Saturday, November 18, 2006

The Supreme Path is Without Difficulty

Blue Cliff Record Case 2

Joshu said, "‘The Supreme Path is without difficulty, it simply excludes discrimination.’ As soon as words are spoken, ‘This is discrimination,’ ‘This is clarity.’ This old monk does not remain in clarity; do you monks cherish anything?"
A monk asked, "Since you do not remain in clarity, what do you cherish?"
Joshu said, "I do not know either."
The monk said, "If you do not know, why do you say you do not remain in clarity?"
Joshu said, "You have asked the question; now you can go."

"The Supreme Path" is not the Buddhadharma; it is what the Buddhadharma is intended to bring awareness of. Saying that the Supreme Path is "without difficulty" immediately causes difficulty. Even in calling it "The Supreme Path" Joshu cannot avoid chasing students up the one-hundred-foot pole.

Having pushed them to the top of the pole, he knocks it out from under them, saying, "As soon as words are spoken, ‘This is discrimination,’ ‘This is clarity.’" What words is he talking about? "The Supreme Path." What is not The Supreme Path?

One time, a man was inside a butcher shop. He overheard a customer ask the butcher, "Which is the choicest cut of meat here?" The butcher retorted, "Which is not the choicest cut of meat?" Upon hearing this exchange, the man was greatly enlightened.

"This old monk does not remain in clarity; do you monks cherish anything?" The Supreme Path is not even obstructed by clarity; can you monks demonstrate this? Joshu points out that the hand shadow he is making is not really a wolf: just a trick he learned from Sencan. He invites the monks to try their own hands in front of the lamp.

One monk tries to take him up on the game, "Since you do not remain in clarity, what do you cherish?" Not a bad try at all, but it is hard to tell if he is making a wolf or a fox.
Joshu gives him the benefit of the doubt and extinguishes the lamp. "I do not know either." Discrimination, difficulty, clarity, and The Supreme Path are all wadded up together and thrown into the compost pile.

The monk gives himself away; it was a fox after all. "If you do not know, why do you say you do not remain in clarity?" How embarrassing it must have been later, remembering how he plodded around sifting through the stinking compost.

Joshu cannot help allowing his Grandmotherly impulses to come forth, "You have asked the question; now you can go." He is not just being kind-hearted; he also clarifies one step of The Supreme Path.

Monday, November 13, 2006

A Comment on the Heart Sutra

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, practicing deep Prajna Paramita

“Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva” is an Old Grandmother that has become intensely aware of how newborn babies convulse when their limbs are hacked off with machetes.

“Practicing deep Prajna Paramita” is personally resolving to make certain that not one single being will ever again be forced to watch his children raped and murdered.

clearly saw that all five skandhas are empty, transforming anguish and distress.

“Clearly saw that all five skandhas are empty” means seeing that each of the five skandhas (form, sensation, perception, mental reaction, and consciousness) is Real Existence.

“Transforming anguish and distress” means that anguish and distress are transformed from temporal abstract ideas into Real Existence.

Shariputra, form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form;

“Shariputra” is the person that this teaching is addressed to, i.e. Old Grandmothers who are personally resolved to abolishing cluster bombs.

“Form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form” points out the fact that cancer is no other than Real Existence, Real Existence no other than multiple sclerosis.

form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form;

“Form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form” says that a bayonet through the lung is exactly Real Existence, Real Existence is exactly a baby in a garbage can.

sensation, perception, mental reaction, consciousness are also like this.

“Sensation, perception, mental reaction, consciousness are also like this” explains that the other four, of the five skandhas, are also like form. That is, the sensation of being skinned alive is exactly Real Existence. The perception of a head crushed in a vice is exactly Real Existence. The mental reaction of terror while undergoing water torture is exactly Real Existence. The consciousness that the mutilated body parts on the ground are your family is exactly Real Existence.

Shariputra, all things are essentially empty—

“Shariputra, all things are essentially empty” means that not only the five skandhas are Real Existence, but all things. The essence of murder is Real Existence, the essence of rape, brutality, ignorance, starvation, AIDS, SIDS, PTSD, torture, war, asphyxiation, dismemberment, birth defects, hatred, child abuse, patricide, thumbscrews, gangrene, and cannibalism are all Real Existence.

not born, not destroyed;

“Not born, not destroyed” describes the nature, or essence of Real Existence; Ebola is without beginning or end.

not stained, not pure; without loss, without gain.

“Not stained, not pure; without loss, without gain” means the hands that tear flesh are not stained. The water given to the thirsty is not pure. The tyrant rules without loss. The honest laborer works without gain.

Therefore in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, perception, mental reaction, consciousness;

“Therefore in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, perception, mental reaction, consciousness” indicates the truth that because serial killers are Real Existence, there is no separate entity to call “serial killers.”

no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind,

“No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind” shows there is no truth, love, wisdom, justice, happiness, freedom.

no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, object of thought;

“No color, sound, smell, taste, touch, object of thought” illustrates the fact that there is no beauty, music, fragrant flower, sweet peach, gentle caress, knowledge.

no seeing and so on to no thinking;

“No seeing and so on to no thinking” says there are no sunsets and so on to no wonderful ideas.

no ignorance and also no ending of ignorance,

“No ignorance and also no ending of ignorance” indicates the truth that there is no enlightenment and also no beginning of enlightenment.

and so on to no old age and death,

“And so on to no old age and death” means there is no youth and life.

and also no ending of old age and death;

“And also no ending of old age and death” is no beginning of youth and life.

no anguish, cause of anguish, cessation, path;

“No anguish, cause of anguish, cessation, path” says there is no serenity, cause of serenity, arising of serenity, path to serenity.

no wisdom and no attainment.

“No wisdom and no attainment” indicates that there is no cure for anguish and no liberation to attain.

Since there is nothing to attain, the Bodhisattva lives by Prajna Paramita,

“Since there is nothing to attain, the Bodhisattva lives by Prajna Paramita” teaches that because there is no liberation to attain, the Bodhisattva lives by personally resolving to attain no liberation.

with no hindrance in the mind; no hindrance and therefore no fear;

“With no hindrance in the mind; no hindrance and therefore no fear,” the Old Grandmother, having become intensely aware that the sound of burning children is Real Existence, is no longer hindered by presumption. No longer hindered by presumption she is free of fear.

far beyond delusive thinking, right here is Nirvana.

“Far beyond delusive thinking, right here is Nirvana,” means that right in the midst of delusive thinking, Samsara is transcended.

All Buddhas of past, present, and future live by Prajna Paramita

“All Buddhas of past, present, and future live by Prajna Paramita” says that all Buddhas at One Being Time, are personally resolved to making certain that genocide will never again be attempted.

attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

“Attaining Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi” is providing food, clothing, shelter, and love to every single person on earth.

Therefore know that Prajna Paramitais the great sacred mantra, the great vivid mantra,the unsurpassed mantra, the supreme mantra,

“Therefore know that Prajna Paramita is the great sacred mantra, the great vivid mantra,the unsurpassed mantra, the supreme mantra” says that personally resolving to abolish childhood leukemia is the great sacred resolution, the great vivid activity, the unsurpassed vow, the supreme function of life.

which completely removes all anguish.

“Which completely removes all anguish” says that such a personal resolution removes all the parasites from the bellies of newborn babies.

This is truth not mere formality. “This is truth not mere formality” means that this is not just a hypothetical teaching, it is the literal truth.

Therefore set forth the Prajna Paramita mantra,

“Therefore set forth the Prajna Paramita mantra,” says that since this activity can liberate everyone being tortured in secret prisons, we should carry it out.

set forth this mantra and proclaim:Gate gate paragate parasamgate Bodhi svaha!

“Set forth this mantra and proclaim: Gate gate paragate parasamgate Bodhi svaha!” Means personally resolve to put an end to all ignorance: Abolished, abolished, totally abolished, totally transformed, Enlightenment hallelujah!

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Proverbs of Samsara

Hello all! Being an admirer of William Blake and Buddhism, I thought it would be fun to follow his example of The Proverbs of Hell (from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell), and make up some "Proverbs of Samsara." If you have any comments, cool. If you have some "proverbs" to add, even cooler! Remember, don't take yourself too serious...

Proverbs of Samsara

1. Emptiness delights in myriad forms.

2. Meticulous Conduct & Observance is the mask of Pride.

3. "Outside words and letters" is the most adamantine of Idols.

4. The Sword that kills is the Sword that gives Life.

5. The cut cat forgives the knife.

6. The worship of Enlightenment will keep a person in Ignorance.

7. In still pools, larvae flourish.

8. In each particle, all particles, in all, each.

9. Without Emptiness, Passion is a vicious circle; without Form, even the dew dripping on lotus blossoms becomes loathsome.

10. An ordinary mortal who sees all things in each thing is a Buddha. A Buddha who sees anything outside all things is an ordinary mortal.

11. Discern the Greatness of a person's god by the Greatness of their Passion, or the smallness.

12. Those whose goal is Nothing Special, are themselves, nothing special.

13. Only by way of Great Doubt, can one arrive at Great Certainty.

14. Lucidity of preference is the measure of freedom.

15. Loving lies reveal; hateful honesty conceals.

16. Trust the man that has deceived you, to deceive you.

17. Hate only those that can be hated with love.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Welcome! Here is a question...

Welcome to all!
I thought it might be interesting to hear ideas or insights that anyone may have about how Dogen viewed his own role in relation to the Zen Buddhist tradition.
Throughout his records Dogen uses the the terms "Zen," "Zen sect," "Zen ancestor," etc. Yet, he also consistently maintains that "Zen" is not a school or sect of Buddhism, but rather the authentic transmission of Buddhism itself. In some of his most passionate writings, Dogen even goes so far as to say that the term "Zen" is a corruption of "Zazen" created by "stupid people" that did not "know reality" (Shobogenzo, Bendowa), and that "If you use the name Zen School, you are not descendants of Buddha ancestors and also have poisonous views" (Eihei Koroku).
I have some of my own ideas, and I do not think that Dogen is contradicting himself, but I would be interested in hearing any thoughts or insights that others might have on this topic.
If this topic does not interest you, please feel free to write about any topic you would like to regarding Zen Buddhism, Dogen, or the Shobogenzo.