Prevalence of Gays

July 15, 2009 Will Simpson

"Prevalence of Gays" number 106 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Supposedly homosexuality is widespread in Japan as it is everywhere. Okay, I don't see it but if you say so.

The topic of gays in Buddhism bores me as it is just not relevant to my experience. There are gays in my sangha, just like there are left handed people and even a couple of odd red-heads. Now if there was a prevalence of Republicans in Buddhism, that would be something to see.

Any error or confusion created by my commentary on
Miniatures of a Zen Master
is solely a reflection of my own delusion and ignorance.
Any merit generated by this activity is solely the result of
Aitken Roshi's clear teaching and is dedicated to
all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time.

Love

July 14, 2009 Will Simpson

"Love" number 105 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Not so sure I agree with Aitken Roshi on this one. He states clearly that words have power. Words and bring people together as well as drive them apart. I've seen this myself.

He's confused by the notion that the particular word, "love", should be reserved for only sanctioned conversations.

At first I was going to go along with him, but realized that for me personally, I don't see the word "love" much, particularly in Zen. I don't use it enough. In a way, not using the word is a form of stinginess. Holding back from expressing love in whatever form is a type of greed or maybe a manifestation of a fear.

From WoodenZen

May all beings feel loved.

The Drunk

July 13, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Drunk" number 104 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

This miniature is both about the perils of drunkenness and learning to be decent.

Once you accept that your life is none of your business, then you can
go about the business of living unfettered by the usual worries. If this holds true, then it is true for everyone.

When confronted by a drunk, they are drunk and you are confronted. There is no need for them the "busnify" their situation. There is no need for them the "busnify" your situation. It just is. Also no need for us to muck around in the business of our collective situation. Being unfettered in this way, it becomes easy and automatic to act decent. There no prescription for exactly how to act, life and the moment will dictate. Our job is to just get out of the way and above all don't "busnify" life.

Once you accept the life needs no "busnification", the thing called you can relax and just enjoy life.

What is meant by "life is none of your business"? When we make something into a business endeavor, we set up goals, we measure outcomes, we strive to succeed, we fear losing, we keep balance sheets, we find ways to have protection, and a slew of other activities that fix us, fixate our energy away from the continuous invention the is life. The "busnification" of our life clogs the natural flow of existence that we seek.

What is meant by "act decent"? Decent here is the antidote of unconscious. A synonym would be "right action". Not in opposition to "wrong" action, instead aligned with the unfettered mind, freely steeped in "life is none of your business". There is not way of knowing what a decent act will actually look like in advance. It could be kind, soft and quiet or stern, loud and sudden.

Each moment invents endlessly. Just get out of the way!

Love Never Faileth

July 12, 2009 Will Simpson

"Love Never Faileth" number 103 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

From WoodenZen

Ancient Bones 2008

As a boy, Robert Aitken was moved by St. Paul's "Love Never Faileth". He questioned and wondered about this and by his own admission "to this day, I can't put into other words."

I am a child of a different generation. When I considered how I would say "Love Never Faileth", immediately, out of the ether appeared "Love Is the Answer."

Love is the answer that never fails.

MIND GAMES
John Lennon

We're playing those mind games together,
Pushing barriers, planting seeds,
Playing the mind guerilla,
Chanting the Mantra peace on earth,

We all been playing mind games forever,
Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil.
Doing the mind guerilla,
Some call it the search for the grail,
Love is the answer and you know that for sure,
Love is flower you got to let it, you got to let it grow,

So keep on playing those mind games together,
Faith in the future outta the now,
You just can't beat on those mind guerillas,
Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind,
Yeah we're playing those mind games forever,
Projecting our images in space and in time,
Yes is the answer and you know that for sure,
Yes is the surrender you got to let it, you got to let it go,

So keep on playing those mind games together,
Doing the ritual dance in the sun,
Millions of mind guerrillas,
Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel,
Keep on playing those mind games forever,
Raising the spirit of peace and love, not war,
(I want you to make love, not war, I know you've heard it before)

Our sangha, the Palouse Zen Community, is reading Joko Beck's book 'Everyday Zen'. I came across a snippet that I'd like to share here. It discribes how practice evolves.

Intelligent zazen means making a subtle shift constantly, step by step; first from grosser levels to the more sublte, and to the more subtle, and to the more subtle; beginning to see right through what we call our personality... We begin to really look at the mind, the body, the thoughts, the sense perceptions, everything that we thought was ourself.

Yes, I can see that there is a difference between "intelligent zazen" and just sitting on the absent mindedly, daydreaming on the cushion.

"What Buddhism really has to teach [Westerners] is
how to relate more closely with [their] own experience, in its
freshness, its fullness, and its immediacy. To do this, one does not
have to become a Buddhist, but one does have to practice meditation."

Chögyam Trungpa, The Sanity We Are Born With

Guidelines

July 11, 2009 Will Simpson

"Guidelines" number 102 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

From WoodenZen

Guidelines

It doesn't matter if they are for writing, for woodworking or for zazen, guidelines help us navigate our activities. They are not rules in the sense that it is a mistake or bad to ignore them. They are more like signposts, intended to encourage and give points of reflection.

Zendo procedures are guidelines for our practice together. They are designed to keep everything running smoothly. As guidelines, these procedures allow the mind to relax. All the little decisions that the mind usually dramatizes are predetermined. All we have to do is give up to the procedures and to the schedule.

Here are guidelines for the practice of walking meditation, kinhin.

At the end of a sitting period, the jikijitsu or time keeper, will strike the bell twice. The first bell ends the sitting mediation and the second signals you to gassho in the sitting position and then quietly stand, facing in. Hands in gassho. When jikijitsu strikes clappers, gassho and place hands in kinhin position, at the level of the navel, right hand holding left hand, left hand holding right thumb. Turn to your left and promptly step out to follow the person in front of you. While maintaining your practice, walk slowly keeping the distance between you and the person in front of you the same as you proceed around the room. As people step out of line to use the restroom, let the gap remain as is. When they return, allow them to rejoin the kinhin line by entering at their place. When the clappers sound, maintain the same pace until you are in front of your cushion and stand facing in toward the sangha. Bow facing the sangha, then turn and bow to your cushion. Sit facing the wall to resume zazen.

Guidelines can also be a way for us to connect with our mentors. Robert Aitken points out in this miniature that we get specific guidelines from specific people. The guidelines are connected to actual guides. These guides are interconnected in a web that Buddhists can "The Jewel Net of Indra". Robert Aitken also points out that it is up to each of us to acknowledge our guides, recognize the guidelines given and then "it's up to me to follow through."

In the end, guidelines only work if we follow through. Guidelines are lines connecting us to our guides.

I was told by a couple of people that this book would become a bit tedious. That these miniatures were, well, a bit miniature. Without enough substance.

I disagree. Robert Aitken, packs both obvious and hidden chunks of the wisdom in each miniature. Sometimes I see this wisdom, sometimes not. This is a reflection of my energy and effort and not Aitken's. Because these writings are called miniatures, doesn't mean I'm off the hook and can be miniature in my reflection.

Besides, I'm having fun!

Gratitude

July 10, 2009 Will Simpson

"Gratitude" number 101 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

When we talk about gratitude, it's easy to get confused.

That's because there are two kinds of gratitude. The usual kind is the kind we learned about in Kindergarten. We solemnly express thankfulness for receiving something. That something could be a thing, or a constellation of non-material stuff.

The other type of gratitude comes not out of some personal action, but is the feeling/tone that grows out of resting the thinking brain. This resting of the thinking brain is referred to as "nonthinking". It is a very tricky thing. As soon as we think we're "thinking not-thinking", we're thinking. We have to be on constant guard, but it is worth it. Here we get to touch the gratitude that permeates the universe. Gratitude that confirms unity.

"We always measure things by our personal yardsticks. For example, if you experience a great feeling from your "not-thinking," you may say, "Wow, this is great!" But this is already measurement. Finally, neither "not-thinking" nor "thinking" hits the mark. So instead of measuring something by your yardstick, just try to be right in the middle of the world. This is called "nonthinking." It is nothing but practice; sit down there, peacefully, harmoniously. But watch out. Every day, from moment to moment, watch out, because egoistic consciousness is always coming up."

Katagiri Roshi

Yes indeed, watch out! Express the first type of gratitude and make yourself available to the second.

The Middle Initial

July 8, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Middle Initial" number 99 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Continuing yesterday's theme of simplicity and simple tasks, today's miniature comments on focusing on details.

I have a few details needing attending to.

This endeavor, to comment on every on of Robert Aitken's "Miniatures of a Zen Master", continues. Tomorrow I'll be half done. I'm feeling the desire to switch strategies and yet I feel committed to my current path. Dilemma. The only way to know is to do, so I'll continue on.

I have been announcing every one of my posts on Twitter but am now seeing that this may be a form of spam and wearing on the crowd. This is especially true as I rarely now am contributing anything but these blogging announcements. This strategy is being rethought for the first time.

We experienced a lightening strike very near our house. It hit a tree next to where the underground phone line crosses the underground power feed for the shop. Shops power breaker was tripped but no damage seen yet. The electrical surge in the phone line caused the DSL modem, the wireless router, the PC, and the laser printer all to die. Only the printer may be repairable. Lots of bits and bits lost. Opportunity to support the local computer shops.

So much for personal navel gazing. Onward to miniature 100 tomorrow. "Danger Man"