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Thread: Dharma All Around Us

  1. #1

    Dharma All Around Us

    Who has not noticed the things around which remind us of Dharma?

    I live in the central highlands of Nova Scotia. Nature abounds here; mountains, hills, bushes, trees, rivers, streams, in the midst of ocean bordered by rock and sand; canopied by every form of sky imaginable; clear, cloudy, colourful, starry, stormy, snowy, wind or calm. It all just sort of melds together in one great display of anitya or inconstancy. All these phenomena are subject to change.

    Sitting overlooking Northumberland Straits this morning, I took the opportunity to just sit with the elements around me. The cornucopia; the abundant, overflowing sights, sounds and smells were all present to explore but when finally I had to rise and leave I noticed that where I sat I was surrounded by clover. That little trefoil which is subject to of analogy to many spiritual traditions; a three-leafed symbol of trinities in several forms.

    The first thing which came to mind was the Triple Gem; the Three Treasures of Buddha, Dharma, Sangha and so I continued to contemplate. As quickly as the first I recalled the three categories of the path which contain the eight elements; wisdom, morality and meditation. I continued with the three bodies of Buddha; dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya. Of course in terms of "threes" there is the flip side of all this, as well: greed, hatred and delusion. But then there are the three types of Buddhas who escape the three poisons; Samyaysambuddha, Pratyekabuddha, and Sravakabuddha. Certainly there are the three vehicles of Buddhism, as well: Sravakayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana without all of which the Buddha Dharma would never have spread so completely; to each according to their need; from each according to their ability.

    As if to break the spell and speed me on my way, a bee passed by performing its assigned duties in pollination. I smiled to myself. Here emptiness raised its all-encompassing presence. The symbol I had accidentally selected was without self-nature or inherent existence. Without the bee, the wind, the rain, the sun, the soil and even the winter's coverlet of snow, perhaps this field of clover might not be here. Remove any one of these and clover could only decline, with erosion maybe even cease to exist. It this respect it was not alone.

    ...and all I meant to do was take a few moments to sit on nature's cushion. Go figure!

    My coverage of the "threes" in Buddhism was not exhaustive by any means, but I would be far more interested in YOUR examples of reminders around you, or your expansion of my humble offering.

    Gassho,

  2. #2

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    Silence can be such an elegant teacher.
    I certainly accept the lesson with gratitude.

    Gassho,

  3. #3

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    The trees speak volumes
    The breeze never ceases it's teaching
    Flowers awaken spontaneously those who watch their blooming.

    The lawnmower roars us awake
    The construction crew shatters our glass houses
    Traffic is a mirror to our practices pulse.

    Nature and the city are not two, but it seems to be MY nature to prefer on over the other :P I try to learn from all things, holding them equally more so than ever.

    Gassho to your wonderful description,
    Taylor

  4. #4

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    ...and thank you for sharing your poetry, as well as your kind words.

    Gassho,

  5. #5

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    The cool morning breeze
    whispers the Dharma
    into my startled ear.

    --Rehn

  6. #6

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    Hi

    I was doing a sesshin in the Ardennes last week, and we went sitting in the field, in the garden of the monastery where the sesshin was held. It felt differently from the meditation hall and yet, every place is a good place to abide and sit. I recognize the specialities of the green grass, insects that pass by and are interesting to follow, it connects to live and it also gives a recognition to the insects that are just insects, a bee is a bee, it does what it has to do, and that touches as we humans, have all that extra that makes us so different from the animal and environment. This can be destructive, creative and positive at the same time.

    I confess I often hug a tree here in the neighbourhood, that is around for a couple of hundreds of years , and is full of life force, ..

    Gassho

    Ensho

  7. #7

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    I saw a brand new baby bee flopping around in a big flower, covering himself in pollen. His body was a greenish hue, and I was admiring how small he was. I had never seen a baby bee before...

  8. #8

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    " Dharma All Around US" still 2. When body and mind drop melding with Dharma is complete. No experience by the "self" nor report of experience is necessary. Oneness .... This! Gassho

  9. #9

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    Quote Originally Posted by zak
    " Dharma All Around US" still 2. When body and mind drop melding with Dharma is complete. No experience by the "self" nor report of experience is necessary. Oneness .... This! Gassho
    And then do the laundry and wash the car ... still 2 and the hamper is overflowing, the windshield a mess.

    If the are only "one" ... whose gonna do the work that need to get done?

  10. #10

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo
    Quote Originally Posted by zak
    " Dharma All Around US" still 2. When body and mind drop melding with Dharma is complete. No experience by the "self" nor report of experience is necessary. Oneness .... This! Gassho
    And then do the laundry and wash the car ... still 2 and the hamper is overflowing, the windshield a mess.

    If the are only "one" ... whose gonna do the work that need to get done?
    Selfless self engaging life! Back to the market place without baggage.

  11. #11

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    Quote Originally Posted by zak
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo
    Quote Originally Posted by zak
    " Dharma All Around US" still 2. When body and mind drop melding with Dharma is complete. No experience by the "self" nor report of experience is necessary. Oneness .... This! Gassho
    And then do the laundry and wash the car ... still 2 and the hamper is overflowing, the windshield a mess.

    If the are only "one" ... whose gonna do the work that need to get done?
    Selfless self engaging life! Back to the market place without baggage.
    Sometimes we completely drop away all thought of clean, dirty, laundry and anyone to do it. Nothing to clean, no one to do any cleaning!

    Sometimes we wash the laundry clean with no thought of separation between washer and washed. We are perfectly at home in the laundrymat where we sit, the one place to be in the whole universe ... and Buddha washing Buddha in the Buddha machine.

    Sometimes we let dirty linens be perfectly dirty linens, cleans linens be perfectly what they are ... and simply help along the transition.

    And sometimes ... maybe most times ... it is okay simply to do the laundry like everyone else, no special "Zen state of mind" required, sitting in the laundrymat reading a copy of Sports Illustrated. To be truly "at one with the universe" means to be "at one" even with the fact that many or most days we might feel like "two" and quite ordinary and a bit annoyed that we must spend our precious Sunday off sitting in a laundrymat.

    (And and ... when truly wise, we may mix, match and combine various of the above ... all at once, not two. Zen Practice is like a whole bag of tricks ... a whole tool belt of mental states and perspectives ... that we can pull out as we need, or leave sitting in the toolbox until really required).

    Gassho, J

  12. #12

    Re: Dharma All Around Us

    Sometimes we completely drop away all thought of clean, dirty, laundry and anyone to do it. Nothing to clean, no one to do any cleaning!

    Sometimes we wash the laundry clean with no thought of separation between washer and washed. We are perfectly at home in the laundrymat where we sit, the one place to be in the whole universe ... and Buddha washing Buddha in the Buddha machine.

    Sometimes we let dirty linens be perfectly dirty linens, cleans linens be perfectly what they are ... and simply help along the transition.

    And sometimes ... maybe most times ... it is okay simply to do the laundry like everyone else, no special "Zen state of mind" required, sitting in the laundrymat reading a copy of Sports Illustrated. To be truly "at one with the universe" means to be "at one" even with the fact that many or most days we might feel like "two" and quite ordinary and a bit annoyed that we must spend our precious Sunday off sitting in a laundrymat.

    (And and ... when truly wise, we may mix, match and combine various of the above ... all at once, not two. Zen Practice is like a whole bag of tricks ... a whole tool belt of mental states and perspectives ... that we can pull out as we need, or leave sitting in the toolbox until really required).

    Gassho, J

    Now this teaching was worth the price of the admission ticket. Absorbed like raindrops falling into the sea. Deep appreciation for your effort. Gassho Z

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