• SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: Beautiful-Ugly-Buddha Eye

    Sitting with the beautiful AND the ugly in this world ... finding that which simultaneously transcends and holds, breathes in and breathes out, "beautiful vs. ugly" ... is our Practice.

    We are free of aversion and attraction even as we have our ordinary human aversions and attractions, pulling the weeds we can and watering the flowers ... even as we embrace each as just what they are. One finds Wholeness, Light, Beauty that is unconcerned by small human judgments of beauty and ugliness.

    We observe the terrible battle fields for what they are, even as we seek to make peace. We sit serenely in the sick room, even as we try to cure the disease. We transcend yet fully embrace a world of beauty and ugliness, even as we do what we can to mend the ugly and make it beautiful.

    Is it not the same when we find a certain ugliness amid the beautiful in Buddhism too? A naive student who demands ONLY beauty and goodness in the world ... even the Buddhist world ... one sidedly rejecting the sometimes distasteful or even criminal, may miss the Real Treasure that shines through all of it. That is so even as, in our Wisdom and Equanimity, we keep pulling the weeds we can and nurture the flowers, praise the good and punish the wrongdoer. All at Once, the Eye of Buddha holding all.

    Master Dogen quoted his Master's poem in Baike, On Plum Blossoms ... which flower on gnarled twisted branches in our garden each cold February ...

    The thorn-like, spike-branched Old Plum Tree
    Suddenly bursts forth, first with one or two blossoms,
    Then with three, four, five, and finally blossoms beyond count.




    ... So Beautiful, So Beautiful





    This article was originally published in forum thread: SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: Beautiful-Ugly-Buddha Eye started by Jundo View original post
    Comments 27 Comments
    1. Myozan Kodo's Avatar
      Myozan Kodo -
      Gassho, and thanks.
      Myozan
    1. Myoku's Avatar
      Myoku -
      For some reason I always felt more sympathy with weeds than with flowers, but anyway, thanks for the talk, especially the mirror part spoke clearly to me,
      Gassho
      Myoku
    1. Mp's Avatar
      Mp -
      Wonderful talk Jundo, thank you.

      Gassho
      Shingen
    1. Dosho's Avatar
      Dosho -
      "Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty."

      -John Keats

      Thank you Jundo.

      Gassho,
      Dosho
    1. Dennis's Avatar
      Dennis -
      An excellent (if ugly!) talk... especially in the coming season of beautiful beginnings. Maybe I'll leave a few weeds alone (if the wife allows!)

      Gassho,
      Dennis
    1. Jiken's Avatar
      Jiken -
      Thanks Jundo.

      Gassho,

      Daido
    1. Shokai's Avatar
      Shokai -
      Thank you jundo, I can once again look in a mirror

      gassho,
    1. Seimyo's Avatar
      Seimyo -
      Thank you Jundo.

      Gassho.
      Seimyo
    1. Daitetsu's Avatar
      Daitetsu -
      Thanks a lot, Jundo!

      Gassho,

      Timo
    1. RichardH's Avatar
      RichardH -
      Gassho, Daizan
    1. Jundo's Avatar
      Jundo -
      Quote Originally Posted by Daizan View Post
      Gassho, Daizan
      A believe a painter should have a view or two on beautiful and ugly!

      Gassho, J
    1. Kyonin's Avatar
      Kyonin -
      Thank you Jundo.

      This talk comes in perfect timing. My family is facing some ugliness lately.

      Gassho,

      Kyonin
    1. Kiki's Avatar
      Kiki -
      Thank you Jundo

      Gassho
      Kia
    1. arthus's Avatar
      arthus -
      First Sit-a-long,
      "Suddenly bursts forth, first with one or two blossoms"

      _/\_
    1. Gen01's Avatar
      Gen01 -
      Thanks Jundo!

      Gassho.
    1. Gi Shu-George's Avatar
      Gi Shu-George -
      Thank you Jundo.
      Gassho
      George--Gishu
    1. Geika's Avatar
      Geika -
      Thank you, Jundo, though I disagree about your and Taigu's faces.
    1. Dokan's Avatar
      Dokan -
      Thank you Jundo!

      Gassho,

      Dokan

      PS - Up on podcast! Or on iTunes.
    1. Onken's Avatar
      Onken -
      Thank you. Always a great reminder.
    1. Heisoku's Avatar
      Heisoku -
      Thank you Jundo.Gassho.

      Sent from my BlackBerry 9790 using Tapatalk