Impermanence

From UrbanDharma.org

Buddhism declares that there are five processes on which no human being has control and which none can ever change. These five processes are namely, the process of growing old, of not falling sick, of dying, of decay of things that are perishable and of the passing away of that which is liable to pass. Buddhism however suggests that escape from these is possible and it’s through Nirvana.

Hinduism also believes in the impermanent nature of life. But it deals with this problem differently. According to Hinduism, impermanence can be overcome by locating and uniting with the center of permanence that exists within oneself. This center is the Soul or the self that is immortal, permanent and ever stable. 

Impermanence is also not such a negative thing in Buddhist thought and practice as is hinted above…all the changes listed are those we fear.  But impermanence also grants a richness to the world and to our lives.

The ice that forms on the fence during an ice fog....

slowly builds up barely noticable...

Tiny bits of a large whole...

grand in scope and beauty...

also comical because in time....

Each will disappear like the wonder in a child's eye.

Without impermanence these things of fleeting beauty would lose all meaning and become static.  We are beautiful because we don’t last.  We shine because eventually we will disappear.

Happy Holidays!   Much Metta!

John

Rohatsu’s a Bitch

Even a dead tree holds a home - Even failures foster hope.

Rohatsu…

Every year when December approaches, monks everywhere tremble in anticipation of the arrival of the rohatsu sesshin [intensive meditation retreat]. In Zen dojos [practice halls] everywhere, people intensify their training energy in preparation for this sesshin held from the first to the eighth of December. The rohatsu sesshin is the consummation of a year’s training, a time when everyone faces the final reckoning of a year of practice.

The Buddha was enlightened on the eighth of December when he looked up at the morning star, the planet we call Venus. The brightness of this planet was seen by Buddha from the depths of one week of samadhi [deep awareness]. The Buddha received that brightness with the same eyes of zazen [sitting meditation] that enable us to realize perfect enlightenment.

One week straight of this deepest possible samadhi was burst through by the brilliance of that morning star. A whole week’s experience of that world burst the brightness of the morning star, plunging into the Buddha’s eyes and giving rebirth to the Buddha’s consciousness. from here.

Big deal, I suppose.  I have no large celebration planned outside of sealing my commitment to my practice.  The day of Buddha’s enlightenment is an opportunity to reflect upon your practice during the past year.  It also marks the end of my Ango (three months of intensive practice), of which I am glad.  My intensive practice has been…difficult to accomplish these past three months (for any number of reasons).  I attended both my small sangha’s Ango as well as the one offered by Wild Fox Zen.  Now seems as good a time as any to review my failures and successes.

• Meditation – My goal was 15 minutes zazen and 45 minutes of kinhin (meditative walking).  Largely a success but as December rolled around, daily life (as well as family) intervened and I was unable to accomplish much at home.  However, my pratice isn’t defined by just myself – it is defined by my surroundings, experience and environment.  I was very happy to attempt this increase and hopefully will continue once my days open up a bit more. 
• The Precepts – I took my precepts for Ango and followed them for the last 3 months, including the dreaded 5th Precept.  Over all a good experience.  I ended up taking up tea drinking in the evening when I would ordinarily have a beer…I find it a decent substitute but I think I may put up a toast at Dharma Drinks this week – Cheers Don!
• Engagement – I planned to engage both with my iSangha as well as my Brick and Mortar Sangha.  Easily a success with daily postings as well as sitting with the Laughing Teabowl Sangha at least once a week.  I also planned on attending webinars on the Genkokoan on Wild Fox Zen but my work schedule changed to include Saturdays so the koan goes unanswered.  Bows to all you out there that leave comments here or send me emails or tweets.  All very helpful.  Some take for granted that they have family or friends to communicate with concerning these matters.  I, for the most part don’t, so it means much to my practice to have you along for the ride.
• Parenting as Practice – Patience, love, compassion and attention.  What more can I say?  Sit with your child as you would a koan.
• Esoteric/Devotional Exploration – I wanted to gain some more insight into other Buddhist practices.  I went with Shingon and esoteric Buddhism.  It was a very brief exploration (only three months barely scratches the surface).  I read the works of Kukai (founder of Shingon) as well as some explanatory texts on Shingon practice.  Very similar to Tibetan practice with a heavy dose of deity visualization as well as smatterings of mantras and mundras and all that jazz.  From my perspective, this practice is perfect for those that want to approach their practice in a euphoric  and explosive or visual way.  While beautiful and alluring, my mandalas still exist on an empty wall and my mantras are the sounds of my everyday life. 

Thanks for following along.  I’m tired and gearing up for some new realities and big changes.  Might as well sit for 15 minutes tonight to get me ready.

Cheers! I leave you with this dedication from Wild Fox Zen and Dosho Port…

On this, the recognition day of old Shakyamuni Buddha’s
seeing directly the morning star,
We offer flowers, incense, candle light, and tea
as an expression of gratitude for the old teacher.
We have recited “Shakymuni Buddha” from The Record of Transmission of Light. We now dedicate all benefits from this to:

The great teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha
The first master in China, Bodhidharma
The first master in Japan, Eihei Dogen
To Mahaprajapiti and all great practitioners
whose names have been left unsung
To Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, triple treasures in the ten directions and all arahats and bodhisattvas.
May the power of their liberating wisdom direct
the wandering-in-circles world
toward the peaceful Buddha land
And may the power of their inspiration
and their peaceful hearts
lead wandering beings to enter the authentic path.
We aspire to turn the Dharma wheel unceasingly
and to free the world from every tragedy
of war, epidemic, natural disaster and starvation.
Ỡ  All buddhas throughout space and time,
Ỡ  All honored ones, bodhisattvas, mahasattvas
Ỡ  Wisdom beyond wisdom, mahaprajnaparamita.

3 Bows to all you filthy practitioners out there!

No Place Like Home – Reflections of a Zen Home-Practitioner

Why is it so Freakin’ Hard to Practice at Home?

I think that John Daido Loori explained the difficulty best when he stated that the things you do in a home practice are the same as those you do in a monastic practice.  The largest difference lies in the amount of support you garner from the monastic environment.  Fundamentally, the practice is similar – You wake up, open your day, sit zazen, tidy up, go to work, eat, sit zazen and then go to sleep.  I am simplifying the lay-life a bit here but, mostly, you go about a similar routine.

However, two things differ in quantity: Intensity and Support.  In a monastic environment you can expect support from fellow practitioners through-out the day.  This is not the case in a home-practice.  You cannot expect your family or co-workers to support you.  They may not understand your practice or even care about it.  It is a simple and painful fact.  This is especially true of convert Buddhists in that a family isn’t Buddhist.

Personally, I fight for a time to devote to my practice when I won’t feel judged by my family/friends and co-workers.  I think my daughter gets it but she is only 16 months old.  Maybe that is why she gets it.   This is hard for a home-practitioner to intensify their practice while not receiving support.  Online communities and small grass-roots sanghas can aid in this but monastics are used to almost daily support, instruction and aid.  Home-practitioners can not count on any of that.

Intensity is an issue that is a little easier to bear.  intensity does not have to equated with legnth time practicing when it comes to a home-practice.  In a monastery, a lay-person or monk is in essence “punching a clock”.  I don’t mean this in a derogatory sense unless the practitioners begins to see it as ends to a mean or a way to pass the time.  In which case maybe a little self-reflection is in order for that particular person.  A home-practice, on the other hand, should be measured in ratios and quality rather than in spans of time. 

A homemaker, parent and/or working adult that is able to devote even a small time of intensively engaged practice out of a busy schedule is worth more than a full-time monastic any day.  Non-working college students have no excuse and can stop whining.

On a personal note, I am still working through Ango which means intensive practice (more than I usually do), increased engagement (sangha both online and “brick and mortar”), other devotional work (increasing involvement of liturgy into my practice both home and at the sangha) as well as strict following of the Precepts (I figured I’d give it a shot).

I’ve been working  hard at keeping all these things in line and at the same time keeping up my level of performance at work, being an active and mindful father and husband, complete my thesis and keep my sanity.  I planned on including some of my devotional aspects in dressing up the Christmas tree this year.  I originally planned for it on December 8th (Rohatsu) Bodhi Day and also celebrating the end of my 3 month Ango, but due to other considerations we ended up doing it on Thanksgiving. 

Well, I didn’t want to do the entire service (chanting and meditation) that I originally had planned in front of the entire family (again I guess I still have a little Christian guilt left over) so I settled on placing some prayer flags (that were kindly donated by a friend) on the tree.  When I mentioned the prayer flags to my wife her comment was “That doesn’t make sense”.  So I reacted less than mindfully, sulked and put the flags away and my Bodhi Tree goes unadorned.

Now the point of this isn’t about tradition or garlands or Zen.  It’s about practicing around people who don’t care or who aren’t concerned about your practice (and there should be no expectation that they would be).  This makes it hard for a home practitioner to practice.  It makes it hard for me.  Explaining the importance of these small things of my practice is an obstacle.

John Daido Loori Roshi puts it well, I suppose, when he states:

When we practice, life is made easier, not more difficult.  Practice doesn’t bind us; it makes us free.  Greed, anger and ignorance bind us.

I suppose that is correct.  Am I binding myself to my practice or is my practice binding me?  Illusions come in all sorts of flavors.

No illusions,

John

Baisao and the Zen of Tea

The Old Tea Seller: Life and Zen Poetry in 18th Century Kyoto by Norman Waddell, published by Counterpoint Press.

Part of this book is a translation of the short Chinese-styled poems and prose by Baisao as well as a biographical sketch by one of his contemporaries.  The author, in the first half of the book, creates a tapestry of Baisao’s life from various primary sources including letters to friends and students, official documents and the works of Baisao himself.  Interspersed with paintings and calligraphy from Baisao and his contemporaries, a full view of this character from 18th century Kyoto emerges.  In a time when Japanese Zen was becoming more and more dogmatic as well as state-sanctioned – Baisao’s wit and home-spun but learned wisdom must have been a delightful change from the rigid monasteries of the day.

The first part of this book traces Baisao’s transformation from novice to monk and then from master to impoverished old tea seller.  After a long stint as an Zen monk in a temple in southern Japan, Baisao left for Kyoto, a city he visited in his youth, to live the actual practice of Zen.  Zen as it exists for the great Ch’an masters of the past; free from the confines of temple bureaucracy and stale dogma.  Adopting the dress of a Chinese sage (a Crane Cloak), he opened a small tea shop (aptly labeled Tsusen-tei – “the shop that conveys you to Sagehood”) and eventually adopted a lay-lifestyle of making a meager living (largely donations to keep from starving) through the sale of tea and occasional calligraphy.

An enigmatic character of the time, Baisao had strong opinions of Zen practice and its place in 18th century Japanese society.  Rather than conform to the limits set by monastic rules, Baisao lived a life that was largely scorned during the time period – A tea-seller (I liken it to living as a hot-dog vendor in Philly).  But rather than the mindless hawking of hot flavored water, the old tea seller intuitively weaves his Zen koan training into every cup brewed and verse set to paper.  Far beyond the tea-mongers or tea-aficionados of the day – Baisao takes the enjoyment of a cup of tea into a realm of mental fortitude and soulful clarity.  Tea will never provide the enlightenment but an enlightened man can surely pour you a cup, providing a small moment of satori that drifts off as the cup reaches its end.

Baisao lived the life of a nonconformist who embraced a working life of poverty rather than a monk’s life of begging or temple work.  He shrugged off the robes of the priest as just another attachment.  He became a destination himself, just like the scenic temples and groves that he set up his brazier and banner.  He spanned the purgatory that lies between monk and layperson, practitioner and vagrant.  His colorful life straddled the gray area that exists in our practice.

His verse moves simply and crisply without subjecting itself to needless explanation or expression.  It is simple and direct but forces the reader to think and ponder – linked to the koans he trained with – Baisao’s verse requires us to ponder to gain wisdom.

I moved this morning

to the center of town

waist deep in worldly dust

but free of worldly ties.

I wash my robe and bowl

in the Kamo’s pure stream

the moon a perfect disc

rippling its watery mind.

Baisao lived a simple life in a remarkable way.  For a generation of practitioners who struggle with the application of Zen practice into the daily grind of 9-5 workloads and pressing family matters, Baisao provides with a simple remedy that I gleamed from his words.  Don’t press Zen into your life or try to mold it.  Drop a few leaves of it into your daily life and let it simmer.  The movement and turbulence will not cease, nor will it ever, but the flavor will be much more wonderful and the taste subtle.

Cheers, my friends!  We all balance on the fringe of practice.  Baisao provides us with the fuel to move past rigor and dogma and seamlessly blend our life and our living together.  It is one thing to be able to label and describe that tea you are sipping (or beer you are guzzling), it is a completely different thing to savor that drink wordlessly…thoughtlessly.

* In the interest of full disclosure, I was sent a copy of this book, for free, from the publisher to write about it. I probably would have gotten a copy of this book regardless; I would have ordered it from my public library and thus gotten it free anyway.  And I don’t think getting a free copy of the book from the publisher really changed my opinion of it, beyond a tiny feeling of obligation to say something — anything — about it on my blog. Regardless, however, it really is a very good book for the reasons outlined above. if I were to dislike this book, for whatever reason, I would have stated it and given an explanation why.  Now, if the publishers were to have provided me with a pony or llama, they would have gotten a better review (can you review a llama?).  Maybe even a smiley face.

*in the interest of even fuller disclosure, i should admit that I stole most of that above disclosure from the buddha is my dj’s disclosure.  I did not, nor was compensated in any way by either the buddha or his dj.

Playing the Dharma Drums

The search for Dharma Drums in Custer State Park

I get T-shirts!

My friend and twangha (or iSangha) mate, GK Sandoval sent me a beautiful t-shirt (see above).  While the weather warmed up here in South Dakota, it wasn’t completly t-shirt weather but I think you know what the rest of the shirt says!  An oldie but goodie and always a great mantra for clearing out the Monkey Mind.

On a side note – Samsara-Toddler got to see her first bison and was very happy.  She even picked up a great bison call (somewhere between a grunt, snort and throat-clearing).

@DrumsofDharma is a steady contributer of our twitter sangha (Twangha) and constantly vocal about practice, devotion and Green Tara.  For a person like me who is a rough-around-the-edges neophyte to tantric, esoteric and devotional Buddhism; @DrumsofDharma is a wonderful resource.  Whats more is that GK is always willing to interact, explain and pontificate…and tell you that you may be full of shit but nicely and with compassion!

Alittle more on GK Sandoval:

A Native American of the Navajo tribe, DJ, artist, writer and foremost a student of the Dharma, seeking enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. My influences include Mahayana Buddhism, Higher Consciousness and Enlightenment, Hawaiiana and Huna, my own Navajo tradition and Indigenous spiritual traditions.

These pathways all blend together like a symphony of drums, echoing the heartbeat of the Universe. The title of my blog is taken from my own love of music and the quest for Truth, Enlightenment and pure Joy. Sound, music and words all have power and strength. By the grace of Manjusri, Green Tara and Lama Tsongkhapa, may my words be of benefit.

Ramble over to @DrumsofDharma or one of the two blogs -> The Drums of Dharma and Twenty One Taras and learn something about the infathomable Green Tara and the ultra skillful means of the Drums of Dharma!

Thanks for the T-shirt, Drums of Dharma!  Many deep bows and metta prostrations.

Cheers,

John

[If you would like to see your shirt featured on “I GET TSHIRTS” and help me stay clothed, then send me a line on twitter at @zendirtzendust or email me at smilodectes@gmail.com.  The rules are simple: 1)Send T-shirt advocating your blog, zendo, podcast whatever 2) I wear and post about it 3) I get cool t-shirts and don’t have to walk around topless.  Its up to you…no-one is twisting your arm.]

The Path of Wisdom…over tea

Sometimes the Wisdom Path goes in opposite directions

I met up with a fellow home-practitioner in Rapid City last night.  We sat down for some tea at Bully Blends and talked a little Dharma.  We come from two different venues of Buddhist practice.  He affiliated with a large temple and practiced there for a number years in the Vajrayana tradition.  I, however, began my practice with small, grass-roots groups with a largely agnostic bend which incorporated practical blends (read: non-esoteric) of Buddhist teachings.  From that I moved to the a traditional Soto Zen practice.

Now sitting across from each other, I realize that we have each gone 180 degree from where we both started.  He is now searching for root teachings (similar to the Stephen Batchelor’s book Buddhism Without Beliefs) that exist across most of the traditions and I am looking at incorporating more tantric and esoteric elements into my daily practice (which has been incorporating more ritualized elements from practicing Zen but still rather…bland).

So why the change to the exact opposite from where we each started?  From my point of view Buddhism and home-practice (or practice in general) was never meant to stay static.  We are not static people.  We change from year-to-year, day-to-day and moment-to-moment.  What and how we exist now is not what we were before and there is no reason that this diversity of change cannot be exemplified in our practice.

In a recent post, The Zennist talks about his past practice and study…

On this note, I am certainly reminded of my own ignorance over forty years ago when as a young worldling monk I thought I had Buddhism figured out.  To be honest, about 98 percent of what I read back in those dark days I didn’t understand—not in the slightest.  But I could sure pretend, pridefully, that I knew a lot…

Presently, I enjoy reading the Sutras.  They are like old friends.  But again looking back to when I was a young Buddhist whippersnapper I can’t help but laugh at that struggling guy.  The only thing he did right was to persevere and keep an open mind.  And this is what we all must do, even monks and Buddhist scholars.  You may debate the issues until the cows come home, but until you have awakened the Mind (bodhicitta) you’re guessing, it is Buddhism by opinion some of which might be educated, some not.

I rarely agree with The Zennist but always appreciate and respect his comments.  In this case I completely agree.  An open and compassionate mind is essential to our practice.  Otherwise we just trade attachments for attachments and our practice will stagnate over time rather than grow.  Another point that is brought up is that of process – the process of awakening the mind (to paraphrase the Zennist) which we are all on.

Back to the point – It was a good talk.  While I find it humurous that we are walking in opposite directions from each other in relation to our practice and its evolution, it is important to note that directions in practice are hardly ever linear.  One way does not lead to “good” and the opposite to “bad”.  The path we walk leads to the same goal even when it seems that the practices are diametrically opposed.

It was nice to be able to wave at each other from the path, stop a bit and shake some pebbles from our shoes.

Cheers,

John

Trials and Tribulations of Home-Practice

Can I get a home first?

I rarely get excited about anything that is popping up in the popular Buddhist publications (these, in particular) but, Buddhadharma is running an entire issue (Spring 2010) on home-practice and reached out to the online community to comment.

Do you have a meditation practice and follow the Buddhist teachings but don’t belong to a Buddhist community, or sangha, and don’t have a Buddhist teacher? If so, you’re part of a growing community of unaffiliated Buddhists in North America. In the Spring 2010 issue of Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly we’ll be focusing on unaffiliated Buddhists and we’d like to hear from you.

This seems like wonderful opportunity for some of us to really and truthfully explain our practice (the good, the bad and the worse).  I hope that a diverse sample of home-practioners reply and get printed.  I would love to see how practice in home differs from person to person and tradition to tradition.  But I am not underestimating the power of “fluff” in this case.  I’m hoping that it doesn’t end up being a bunch of smiley-faces and middle-class, suburban wall-watchers.  This is a chance for some under-represented practitioners to begin to represent a bit.

I rambled on over in the comments earlier today but it was in between two dealines and far too much coffee so I think I came off as a bit…animated.

Cheers,

John

Virtual Dharma

A new conversation started on the authenticity and utility of “virtual” sanghas vs. “flesh and bone” sanghas has started up.

• Illusory Flowers in an Empty Sky – Virtual isn’t real
• Angry Asian Buddhist – Online sanghas
• The Reformed Buddhist – The snobs show their colors: take two
• The Reformed Buddhist – iSangha

Personally, I think both are viable and real outlets of the Dharma and perfectly good training and practicing tools. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. A “virtual” sangha gives an opportunity for many of us in the more rural areas of the US connect with teachers, practitioners and schools that we would not ordinarily be privy to due to geographic and logistical constraints. At the same time a “virtual” sangha does not provide the same type of support as a “flesh and bone” sangha nor does it give the same depth of practice.

I do believe that while I do connect with my “flesh and bone” sangha (I am fortunate that my locale does sport two, formerly three, small sanghas). However, being able to branch out online did much to prepare me for eventual daily practice as well as gave me the support to approach my local sangha with my interest in practice. As with most things, I think a combination of both produces the best results. I sit weekly with a “flesh and bone” sangha but attend virtual retreats (due to time and monetary restraints) online. I am not in the position to attend “real” Dharma Talks but ones podcasted by zendos and by AudioDharma, ZenCast and DharmaRealm serve the purpose more than addequately.

To call this support “not nourishing” seems drastic (I wash plenty of dishes). A sangha is partly about communication. By discouraging virtual sanghas you also discourage teachers to actual reach out to practitioners that don’t have a local sangha to practice as well as discouraging individuals to broaden their horizons past what is outside their front door.

I will concede that eventually, a serious Buddhist practitioner needs to confront an actual, authentic teacher for instruction. But whether it is online or face-to-face – It doesn’t matter, there is some benefit to be gotten. The bottom line is that any practitioner that is serious needs to access what is available to them by virtue of their situation and location. Whether that be online blogging and chats with other practitioners or sitting with a group or combination of both. At the same time any teacher that is serious about reaching people (especially those that do not have the luxury of local temple or monastery to guide their growth) needs to utilize emerging tools to reach them.

So thank you to all of my “Virtual” Sangha-siblings and Dharma-guides. You all inspire me to practice daily and critically examine myself constantly. You keep me striving.

Its all just tools.

Cheers,