Gratitude

July 10, 2009 Will Simpson

"Gratitude" number 101 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

When we talk about gratitude, it's easy to get confused.

That's because there are two kinds of gratitude. The usual kind is the kind we learned about in Kindergarten. We solemnly express thankfulness for receiving something. That something could be a thing, or a constellation of non-material stuff.

The other type of gratitude comes not out of some personal action, but is the feeling/tone that grows out of resting the thinking brain. This resting of the thinking brain is referred to as "nonthinking". It is a very tricky thing. As soon as we think we're "thinking not-thinking", we're thinking. We have to be on constant guard, but it is worth it. Here we get to touch the gratitude that permeates the universe. Gratitude that confirms unity.

"We always measure things by our personal yardsticks. For example, if you experience a great feeling from your "not-thinking," you may say, "Wow, this is great!" But this is already measurement. Finally, neither "not-thinking" nor "thinking" hits the mark. So instead of measuring something by your yardstick, just try to be right in the middle of the world. This is called "nonthinking." It is nothing but practice; sit down there, peacefully, harmoniously. But watch out. Every day, from moment to moment, watch out, because egoistic consciousness is always coming up."

Katagiri Roshi

Yes indeed, watch out! Express the first type of gratitude and make yourself available to the second.

Any error or confusion created by my commentary on
Miniatures of a Zen Master
is solely a reflection of my own delusion and ignorance.
Any merit generated by this activity is solely the result of
Aitken Roshi's clear teaching and is dedicated to
all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time.

The Middle Initial

July 8, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Middle Initial" number 99 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Continuing yesterday's theme of simplicity and simple tasks, today's miniature comments on focusing on details.

I have a few details needing attending to.

This endeavor, to comment on every on of Robert Aitken's "Miniatures of a Zen Master", continues. Tomorrow I'll be half done. I'm feeling the desire to switch strategies and yet I feel committed to my current path. Dilemma. The only way to know is to do, so I'll continue on.

I have been announcing every one of my posts on Twitter but am now seeing that this may be a form of spam and wearing on the crowd. This is especially true as I rarely now am contributing anything but these blogging announcements. This strategy is being rethought for the first time.

We experienced a lightening strike very near our house. It hit a tree next to where the underground phone line crosses the underground power feed for the shop. Shops power breaker was tripped but no damage seen yet. The electrical surge in the phone line caused the DSL modem, the wireless router, the PC, and the laser printer all to die. Only the printer may be repairable. Lots of bits and bits lost. Opportunity to support the local computer shops.

So much for personal navel gazing. Onward to miniature 100 tomorrow. "Danger Man"

The Myth of Sisyphus

July 7, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Myth of Sisyphus" number 98 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a condemned to pushing a heavy rock up a hill only to have it roll back down before he could reach the top. Endlessly he was forced to begin again and again.

Unlike many, the author Albert Camus, in his 1942 essay The Myth of Sisyphus, saw through this absurdity and postulated that "one must imagine Sisyphus happy" as "The struggle itself
towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart."

Here is a link to the crux in chapter four of Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus.

Indeed, the idea of a "Sisyphean task" being a punishment is something concocted by the ego. The ego see no reward in repetitive simple tasks. When the whole being exerts itself on no grand accomplishment or the as we say in Zen the accomplishment of nothing, then happiness ensues.

Metaphysically, if something exists, nothing else can exist in its place. In order for happiness to come into existence, first nothing must exist. There must be a space for the arising of happiness. Seeing this space of nothing is to be the master of our days. Set about our absurdly human and utterly simple tasks, over and over, always beginning, never ending.

Any error or confusion created by my commentary on
Miniatures of a Zen Master
is solely a reflection of my own delusion and ignorance.
Any merit generated by this activity is solely the result of
Aitken Roshi's clear teaching and is dedicated to
all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time.

Thomas Thaherne

July 6, 2009 Will Simpson

"Thomas Thaherne" number 97 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

"You never know the world aright till the Sea floweth in your Veins, till you are Clothed with the Heavens, and Crowned with the Stars; And perceive yourself to be the Sole Heir of the Whole World; And more then so, because Men are in it who are every on Sole Heirs, as well as you. Till you are intimately Acquainted with that Shady nothing out of which this World is made; Till your spirit filleth the whole World and the Stars are your Jewels; Till you love Men so as to Desire their Happiness with a thirst equal to the zeal of your own."

Centuries of Meditation
Thomas Thaherne (1636-1674)

The Jewels

July 5, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Jewels" number 96 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

In today's miniature, Robert Aitken refers to the jewels of practice. It is surprising where these jewels appear and when they do their appearance transforms the ordinary into the ordinary.

Sometimes the jewels take the form of liturgy, sometimes they'll manifest in teisho or in dokusan. Sometimes we see them, sometimes hear them, sometimes read them.

In the pre-dawn stillness, the neighborhood birds call one another. We sit together, our Samādhi mudrā holding the universe in our laps.

I am a wood worker. Turning wood is a skill I've developed and now apply in my practice. I continue to look for ways to integrate woodworking into my Zen practice in the same way pottery, archery, flower arranging, poetry or calligraphy is traditionally married to Zen. Here are the fruits of a small part of my practice with Zen and woodworking.

Looking for a rakusu ring?
Follow link to more information .

Here is a link to Gary Snyder reading a couple of poems. For Poet Gary Snyder, Every Day is Earth Day He reads an excerpt from Han-Shan's "Cold Mountain." and his poem "Off the Trail."

Circumambulation

July 4, 2009 Will Simpson

"Circumambulation" number 95 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Circumambulation means to go around and around. In Zen we go around and around with mind. It is helpful to have a routine so that everyone on the zendo goes in the same direction and at roughly the same speed. For some, setting these ground rules in advance is a way to take away creativity and freedom. On the contrary, give up to the rules, showing up and watching what happens is the ultimate in creativity and freedom. We don't have to be bothered with mind wanting to go in a different direction or listen to it's complaining about the speed of kinhin. We have the freedom of the unbothered.

There are lots of little rules of the zendo. Each sitting group forms their own rules following rough guidelines handed down by the unbroken lineage of Zen Masters since the Buddha. (Crap alert!) Frankly, I don't care where the rules came from or what they are. Let's just be familiar with them and practice together in harmony. They are not magic and have no special meaning. That is their special meaning. The magic of non-magic.

These little rules or customs have the same affect on us as the schedule of a sesshin does. They give us the freedom to relax into our practice and to let our usual busy mind settle a bit. We can give up just a bit of our grasping mind, our wanting things to be our way, our need to control. We can allow ourselves just a little more slack and then a little more slack, endlessly. First we see how to do this in the safe supportive environment of the zendo, then we carry this with is to work, in relationships and into the broader world.

Awareness of Time

July 3, 2009 Will Simpson

"Awareness of Time" number 94 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

How often do we lose awareness of time? More and more but still undependable. Time is such a tenacious thing. Wait, time a thing? What the hell is time anyway? Is it real or just something made up in mind? That is a dumb question! Everything is mind! But this thing called time is so sticky, it has such a hold on us, keeping us stuck in our delusion.

Practice is made up of time and non-time and the coming to grips with both. Aitken tells us that marking time while practicing will prevent the chance to let body and mind drop away. This matter of forgetting the clock is important.

Recently, I've had taken up the duties of timekeeper during Palouse Zen Community's Thursday night sittings. Now it is especially tough as I want to keep the practice period flowing smoothly. This is a new practice opportunity for me, to let the timer support me.