10/17 TRANSMISSION of the LIGHT: to Ju-ching

Now we come to Master Dogen's teacher, Master Ju-Ching (Rujing) of Tiantong Monastery, a very important figure in our Soto heritage.

And he is so important, that Master Keizan focuses on his time as the toilet attendant! :shock: In fact, in any Zen monastery, toilet cleaning is one of the most cherished jobs, and I have been fortunate to have had a chance to scrub the toilets from time to time at almost every Zen retreat I have ever attended!

(by the way, my wife often teases me about how I always clean the toilets at the monastery, but rarely volunteer to do so around our house! :oops: )

Notice how Master Rujing pierces the Koan that there is that "never soiled, never in need of cleaning" ... and has his awakening acknowledged by his Teacher ... AND THEN ASKS TO BECOME THE TOILET ATTENDANT! One would perhaps think that this is backwards! Why would he seek to clean the toilets -after- realizing that there is "nothing to clean"? Why would he be enlightened, and a master, and the first thing he does is ask to be assigned to the lowly, stinking lavatory to do something he knows, ultimately, is not needed to be done? :) If it is originally unsoiled, how can it be cleaned? Most Zen monks I know will be meticulous in cleaning the toilets, often with a tiny brush. Why so much care if it "doesn't need cleaning"?

In much the same way, Master Keizan relates how AFTER awakening, Master Rujing sat single-minded Zazen until he had calluses on his butt, until he was an old man. Why would he do so if he was already awakened? Seems more like something to do BEFORE awakening! Could it be that he also realized that there is nothing even "in need of cleaning, nothing in need of awakening" ... and thus set to work cleaning and sitting?

By the way, I still feel that dear brother Hixon is rarely one for understatement in his descriptions (although, truly, this is a matter that neither can be understated or overstated). He sure knows how to encrust his toilet with diamonds, moonlight, circular rainbows and dancing buddhas!

Rujing (Dogen too) also said that all one needs is Zazen ... no need for incense, bowing, chanting and the like. Yet, once again, one would likely find that Rujing's monastery ... and Dogen's ... was filled with incense, bowing, chanting and much else, as well as Zazen! Once again, a Zen Master talks out of both sides of his no sided mouth!

Cook from 250
Hixon from 234

Gassho, J

I'm gonna take a swipe at the reason a monk would clean the toilets after realizing there is nothing to clean is that doing so is an expression of non-duality. But the bigger issue, at least for me, is how we dance with resistance in our lives. To do that which you resist (i.e., clean toilets, sew a rakusu, or whatever) is to open yourself up to the point where maybe you can experience the non-duality, the emptiness, of all things, or at least the emptiness of that thing you resisted. Though I have broken through the gates of a number of my resistances, I still have lots of resistances to lots of things. It's a long road with no destination, which is what makes the journey so interesting.

Hixon does go on and on, but I did appreciate learning how Dogen got the whole "just sit" thing, where it came from. Of course, Ju-ching didn't just sit; he also cleaned toilets, yet another means to finding the Way.

I could NOT resist this cartoon I found over in the humor thread I just revived today. No doubt buddhist hells await me for this cropped version of the original, but it was soooooooo fitting I just had to do it :mrgreen:

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...tchcropped.jpg

Seriously, I'm going to take another swipe at the toilet cleaning koan.

Toilet needs cleaning vs. no toilet or need of cleaning sets up what appears to be a duality. By actually cleaning (relative action) that which does not need to be cleaned (ultimate reality) you dive into this apparent duality (just cleaning toilets) and thus allow yourself the opportunity to potentially realize the non-duality of existence (i.e., enlightenment).

There's a gestalt to this. Doing an activity that you resist can bring a reward far greater than the sum of completing the activity.

The toilet bowl and the tea cup are one and the same.

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Originally Posted by Zen_Fire

The toilet bowl and the tea cup are one and the same.

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Please remind me not to come for tea at your house! :roll:

This reminds me of my favourite zen quote by Tsu-Hin ' When you have fully attained this eye (Dharma Eye), you will see that mountains rivers and earth do not ruin or adulterate yourselves, nor do yourselves ruin or adulterate the mountains , rivers and earth.'
In this respect the dirtiest of toilets cannot soil you, nor can your dirtiness soil a clean toilet. But you can clean a dirty toilet and dirty a clean one! In fact we are always just cleaning as we just sit, or not just sit!
But this stops when we 'judge' (think about) the cleaning, the dirtiness and cleanliness.

Sitting in Zazen and sitting in a toilet.
Just sitting.

Plop!

That is really funny, Heisuku !

Stuck in a rut, wanting to do what he thought to be the lowliest work, the most humble work, the old buddha was pointing to Ju-ching, showing that realizing his true self, a much tougher job, When he finally realized this, he was more than ready to clean the latrine!

The true self is not in need of cleaning, not dirty, can not be soiled, not a spec of dust can touch, so what needs cleaned?
Nothing is clean or dirty, and still, the toilets need cleaning and practice continues. In gratitude the new Buddha, just did what was next.

Interesting in Cook that it is mentioned that Ju-Ching avoided all types of the subtle ego traps that are setup, stayed behind the scenes, wore the same robes as all the other monk rather than accepting a distinguishing kesa etc.
A good example for us all!

Gassho
Shohei

Sorry this one got me to thinking of politics...been dealing a lot with political issues these days. What can be more dirty? It gets my anger raging these days. This reading was of great benefit...nothing to clean, but let's get to work!

Gassho,
Jisen/Brian W

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Originally Posted by AlanLa

I'm gonna take a swipe at the reason a monk would clean the toilets after realizing there is nothing to clean is that doing so is an expression of non-duality. But the bigger issue, at least for me, is how we dance with resistance in our lives. To do that which you resist (i.e., clean toilets, sew a rakusu, or whatever) is to open yourself up to the point where maybe you can experience the non-duality, the emptiness, of all things, or at least the emptiness of that thing you resisted. Though I have broken through the gates of a number of my resistances, I still have lots of resistances to lots of things. It's a long road with no destination, which is what makes the journey so interesting.

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I am playing with what I resist, because I find the resistance is in not doing it.

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Originally Posted by AlanLa

http://i495.photobucket.com/albums/r...tchcropped.jpg

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:lol: :lol: :lol:

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Originally Posted by Zen_Fire

The toilet bowl and the tea cup are one and the same.

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_/_

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Originally Posted by Nigel99

This reminds me of my favourite zen quote by Tsu-Hin ' When you have fully attained this eye (Dharma Eye), you will see that mountains rivers and earth do not ruin or adulterate yourselves, nor do yourselves ruin or adulterate the mountains , rivers and earth.'
In this respect the dirtiest of toilets cannot soil you, nor can your dirtiness soil a clean toilet. But you can clean a dirty toilet and dirty a clean one! In fact we are always just cleaning as we just sit, or not just sit!
But this stops when we 'judge' (think about) the cleaning, the dirtiness and cleanliness.

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_/_

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Originally Posted by Nigel99

Plop!

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:shock: