Here a buddha, there a buddha, everywhere a buddha buddha.
Self and Zen
Part Five
Master Dogen points out that everything is a sutra: the sky, the birds, the bees, you, me, everything. Everything is our teacher, everything the potential to act as a wake-up call. But, of course we know all this from our practice, right? And, the Wisdom Heart Sutra teaches all dharmas are empty and that there is no attainment. Being, non-being are the same. Real and unreal, true and false, gentle or aggressive, not two, but one. The real question is what is necessary to bring into being.
As we often teach, “just take the next step” or “do what is there before you to do,” we also teach, “we are born in every moment.” Each moment is a new you, subject only to your choice in that moment.
To be fresh is not easy however! The Memory Me self wants to maintain itself. It has a stake in itself. Moreover, buddha nature does not exist. Just like Memory Me, it is a concept, empty, and no more useful than holding onto a piece of paper with the truth scribbled onto it thinking, one day, boy, one day! Buddha nature is an action.
I invite you to burn this piece of paper and all others like it. I invite you to practice being present now. Practice to just breathe in and then, just breathe out. Where there is greed in your heart, offer generosity. Where there is hatred in your heart, offer love. Where there is ignorance in your heart, offer wisdom. This is a moment to moment transformative process.
All it needs is your deliberate attention.
Be well.
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