Organ Mountain Zen



Monday, January 5, 2009

Authenticity

With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,

It is often said the mind is buddha. In such a case we might write as, "The Mind is Buddha" meaning the universal mind. It also means the mind is awake, sentient, conscious.

Zen Master Seung Sahn has a few phrases he repeatedly uses. They form a poem:

Unmoving Mind
What's this?
Who am I?
Just don't know!
Only go straight!


Each of these lines is a sort of koan. Please study them. Keep them between your eyes. Put them on your refrigerator, on your bathroom mirror, on the dashboard of your car.

Answer with authenticity. Live with authenticity.

Last night we had granddaughter Livvie and son Jason visit for dinner. Daughter-in-law Maggie was working. After dinner as I was preparing to exclude myself, a few comments were made at my expense. I, it seems, have the reputation of always having "the last word" and they set out to prove it. As I caught on to this, I smiled. Authenticity can be revealing.

In trying we fail; we must just do.

Be well.

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