
The attendant returned and told the master, who remarked: "I
was always intrigued with this fellow."


One day at the street market Fuke was begging all and sundry
to give him a robe. Everybody offered him one, but he did not
want any of them.
The master made the superior buy a coffin, and when Fuke
returned, said to him: "There, I had this robe made for you."
Fuke shouldered the coffin, and went back to the street market,
calling loudly: "Rinzai had this robe made for me! I am off to the
East Gate to enter transformation" (to die)." The people of the
market crowded after him, eager to look.
Fuke said: "No, not today. Tomorrow, I shall go to the South
Gate to enter transformation." And so it went for three days,
until nobody believed it any longer.
On the fourth day, and now without any spectators, Fuke went
alone outside the city walls, and laid himself into the coffin. He
asked a traveler who chanced by to nail down the lid. The news
spread at once, and the people of the market rushed there.
On opening the coffin, they found that the body had vanished,
but from high up in the sky they heard the ring of his hand bell.

The master left Issan. Gyosan went with him to see him off,
and said: "If later on you go north, there will be a place for you."
The master said: "How should that happen?"
Gyosan said: "Just go there. Later there will be someone to help
you, elder brother. That someone will have a head but no tail, a
beginning but no end."
When the master later went to the prefecture of Chin, Fuke was
already there and helped the master when he started teaching.
But soon after the master had settled in there, Fuke cast off his
body and vanished.


No cometary from me on these, I just like the stories and felt compelled to share them today.

With great gratitude to Irmgard Schloegl

Insight of Scarcity

Scarcity: 1. An insufficient Supply of something.
2. An infrequency of occurrence of something.
Or, Shortage, lack, dearth, insufficiency, paucity, etc.

Having a feeling of scarcity toward the Buddha-Dharma is perhaps the worst possible crime against the three treasures.

There are a few stories that put a fine point on this, and I think most of the readers here are fairly well versed in them. If you are coming from one of the Zen Traditions, the Shobogenzo and the Gateless Gate/ Blue Cliff Records may provide some perspective.

I won’t point you to the specific stories; you should just go ahead and find out for yourself. I would add that for me personally I would not stop there. One thing I have found interesting is that in the early days of Zen in China, monks that were truly seeking the truth rarely stayed with one teacher or sometimes even tradition. I think there may be good reason for that. The truth transcends dogma.

Anyway, the story that comes to mind at the moment is one with a kind of ridiculous idea of guarding the Dharma. I had for a long time considered myself a “protector” of the Dharma. I have since realized that the Dharma is all grown up and can take care of it self.

Admittedly, I have come from a place of scarcity.
The other day Barry commented that “If your goal is happiness than you are likely to be disappointed.” I agree with him happiness is not the goal, but I have found it to be a recurring byproduct of authentic practice.
Recently I have been spending a lot of time looking my practice in terms of a much larger frame work and I find that there are a lot of people across traditions that do not harbor a feeling of scarcity. They have something in common; they show signs of being present, genuine investigation of the Dharma, Zeal, Joy, Focus, and Equanimity. These are also known at the seven factors of enlightenment and these factors manifest themselves in different ways. I should learn to identify them.

I think that it is important to be able to see these factors in people that manifest these traits and enjoy fellowship with them. But at the same time it is also important to not give up on those that do harbor scarcity. In the Xtian tradition it might be said “forgive them, for they know not what they do.” I have some faith that as we learn with people that we might begin to recognize these traits developing in place of what was once scarcity. Kindness is a good place to start. Isn’t that what the Mahayana vow’s are all about?

I start with acknowledging the scarcity I have harbored, forgiving myself and learning to inhibit the hindrance of scarcity for myself and others.

I think that we are coming into a new era of enlightenment. Or, at least I am. I do not think I am alone. Your experience may vary,and that’s OK.

I came across this today and think it is relevant:

If beings knew as I know the results of sharing gifts, they would not enjoy their use without sharing them with others, nor would the taint of stinginess obsess the heart and stay there. Even if it were their last and final bit of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it.