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Thread: From Mitka: Playing On with a Broken String

  1. #1

    From Mitka: Playing On with a Broken String

    Mitka had a lovely comment in one of our Ango threads, quoting the Insight Meditation teacher, Jack Kornfield. I just feel it lovely and wise, so will post it here so that it is not missed ...

    He [Jack Kornfield] was talking about how we all have problems, mortgages, people who don't understand us, unfinished business in the past, trauma, not a lot of time to do the things we want, etc. And then he said "You know, we often think of our problems as these huge unbeatable giants, but actually they are more like encouraging friends. You see it is because of our problems that we recognize the basic truth of Buddha's first noble truth about suffering. And it is because of our problems that we are able to raise bodhichitta, or the intent to practice. If we didn't have any problems, if we were completely content, we would not practice. We would not see that life offers so much more than the objects we can perceive with our gross senses. We would not see that we are in bondage. We would not see the possibility of liberation. Our problems are like friends who come to us in jail and encourage us to break out."

    I love this idea of our problems being friends, and I think it is a helpful reframing of our lives that can create some space and allow us to breathe. Thanks for sharing you both.

    Story: One day Itzhak Perlman, an internationally celebrated violinist, was playing at the New York Philharmonic before a large crowd on his 1714 Stradivarius. He was playing a violin solo for the piece. Because he had polio when he was a kid, he was sitting in his chair wearing leg braces to help him walk. As he was playing suddenly there was a loud popping sound. One of the strings on his violin had broken. The orchestra stopped, and the audience waited breathlessly to see what would happen. Would he limp offstage to change out his violin? Would someone come onto stage to restring his violin? Itzhak sat in silence for several moment, closed his eyes, then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra started up, and Itzhak, using only the three strings left to him, modulated, changied, and recomposed the piece so he could play it on three strings. He played with such passion and power and purity that at the end of the piece, the crowd erupted into applause. Everyone was on their feet cheering wildly. Humbly, Itzhak motioned with his bowstring for silence. Then he said "You know, sometimes it is an artist's job to find out how much music you can still play with what you have left."

    Our lives are incredibly beautiful gifts, and lets continue making beautiful music with these broken instruments.
    I had a week this week with some broken strings and other problems. I am sure that you did too. So, nice wisdom about playing on, and making beautiful, what life hands us.

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2

  3. #3


    Sat/lah
    Grateful for your practice

  4. #4
    Love that story.

    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
    I am just a priest-in-training, any resemblance between what I post and actual teachings is purely coincidental.
    E84I - JAJ

  5. #5
    Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
    Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
    ----
    I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
    and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

  6. #6
    Thank you Mitka for posting this with your perspective. Wonderful. It has been difficult for me to participate in Ango this year due to "broken strings" Need to move forward with the strings I have left!
    'SAT TODAY
    Shozan

  7. #7
    Thank you Jundo.

    I think this idea is very similar to the saying no mud, no lotus - mud is absolutely essential for growing and fertilising lotus. So all our problems should be the soil for our awakening mind.

    Gassho,
    Van
    Sat + LAH

    Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    合掌,生開
    gassho, Shokai

    仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

    "Open to life in a benevolent way"

    https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

  9. #9
    Wonderful!

    Gassho,
    Ben


    Stlah


    Gesendet von meinem PLK-L01 mit Tapatalk

  10. #10

    From Mitka: Playing On with a Broken String

    BOING! There goes the string. Oh well, who says we can’t still make music? Don’t we always have just the right instrument for our practice needs ? Yes this is wonderful.

    Gassho
    Jakuden
    SatToday/LAH


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

  11. #11
    I recalled seeing this in India, a one string violin ... still beautiful in skilled hands when down to one string ...




    A Kingri: Originating from South India the small, one string instrument (in the middle) with one handle is made from a very rare material among the string instruments. Its small board was made from unglazed clay and its upper surface is made from paper. There is a bamboo stick in the board and this stick is stabilised by the space formed by the streching strings.

    Of course, Zen let's us hear the wonderful silent-singing music of the "violin with no strings." (A Koan)

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    Last edited by Jundo; 09-16-2019 at 11:33 PM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  12. #12
    Thank you for the lesson.

    Reminds me on different stories told about Paganini.
    Composing a love story for Napoleon's sister, the princess of Lucca. On the highest and lowest string (female and male) and later his first piece just for the G string alone.
    There are also stories about all strings, but one breaking and him continuing playing.
    But as Paganini was also a showman, rumours go, that the strings were prepared to break and the violin already tuned differently.
    However, there are some nice pieces for one string from him.

    Moses Fantasy performed by Antal Zalai (only on a G string):


    Gassho,
    Kotei sat/lah today.

    義道 冴庭 / Gidō Kotei.
    Being a novice priest doesn't mean my writing about the Dharma is more substantial than yours. Actually, it might well be the other way round.

  13. #13


    Thank you for sharing...beautiful!

    Gassho,
    Kelly/Jinmei
    sattoday/lah

  14. #14
    Once again... thank you, Mitka. /\

    Gassho
    Kendrick
    SAT/LAH

  15. #15

    Tairin
    Sat today and lah

  16. #16

  17. #17
    i love that story! thanks, Mitka and Jundo.


    aprapti
    std

    hobo kore dojo / 歩歩是道場 / step, step, there is my place of practice

    Aprāpti (अप्राप्ति) non-attainment

  18. #18


    SatToday
    流道
    Ryū Dou

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