Soma
Tools of the Path => Buddhism [Public] => Topic started by: Jahn on June 16, 2016, 05:21:12 AM
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The first Zen patriarch Bodhidharma brought Zen to China from India in the sixth century. According to his biography recorded in the year 1004 by the Chinese teacher Dogen after nine years in China Bodhidharma wished to go home and gathered his disciples about him to test their apperception.
Dofuku said: 'In my opinion truth is beyond affirmation or negation, for this is the way it moves.’
Bodhidharma replied: ‘You have my skin.’
The nun Soji said: ‘In my view, it is like Ananda’s sight of the Buddha-land – seen once and for ever.’
Bodhidharma answered: ‘You have my flesh.’
Dofuku said: ‘The four elements of light, airiness, fluidity, and solidity are empty (i.e. inclusive) and the five skandas are No-things. In my opinion, No-thing (i.e. spirit) is reality.’
Bodhidharma commented: 'You have my bones'
Finally Eka bowed before the master - and remained silent.
Bodhidharma said: 'you have my marrow.’
Old Zen was so fresh it became treasured and remembered. Here are fragments of its skin flesh bones but not its marrow – never found in words. The directness of Zen has led many to believe it stemmed from sources before the time of Buddha, 500 BC. The reader may judge for himself, for he has here for the first time in one book the experiences of Zen, the mind problems, the stages of awareness and a similar teaching predating Zen by centuries.
The problem of our mind, relating conscious to preconscious awareness takes us deep into everyday living. Dare we open our doors to the source of am being? What are flesh and bones for?
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14. Muddy Road
Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still falling. Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross the intersection. 'Come on, girl,' said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud.
Ekido did not speak again until that night when they reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. 'We monks don't go near females.' He told Tanzan, especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?' 'I left the girl there,' said Tanzan. 'Are you still carrying her?'
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31. Everything is Best
When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer.
'Give me the best piece of meat you have,' said the customer.
'Everything in my shop is the best,' replied me butcher. "You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best.'
At these words Banzan became enlightened.
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31. Everything is Best
When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer.
'Give me the best piece of meat you have,' said the customer.
'Everything in my shop is the best,' replied me butcher. "You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best.'
At these words Banzan became enlightened.
Yeah. :)
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31. Everything is Best
When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer.
'Give me the best piece of meat you have,' said the customer.
'Everything in my shop is the best,' replied me butcher. "You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best.'
At these words Banzan became enlightened.
One of my favs.
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16. Not Far from Buddahood
A university student while visiting Gasan asked him: 'Have you ever read the Christian Bible?' 'No, read it to me,' said Gasan. The student opened the Bible and read from St Mattew: 'And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ...Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.'
Gasan said: 'Whoever uttered those words I consider an enlightened man.'
The student continued reading: 'Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.'
Gasan remarked: ‘That is excellent. Whoever said that is not far from Buddhahood.'
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33. Mokusen's Hand
Mokusen Hiki was living in a temple in the province of Tamba. One of his adherents complained of the stinginess of his wife.
Mokusen visited the adherent's wife and showed her his clenched fist before her face.
"What do you mean by that?" asked the surprised woman.
"Suppose my fist were always like that. What would you call it?" he asked.
"Deformed," replied the woman.
Then he opened his hand flat in her face and asked: "Suppose it were always like that. What then?"
"Another kind of deformity," said the wife.
"If you understand that much," finished Mokusen, "you are a good wife." Then he left.
After his visit, this wife helped her husband to distribute, as well as to save.
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Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.
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A monk is walking back from a lecture at a distant temple and gets lost on the wrong side of the river. He needs to get across to get home but cannot find the bridge. Finally, he sees the Master who gave the lecture on the other side and yells out to him.
"Master, how do I get to the other side of the river."
The master replies: "Novice; you are on the other side of the river!"
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If you have a glass full of liquid you can discourse forever on its qualities, discuss whether it is cold, warm, whether it is really and truly composed of H-2-O, or even mineral water, or sake. Meditation is Drinking it!
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A flower falls, even though we love it; and a weed grows, even though we do not love it.
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No snowflake ever falls in the wrong place.
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Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
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The Buddha talked about saving all beings from delusion, not converting them to a new religion.
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To study Buddhism is to study ourselves. To study ourselves is to forget ourselves.
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Many paths lead from
The foot of the mountain,
But at the peak
We all gaze at the
Single bright moon.
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If one really wishes to be a master of an art, technical knowledge of it is not enough. One has to transcend technique so that the art becomes an “artless art” growing out of the Unconscious.
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Knock on the sky and listen to the sound.