Keystone Cops at the Capital

It would seem no one in authority can get it right. Freedom of speech? A t-shirt gets you arrested or tossed out, depending on the message (opposed to the war = arrested; in favor = tossed out). But wait! We're sorry! We shouldn't have done that, the cops now say, sending letters of apology to the two affected.

Strange. And all in full view of the world.

The State of the Union

With palms together,

Good Morning All,

Last night's televised State of the Uniion by the President of the United States was interesting. Ever since I was a child I have admired the Office of the President, the Senate, the House, and the Judiciary. These are powerful symbols of symetry in government. A free people electing a group to govern its body, each with its own set of functions, each with built in checks and balances. It is a marvel.

My understanding of the State of the Union address is that it is a sort of report card on the Executive branch's understanding of how things are going in the nation. A report card, to be useful, contains everything, the positive efforts and attainments, as well as the not so positives, and indeed, the failures. Mr. Bush did a reasonable job with this last night.

My problem is that the event did not seem to match in any way the realities of my experience of America. The noble efforts of bringing democracy to the world is blackened by the means:war, assaults on freedom, and intimidation. The same is true of our work with AIDS. The goal of reducing and eliminating this deadly disease is righteous, but the US's demand to do so by abstinance only programs is childish.

Mr. Bush telling us we are addicted to oil is a little like the tobacco companies blaming the victims of their marketing campagns. The truth is we are addicted to oil and Mr. Bush assisted us in that addiction.

That said, I do not deny that there are elements of the agenda I agree with completely, most in fact. We must improve our schools, reduce oil consumption, engage the world in democracy. I question only the tools. People must choose democracy, see its value from a model worth emulating. A model that does not torture, a model that values difference, supports minorities, and trusts its people. We must value education, trust our teachers, honor them with highest pay possible, build schools children want to attend, make education a national value, learning a priority, and intellectual activity a sexy thing. We must value alternative energy development and put our research money where our mouth is. We must legislate to support alternative energies. We must make it not only possible, but desirable, to drive vehicles powered by fuels that are both renewable and non-polluting.

Above all, we must value peace and non-violence. In a country that witnesses more violence on a given day than any country in the world, this will be difficult. We are a reactive, rather than proactive people and this must change. Our country values weapons. It supports weapons. It values individual action to defend itself. And understands the first choice when confronted by a threat is force rather than undertstanding and compassion. It suspects people outside of the group, locks its doors, and spies on its neighbors. In such a culture, where can peace and trust and love reside? To be a peaceful model to the world we must address, challenge, and change this.

So, perhaps such action is a role for Engaged Zen. I admire that single lone mother for being arrested last night. I am ashamed that there weren't a million other mothers and fathers arrested with her.

We must raise our voice and engage in the process of change. We have little choice.

Be well.

Zen Tango

With palms together,

Good Morning Sangha,

This morning I wrote a short note in my Yahoo 360 blog:

We are at the end of the first month of the new year. Most of us have, by now gotten used to the 06, then again, there is me. I am slow to notice the outward manifestation of change. I think that is because I am change itself, mostly dwelling in the moment, not looking at the horizon so much to see where I am. On the other hand, maybe 05 and 06 do not really exist. Maybe it is only this key pressing to making contact that exists, but only for a moment. It is an odd sort of dance this absolute and relative tango.

In Uji, one of Master Dogen's Shobogenzo essays, he uses a boat slipping along against the shore as a way of teaching the interrelation of Time and Being. And there is an old koan that addresses a similar issue: two monks pointing to a flagpole arguing (always two monks arguing). Which is moving, the flag or the wind?

We have talked about the two truths of Buddhism, the absolute and the relative. These truths are not independent. Buddha taught that all things are interdependent, this includes time, being, and space. Our "moment" consciousness interacts with our "ever" consciousness. When the interaction is choppy and stilted, we have a dance that is in dukkha. When we have an interaction that is easy and flowing, seamless, then we have a gracious waltz, no suffering. We do a sort of tango with these dances. Sometimes easy, sometimes difficult.

It is important to recognize they are both dances: dukkha and the absence of dukkha, samsara and nirvana, relative and absolute, time and being. Both exist, both do not exist. Only together is the universe made.Only together is it understood. Only together is it attained.

So, what does this mean in terms of Zen Living? Do not let your mind be an obstacle.

Be well.

Why

With palms together,

Good Morning All,

To sit each morning and each evening is an excellent way to begin and close your day. Stillness allows us to gather ourselves, calm our minds and bodies, and form the necessary mind to enter the world and leave the world as buddhas. The act of lighting a candle, lighting incense, bowing, then sitting down on the cushion is a profound act of discipline and dedication. In this small theatre for no one to see, there is just you. Placing attention on our breath, allowing what is present to be present, and accepting the gifts of that moment regardless of their qualities, is of enormous benefit. But even if it wasn't of any benefit at all, we should still sit in stillness.

Why?


___

Announcements:

Sorry that I am a little late this morning with my message. I spent some good time late last evening building a table and chairs for the computer and when I woke this morning my mind seemed to stay on the pillow. Housework and lunch has remidied that and here I am.

Yesterday's Zen Center zazen was a wonderful experience. Edgar and Cynthia visited us from Juarez. Several of us were able to have lunch together at the International Delights Cafe. We decided to begin a Jukai class each Sunday afternoon after lunch, and at this point there are four registrants. If anyone is interested in attending, please feel free to drop in at the zen Center each Sunday at 1:00 PM.

This coming Saturday is Zazenkai. If anyone is interested in joining me, we will begin at 10:00 AM and close at 4:00 PM at the Zen Center. Notice is important so that I can arrange for ther lunch.

Rev. Dai Shin has returned from her sojourn! We look forward to seeing her on Wednesday evening at Zen Center for zazen.

Perfection

With palms together,

Good Morning All,

At the conclusion of the Wisdom Heart Sutra we chant "Gate, gate, gate, paragata, parasamgata, Bodhi Svaha!" Or, Gone, gone, gone to the other shore, attained the other shore having never left, Awaken. Hooray!" Gate, pronounced gah-tay, is the sino-japanaese word for paramita. We translate paramita as "perfection" or "excellence." It is understood to be a reference to attainment. So, this dharani, (short mantra) is saying that attainment is something we already possess, even though we strive to attain it. The "other shore," attainment, enlightenment, is with us right now, right here. It is us. It is the universe.

The combining of qualities and notions such as "shore," "perfection," "excellence," "crossing," never leaving, attaining, etc. is a linguistic way of picking up a hammer and cracking ourselves over the head. All one, yet different. This shore, this moment, this understanding is the same as that moment, that shore, that understanding. And there is no real movement from one to the other because they exist in the same time and in the same space simultaneously.

Our effort to be good people, to sit strong Zen, is nothing more than the sweat equity involved in growing a tree knowing that the fruit, the branches, the roots, and shade of that tree already exist in the seed, in the ground, in the air, and in the water. We still make the effort. We still till the soil, plant the seed and nurse the plant. Yet when we do so with open eyes, effort is bliss.

Be well.

Oh say (what) can you see?

With palms together,

I read a story yesterday on the Associated Press wire, I think it was, about documents that suggest the US Army took wives and children hostage as a tactic to coerce insurgents to surrender. If this story is true, I am appalled. More than appalled. I am sickened. For so many decades the United States has held itself out as the "good guy" in world conflict. We make much ado about insurgents taking hostages, about our not negotiating with "terrorists." Yet, here we are.

Has our moral compass been so thoroughly disrupted? Are we so fundamentally broken? I am deeply worried about my nation. Our people seem to have lost faith. We have seemingly been sold a bill of goods by our government and the conservative, Christian Right who, evidence would suggest are mean-spirited bigots who will apparently condone pretty much any behavior in the name of their values.

Torture, hostage taking, holding "enemy combatants" forever without trial or charges, premptive invasion of another country, domestic spying, corruption, ...all recent Republican efforts. Its as though when they achieved power in government they felt free to throw off the shackles of civilization and live as they saw fit regardless of the rights of others.

What's a good Buddhist to do?

Be well.

Zero Tolerance

With palms together,

Good Morning All,

We have all heard of "zero tolerance" policies. Zero tolerance is a masculine vote getter. It is strong, unbending, decisive. It allows no "wiggle room," no "fuzzy" thinking. It is for communities that "know" what they want, or more precisely, what they don't want. And like art, these communities, "know it when they see it." All of which, of course, abandons thought, dialogue, understanding, and compassion. Zero tolerance disallows forgiveness. It cannot permit gray. It fears examination.

I once worked with a sixth grade child in a Middle School. He was suspended for making a gun out of his hand, as in a pantomime, and "shooting" at another child. He violated the school's "zero tolerance" policy against weapons and violence. Another child suspended for teasingly kissing a girl in the cheek. They were in the second grade. A violation of sexual harassment policy.

From a policing point of view, zero tolerance is a cop's dream. School administrators, police and sheriff departments, and politicians are off the thoughtfulness hook.

From a reality point of view, it is a nightmare, disallowing play and experimentation, disallowing intelligent discussion, a broad horizon of ideas, and an relentless unwillingness to engage differences between cultures.

It is not an expression of the Middle Way.

Now here is where it gets sticky. We will not "negotiate" with "terrorists." We must get a grasp of the language issues here. On the one hand this zero tolerance policy is understandable. Those who employ violence to get what they want should not get it. On the other hand, we are using the label "terrorist" all too easily as a way of avoiding examining the feelings and motivations behind the "terrorist" behavior. From my point of view, for instance, violence is violence. In each case violence is a terror. It injures, maims and kills. It really does not matter whether that violence is dressed in a "good guy" uniform or a "bad guy" uniform or no uniform at all.

Negotiation is what? Talk with a purpose of finding a middle way. A way to resolve differences and discover an equitable solution. When we have a zero tolerance there are no solutions except to silence the other guy. Easy. No thinking, no examination. Just stop the other guy from being a thorn in our side, from putting his finger in our nice little cake we've baked and called civilization. I don't know about you, but when there is tape across my mouth my only wish is to tear it off.

So here is where it really gets sticky. What if we are talking about Hamas. What if we are talking about the "side" that blew up the World Trade Towers. Is it one thing to have a zero tolerance against children pointing imaginary guns in school and another to fly airplanes into building? Indeed. Silly question. The thing is, if we refuse to examine the karma in our world, that is, the linkages between cultural and religious perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors as they conflict with others, we are destined not to find solutions. The stronger the effort to not engage, the stronger the effort to engage. People will be heard. It is our job to listen.

Be well.