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Thread: Jundo: BEING MODERATE on "BEING IN THE MOMENT"

  1. #1

    Jundo: BEING MODERATE on "BEING IN THE MOMENT"


    I am a moderate on this "be in the moment" thing, which is a wonderful practice ... but also DENIES LIFE in a way and is OVERBLOWN by Zen folks. There are proper times to "just do one thing in one moment," for example, when looking at a flower, just to see the flower and not be thinking about some better flower somewhere else. When I am playing with my kids in the park, it is best to play with my kids ... and not have my head thinking about work or politics. Sometimes I just wash dishes, and pour myself into that, not pondering the tea that comes after the dishes. There are moments too when we pour ourself so fully into washing that self is fully washed away, this pouring water and pouring world and pouring self just a single stream.

    HOWEVER, what need or reason to be such way all or most of the time? When washing the dishes while thinking about baseball or the shopping that needs to be done for dinner, just wash while thinking about baseball and the groceries. THAT TOO IS JUST THIS MOMENT of washing while thinking about baseball and groceries. When sometimes looking at the flower while thinking that there is weeding that must be done, just look at the flower while thinking about the weeding. WHEN HAVE WE EVER FAILED TO BE "IN THE MOMENT" if we just realize that we are ALWAYS in the moments of this life?!

    I work to assist someone who suffered a brain injury by which he is forced to be, always, truly in just the present activity in which he cannot recall or think about the past or future, and must give his full attention just to tying his laces or eating his soup. While we honor everyone's life as truly precious as it is, there has also been loss of important abilities. Human beings were meant to sometimes do one thing doing one thing, sometimes one thing thinking about three things, sometimes doing three things at once.

    Of course, balance is important: If one finds oneself going to the other extreme of ALWAYS multi-tasking, too frequently overwhelmed in thoughts, never able to "be in the moment, just doing one thing" when one wishes, well, that is not good either! Do not simply abandon all opportunities for "just being in the moment, doing one thing, one practice, in one moment!" These are priceless, precious, not to be missed, a gateway in Zazen to the dropping of bodymind! My point is merely that not every moment of the day need or should be so. Please know when to do one thing, and do one thing ... please know when not to do one thing because, to the wise, "doing three things" is also one thing.

    I do not know where the idea started among Zen folks that the 'goal' of this practice is to live the first way every moment of every day. If anything, our practice should not be about "being in the moment," as much as about allowing each moment of life ... happy moments and sad moments, calm moments and busy moments, up moments and down moments, doing one thing moments and many things moments ... to be just that precious jewel of a moment. Please know the timeless stillness that is the heart of each moment, even the most tumultuous moments in life.

    In my view, all of the above together is truly balanced, "mindful" living. That is "being the moment" as each moment comes and goes ...

    Gassho, J

    SatTodayLAH

    Sorry for running long, taking up some moments
    Last edited by Jundo; 09-14-2021 at 02:04 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    Thank you, Jundo.

    Gassho,
    Kendrick
    Sat

  3. #3
    Thank you for the post, Jundo.

    I've often wondered about this myself, especially after doing some of the Jukai readings which highlighted the importance of bringing awareness to our mental activity and learning how this activity can propel our behavior. I think the stillness, both physical and mental, that can be briefly experienced during zazen also helps us to understand the connection between our mental activity and behavior.

    However, I'm not sure if we need to be so hyper-focused on one solid thing/activity all the time. I'm glad Jundo mentioned this notion of denying life because I think if we tried to treat every moment of our life like our Zazen practice, it wouldn't be pretty. Well, it wouldn't be pretty for me, anyway.

    That being said, for Ango I've been trying to incorporate opportunities for Samu while doing various kinds of work around the house. Typically I would do this while listening to an audiobook, but I'm trying to just pour myself into the activity of the moment without my headphones. But you know, even when I'm working around the house and listening to an audiobook, I still get caught up in my mental activity and have to bring myself back to the moment of vampires, magic, space lasers, or whatever else I happen to be listening to. So even when we're doing two to three things at a time, perhaps there are still opportunities for bringing our awareness back to the unfolding activity of doing two or three things.

    Sorry for going over three sentences.

    Gassho,

    Shade

    ST

  4. #4
    That being said, for Ango I've been trying to incorporate opportunities for Samu while doing various kinds of work around the house.
    Yes, do not go to the other extreme and ABANDON all opportunities for "just being in the moment, doing one thing, one practice, in one moment" either! These are valuable, important, not to be missed. My point is merely that not every moment of the day need or should be so.

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  5. #5
    Lovely ! Thank you, Jundo.

    Gassho
    Life itself is the only teacher.
    一 Joko Beck


    STLah
    安知 Anchi

  6. #6
    I feel people mistake “being in the moment” for mindlessly obsessing over one particular action at a time. Every moment is a bunch of things happening at the same time, and being “in the moment” means being with ALL OF THAT! I can “be in the moment” eating, while I also check an urgent email and hear music from the neighbors and a dog in the backyard all the while keeping an eye on my kids... Life is everything happening at once and that is just fine!

    Sorry for the length!

    SatToday
    Bion
    -------------------------
    When you put Buddha’s activity into practice, only then are you a buddha. When you act like a fool, then you’re a fool. - Sawaki Roshi

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Shade View Post
    Thank you for the post, Jundo.

    I've often wondered about this myself, especially after doing some of the Jukai readings which highlighted the importance of bringing awareness to our mental activity and learning how this activity can propel our behavior. I think the stillness, both physical and mental, that can be briefly experienced during zazen also helps us to understand the connection between our mental activity and behavior.

    However, I'm not sure if we need to be so hyper-focused on one solid thing/activity all the time. I'm glad Jundo mentioned this notion of denying life because I think if we tried to treat every moment of our life like our Zazen practice, it wouldn't be pretty. Well, it wouldn't be pretty for me, anyway.

    That being said, for Ango I've been trying to incorporate opportunities for Samu while doing various kinds of work around the house. Typically I would do this while listening to an audiobook, but I'm trying to just pour myself into the activity of the moment without my headphones. But you know, even when I'm working around the house and listening to an audiobook, I still get caught up in my mental activity and have to bring myself back to the moment of vampires, magic, space lasers, or whatever else I happen to be listening to. So even when we're doing two to three things at a time, perhaps there are still opportunities for bringing our awareness back to the unfolding activity of doing two or three things.

    Sorry for going over three sentences.

    Gassho,

    Shade

    ST
    Actually, I do think the zazen mind should be applied to every other aspect of our life. The zazen mind is simply unified and aware… it is not excluding or judgmental, dismissive or obsessive. If the state of zazen is, as Dogen says, the king of samadhis, then carrying it to apply it to our other “daily samadhis” or to convert other actions into samadhi, is a true accomplishment.



    SatToday
    Bion
    -------------------------
    When you put Buddha’s activity into practice, only then are you a buddha. When you act like a fool, then you’re a fool. - Sawaki Roshi

  8. #8
    Well said. Thank you Jundo


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah
    泰林 - Tai Rin - Peaceful Woods

  9. #9
    Thanks for this, Jundo. I've always been cautious about focusing on being "in the moment" so much for reasons stated. It's become a sort of catch-all, stereotyped misunderstanding like the whole "Mindfulness" thing that is always being pushed.


    Gassho
    STlah
    Shoki

  10. #10
    Thank you Jundo . Shoki, I completely agree with what you said.

    Gassho,
    Seibu
    Sattoday

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    If anything, our practice should not be about "being in the moment," as much as about allowing each moment of life ... happy moments and sad moments, calm moments and busy moments, up moments and down moments, doing one thing moments and many things moments ... to be just that precious jewel of a moment. Please know the timeless stillness that is the heart of each moment, even the most tumultuous moments in life.
    Thank you Jundo! This is excellent teaching and just what I needed to read right now (!). I was thinking of this very issue today and just like that it shows up on the Treeleaf forum...

    Rob
    sat today and LAH
    “Be humble; you are made of dust. Be noble; you are made of stars”

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Bion View Post
    I feel people mistake “being in the moment” for mindlessly obsessing over one particular action at a time.
    Gassho.

    I also feel like this is how I often read this phrase when people use it. Or at least as if the present moment itself becomes the minds obsession, a clinging state.

    However I've always read this phrase as Avalokiteshvara talking to Shariputra "HERE!". It is in this moment that we dwell so that we do not obsess on the illusory. This does not mean that we cannot think about past present or future. It simply means that we do not dwell within them and allow them to effect us. This is what being in the moment means to me, it is as we do in practice: a letting go of obsessions.

    It is not a clinging to of the moments obsessions.

    Gassho
    Mark
    ST
    Last edited by Rousei; 09-13-2021 at 09:12 AM.
    浪省 - RouSei - Wandering Introspection

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by WanderingIntrospection View Post
    Gassho.

    I also feel like this is how I often read this phrase when people use it. Or at least as if the present moment itself becomes the minds obsession, a clinging state.

    However I've always read this phrase as Avalokiteshvara talking to Shariputra "HERE!". It is in this moment that we dwell so that we do not obsess on the illusory. This does not mean that we cannot think about past present or future. It simply means that we do not dwell within them and allow them to effect us. This is what being in the moment means to me, it is as we do in practice: a letting go of obsessions.

    It is not creating an obsession of the moment.

    Gassho
    Mark
    ST



    SatToday
    Bion
    -------------------------
    When you put Buddha’s activity into practice, only then are you a buddha. When you act like a fool, then you’re a fool. - Sawaki Roshi

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post

    I do not know where the idea started among Zen folks that the 'goal' of this practice is to live the first way every moment of every day.
    I don't know exactly where I first encountered this idea, but I that Thich Naht Hanh talks a lot about this sort of thing. He's one of those who promotes "mindfulness" as this idea of being in the moment. Here's one example:

    https://www.lionsroar.com/the-moment-is-perfect/

    I've always felt that this was artificial; that the moment is perfect no matter what we're doing, as long as we can realize that the moment is perfect, but that we don't need to constantly tell ourselves that the moment is perfect for it to be perfect. If we assume that only "being in the moment" is perfect, and that the rest of life is imperfect, then we spend all out time judging rather than living.

    Gassho,

    Ryūmon

    sat
    Last edited by Ryumon; 09-13-2021 at 08:17 AM.
    流文

    I know nothing.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo
    I do not know where the idea started among Zen folks that the 'goal' of this practice is to live the first way every moment of every day.
    Ryumon beat me to it... came here to say, probably TNH. He's constantly talking about the importance of mindfulness. And his books are hugely popular and influential.


    Quote Originally Posted by Ryumon View Post
    I don't know exactly where I first encountered this idea, but I that Thich Naht Hanh talks a lot about this sort of thing. He's one of those who promotes "mindfulness" as this idea of being in the moment. Here's one example:
    Thanks,
    Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
    Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaishin View Post
    Ryumon beat me to it... came here to say, probably TNH. He's constantly talking about the importance of mindfulness. And his books are hugely popular and influential.

    Yes that is where I first encountered it over 20 years ago. My memory always goes to him when I wash the dishes. Still working on keeping my mind there with the chore. Think I have focused for up to a half minute so far.

    Doshin
    St

  17. #17
    TNH is definitely one of the most well-known proponents of "mindfulness" practice, especially within the sphere of Zen Buddhism. Then again, being from Vietnam, his own practice developed right at the crossroads of Zen and Theravada Buddhism, so it is not surprising that many of his teachings have a bit of a Vipassana-style flavor to them.

    Having spent much of many of my earlier years practicing with Vipassana-style Sanghas, I can attest to how many teachers do encourage a lever of attention that is hyper-focused on one particular activity, sensation, etc. A great example is walking meditation. We were taught to focus closely on every sensation of each foot as it lifted, moved through the air, and gently touched back down to the floor. Such a practice is excellent for developing deeper states of concentration, but it certainly is not how we practice Kinhin in Zen.

    That said, most Vipassana teachers (at least the ones I am familiar with) certainly do not teach that we should maintain this same level of attention 24/7, but that it should be used as a form of concentration practice. Ultimately, all such practice is designed to lead to and support the practice of "choiceless awareness", which is much closer to our practice of Shikantaza (yet still not quite the same thing... that's a topic for another day. )

    I only mention all of this to emphasize that it is more of the pop-culture version of mindfulness that seems to prescribe the idea of 24/7 focused awareness. If you dig into the actual practices of the Theravada schools of Buddhism, you will typically find that it is only another tool/means to deeper, more encompassing forms of practice.

    Gassho,
    Seikan

    -stlah-

    (apologies for the extra length...)
    聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

  18. #18
    It's physically impossible to live anywhere else other than this moment.

    Tim
    ST

  19. #19
    I decided to change the title to "Jundo: BEING MODERATE on "BEING IN THE MOMENT" as it just struck me as a nice way to say it.

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Bion View Post
    Actually, I do think the zazen mind should be applied to every other aspect of our life. The zazen mind is simply unified and aware… it is not excluding or judgmental, dismissive or obsessive. If the state of zazen is, as Dogen says, the king of samadhis, then carrying it to apply it to our other “daily samadhis” or to convert other actions into samadhi, is a true accomplishment.



    SatToday
    This is how I am coming to think of it too, Bion! Not so much focused and obsessed on the doing of the action, (the state of which I associate with samu), as just returning periodically to that light awareness we develop during Zazen. Checking in with oneself to make sure one is not going down obsessive rabbit holes of thought, being overly reactive to someone, or getting dangerously attached to something.

    Gassho
    Jakuden
    SatToday


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

  21. #21
    Time my brain AVM living in the moment; type entries in new better ways; typing touch taught by my OT therapist who taught this way on my new 24 gig fast computer, listening to music, speed improves as cat is happy she joins me with my music. Listening we both are happy living in the now with 2 fingers, thumbs, music making us happy in the now. She then leaves for food. I smile with words. Received call from hospital for OT on Monday makes arthritis pain bad. This is in the now.
    Gassho
    sat/ Tai Shi/ lah
    Last edited by Tai Shi; 09-17-2021 at 03:27 PM.
    Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆

  22. #22
    Wonderful

    Thank you Jundo.

    Ghasso
    Bobby
    SatTodayLAH
    Just Sit

  23. #23
    "I do not know where the idea started among Zen folks that the 'goal' of this practice is to live the first way every moment of every day. If anything, our practice should not be about "being in the moment," as much as about allowing each moment of life ... happy moments and sad moments, calm moments and busy moments, up moments and down moments, doing one thing moments and many things moments ... to be just that precious jewel of a moment. Please know the timeless stillness that is the heart of each moment, even the most tumultuous moments in life.

    In my view, all of the above together is truly balanced, "mindful" living." Jundo Cohen
    forty years ago I had read ZEN MIND: BEGINNER MIND by Suzuki Roshi, and THE GOSPEL ACCCORDING TO ZEN, teaching me Zen Buddhism. Please My teacher, Jundo allow me to digress. I had a miss-wrong diagnosis of schizophrenia in 1974, and I thought I might have bipolar disorder not schizophrenia. This was my diagnosis in 2011. My Ankylosing Spondylitis, rare arthritis, began in my spine in 1974. These illnesses were counter to some MDs
    who believed something else. None of us are 100% right; hardly ever.

    In 1980 my therapy slowed; that year I was awarded teaching (TA) at the University of Iowa while I studied, and met my pretty wife to be, married in 1982, still married. I graduated from the University that year. All this was deemed impossible in 1974. The problem was trauma and substance abuse. I am an alcoholic. I taught as instructor at the University and at a local college, read books about Zen. I became sober in 1987. I read more books about Zen and read Chinese poets, and Haiku and American, and British Buddhist poets In 1993 we moved to South Dakota and still live here. I earned a BA, and three degrees, taught 22 years in places we have lived. my wife earned BA and MA, worked for the government 30 years, and, so far, our daughter, like mom and dad has studied, spent 5 years in Japan, traveled throughout the world, and taught. We are academics, writers, translators, and my wife is not only academic but an authority on many laws. However, and gratefully we are both retired. Both mom and daughter won many academic awards. I am happy to be finished with work. My wife is also very happy to be retired.

    Irregular pressures in my head has not stopped Zen, my reading, nor my sitting. Pressure from AVM, lasts about an hour. Yet, I am able to write. This Arterial Venus Malformation has been present since birth. It has grown. It is more dangerous now because it could bleed, and cause stroke, and will and is producing trouble with memory. We identified the mass in the Right Temporal Lobe of my brain, and toward the front about few centimeters from the surface of my skull, 2.2 centimeters across, and a nuclease of blood vessels with veins shooting off in every direction. In March 2021. I fell ten feet down stairs, concussion and stiches. I am 70 and unsteady replacements in both knees and Ankylosing Spondylitis flairs. Yet I practice zazen.

    I am Soto Zen Buddhist, and in fact sitting has since 2014, and 2016 Jukai began change of attitude. I don't see myself as immortal, and seizures showed I had a problem, How to Cook your life and Opening the Hand of Thought showed me the problem of avoiding stairs because I failed to heed advice, so now we moved my study upstairs to a spare room. I have read Classic Haiku, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, many Thich Nhat Hanh books including Commentary on the Heart Sutra, and Anger, and Being Peace four books on meditation, Books about Breath and Meditation, Zen Poets, and great Western Verse. What I know of acceptance comes from calm poetry, are the creative elements of my illnesses. Poetry or chants like the Heart, longer Lotus Sutra, include metaphor and are Grand Metaphor for all who can attain Bodhisattva, of which Buddhists are asked to teach, and carry the messages. If one seeks to become fully moral, in reality, and free, one can hear teachings of Siddhartha, the enlightened One. Thus we seek the broad vista of creation, all good things, and may be happy in carrying this message. Experiencing this is happiness. Reality for is me is as poet. It is "The Good, The True, and The Beautiful." Is this subject to interpretation? I believe this is what the Buddha realized. In fullness through teaching with contemplation and sitting we see Buddhahood. If reach for the sky, feet planted on the ground, I may see the sky.
    Gassho
    sat/lah
    Last edited by Jundo; 09-19-2021 at 09:29 PM.
    Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Tai Shi View Post
    I believe this is what the Buddha realized. In fullness through teaching with contemplation and sitting we see Buddhahood. If reach for the sky, feet planted on the ground, I may see the sky.
    Gassho
    sat/lah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  25. #25
    Thanks, Jundo. It was just the post that I needed. I haven't felt good about practice for a long time. Now I understand that it is due to a certain obsession with 'being in the moment'. In my case, the problem was that I tried to be 'without thinking' at all times.

    Obviously that, at least in my case, was impossible and I don't think it was especially good for me either. I have begun to focus on accepting what happens without judgment and taking it as 'my practice', regardless of whether I am doing zazen, working, walking or driving. I see that it is especially liberating. I hope I can keep that focus.

    VictorV
    SAT

  26. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by VictorV View Post
    Thanks, Jundo. It was just the post that I needed. I haven't felt good about practice for a long time. Now I understand that it is due to a certain obsession with 'being in the moment'. In my case, the problem was that I tried to be 'without thinking' at all times.

    Obviously that, at least in my case, was impossible and I don't think it was especially good for me either. I have begun to focus on accepting what happens without judgment and taking it as 'my practice', regardless of whether I am doing zazen, working, walking or driving. I see that it is especially liberating. I hope I can keep that focus.

    VictorV
    SAT
    But me moderate even then: If you cannot be "accepting what happens without judgement" many or most moments in life, this is because you are human, not some storybook Buddhist robot. In such case your not always "accepting what happens without judgement" should ALSO be accepted without judgement!

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  27. #27
    Spilling coffee beans while preparing to grind them, feeling frustration arise from the spilled “eyeballs”, and smiling coming back to the present moment. Perfectly imperfect.

    _/|\_
    ST
    _/|\_
    Genmyo

  28. #28
    Jundo that a long circuitous rout lol to get close to the which I have learned to eat less lol see what happens l when I start to think lol.
    Gassho
    sat/ lah


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆

  29. #29
    Thank you, Jundo!

    Yes, it does seem sometimes people take the teachings and sayings of Zen a bit too literally and they end up missing their meaning. The meaning is usually more important than the words used to convey it. Sometimes it can be tricky to see that, however.

    Gassho
    Kyōsen
    Sat|LAH
    橋川
    kyō (bridge) | sen (river)

  30. #30
    I received an email this morning about my surgery and it has been scheduled. My beautiful and beautiful woman and my wife, well I know she is beside hesitant but allowing me to take care of myself. My daughter believes it will make me not so smart. My Primary Physician said that this surgery is safe and will save my life. I am not sure, but I know Dr Allan Funk knows me and knows his business of saving lives. Several times over the last 19 years he has been my doctor, and he cares about me, he has saved my life, and I trust him that this brain surgery will save my life. And right now I am numb lol and the scheduling nurse will call at any time so I have to leave. And, Oh, I was in my usual sit this morning at 8:30 and followed Onkai very well, followed along with the Robe Verse. And for me, this is a Robe of Liberation, Freeing all sentient beings, since I am a sentient being I am free. I wore my black Japanese Robe my daughter gave me from Japan, and my rakusu gift from our Sangha and my black soft meditation pants, and I sat upright in my new black straight black chair with feet on the floor in Mountain Pose and hands in Mudra and always standing while ing and moving to the right and sitting before our brown closet doors. I am sitting properly and Dogen would like my pose. This morning I practiced Tonglen for my family. Thank you for always being there for me.
    Gassho
    sat/ lah


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆

  31. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by Tai Shi View Post
    I received an email this morning about my surgery and it has been scheduled.
    Ah, Tai, I am sure that you cannot be any more "in the moment" than in the moment of facing all these events!

    Nine Bows, Jundo

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  32. #32
    Perhaps, it is a matter of degree. For myself, and for most of the people I encounter, too much time is spent depressingly ruminating about and re-living the past, or anxiously forecasting the future. "Multi-tasking" becomes the norm, regardless of the significance of the tasks themselves. We rush through life with our hair on fire, frantic, unable to stop for fear something will be missed, overlooked or that we will somehow fall behind. When we stop re-living the past, or worrying about the future, we are left with the only thing that is "real", the only thing that we can actually affect - the present. For me, more of that brings peace.

    Gassho

    Dick

    sat/lah

  33. #33
    . Please know the timeless stillness that is the heart of each moment, even the most tumultuous moments in life.
    I have a feeling that it's not about being in the moment but being the space between the moments. A moment is like a movie frame, all moments separated from each other and yet creating illusion of continuity, illusion of our solid selves, our lives, continuity of time. And yet in this constantly changing moment, there is something timeless.

    It's been "bothering" me for a while.

    "All day long the pillar goes back and forth. Why am I unable to move?" Daito Yuikai.

    Gassho
    Sat

  34. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by Inshin View Post
    I have a feeling that it's not about being in the moment but being the space between the moments. A moment is like a movie frame, all moments separated from each other and yet creating illusion of continuity, illusion of our solid selves, our lives, continuity of time. And yet in this constantly changing moment, there is something timeless.

    It's been "bothering" me for a while.

    "All day long the pillar goes back and forth. Why am I unable to move?" Daito Yuikai.

    Gassho
    Sat
    There is the screen, the light, the popcorn and the seats, the film and the actors, the comedy and the drama ... why need there be any space at all?

    All light, all the show.

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  35. #35
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    There is the screen, the light, the popcorn and the seats, the film and the actors, the comedy and the drama ... why need there be any space at all?

    All light, all the show.

    Gassho, J

    STLah


    That's been "bothering" me too. And brought to mind a quote I came across recently : "Zhiyi had denied “that the mind is a pure, undifferentiated cosmic principle from which all things arise.” Instead, he had privileged “entering emptiness from conventional existence,” which reflects an “emphasis on concrete particulars as instantiating ultimate truth: “Of every form and fragrance, there is none that is not the Middle Way.”. [Original Enlightenment and transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism by Jacqueline Stone]

    Gassho
    Sat

  36. #36
    Quote Originally Posted by Inshin View Post


    That's been "bothering" me too. And brought to mind a quote I came across recently : "Zhiyi had denied “that the mind is a pure, undifferentiated cosmic principle from which all things arise.” Instead, he had privileged “entering emptiness from conventional existence,” which reflects an “emphasis on concrete particulars as instantiating ultimate truth: “Of every form and fragrance, there is none that is not the Middle Way.”. [Original Enlightenment and transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism by Jacqueline Stone]

    Gassho
    Sat
    I believe that this is the Zen stance: There is no show if just the light, only a boring blank screen. Who wants to stare at that!?

    On the other hand, some people fall into the suffering of the movie so deeply, that it is truly Dukkha and misery.

    Best to see the light and the show, sometimes more one than the other (I like to remember that it is just a movie during the really scary parts of horror movies! ), sometimes just enjoying the show, but not sucked in so deeply that one is lost. Light is show, show is light.

    Like that.

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  37. #37
    Thank you, Jundo, for the wonderful teachings in this thread.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    Sat/lah
    美道 Bidou Beautiful Way
    恩海 Onkai Merciful/Kind Ocean

    I have a lot to learn; take anything I say that sounds like teaching with a grain of salt.

  38. #38
    I am in awe of the teachings that appear on these pages.
    Thank you Jundo and Sangha
    Gassho
    Seikai

    ST/Lh

  39. #39
    "Moderation is enlightenment."

    - Jundo Cohen (but you'll have to wait until the next episode of The Zen of Everything, this Friday, to hear it).

    He also said "Goldilocks is the Buddha," and that was pretty entertaining. :-)

    Gassho,

    Ryūmon

    sat

    In case you don't know about The Zen of Everything, do check out the podcast: www.zen-of-everything.com
    流文

    I know nothing.

  40. #40
    I’m waiting for The Zen of Everything with great expectations.
    Gassho
    sat/ lah


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆

  41. #41
    Quote Originally Posted by Tai Shi View Post
    I’m waiting for The Zen of Everything with great expectations.
    You mean the Charles Dickens episode? :-)

    Gassho,

    Ryūmon

    sat
    流文

    I know nothing.

  42. #42
    Yes of course. Shall we Surly.
    sat/ lah


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆

  43. #43
    Thank you Jundo

    I feel like this post goes really well with the one you did about goals/having no goals. Having goals while being goalless at heart. Doing different things while being present at the same time. Ultimately, it is all the body of reality, a unification of dualities/contradictions. Refreshing perspective

    Gassho,
    Tomás
    Sat&LaH

  44. #44


    Yes, in principle I think "be in the moment" or, as Ram Dass used to say "be here now" is good advice. In reality, however, we have to be able to learn from our past and plan for the future. Taking the advice to "be in the moment" too literally can cause a lot of problems, and it seems that taking these axioms too literally is generally not a great way to go through life. This is a bit of a spoiler for Star Trek Discovery Season 3 (so don't read past this point if you plan to watch it) but I like that in the 32nd Century, the Vulcans have done away with their old axioms ("the needs of the many...", etc) because they found they were all too often being used as excuses to be intellectually and morally lazy - I feel as though that's a good lesson for us non-fictional human beings here in the 21st Century, too.

    Gassho
    Kyōsen
    Sat|LAH
    橋川
    kyō (bridge) | sen (river)

  45. #45
    Thanks for this Jundo. I used to think that Zen was about hyper-focus (e.g. shooting and arrow, fixing a motorcycle, etc). I've been surprised to learn since coming here that it's more about opening up and letting everything through, rather than narrowing focus to one thing and shutting everything else out.

    Gassho,
    Kevin
    ST LaH

  46. #46
    I’m reading Poetry for Dummies and finding refreshed my brain and sensitive gratitude for my life.
    Gassho
    sat/ lah


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆

  47. #47


    Student: Master, we are disappointed. You tell us to do one thing at the time and then we catch you eating your breakfast while reading the newspaper.

    Zen master: No need to be disappointed. I am doing one thing, can’t you see? I am eating breakfast and reading the newspaper.

    Gassho, Hōzan
    Satlah

  48. #48
    I'm happy this thread popped up today as "new"
    I've been thinking about "being in the moment" for a while. I never liked when it was presented as almost a panacea for all the problems in the world. In the end, one can be mindful of their own actions while doing terrible and ugly things to other people. Mindfulness w/o morality doesn't make sense to me.


    Paul H.
    Sat today and lent a hand
    Last edited by PaulH; 02-26-2024 at 04:49 PM.

  49. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by PaulH View Post
    ... In the end, one can be mindful of their own actions while doing terrible and ugly things to other people. Mindfulness w/o morality doesn't make sense to me. ...
    For sure.

    Gassho, Jundo

    stlah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  50. #50
    Thank you Jundo for starting this thread, and for everyone how contributed to it.

    Reading all your comments made me realize that I was actually feeling guilty for failing to maintain this focused mind, for my mind drifting away while washing the dishes, even for multitasking when multitasking is what the moment actually requires...

    A weight has been lifted from my heart, I feel lighter now.


    Gassho

    Alina
    stlah

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