We now continue our dance with the koans of the Book of Serenity. If you are not sure of how to play this deadly game, look here ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...-of-Equanimity
and
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...ANIMITY-Case-1
... Case 32: Kyozan's State of Mind
"Where were you born?" he asks.
In the thoughts of the mind, there is "me" in here and the "mountains, rivers, other people and buildings" out there. There is a place I am born, and a time I will die. There is gold and there are mouse turds.
When the mind ceases such divisive thoughts, what then? What is seen with a Buddha Eye? We do not see any separate things at all. Every mouse turd as sacred gold! There is no birth or death!
Yet Kyozan cautions that, as people, we still must live in a world of you and me and other people, mountains and rivers and buildings. Mouse turds are not gold. People are born, live, die.
To see only with human eyes is a kind of blindness, like holding a board allowing us to see half the seen scene. Yet seeing only Emptiness is a kind of disease too, like holding the board to block the other eye! Truly, Buddhas see clearly ... that mouse turds are each sacred Gold ... yet mouse turds are mouse turds and gold is gold. Such is where you are born. Drop that board!
The Preface speaks of dragons and cranes, so strong and vibrant ... tired birds and exhausted fish. Young or old, healthy or weak ... "Is there any measure of gain or loss to be made of this?" I say, do not judge only with a one sided eye!
The appreciatory verse speaks of "no separation" and "flying without impediment" right amid a world of "gates and fences, barrier and chains".
The story of the drunken guest may refer to a tale from the Lotus Sutra: A wealthy man has a poor friend come to his house to drink wine. When the wealthy one is called away on business, he feels sorry for the friend and fastens a priceless jewel to his robes. But the friend is so sleepy drunk he is unaware of the jewel's presence or the other man's kindness. Is not our Buddha nature like a jewel or piece of gold which we hold all along, whether we know or not?
QUESTION: Please describe how, in your life, one can experience "no separation" and "flying without impediment" right amid a world of "gates and fences, barrier and chains". How can the"mouse turds" of the world be seen as each and all a Buddha Jewel ... even as mouse turds are still mouse turds, and need to be cleaned up as best we can?
Gassho, J
