Case 35 never ends, yet now comes ...
Case 36: Baso's Illness
We all get sick, and judge (quite natural and reasonable for us to do so, mind you) that healthy is better than sick. After all, healthy is a lot more pleasant than sick!
Some live long and some live short, and we judge (as seems right to do for most lives) that long is better than short.
On another thread today, we discussed how "small" seems less important than "big".
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...l=1#post124149
We think Buddha is better than "sentient beings", and "common" and "holy" are apart.
But are these the only ways to experience things? What if we drop judgments like "better, worse or equal" ... and just flow? Beyond and right through "better worse or equal". You would be quite wrong if you believe that the result of doing so is just some neutral "stiff upper lip" gray resignation or hopelessness.
Sun faced Buddha lives for thousands of years, Moon faced Buddha for but a day ... yet all Buddha, beyond birth and death. When sick Buddha, just be sick Buddha ... cough cough cough, moan moan moan Buddha.
Even in the hard and unpleasant time, be simultaneously like a clear mirror which welcomes all reflected within ... big and small, beautiful and ugly. The mirror holds the star light and tiny firefly light, gun powder flash and incense light ... all of such.
And though it is so ... we see the doctor, watch our health, and take the cures we can!
Question: We have a lot of folks in this Sangha who have faced times of serious illness and the like. Has this Practice somehow allowed you to be in such times differently than you might otherwise before you walking this Practice? Please tell us.
Gassho, J
