Zen

Zen

Studying Zen is not the same as practicing Zen, just as studying aesthetics should not be confused with being an artist.

~T.P. Kasulis

True Beginners

In the beginner's mind there is no thought, "I have attained something." All self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind. When we have no thought of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. Then we can really learn something. The beginner's mind is the mind of compassion. When our mind is compassionate, it is boundless. Dogen-zenji, the founder of our school, always emphasized how important it is to resume our boundless original mind. Then we are always true to ourselves, in sympathy with all beings, and can actually practice.

~Shunryu Suzuki, in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

The Beginner's Mind

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.

~Shunryu Suzuki, in Zen mind, Beginner's Mind

Zen

A student once asked Zen Master Seon Nakagawa, " I'm very discouraged. What should I do?"

The Master answered his student, "Encourage others." 

A Beginner's Mind

I feel Americans, especially young Americans, have a great opportunity to find out the way of life for human beings . . . . You begin Zen practice with a very pure mind, a beginner's mind. You can understand Buddha's teaching exactly as he meant it.

~Shunryu Suzuki Roshi

Zen in America

Americans in general are lovers of freedom and equality; for this reason, they make natural Zen students. There are eight aspects of American life and character that make America fertile ground for Zen:

American philosophy is practical.

American life does not cling to formality.

The majority of Americans are optimists.

Americans love nature.

They are capable of simple living, being both practical and efficient.

Americans consider true happiness to lie in universal brotherhood.

The American conception of ethics is rooted in individual morality.

Americans are rational thinkers.

~Nyogen Senzaki, in the first half of the 20th century

It's Not What You Pick Up That Matters, It's What You Can't Put Down

Two monks, one old and the other young, came to a fast flowing steam where a lovely woman standing and weeping. The woman was unable to cross the stream without ruining her silk gown. The older monk, seeing this, lifted her into his arms, crossed the stream, and sit her down on her feet on the other side.

The two monks walked back to their monastery in silence.

Finally, as they approached the gateway, the younger monk said, "You're a monk. You're not supposed to even touch a woman, and you lifted her in your arms."

"Yes," answered the older monk. "I did lifter her. But, I've put her down."

Wisdom

Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise,

Seek what they sought.

~Basho

Chan (Zen)

The non-conceptual nature of Chan (Zen) is apparent in the catch phrases that became popular in Sung China. Chan (Zen) trainees took their cues from such expressions as:

1. No dependence on words.
2. A personal transmission outside the standard teachings.
3. Direct pointing to the mind.
4. Seeing the mind is becoming the Buddha.

Zen

Use your judgment. You know if the water you're drinking is hot, cold, or comfortable.

Tea

The fundamental nature of tea is unpretentiousness.

                                                     ---Lu Yu---

Prayer

Tenzo Kyokun (Instructions for the Zen Cook)

It is vital that we clarify and harmonize our lives with our work, and not lose sight of either the absolute or the practical.

---Written by Master Dogen, 

in the Spring of 1237 

at Kosho-ji for followers of the Way

 in succeeding generations---

Tenzo Kyokun (Instructions for the Zen Cook)

A person who is influenced by the quality of a thing, or who changes his speech or manner according to the appearance or position of the people he meets, is not a man working in the Way.

---Written by Master Dogen, 

in the Spring of 1237 

at Kosho-ji for followers of the Way

 in succeeding generations---

The Supremely Ordinary and Simple Work of the Awakened Mind

If hungry, eat rice;
If cold, put on your clothes.
'When tired, stretch out your legs and sleep.
During hot weather, be happy with a cool breeze.


Oddly enough, this is considered to be the highest attainment in Zen. Odder still, such attainment may take years of discipline and training.

If Hungry, Eat; If Cold, Put On Clothes

There is no place for special effort in Buddhism. Just go through your everyday life with no fuss. Empty your bowls and your bladder, eat, drink, and when you get tired, lie down. The foolish will laugh at me, but the wise understand.

---Lin-chi--

What We Already Are

The object of Zen training, if there can be said to be an object, is to become totally yourself. That may seem odd if you're hung up on ideas of Buddhism being all about "nonself." But nonself refers to a somewhat different sense of the word self. It means the concept of self is far too limiting for what we actually are. However, we can sometimes provisionally call what we actually are a "self," for want of a better word. And in that sense, the object of practice is to become fully and completely what we already are.

---Brad Warner---

Accumulated Habits and Messy Emotions

What happens to us doesn't happen so that we can respond to it. It just happens. Similarly, our response is just what it is. It may not have much to do with the events to which we respond. As practitioners of Zen, we try to respond clearly and not out of our accumulated habits and messy emotions.

---Brad Warner---