On Flagpoles and Snow Globes
With palms together,
Good Morning Everyone,
Zazen at the Veterans park was very serene this morning. The breeze was steady and refreshing in light of a blazing, but beautiful, morning sun. I had ridden my bicycle to the park, a distance of about 2.7 miles of mostly steep hills and welcomed the opportunity to sit still under the rotunda. Colette sat with me. It was very peaceful.
My mind was at work intermittently, though. I had re-read some of the very famous text, The Three Pillars of Zen, last night and was swirling in Yasutani-roshis words regarding his understanding of practice. The other day I read a piece of the commentary Daido-roshi had written on the Mountains and Rivers Sutra. Things seemed to coalesce in the stillness in front of the flag pole.
Both of these sages had views on our practice. Both had decidedly strong views on Soto and Rinzai schools. We would do well to pay attention to them. Our practice, however, must drive us. It is both our anchor and our wheel.
When the we are awake, there is no movement. Practice is like this. We, the wind, the flag, the dogs walking across in front of us as we are sitting, are all one. So, what is moving?
Mountains walk, the sutra points out, and there should be no doubts about these blue mountains walking.
So, walking while not moving? Whats this? Is the snow globe stationary as the snow within it falling?
We should practice in this way: centered, serene, still. All the while we walk.
Be well.
Good Morning Everyone,
Zazen at the Veterans park was very serene this morning. The breeze was steady and refreshing in light of a blazing, but beautiful, morning sun. I had ridden my bicycle to the park, a distance of about 2.7 miles of mostly steep hills and welcomed the opportunity to sit still under the rotunda. Colette sat with me. It was very peaceful.
My mind was at work intermittently, though. I had re-read some of the very famous text, The Three Pillars of Zen, last night and was swirling in Yasutani-roshis words regarding his understanding of practice. The other day I read a piece of the commentary Daido-roshi had written on the Mountains and Rivers Sutra. Things seemed to coalesce in the stillness in front of the flag pole.
Both of these sages had views on our practice. Both had decidedly strong views on Soto and Rinzai schools. We would do well to pay attention to them. Our practice, however, must drive us. It is both our anchor and our wheel.
When the we are awake, there is no movement. Practice is like this. We, the wind, the flag, the dogs walking across in front of us as we are sitting, are all one. So, what is moving?
Mountains walk, the sutra points out, and there should be no doubts about these blue mountains walking.
So, walking while not moving? Whats this? Is the snow globe stationary as the snow within it falling?
We should practice in this way: centered, serene, still. All the while we walk.
Be well.
