BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 48

[Jundo]

Case 47 never ends, yet now comes ...

Case 48: Vimalakirt's Nonduality

http://books.google.co.jp/books?id=i...geless&f=false

What can be said about this Koan. Here is my comment:
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And yet, true Nonduality includes this ...



and this ...



and this ...



and these words too ...



... when properly heard.

- Any big questions in your life totally dissolve by silence? Do you know how to speak words filled with silence?

Please say something or just stay silent.

Gassho, J

SatToday!

[Myosha]

Holding life is as good as nothing.

(Warning: this is a personal opinion and in no way should be shared as the universal joy of receiving your child directly after birth.)

Or not.


Gassho,
Myosha sat today

[Byokan]

See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence;
see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence...


- Mother Teresa

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

[Kyonin]

All questions find an answer when I just sit and pay attention to the Silence.

After a while it all makes sense and there's no need to seek any longer.

Zazen.

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[RichardH]

inspiration from thin air

self same

gone before it came


Gassho
Daizan

sat today

[Risho]

What is nonduality? If it is beyond knowing or not knowing, silence or sound, how do we know it?

Gassho

Risho

[Jundo]

What is nonduality? If it is beyond knowing or not knowing, silence or sound, how do we know it?

Gassho

Risho

Is that a question? Is that a declaration!

Replace some of those ? with !. That is how Dogen often used "interrogative" words to step through silence and sound.

WHAT'S WHAT
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...DO-WHAT-S-WHAT

Gassho, J

[Risho]

Ok I know this is about silence, but if I'm silent I'm not really being silent like Vimalakirti; I'm just imitating his response and really just being silent out of ignorance. This koan got me because it showed how I'm looking for an answer impatiently.

At first I was asking to get an answer... some "point", then when you asked back, I realized it just has to be asked.... If that makes any sense.

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Jika]

What gets me is the "speak words filled with silence" task.
Before and beyond words, there are no and all questions, no and all answers, ends without beginning meet.
It just does not make sense to ask, because there is noone asking someone a question.
But once "I" try to speak , it is like a flower growing everywhere in everything, but you can't put it in a vase.
Beautiful, but weird.

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

This sounds so stupid.

[Byokan]

Hi Danny,

I’m a big fan of this kind of stupid. I’m new to koans, but I think the last thing you want to do is come up with some big smart answer. I really struggle to turn my analyzing mind off with a koan, and just feel into it. It puts you in a very vulnerable position, and then trying to share your experience with others by posting can feel like being overly exposed. I want to write “This sounds so stupid” every time I post on Treeleaf! But this is the beauty of Sangha... I’m starting to trust you guys to let me say something beautiful, but weird, and maybe stupid.

I’ve learned in my old age that if I’m in a situation where I feel kind of stupid, and don’t know the right words to use, and have no idea what comes next... I’m probably learning something. I used to avoid situations like that, because it was uncomfortable, but now I’m more willing to allow it and enjoy it. Maybe this is the beginning of beginners mind.


Sorry, this really does sound so stupid! Words are usually inferior to silence. Nice flower.

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

[Meishin]

and nice weeds.

Gassho
John
sat today

[Jika]

Thank you, Lisa. For trusting and saying.
Yes, John, but I did not delete
- so the flower's in the weed.

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Jundo]

What gets me is the "speak words filled with silence" task.
Before and beyond words, there are no and all questions, no and all answers, ends without beginning meet.
It just does not make sense to ask, because there is noone asking someone a question.
But once "I" try to speak , it is like a flower growing everywhere in everything, but you can't put it in a vase.
Beautiful, but weird.

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

This sounds so stupid.

Weird but so beautiful.

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Heisoku]

The silent moon in a silent dewdrop!

Gassho
Heisoku

[Ongen]

Nice flower indeed, Lisa. Thank you
Gassho
Vincent


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AlanLa]

The farther along on this Path I go I find that the more I shut up the farther along on this Path I go.
Words are easy; shutting up is hard.
Allowing silence, accepting silence, being silent, just being,
All speak wordless volumes that can answer the BIG questions of love and life.
As a youngster I wanted to explain everything.
As an oldster I find that gets me into trouble.
To speak, even silently, is often to object, to push away.
To be silent is to accept, to draw in.
I could go on....
But I've said too much about duality already.

[Jishin]

- Any big questions in your life totally dissolve by silence? Do you know how to speak words filled with silence?

Please say something or just stay silent.

With no beginning and end, my and your words are absolutely silent as long as we don't give them life and death by hanging on to them...

Gassho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Ed]

Speak words filled with silence.
Before and beyond words,
There are no, and all questions.
No and all answers
Ends without a beginning meet.
It just does not make sense to ask, because there is no one asking someone a question.
But once "I" try to speak, it is like a flower growing everywhere in everything,
But you can't put it in a vase.
Beautiful, but weird.

Danny

Just moved some dots and comas around.
It is striking...but will delete if you say.
Thanks, Danny B.

[Byokan]

Ed, Danny,

Beautiful!

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

[Jundo]

Lovely.

[Anshu Bryson]

Just realized I can get an electronic copy of this book from the always-helpful Wisdom Publications. Duly downloaded and on my holiday reading list!

Gassho,

Bryson

sat today

[Jika]

Oh, an Ed-itor!

That way, it sounds much better, Ed.
Thank you!

Gassho,
Danny
#sattoday

[Ongen]

Wondeful

Gassho

Vinsat today


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[michaeljc]

"Knowest thou the leisurely philosopher who has gone beyond learning and is not exerting himself in anything? He neither avoids idle thoughts nor seeks after truth, for he knows ignorance is no less than the Dharma-body.

Emptiness negatively defined denies the world of causality. All is then in utter confusion which surely invites evil all around. The same holds true when beings are clung to at the expense of emptiness."

- From Yoka Daishi's "Song of Enlightenment"

SatToday