Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register
Examples: Monday, today, last week, Mar 26, 3/26/04
Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.

Are you having Fun?

zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
edited February 2006 in Buddhism Today
In the evenings a series of strikes on the densho, umpan, and han signal that the monastic and lay residents of Dainen-ji are assembled for the Shushin-ge, the chants which close the day. Following the bows to the butsudan and then to the Sangha, Zen Master Anzan Hoshin always asks, "Is there anything we should discuss?" On one such evening a student from one of the branch centres of the Zen Community was on the second day of his second retreat at Dainen-ji. The Sensei asked, "So, are you having fun?"

"Sometimes," the student said.

" 'Sometimes'?," the Sensei asked in mock suprise with raised eyebrows.

"Why only sometimes?"

"I...don't know," the student said.

"Oh. Well, when you are not having fun, why is that?" asked the Sensei.

"I...don't know," the student said.

"Oh. Well, when you do have fun, what is happening?"

"I...don't...know..."

"Oh. Well then, how do you know if you are having fun or not?"

"I...don't know..."

"Oh. So then, what *is* 'fun'?"

"I...don't know...."

"Fun is what happens when you allow the natural expansiveness of bodily feeling, of seeing and hearing and so on to express themselves past your usual round of contractions. It is releasing structures of attention based upon configuring sets of knowings as a knower relative to knowns and releasing all of this into the Knowing in which they arise. It is not a matter of feeling good or of feeling bad but of feeling, of allowing whatever is present to point to the space it arises in. Good night."

From - A talk on Lineage by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho

Comments

  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited February 2006
    Ermmmm....okay.

    I think I know what fun is, but I've never thought of it like that. I don't think I even understood what the Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho said.

    -bf
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited February 2006
    Yes, he got needlessly obscure in that last paragraph.
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited February 2006
    I know there are some suttas or other teachings that would or will prove me wrong, but I believe fun is a good thing to have. I don't think it is something that should be sought out - but that it is a direct result of happiness in ones life.

    I can't help but believe that when Buddha realized his awakening - and all the wonders he was seeing and knowing - that he couldn't help but feel happiness and think how "fun this is".

    -bf
  • SatoriSatori
    edited February 2006
    He was talking about the fun that occurs when you let go of ego's need to control and learn to flow with pure experience. At least, that's my interpretation of it. ;):D
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited February 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    Yes, he got needlessly obscure in that last paragraph.

    Why didn't he just say....'you don't get out much, do you...?'
  • buddhafootbuddhafoot Veteran
    edited February 2006
    hee hee... excellent, Freddie.

    Would have been great with in a Jewish Rabbi accent.

    -bf
  • SatoriSatori
    edited February 2006
    federica wrote:
    Why didn't he just say....'you don't get out much, do you...?'

    rotflmao1ql.gifrotflmao1ql.gif
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited February 2006
    LOL
  • MagwangMagwang Veteran
    edited February 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    "Fun is what happens when you allow the natural expansiveness of bodily feeling, of seeing and hearing and so on to express themselves past your usual round of contractions. It is releasing structures of attention based upon configuring sets of knowings as a knower relative to knowns and releasing all of this into the Knowing in which they arise. It is not a matter of feeling good or of feeling bad but of feeling, of allowing whatever is present to point to the space it arises in. Good night."
    ::
    Sounds like he wouldn't know fun if it bit him on the ass.
    ::
    ::
  • hopehope
    edited February 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    I"Fun is what happens when you allow the natural expansiveness of bodily feeling, of seeing and hearing and so on to express themselves past your usual round of contractions. It is releasing structures of attention based upon configuring sets of knowings as a knower relative to knowns and releasing all of this into the Knowing in which they arise. It is not a matter of feeling good or of feeling bad but of feeling, of allowing whatever is present to point to the space it arises in. Good night."

    From - A talk on Lineage by Ven. Jinmyo Renge osho

    I guess he was trying to say "Like.. Chill out... dude.. let your hair down.."
    .. or something :)
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited February 2006
    LOL :D
  • NirvanaNirvana aka BUBBA   `     `   South Carolina, USA Veteran
    edited February 2006
    ____________________________________________________________
    Teacher: "Oh. Well, when you do have fun, what is happening?"

    Student: "I...don't...know..."

    Teacher: "Oh. Well then, how do you know if you are having fun or not?"

    Student: "I...don't know..."
    ____________________________________________________________

    Shouldn't the student be whipped or something, for not even trying?

    Thanks, Genryu and everybody else, too!
    Q: How do you know if you're having fun or not?
    A: If there's no sound when I sit down and play the piano.
  • zenmonk_genryuzenmonk_genryu
    edited February 2006
    The student actually knows something, but what he knows he can't express, that's why he's being prodded. And yes, he's nearly at the point where a sudden poke might do him some good.
  • _BeautifulSpringtime_BeautifulSpringtime Veteran
    edited February 2006
    zenmonk_genryu wrote:
    The student actually knows something, but what he knows he can't express, that's why he's being prodded. And yes, he's nearly at the point where a sudden poke might do him some good.

    Perhaps this is the reason he says:

    I don't know.

    :buck:
Sign In or Register to comment.