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The path
So the lesson I am learning of late is this. In the Zen tradition we seek no self, the end of the ego and identification with external things. With everything that has happened in my life lately I am have had many of these things removed. So as my identity with the external falls away my ego struggles with what is left? Grasping at things and creating conflict where ever possible. Some of these things have felt like great burdens to me, weighing me down and causing great stress. so now to the good part......
A friend of mine who practices Sufi meditation showed me a practice they call Remembrance. It involves chanting the name of your God (Allah, Brahmin etc. I used Amitabah) and opening your heart. Similar to the Bhodichitta practice in Buddhism. I was given some very strong clarity on my situation and floods of Zen/Buddhist teachings came back to me. In short I realized the error of my thinking that all of these "problems" had this weight and gravity to them. The truth of the matter is they have no weight at all. The pressure and burden they were causing was simply my grasping them. The weight was my own. Like a bouquet of balloons pulling at the finger of a child, there is no pressure upon release.
When it rains the ground gets wet. Everything else is you.
^gassho^
Mike
A friend of mine who practices Sufi meditation showed me a practice they call Remembrance. It involves chanting the name of your God (Allah, Brahmin etc. I used Amitabah) and opening your heart. Similar to the Bhodichitta practice in Buddhism. I was given some very strong clarity on my situation and floods of Zen/Buddhist teachings came back to me. In short I realized the error of my thinking that all of these "problems" had this weight and gravity to them. The truth of the matter is they have no weight at all. The pressure and burden they were causing was simply my grasping them. The weight was my own. Like a bouquet of balloons pulling at the finger of a child, there is no pressure upon release.
When it rains the ground gets wet. Everything else is you.
^gassho^
Mike
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Comments
In reading your post and being aware of what you have been going through, I find myself looking at the statements you have made - and think...
When we look at the things that impact us - I can't help believe that they are all conditioned things. The hurt, the loss, the upset, the clinging - whatever it is. These are all states. Because, really, if we were to sleep throughout the difficulties in our lives - would they have this same impact? No - because our conscienceness, our mind wouldn't be dealing with them. The actions of others would still be out there - but they would have no impact on us.
What is the hardest thing for me is to truly incorporate Buddhism into my day-to-day life.
If everything was rosey and good - our practice wouldn't be as difficult. But, when dealing with turmoil in our lives is where, as they say, the rubber hits the road.
Awakened? Englightenment?
I truly don't care if I ever attain these states.
If I could go through life and:
Not have what others say or do create anger in me or
Not drown in the feeling of being lost when losing a loved one or
Not feel strife by the actions or inactions of others or
Cling to my expectations or desire for something to be what I want it to be or
Not dwell on the loss but revel in the memories in the death of a loved one...
Things like this - if I could be at peace even with things like this happening all around me - I could totally dig that.
-bf
- Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
Don't you think that if you attain those things that you mentioned, then you will ultimately BE enlightened?
Wolf - great post. Thank you for that!
You guys have no idea how close to the mark you really are!
-bf