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Thread: Bowing to a millipede

  1. #1

    Bowing to a millipede

    Hey folks

    Last night I was doing Zazen; when I finished it, I noticed a small millipede near the wall before me. When I rise from the Zafu when suddenly this thought crosses my mind: "Even if I gassho to a millipede, I am doing it to the Buddha himself." And then, "So why shouldn't I gassho or even bow to everything, say, a rock, someone I don't 'like', a Zafu, a trash can, a car, some homeless person, etc...? Everything is Buddha."

    Funny how some tiny being like a millipede could bring me this little insight.

    Just to share this with you.

    Gassho

    Marcos

    #SatToday
    _/|\_

    Kyōsei

    強 Kyō
    声 Sei

    Namu kie Butsu, Namu kie Ho, Namu kie So.

  2. #2
    And all Gassho back, the millipede with dozens of hands ...

    Gassho, J

    SatT
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  3. #3
    Hello,

    Thank you for the lesson.


    Gassho
    Myosha
    sat today

  4. #4


    Kokuu
    #sattoday

  5. #5
    Treeleaf Unsui Shugen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Redding California USA
    Thank you for sharing. And, it's not so "little"


    Gassho,

    Shugen

    Sattoday


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Meido Shugen
    明道 修眼

  6. #6
    A millipede is all of us who gassho at each other at the same time.

    Sometimes I gassho pretty much to everything in my home sometimes. Mosquitoes, cats, people in the street. It's actually a humbling practice because it's a form to acknowledge the sanctity in all that is around.

    And sometimes I just ignore everything and mind my business

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    #SatToday
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  7. #7
    Dudley and I were just discussing this yesterday in relation to the latest PPE... he says he has been thanking his cushion recently It can be a hard master but it holds one up during sitting!
    Gassho
    Jakuden
    SatToday


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  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Jakuden View Post
    Dudley and I were just discussing this yesterday in relation to the latest PPE... he says he has been thanking his cushion recently It can be a hard master but it holds one up during sitting!
    Gassho
    Jakuden
    SatToday


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I was cursing it today as I tried to sit seiza for the first time

    Gassho, dudley
    #knelt

  9. #9
    Buddhist Millipede ...



    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  10. #10
    I read that by saying something is Buddha or has Buddha nature you should wash your mouth out. I read that by adding more labels to something we have already given up to delusion, we only add more delusion. I know that sounds pretty Harada Roshi-ish, but I think it fits nicely with breaking down our perception.

    Still, I think it's lovely you acknowledged the millipede. And funnily enough I did the same to a spider and a gnat today. In contemplating the nature of things I've been stuck in knowing I can see a spider for its' legs rather than "nasty spider". I think it's best if I just throw the legs out and just look at the spider next time with no opinions, judgements, or words.

    But here I am again thinking too much.

    Gassho
    Kyle
    Sat2day

    Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Treeleaf Unsui Shugen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Redding California USA
    Sometimes its just "spider", sometimes it's "oh no, that is a dangerous spider and must be moved or killed so it does not harm my child".

    Gassho,

    Shugen

    Quote Originally Posted by Careless Voice View Post
    I read that by saying something is Buddha or has Buddha nature you should wash your mouth out. I read that by adding more labels to something we have already given up to delusion, we only add more delusion. I know that sounds pretty Harada Roshi-ish, but I think it fits nicely with breaking down our perception.

    Still, I think it's lovely you acknowledged the millipede. And funnily enough I did the same to a spider and a gnat today. In contemplating the nature of things I've been stuck in knowing I can see a spider for its' legs rather than "nasty spider". I think it's best if I just throw the legs out and just look at the spider next time with no opinions, judgements, or words.

    But here I am again thinking too much.

    Gassho
    Kyle
    Sat2day

    Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk
    Meido Shugen
    明道 修眼

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Shugen View Post
    Sometimes its just "spider", sometimes it's "oh no, that is a dangerous spider and must be moved or killed so it does not harm my child".

    Gassho,

    Shugen
    Haha, good point. Alternatively move the child and burn the house down! Ok, maybe that's a little extreme.

    Gassho
    Kyle
    Sat2day

    Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

  13. #13
    Treeleaf Unsui Shugen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Redding California USA
    Hello,

    "Or" and "what if" never end.

    The explanation to the insurance company would be interesting

    Gassho,

    Shugen

    Sattoday

    Quote Originally Posted by Careless Voice View Post
    Haha, good point. Alternatively move the child and burn the house down! Ok, maybe that's a little extreme.

    Gassho
    Kyle
    Sat2day

    Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Meido Shugen
    明道 修眼

  14. #14
    Thanks for this, Marcos.

    Bowing is funny. It starts out small and specific, then the more you do it, it grows. And you find yourself bowing to all kinds of things, and it grows some more, until it's not even really you bowing any more, until bowing is bowing at bowing.

    It's kind of like The Blob, encompassing everything in it's path. Well, in a good way.



    Gassho
    Byōkan
    sat today

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