A Mess

With palms together


Good Morning Everyone,



Recently at Clear Mind Zen Temple, we have been discussing elements of the Diamond Sutra. I have been using Dwight Goddard’s selection from his, “A Buddhist’s Bible,” as I like how he re-ordered the text so that the paramitas come together.



This sutra is a powerful teaching tool. But it is very subtle and so much is missed by a superficial reading. Moreover, the sutra teaches how we are to manifest ourselves as the dharma, rather than talk about it (not that talking about the dharma is a bad thing, but rather, talking is just talking, and as Buddha himself points out in the sutra, words are just words: they ought not be confused with the actualization of what the words point to). The sutra is all about us showing what is naturally there in our behavior.



I really needed to refresh myself with this sutra yesterday. It seems a number of things came together all at once. Our altar’s “stage” was installed, the refrigerator and stove were replaced, and T’ai Chi Chih and Zazen collided with these. Zazen was delayed 10 minutes. Everything was a mess!



During everything that goes on in our lives, the practice of patience (khanti paramita) resides between our mind’s eye and our breath. How will we ever get that refrigerator in and the other out? Relax and let it go. In statistics, we used to say, “just work the problem.” Added thoughts and feelings regarding the problem are distractions, like thoughts during zazen. Our practice is to be our practice.



Everything worked out. The bell that starts the day will ring soon. Be well.