August 25

With palms together,

Good Morning Everyone,



This morning I am feeling much better after taking a day to rest. Tuesday was a long day at the Temple and three bike rides back and forth. All told, 12 and a half miles. It was good, but the afternoon heat on one ride was a bit much. On top of that, while walking through the Temple foyer, I tripped and broke a toe on My Left Foot. At home Tuesday night Soku Shin taped it, but it is quite sore yesterday. Needless to say, I did not do a run Wednesday morning so Suki had to be satisfied with a quarter mile walk. I don’t think she is happy ‘bout that.



Dogs, like people, are creatures of habit. Whereas dogs habituate, they are also ever alert. We humans habituate our daily routines, but in the process essentially sleepwalk through much our essential activities. Rarely on alert, we give ourselves over to habit and use our brains to assume everything will flow as predicted, as it always does, that is, until something happens.



This week something happened on the East Coast of the United States. An earthquake informed people the ground they walked on wasn’t as firm as they had assumed. Something radical happens when that which we hold as a firm foundation shakes.



In Zazen, we practice to release ourselves from any firm foundation, as we discover through our practice no such foundation exists, ever existed, or will ever exist. Everything is change; nothing is firm. Now what?



Making such a discovery is only the opening verse in an epic poem of our spiritual journey. Next we must let go not only of our attachment to what we erroneously thought of as a firm foundation, but also of our desire to seek a firm foundation at all. These are very challenging verses to write as they require us to have faith in the unfolding of the cosmos.



When we realize non-duality, attachment to self falls away and non-attachment to self naturally arises. With no self, the universe is “us.” All time is one. When this is realized, there is, as the sutra says, “no hindrance in the mind. No hindrance, therefore, no fear.”

There is a danger here, though. The danger is becoming attached to non-attachment. In the world of buddhas, there is no attachment, even attachment to non-attachment. We must keep in mind emptiness is also form.



So, we come full circle, as it were. The opening lines of the epic poem start us on the path. We realize everything changes. We come to see there is no self and there is no other. There is only this that is prior to thought, prior to feeling, prior to sensation. We are both self and non-self. We are both one and all. We are “thusness” itself. Yet this “thusness” manifests itself as form. We call these forms the paramitas.



Be well.



Today at CMZT: Zazen at 9:30, Sewing Group at 5:00, Zazen at 6:00. Dokusan through the day.

August 23

With palms together,


Good Morning Everyone,



Zen is about disciplined practice and yet, paradoxically, it is this discipline that leads to freedom. What is this freedom? According to Matsuoka-roshi, my dharma grandfather, it is freedom from mind and body and all attachments derived wherefrom. He, like Seung Sahn, used the points on a compass to explicate this. These cardinal points are really markers pointing to the depth of our practice on the one hand or the degree of freedom we have “attained” on the other hand.



At zero degrees we are what some of us might refer to as asleep: living in small mind, attached to name and form. At 90 degrees we see differences in things by varying degrees: we are attached to exteriors. At 180 degrees we have transcended attachment to thinking, attained “emptiness,” but have attached to it. At 270 degrees we attain “imaginative thinking.” We have what both Masters referred to as “Freedom I.” that sense of “I” that is free from the constraints of logic, reason, and so forth. Here the moon can sing, ants might soar, and mountains walk. The danger, as in every step around the circle is in getting caught in it. “This ‘freedom I’ must be transcended also” says Matsuoka. So, at 360 degrees we reach complete non-attachment to thinking. Here we are free from everything: all desire, all name and form, all discrimination. It is here that we are born.



Being born is being free. It is an opportunity to be the buddha you are. From this freedom arises the paramitas, those aspects of our true self hidden by the constraints of thought, name, and form, as well as the need to hold and protect them.



What would it be like to be completely free? This is your practice.



Be well.

clearmindzen.org

Tweaked the site a bit...

August 17

With palms together,

Good Morning Everyone,



This morning I woke later than usual and, as is the case when such things happen, pressure builds. My morning routine has not been the same for awhile. I feel it, too. Typically, I wake early, say around 4:30. I practice a bit, sit at the computer and gather my thoughts, write, and sip coffee. From there I was in the habit of going for a run, doing a weight workout, shower and get to temple. Somewhere in there I would have some peanut butter toast.



When I wake late, everything is squeezed together. This morning Suki needed to go out right away. I did my run with her, a 1.1 mile jog around Mesilla as soon as I got out of bed. Made a protein shake, espresso coffee and tried to settle into the PC. Of course when in a hurry it is inevitable that things don’t work quite the way you want them to and I needed to re-boot the PC.



So, here it is 7:37 and I am just now settling in to write having not had the benefit of a time in meditation. As I sometimes say, “Arrrggghhhh!”



Yet, this is a dharma teacher, this state of being pressed, and a much better teacher than the calm and serene early morning quiet time I often long for. Soku Shin tries to humor me. I deeply appreciate that, but it is not helpful. The only thing that actually helps is to settle down, attend to my breath and be in the chaos residing in my mind.



A casual glance over at Suki reveals a relaxed puppy curled up at Soku Shin’s feet. She is mindful of her breath. Her body is fully flush against the floor. She has run, she has eaten, and she is with her pack. In doggy terms she is complete.



As I sit here at the PC writing to you, I notice my body sinking into my chair, the smell of the coffee near my hand, and the clatter of the keys as both Soku Shin and I do our morning communication with the world., My body is relaxing from its exercise and I am feeling much more centered. Now to the peanut butter toast and a shower. Then on the bike to ride to the Temple. Life is good.

Comfort

realization, just as Dogen understood Zazen. If we are uncomfortable, it is important to face that discomfort not step away from it.

Here are a set of truths: Spiritual practice is a discipline. Every discipline is uncomfortable. Comfort is awakening’s enemy.







The Order of Clear Mind Zen is fairly simple with straightforward practices. Few frills. We offer Sangha membership, Zazen, and study groups. You may use a chair after it is determined that you cannot sit on a cushion or use a bench. If you cannot sit still we will invite you to practice harder. Our building is air conditioned and we do not have access to the thermostat. We have a small fan and use it when the Zendo is full. All of this, though, is window dressing. When you come to a Zen Center you are coming to practice Zazen. It is a practice that can be challenging. This is where the commitment to a disciplined practice comes in. The Buddha referred to this as the development of kashanti, (patience or forbearance) a word we rarely use today (I wonder why?!)







The thing is that without kashanti we become weak. Dependent on ease, we never really face ourselves.







Be well.

August 13

With palms together,

Good Morning Everyone,



Yesterday was a challenge. After moving all of the books and finally getting the bookcases moved to the residence, my old SAAB got sick. I am not sure what is wrong with her, but she will not start. On top of that, I seem to have misplaced the keys so I cannot even try to start her again or look to see what might be the trouble. I think the keys may be at the Temple, as Soku Shin drove us there yesterday when the SAAB had her issues. Then there is the painting I am working on. It is not doing well. It seems drab and lifeless. Lastly, at bottom, I am completelt broke. So, what was to be done?



Last night we sipped a glass of wine, ate brown rice and lentils followed by a portion of salty potato chips. We watched a DVD, cuddled, and fell asleep.



When I woke this morning I decided I would do what is there for me to do. It is Saturday, my day off, so I will enjoy this day. I will take Suki for a run. Perhaps Soku Shin and I will go for a bike ride. I will bring life to my painting. And, in the end, we will enjoy this day. In this practice is the secret to a life well lived: enjoy. Life is far too short to get mired in attachments.



On the Temple side of the equation:



We have purchased the tickets for Taiun-sensei's trip to New Mexico. For those who assisted, thank you very much. We could not have done this without you. So far we have 15 registrations. I believe we will be able to seat a maximum of 20 in the Temple if we include the space in the foyer and add a line in the center of the Zendo. Sleeping arrangements will need to be divided between the Temple and our residence, as well as those living in the area returning to their homes overnight.



Our Tenzo and I have had extensive conversations regarding oryoki. She has suggested, and I concur, that we ask members of the sangha to each purchase an oryoki bowl set. This will eliminate the need for Soku Shin and myself to wash and re-wrap the bowl sets after zazenkai and sesshin, a considerable task. I have done a search on the Internet and found the economy set from ZCLA is about $45.00. Rev. KoMyo in California is working with the manager of their store to create a special deal for us if possible. You will need to make this purchase before sesshin so that you have your own oryoki set for meals.





Thank you for your time in reading this. May your life be a blessing today. I hope to see you at Temple tomorrow!



Yours,

Daiho

August 11

With palms together,

Good Morning Everyone,



Today at Clear Mind Zen Temple we will sit Zazen at 9:30 and again at 6:00 PM. Soku Shin will lead our Sewing Group at 5:00 PM. If you are sewing a rakusu or wagessa, or want to, please consider joining her.



Sewing the Buddha’s robe is a deep, contemplative practice. The Buddha’s robe is a manifestation of morality. It is done slowly and with great reverence. With each stitch is offered a reminder that we are one with the buddha, awake, and deeply practicing to end all suffering. So, it is your effort to bring morality into the universe. It is a manifestation of your true nature.



The original robes were made from cloth coverings of bodies in charnel grounds. These rags were washed and dyed, cut into strips, and sewn in the pattern we have today. Each member of the Buddha’s Order received three robes. These, along with a begging bowl, were pretty much a monk’s sole possessions. To become a follower of the Buddha Way at that time meant a complete renunciation not only of family life, possessions, etc., but also of self. It was thought that when we renounced self, our true nature would be unimpeded.



This is a tradition that cuts across most religions. Abraham “went forth” left what he knew, as did Moses and the Israelites. Jesus went out into the desert, leaving what he knew, and in this home-leaving spiritual seekers freed himself from the bonds of “knowing” and was thus in a place where his cup was empty and he could be taught.



Today, we do something similar. We enter a Zendo leaving what we know at the door. We raise the Buddha’s robe to our head and recite a brief chant. We open the robe and wrap ourselves in it. This is followed by our verse of atonement which both reminds us of the fact that we create the conditions that create harm, resolve to cease doing this, and invoke non-duality once again. From here we receive the Three Treasures: we take refuge in being awake, live in the real world, and support harmonious community interaction.



Our day begins with the robe of benefaction, a reminder for us that we are here for the sake of others. It is up to us to have the courage to take the next step.



Be well.