One of Those 997

I once shared something with you that Eido Roshi wrote. It went, "It helps you wade across the river when the bridge is down. It accompanies you to the village on a moonless night." He goes on to explain this so-called "It," is no other than what we call "Buddha Nature," or "Mu" for those who are in the know. The bridge being down is related to the challenges and problems which we may encounter in our daily life, that cause us to be vexed.

But when I wrote that, I left something out that was also very important to share. Roshi says "Once in a great while we can cross a river without a broken bridge. The percentage is three-tenths of one percent. The traditional Japanese saying is that of the one thousand things you may do, you'll be truly contented with only three. That's average. But we greedy beings think that eighty percent should go our way. Therefore we become frustrated or angry. If you have to a thousand bridges on your spiritual pilgrimage, only three will be passable without impediment If we look at it this way, we are grateful and have nothing to complain about. If things go bad, we can say, "Oh, it's one of those 997."

"It helps you cross the river when the bridge is down. Mu helps you. Realization, or understanding of Buddha Nature, helps you. Mystery - it's the only word to think of. It is a mystery. Mysterious Mu helps you. - It accompanies you when you return to the village on a moonless night. On a dark night, Mu accompanies you, always- in particular, to return to your original village. It gives you directions like a flashlight."

This is so true, true, true. The last several weeks have been very rough. I've been buried and on top of that some people that I've encountered have been more demanding than ever. Whats that bumper stick say, "Mean people suck?" That's true too.

But Mu (This Buddha Nature), has been something of a life preserver, for someone who feels like he has fallen overboard. When you are in a storm on a ship, the way to cut through it to turn into it. If you do anything else we are likely to capsize and that might mean that we drown for a while in negative emotions. We can do better than that, to be sure.

So how to we turn into the storm? I feel like Genjo Osho might say, "Turn into with Mu! Don't just be "with" Mu, Be Mu (or Buddha Nature) and no-thing else. Digest, grind and combust every-thing with Mu." If I put it another way, you might use "The Four Agreements" that I posted on yesterday.

Yes I have personally been going though "one of those 997" times where things seem to have gotten way of track, Yet it's Mu that is helping me across. Oddly though, Mu appears in the shape of my family and teacher.

Namaste'

Jaye Morris, Curator
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