BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 7

CASE 7 - Yakusan Takes the High Seat

Taigu couldn't be bothered to say something about this Koan today, :) so he asked me.





















There are many hidden meanings in the Preface and Appreciatory Verse, so let me explain ...





































































Gassho, J

PS - If that is still not enough for you, please try the 'Random Deepak Chopra Quote Generator':


It has been said by some that the thoughts and tweets of Deepak Chopra are indistinguishable from a set of profound sounding words put together in a random order. ... [So] This site aims to test that claim! Each "quote" is generated from a list of words that can be found in Deepak Chopra's Twitter stream randomly stuck together in a sentence.


Click on this a few times ...

http://www.wisdomofchopra.com/

... and try the accompanying "real quote/fake quote" quiz ...

http://www.wisdomofchopra.com/quiz.php

I will provide pointers in the next few days and probe the depth of the bank account of the muliti millionaire guru Deepak Chopra :D

Gassho

Taigu

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Taigu

... probe the depth of the bank account of the muliti millionaire guru Deepak Chopra

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Hmmm interesting. Thank you Taigu. :)

Hi.

The initial post reminds me of the quote by Abraham lincoln

Quote:

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Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

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Mtfbwy
Fugen

Now I'm afraid to post anything! ;-)

Ron


Shugen

Quote:

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The mind grows through reckless potentiality

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gassho2

look forward to discussing that further with you all :D

I will read up soon


Gassho
Shohei

Hello what's deepak chopra?^^ Is it normal that in Jundo's post I only see 2 phrases between the title and "Gassho.j"? with a big space? All details are missing like that

Gassho

Yang Hsin, sorry for the space


BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 7



CASE 7 - Yakusan Takes the High Seat

Taigu couldn't be bothered to say something about this Koan today, so he asked me.





















There are many hidden meanings in the Preface and Appreciatory Verse, so let me explain ...


































































Gassho, J

PS - If that is still not enough for you, please try the 'Random Deepak Chopra Quote Generator':


It has been said by some that the thoughts and tweets of Deepak Chopra are indistinguishable from a set of profound sounding words put together in a random order. ... [So] This site aims to test that claim! Each "quote" is generated from a list of words that can be found in Deepak Chopra's Twitter stream randomly stuck together in a sentence.


Click on this a few times ...

http://www.wisdomofchopra.com/

... and try the accompanying "real quote/fake quote" quiz ...

http://www.wisdomofchopra.com/quiz.php


Last edited by Jundo; Today at 07:58 AM.


ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

The story of the farmer regularly drying his field reminds me of the suburban need to keep one's grass green during the heat of summer. I have fallen prey to this desire more than once and even now I look out and part of me would like the lawn to be green. You know, that pesky "self" part! But as I look out on the hues of yellow and brown that inhabit my lawn, I see calmness, because the grass has simply decided to go to sleep while there is no water and will return just as green once the fall rains arrive. Meanwhile, the bright green color on my next door neighbor's the grass seems to be saying, "Hey, this guy is keeping us all awake! Can you get him to quit it?" For many a green lawn is a symbol of serenity and I fall into that trap too, but what others call "dying" and "ugly" I attempt to see clearly as a living thing taking a much needed rest. And it does not need to say a word to show us its true nature...just look.

Or, as Forrest Gump Roshi would say, "That's all I have to say about that." ;)

Gassho,
Dosho

Forrest's mother would say,

Quote:

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"Stupid is as stupid does!"

---

If you research the life cycle of most grass species, you find that they turn brown at certain stages anyway, whether you water or fertilize. I prefer to conserve the water and fertilizer. Unfortunately, I still have to mow it to be able to see the cars go by.:adoration:

ryubyd fuykgjmfutjbujlñpi hjujukuilioulk´`pñlkjiunjfgjtyjtgreryth

rdfgvthmkijl.o.luikol.destmhjdfmydmd yu
6yNyingma66yu7fkyi8rjxyp8 9i,cjni
l,o9fykmidtukño80`+'9´ç7tfl

I guess ... the teachers job is not to tell us what It is, but to tell us whats not It.
Gassho
Myoku

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rimon

ryubyd fuykgjmfutjbujlñpi hjujukuilioulk´`pñlkjiunjfgjtyjtgreryth

rdfgvthmkijl.o.luikol.destmhjdfmydmd yu
6yNyingma66yu7fkyi8rjxyp8 9i,cjni
l,o9fykmidtukño80`+'9´ç7tfl

---

Well said, Rimon, but you seem to have a typo in there ...
Gassho
Myoku

"This adds a new twist to being famous for nothing."
Paris Hilton Roshi.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rimon

ryubyd fuykgjmfutjbujlñpi hjujukuilioulk´`pñlkjiunjfgjtyjtgreryth

rdfgvthmkijl.o.luikol.destmhjdfmydmd yu
6yNyingma66yu7fkyi8rjxyp8 9i,cjni
l,o9fykmidtukño80`+'9´ç7tfl

---

Oh, this is just meaningless, random letters. The "Deepak Chopra Quote Generator" is just phrases stuck together without sense.

In contrast, the Master's silence ... as with the Buddha's silence in Koan 1 ... speaks a thunderclap. Like sitting down at the piano keyboard, a time to speak ... a time to just play. The silent pauses between behind and through the notes enliven the notes themselves.

Taigu says it all in his accompanying post ...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Taigu

I often relunctantly open my mouth. You have to say something kind of thing. Kobun roshi used to escape from teaching situations.
Words of teachers are given to wash words away, brush thoughts, sweep clouds and hide a white crane in the moon.
Words of teachers are not for necklace making, or just outfits to wear.

Words not to quote. Words to quit our own small and smelly world!!!

These are words striking the very body-bell of IT.
No words is just as good. To remove the posibility to toy away with things is as good
like Buddha on Vulture peak holding a single flower,
like the sound of one hand clapping.

In this Yakusan is second to none, heir of Sekito Kisen, the stone-strong old and fierce lion, he offers an eloquent flesh, blood, bones, marrow to his gaping audience.

You have to investigate the meaning of he, who is he in he sleeps no more?
What is the sound of a real sutra?
What is the real voice of an old monk?

I am often appalled at this chatty mind of mine, at this chatty forum, cosy forum but sometimes too wordy.
Can you express in a few words the virtue of waking up to this?

How many times we loose this wonderful opportunity to shut up? How many times we could just offer a voiceless presence, eloquent voice of being?

Enough said!

gassho



Taigu

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Attachment 456
"zen beach" [gassholook]

Brilliant koan. As rev. Wick says - "he offered no toys to play with" yet he did left them. The silence or the blank spaces that Jundo left...but what does it mean?! Our minds are just too eager to play even with that. "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar" :)

Sometimes there are no words, and sometimes the most powerful thing you can do with someone is to remain silent and let them be with themselves. Yet very often we feel like we have to say something, and that's often a good way to mess things up.

Generally, it's pretty easy to get into trouble by talking. We've all done it, right? But it's pretty hard to get into trouble by not talking. Think about it.

Finally, this case reminded me of Jundo's occasional sit-alongs where he doesn't say anything and just does zazen. He's our own Yakusan.

I work with cancer patients & often have to sit with them when they receive bad news. I used to dread having to do this, wondering what I could say, but have found with experience that just sitting quietly with patients, just being with them, is often enough. By not trying to pre-empt how people will react or to prompt them into speaking, it somehow seems that when it is time to talk the appropriate words will come naturally.

This...is enough

Daido

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dosho

The story of the farmer regularly drying his field reminds me of the suburban need to keep one's grass green during the heat of summer. I have fallen prey to this desire more than once and even now I look out and part of me would like the lawn to be green. You know, that pesky "self" part! But as I look out on the hues of yellow and brown that inhabit my lawn, I see calmness, because the grass has simply decided to go to sleep while there is no water and will return just as green once the fall rains arrive. Meanwhile, the bright green color on my next door neighbor's the grass seems to be saying, "Hey, this guy is keeping us all awake! Can you get him to quit it?" For many a green lawn is a symbol of serenity and I fall into that trap too, but what others call "dying" and "ugly" I attempt to see clearly as a living thing taking a much needed rest. And it does not need to say a word to show us its true nature...just look.

Or, as Forrest Gump Roshi would say, "That's all I have to say about that." ;)

Gassho,
Dosho

---

Nice application Dosho……I am with you on the lawn issue. The green lawns in our neighborhood look “plastic” to me. I am really into just letting be what is as far as the lawn…..I would most likely let our lawn go all natural (e.g, turn into a field, if it was allowed.)

I once enormous sunflowers in the yard (Paul Bunyan), that grew to 10 – 12 ft tall. As they died and decayed, I found it to be so beautiful….I would just leave them up over the winter and only cut them down when it was time to plant. I felt the sunflowers were a great lesson in no birth ….no death. As stated in the reading “The Tao abides in non-doing yet nothing is left undone.”

Gassho,
Jisen/BrianW

Hi,
When the writer Samuel Beckett had a job teaching French in Trinity College, Dublin, his teaching often consisted of him just staring out the window in silence, not being sure what to say to the students. He didn't last in the job long.
Gassho
Myozan

How can we say anything when we just are?

I suppose a danger in this is when thunderous silence is used to hide the fact that you don't know what you are talking about. It's easy to appear wise & profound if you just nod sagely!

In my own case, I'm a very shy, quiet person, & it's so easy just to keep quiet, because I'm scared to speak up & draw attention to myself.

You can hide behind words & silence equally!

_/\_

Ade

gassho2

Gassho

A time to talk and explain, a time to be silent.

A time when silence speaks with a Buddha's tongue, a time when silence is just being tongue tied.

:)

Important to know which is which.

Nothing to add. :)

Gassho

Jen

There is another saying here in Mexico that fits somehow:

"Al buen entendedor, pocas palabras", something like "to the the wise, few words"

Sorry, I said too many words. Shutting up now.

Gassho

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jundo

A time to talk and explain, a time to be silent.

A time when silence speaks with a Buddha's tongue, a time when silence is just being tongue tied.

:)

Important to know which is which.

---

Thank you Jundo ... so true. :)

Gassho,
Michael