The Noble Cause

July 22, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Noble Cause" number 113 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

The Civil War was a long time ago and still is part of today's dialog in parts of the United States. Here in Moscow Idaho, we have our ties to the Civil War. I won't go into the details other than to say in my home town there is a fundamentalist Christian group, who's minister co-authored a book that espouses unconventional and unpopular views of slavery and the Civil War.

One hundred fifty years from now, what will be seen as my generations "Noble Cause" and who will be its deniers?

There is a online 100 day practice period opportunity being offered by Dosho Port. I don't know if this is the first of its kind but this is surly early in the virtual online practice September 12 through December 19.

Background
100-days of zazen and dharma study will help stabilize and deepen your practice – if you turn the dharma wheel, the wheel will turn back. It is inspired by the 90 or 100-day practice periods during the rainy season that monks and nuns have done since the Buddha’s days. Katagiri Roshi might have been the first to start non-residential practice periods. The idea is the same:

make a commitment

work your edge

and follow through (forgiving yourself when you don't and beginning again).

During this practice period Dosho will be leading study on Dogen's Genjokoan. There will be 11 Webex seminars along with Skype dokusan and a focused and guided study of the text of Dogen's Genjokoan.

All sounds so inviting.

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.

Step'um

July 21, 2009 Will Simpson

"Step'um" number 112 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

From WoodenZen

One action always leads to another action. Sometimes the relationship is clear and sometimes not.

In this miniature, Robert Aitken explores how our actions are learned and perpetuated throughout the generations. Decisive yet small interactions occur while we are often distracted by seemingly 'important' stuff.

We do things because our mothers told us to do them. Our mothers tell us to do things because their mothers told them to do them. On and on back in time without any examination.

Today we wonder why we act the way we do. As if it was a big mystery.

Till now I've spoke only as the collective "we". Now I must atone for all my bad actions.

Gatha of Atonement
All evil karma ever committed by me since of old,
On account of my beginningless greed, anger and ignorance,
Born of my body, mouth and thought—
I now make confess fully and openly.

The World of Make-Believe

July 20, 2009 Will Simpson

"The World of Make-Believe" number 111 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

How to cope with the question of the world of make believe? Robert Aitken points out that "we don't know we are making believe" and these made up believes "encroach on our world and actually endanger it."

This is one of the hopeful signs of Zen practice, this waking up from making believe. Each one of us makes a difference. Someday there will be a tipping point and our world will be a little less endangered.

This 'make believe' occurs on both the gross and subtle levels. Whole cultural genres are grossly make believe. Some are so easy to see how they "encroach on our world and actually endanger it." Violent computer games. pornography, horror movies, patriotism, war mongering, Santa Claus, etc.

Subtler forms of make believe are so much more, well subtle. If we pay attention to our thinking we cannot help but notice all the make believe.

I feel like I've held back here. It is easy for me to say that "such and such" out in the world is make believe. The examples like those above seem outside of me. First we identify those notions that are make believe that are in us. This is some hard work.

Son of a Famous Man Syndrome

July 19, 2009 Will Simpson

"Son of a Famous Man Syndrome" number 110 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

From WoodenZen

This miniature ends with "Watch out! You might succeed!"

You don't have to be the 'son of a famous man" to use this as a life koan. Commonly implied on this is the idea that there is something negative about success. At least that is how Robert Aitken used the expression. And yet, it could easily be twisted to the notion admonishing the careful attention that leads to success.

The suddenness of a shout to "Watch out!", brings us up to the moment. Dropped are the stories of this and that. Continuously dropping the story of my existence. Subtler and subtler, till even the notion of any thing separate to drop or any time in which anything seperate can exist, drops away.

Till then, "Watch out! You might succeed!"

The Illegal Annexation

July 18, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Illegal Annexation" number 109 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

The title of this miniature refers to the United States annexation of the Hawaiian Islands in 1898. Yet another indigenous culture subverted and co-opted.

The US government with the help of the US Marines, Navy and a few individuals on the islands conspired to overthrow the Hawaiian monarchy. They tried twice before 1898. Then the Spanish-American War was used as an excuse to unilaterally annex the Hawaiian Islands in order to utilize the Hawaiian Islands as a military base to fight the Spanish in Guam and the Philippines. There still is a independent state of the Hawaiian Kingdom and native Hawaiians still feel that they are living under occupation.

The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion. ~ Albert Einstein

My world is so small and privileged. I didn't see the pain of the Hawaiian Kingdom. All of this is sad. Both that it happened and my ignorance of it. How much of existence is like this? I don't have to look so far away to see my ignorance.

Open letter to the neighbourhood coyotes.

The morning is a cool and quite time here. July has brought some welcome rains. The fields are ripening and harvesting will start soon. We moved here to this canyon many years ago. There were less people here then. We soon discovered that this canyon was the migratory pathway for many animals. It is the least populated pathway from the summer high country of Moscow Mountain and the warm winter fields along the Clearwater River.

We hear you and your clan most evenings as you broadcast your locations and signal each other. Your life is so hard and we humans have complicated it. We move into your territory and bring with us our domesticated dogs. When you defend your domain we shot you and curse your name. Then we turn around and wonder why there are so many porcupines eating our planted trees.

Walking our usual trails, we see your scat and wonder about you. Are you safe, are you happy, are you getting enough to eat? It looks like it!

Please watch out. Some of our neighbours are not to keen on your being in the neighbourhood and they have guns. Please watch out. Wolves have been reintroduced to our area and sighting have been reported as close as fifty miles east of here. This canyon being an elk migratory path, it is only a matter of time till the wolves move in. Please watch out. Harvest is about to start. Big combines and lots of truck traffic. Look both ways before crossing the roads.

You have adapted will to our presence. So far you have not been able to catch our cats or the rabbits that live down by the shop. We are thankful for your presence. My heart is open.
Peace.

Your neighbour,
Will

I came across this great poem this morning. Really warm and encouraging. It is by Adam Genkaku Fisher and is posted on his great blog, which can be found at http://genkaku-again.blogspot.com/

Don't interrupt.

Blue sky.
Don't interrupt.
Warm or chilling thoughts.
Don't interrupt.
Talking to a friend.
Don't interrupt.
Blissful or confusing times.
Don't interrupt.
Looking both ways before crossing the street.
Don't interrupt.
Thinking profound thoughts, believing or finding meaning.
Don't interrupt.
Walking the dog or preparing the taxes.
Don't interrupt.
Making an effort not to interrupt.
Don't interrupt.
Interrupting.
Don't interrupt.

To this I'll add somewhere in the middle -

Coyotes singing in the still evening
Don't interrupt

The Naming of Children

July 17, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Naming of Children" number 108 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

I have no children. What comes up for me is a cacophony of miscellanea.

My parents named me William, after my dad
Some people are cursed with inappropriate names by confused parents
and have to pay a price their whole lives. Given the possibilities, I'm
happy with William.
William was the 8th most popular name given in 2008. If you are curious about the prevalence of your first name, go here and enter it in the query box.
Marilyn is the first name of the person with the worlds highest IQ. A different Marilyn lives near me and her IQ is not all that high.
He went by Bill and I went by Billy till I revolted. I'm now known as Will.

The Midway Rail

July 16, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Midway Rail" number 107 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

According to the Midway Atoll NWR Bird List and Seabird Population Estimates, The Laysan Rail (Poranual palmeri) was first introduced to the Midway Atoll, then became extinct.

Robert Aitken, talks of his experience of the bird and refers to this bird as the "Midway Rail". He talks of how a amateur ornithologist captured, killed and mounted one of these small birds.

If I were there, I too would have found this objectionable. A bit of cruelty on a bit of consciousness no different from my own bit. It is still sad, even now.

Aitken's "Midway Rail"

The story of this little bird is even sadder than Aitken lets on. It fought for survival when rabbit were introduced to its native environment. With no predators the rabbits ate all the vegetation turning the islands into barren dusty deserts. Native to the Hawaiian Island of Laysan (Kauō), the 'Laysan Rail' was transplanted all around the Pacific but never found a home. This was a very fragile species and like canneries in mine shafts, these birds have warned us and are even now asking us to be mindful.