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Thread: BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 68

  1. #1

    BOOK OF EQUANIMITY - Case 68

    Case 67 never ends, and so we slash to Case 68, Kassan's Slashing Sword ...

    Main Case
    Attention! A monk asked Kassan, "How about when sweeping out the dust you see the Buddha?" Kassan said, "Straightaway, slash with a sword. If you don't the fisherman will live in a nest." The monk then went and asked Sekiso, "How about when sweeping out the dust you see the Buddha?" Sekiso said, "He has no country. Where can he be met?" The monk returned to Kassan and related this to him. Kassan ascended the high seat and said, "In setting up expedients, I am better than he, but as to a profound talk of the principle, he is a hundred paces ahead of me."
    A monks asks the same question twice: Does one need to sweep away the mental dust of thought and of the complexities of the world to see Buddha?

    I take the first teacher's admonition to "strraightaway, slash with a sword" to mean to practice hard in this world of complexity, cutting away ignorance. Otherwise, one is like a fisherman caught in a tangle.

    The second teacher's response is more that Buddha is so intimate, where do you expect to "go" to meet him? What do you think you have to do? (In fact, what "you" and "him"? )

    I am reminded of the famous poetry contest recounted in the Platform Sutra: Two poems on enlightenment offered by two other monks. The first contains the lines ...

    The mind is like a bright mirror’s stand.
    Be always diligent in rubbing it—
    Do not let it attract any dust.


    And the second ...

    The bright mirror has no stand.
    Fundamentally there is not a single thing—
    Where could any dust be found?


    Who is right? Each is but two sides of the no sided coin. Thus Kassan seems to say that he (Kassan) is better at speaking in terms of practical matters of practice in the world, but that the other teacher (Sekison) is better at emphasizing the principle of the ultimate.

    Thus, the Preface ("Inside ... it's the emporer's decree. Outside ... it's the general's command") refers to the Emperor and the General who each rule in their place, sometimes emphasizing one viewless view, and sometimes the otherless other one, not two. The appreciatory verse also is referring to several old Chinese stories that each seems to have to do with generals and emperors swinging swords and quelling dust.

    Shishin Wick, in his commentary, mentions the "Treatise on the Two Entrances and Four Practices", the one known writing that historian's currently believe has a good chance of actually having been written by Bodhidharma. It is a short piece that speaks also of two faceless faces of this Way, the "entrance of principle" and the "entrance of practice". The former refers to realization of the ultimate, the "nothing need be done" of the Emperor in calm repose, for example:

    The entrance of principle is to become enlightened to the Truth ... that one and the same True Nature is possessed of all sentient beings, both ordinary and enlightened, and that this True Nature is only covered up and made imperceptible by false sense impressions.... To be thus mysteriously identified with the True Principle, to be without discrimination, serene and inactive: This is called the entrance of principle.
    As to the "entrance of practice", it points more to practical advise for wise living in this messy world of Samsara in light of the above Truth. This is how the general wields the sword. For example:

    The entrance of practice refers to the "four practices" which encompass all other practices....

    What is the practice of the retribution of enmity? When the practitioner of Buddhist spiritual training experiences suffering, he should think to himself: " ... My present suffering constitutes the fruition of my past crimes and karma ... I shall accept it patiently and contentedly, without complaint." When you react to events in this fashion, you can be in accord with Principle, therefore this is called practice of the retribution of enmity.

    The second is the practice of the acceptance of circumstances. ... Since success and failure depend on circumstances, the mind should remain unchanged. It should be unmoved even by the winds of good fortune .... Therefore, this is called the practice of acceptance of circumstances.

    The third is the practice of the absence of craving. ,,, The wise person ...pacifies his mind in [detachment] and accepts whatever happens to him. ...

    The fourth is the practice of accordance with the Dharma. ... one should practice the perfection of dana (selfless giving), giving of one's body, life, and possessions without any regret. In this way one benefits self as well as others ornamenting the path of enlightenment.
    http://terebess.hu/zen/bodhidharma-eng.html#mcrae

    Are you good in sitting as the Emperor and also living as the General in your life, sword in hand to cut through dust of the enemy ignorance?

    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    Last edited by Jundo; 10-03-2016 at 07:45 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    When reflecting on these two seemingly opposed answers, this is what comes to me.

    When we encounter problems and trouble on our lives, we Zen people tend to think we have to endure it with a smile. Embrace it fully in the right here right now. Accepting suffering is part of existance. All very true and many examples can be found of sages of old dealing with all kinds of stuff this way. That lies in line with the second answer, a very deep philosophical take on life. The first answer is more practical. If you have a sore tooth, go the dentist. if your house is on fire call the fireman or pick up a hose yourself and start working the problem at hand! Practice and sit! Act! Dont die of famine thinking its good practice.
    The way I look at it, both are true depending on the intention of the question and the person giving the answer. Some have a relative approach others a more absolute one and together they are the sides to a sideless coin.
    What is interesting is that neither says the other is wrong or wishes to be more like the other. This is my path and thats the other, both true. Do some koan study and practice Shikantaza too. Just do it fully and with a clear mirror and not at the same time.

    Ty

    Gassho

    MyoHo
    Mu

  3. #3
    Hi all,

    Are you good in sitting as the Emperor and also living as the General in your life, sword in hand to cut through dust of the enemy ignorance?

    I'm not sure where I am. All I know is that I am just good at getting carried away by emotions and thoughts... and then there's the dharma to show a path. So I sit and observe how things are without me polluting it all with my mind.

    And then comes silence if only for a bit.

    Thank you.

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    #SatToday
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  4. #4
    Since koans apply to life and my life is different to yours, koans are specific to my life and current life circumstances. That said, I don't see a koan.

    Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

  5. #5
    Are you good in sitting as the Emperor and also living as the General in your life, sword in hand to cut through dust of the enemy ignorance?
    I'm learning to sit with whatever comes up. I love to learn in general, although it can be uncomfortable at times (and humbling), but a relief to have those "aha" moments. I hope I'm cutting through ignorance.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    SatToday

  6. #6
    I'm pretty good at seeing a couple sides to a situation, but perhaps not so good at slashing away ignorance.

    Gassho, sat today
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

  7. #7
    I'm pretty good at seeing a couple sides to a situation, but perhaps not so good at slashing away ignorance.
    Personally, I think that works just as well, Geika, and speaks to me of what the koan is about. It was also expressed in a previous koan that if you can't throw it away then carry it off (Case 57: Genyo's One Thing).

    What the koan says to me is that there are different methods of practice. We can guard our mind against harmful words, thoughts and actions or else see through them. Jundo's reference to the two poems in the Platform Sutra demonstrate this very well. The Buddha way has always encompassed both skillful means and right view.

    I am more of a proponent of giving ignorance a big hug than slashing it with a sword. Generals and Emperors are all very well but there is also the mother who sweeps everything up in her arms.

    Gassho
    Kokuu
    #sattoday and just about to go sit again (possibly after some more tea! )
    Last edited by Kokuu; 10-04-2016 at 10:16 AM. Reason: too much coffee

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Kokuu View Post
    Personally, I think that works just as well, Geika, and speaks to me of what the koan is about. It was also expressed in a previous koan that if you can't throw it away then carry it off (Case 57: Genyo's One Thing).

    What the koan says to me is that there are different methods of practice. We can guard our mind against harmful words, thoughts and actions or else see through them. Jundo's reference to the two poems in the Platform Sutra demonstrate this very well. The Buddha way has always encompassed both skillful means and right view.

    I am more of a proponent of giving ignorance a big hug than slashing it with a sword. Generals and Emperors are all very well but there is also the mother who sweeps everything up in her arms.

    Gassho
    Kokuu
    #sattoday and just about to go sit again (possibly after some more tea! )
    Really good points!

    I can come back to the point where the general and emperor are doing their things, and everything's just peachy But sometimes it's not really that easy ,and this is especially evident in Ango. The more Ango goes along, the easier it becomes. I actually kind of enjoy the sort of mental friction that occurs when you want something, but you need to just pass on it because you've vowed to give it up. There's something very, very satisfying with Ango; there's actually something a lot satisfying about Ango. And this practice.

    It's like from one perspective, it can be very frustrating, but if you (and I really like those words Kokuu ) can "be the mother who sweeps everything up", even the resistance and the frustration of not getting what you want, or having to sit when you are tired, etc, there's this space that opens up and you feel this groundedness that everything is going to be ok amidst this temporary crazy.

    I think that Ango and practice is just really, really good at throwing you into what you may not want and teaching you how to handle that with grace and gratitude. Now I"m crossing over into he practice partner exercise, but that's another reason that I love this practice. I love being able to sit amidst uncomfortable feelings and not being controlled by them.

    Gassho,

    Risho
    -sattoday

  9. #9
    My Manjushri statue has a sword; he is the general. My Buddha statue sits in samadhi; he is the emperor.
    A general needs an emperor and an emperor needs a general.
    What good is practice without an Ideal to guide it? What good is an Ideal if there is no way to put it into practice?
    I consider myself more general than emperor, but that's only because I am a deluded emperor.
    Last edited by AlanLa; 10-14-2016 at 03:41 AM.
    AL (Jigen) in:
    Faith/Trust
    Courage/Love
    Awareness/Action!

    I sat today

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