Meeting A Person of the Way

I've been revisiting some past Teisho (Dharma discourse) given by Genjo Marinello Osho, as a way of supporting my daily practice. In doing so, I felt his talk on Case 36, "Meeting A Person of the Way," from the Gateless Gate. In listening to his expression, it helped me to understand (just a little) the meaning of the expression, "That One Shining Alone."

Genjo Osho early on in the talk says, "If you meet a man or woman of the Tao… If you meet a man or woman on your Way, how will you greet them genuinely? How will you greet them even if you've never met them before, as your brother or sister… or closest relative? How will you greet them without dependence on words or formulas or ideas or concepts? And how will you greet them without depending on just silence to do it? In other words, being fully present to your closest relative, how will you greet them?

Your own true self, you could say is your closest relative. Rinzai referred to This one as "That One shining alone." That One shining alone has no dependence on physical form or physicality of any kind. That One shining alone, Is the rain falling… the blanket of clouds in the Northwest… the autumn leaves turning… This knotted bamboo floor… and of course, you and me.

Sometimes Zen master Rinzai would ask, Who now is listening to this discourse? Who is now listening to this Dharma talk? If you really *know* who, then you've discovered the "True person," beyond rank and post… beyond attachment to position or achievement or attainment. Beyond "The One" who tries so desperately to survive or be secure or get ahead… That part of ourselves that is so bent to survival or security or or trying to get ahead is a natural aspect of who we are that's unavoidable… manifesting as a human being…

We're all caught in the struggle for survival or security or to get ahead from time to time. But beneath that inescapable but superficial aspect, there is a creative, free, spontaneous, True You… It has no beginning and no end… is not defined by body type or character type or birth and death… Timeless… Unflappable… Wise beyond any years… Caring… This True person is certainly the core of everyone of us.

It has no physical form or specific personality or character type It has no concrete beginning or end and yet is is you… me… yet shines forth from every manifestation or myriad form. The gentle rain is falling is It… and yet not all of It. Each leaf is It and not all of It. Each so-called person is It but not all of It… can't be contained. can't even be located…"

This is just the tip of the iceberg, as he dives much deeper, offering a really nice outline for practice that is incredibly helpful to making progress. If you would like to listen to the entire Teisho, it's available for free at Choboji Podcast. I'm hoping that you take the time to listen, because it's really breath-taking.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

The Skills of Unhappiness

I recently finished reading "Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill," by Matthieu Ricard. Initially I was skeptical of it. To my own surprise, I never really thought of happiness as a skill, but rather a result, based on something "favorable," happening. As I waded more deeply through his pages, words, experiences, reflections and practiced Zazen with them, the more clearly I was able to see and feel what happiness as a skill could mean. I noticed I did indeed miss something.

In the process of digesting Ricard's book, I noticed something else to in my range of vision. Looking back, though my experiences, I was able to see how my unhappiness was a cultivated skill too. Yikes! That had never occurred to me, up to that point. I had always felt like, my moments of unhappiness sprung out at me from behind a tree, car or wall, like something that happened "mystically," for no apparent reason.

As I sat with "Unhappiness as a Skill," I could clearly trace patterns that I either intentionally or accidentally nurtured, promising to leave a frown on my heart-mind. Upon examination, breath by breath, I was able to see and feel the skills of unhappiness. On top of that I noticed that I managed to invest a staggering amount of time and energy to not just be unhappy but to stay that way.

What was it that Gollum said in J.R.R. Tolkien's, Lord of the Rings. "My precious [the ego] is Trixy." Here are a few ways that I've been trixy with myself in the past, cultivating skills of unhappiness:

1. Focus on what was going wrong, ignoring and deleting was was going right.

2. Holding on to mental and emotional scripts/narratives leading and expressing unhappiness, without testing them to see if they are capable of being re-written, dissolved or even true.

3. Nurturing wounds and making tepid efforts in healing or cultivating happiness. As one friend put it, "Sometimes... not all the time... self pity is self-manipulation."

4. Isolating. An odd truth is that by getting out, sharing time and doing things that might be helpful to others tends to redirect my mind and emotions.

5. Poverty mentality. If our mind that has difficulty appreciating what is present, open and available in this very moment, unhappiness is guaranteed.

6. Self-Centeredness or self-obsessed thinking/feeling. The basis of not just survival but growth is based on the principle of We rather than me. We are interconnected and entangled, not just in this lifetime but far beyond time itself. I live with you, not without you. This is my most basic truth.

Most of what I'm describing would fit neatly under the heading of "Self-defeating behaviors." Thinking, feeling and actions that have the net-effect of chopping ourselves down like a tree. Skillful unhappiness is often reached by a cumulative effect, rarely a single instance or event. In the end we often call these things our "baggage."

Matthieu Ricard's, "Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill," is a worthy companion to share time with. Happiness is indeed a skill. We have a choice. Our life isn't "just happening," to or at us. We are influencing, shaping, cultivating and creating with our mind, all the time. We can Awaken our heart-mind. We can practice smiling, rather than practicing frowning. Developing the skills of happiness is doable, it simply requires practice.

May Your Life go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Humbled Rather Than Humiliated

Over the past few days I've been reading and re-reading a vibrant teisho given by Genjo Marinello Osho and I thought it might prove invaluable as a point of practice well worth sharing. This text is from The Blue Cliff Record, Case 66, "Ganto Laughed Loudly." This glimpse appeared in the most recent edition of the Newsletter for the Zen Studies Society, Winter/Spring 2010.

"Our this last full day of Summer Sesshin, we almost had teisho a half-hour early. Genko sent the inji [attendant] upstairs with the unenviable task of telling the Abbot that he was a half-hour early [laughter]...

We all make mistakes and are, from time to time, distracted. Ideally we should be humbled, rather than humiliated by such a revelation. When we feel humiliation, it is nearly always left over from some childhood trauma that is stimulated by our current circumstances, most often some sort of error on our part. The extent that we feel humiliated is probably directly proportional to how much baggage we're carrying from our own troubled childhood. Alternatively, to the extent that we feel humbled by an error and say, "Oh, that's right," then this is probably a good measure of how well we have processed or digested our childhood traumas. The Inji said, "Do you intend to have teisho early?" And I said, "No, there's no need to have teisho early." That's it. No more need be said.

We think that, in the process of so-called mastery, we're going to become someone we're not, or that we'll realize something that will change us. We may believe that we will in some permanent way transcend our monkey mind, get forever past prsonal history, or never make a mistake again. And, of course, all this is impossible! We'll never be without our childhood, our monkey mind, or what we call our bumpkin nature.

What our Zen practice does do for us is help us realize that we are so much more than our bumpkin nature. In the readiness of time, we begin to come to terms with the vastness of our True nature..."

So precise, so direct, so beautiful. I am ever grateful to Genjo Osho. I have a lot of appreciation and gratitude that such a point can be so well articulated and shared. It connects deeply with my heart-mind. It begs to be studied and examined closely, to see what's inside the boxes that we've constructed with our mind. I genuinely hope that you benefit from this teaching. Coming to the truth of ourselves, is an amazing gift to receive.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Just The Beginning

Genjo Marinello Osho gave this Teisho recently at the November half day retreat at Chobozenji in Seattle, from the Gatleless Barrier entitled "Gutei Raises A Finger," Case number 3.

Talking of his pending trip to Dai Bosatsu Zendo for Roshatsu Sesshin he says, "...Give over completely to this process of unfolding and awakening... of opening the heart and realizing the One. One as represented by Gutei's finger is not the beginning of things however. The One is the manifestation of everything, in all Its myriad forms. Every corner, every spec of dust, every grain of sand, every drop of dew, every leaf is shouting at us about the wonder, mystery, brightness and brilliance of it all. But mostly we fail to see.

Perhaps the reason that we fail to miss the One in its myriad forms so brightly shining at us, that our heart isn't constantly open is that we're still or perpetually attached to self. And what do we do about this attachment that comes with the territory of being a corporeal being and is motivated by our instincts for survival, to have enough and get ahead?

Zen Master Dogen said 'To study the Way is to study the self. And to study the self is to forget the self.' To get past our ever recurring clinging attachment to a sense of a separated self-hood. It's not easy, because again we are born with these instincts for survival. It's not easy, even once in this lifetime to get past it... to breakthrough to the wonder of This all around us.

But even if we've been so fortunate to have encountered Zen or some other skillful means, to penetrate past our sense of self. And even if we've had a great revelation and a breakthrough or opening, having come to a great peace of mind and an open loving heart... that in Zen circles is considered just the beginning."

And this too, is just the beginning or Genjo Osho's teisho. Given that my teachers words are seamless and they cannot be improved upon by me, I strongly encourage you to listen and digest it whether you feel like your heart is boundless or not.

If you'd like to give yourself the opportunity listen more deeply to Genjo Osho's teisho, you can listen for free to the Choboji Podcast, either listening to it within your web-browser, downloading it, from the website or get it through iTunes. This is a True gift of Dharma.

Forever True Dharma Continue,

Seiho, Curator
digitalZENDO

Kensho

Yesterday, I made a comment regarding "Kensho," (a moment of awakening or ceasing to be deluded) to some friends. It was something that I've felt but never stated before, feeling it might be bad form. It's almost been turned into a dirty word, despite Gotama's unyielding encouragement to cease being deluded and come to Awakening, even moments before his death. But after mulling it over, I thought I should discuss it here on digitalZENDO too. Avoiding talking about Kensho, does not make us virtuous or spiritual. Maybe it's the contrary, it perhaps avoiding a direct conversation that could be valuable.

What I shared with them yesterday was, "The true concern (regarding Zen in America) could be directed towards the quality of the message transmitted. A great example is that in Japan, there are many Buddhist, but on a certain scale, it's a kind of "family," business. It's lost the initial freshness, in certain quarters, it's a little stale. My own teacher, Genjo Marinello Osho doesn't guide me towards "Maybe," kensho or to be a priestly businessman. It's a unswerving and progressive effort towards "full awakening," at the same time, learning to be helpful as possible to others, without thought to how I might personally benefit. Anything aiming for less than that target is settling. I recall the story of one of Bodhidharma's students that wanted Kensho so badly, he was willing to cut off his own arm, to study with him. We on the other hand have trouble sitting consistently because Zazen might get in the way of watching "Survivor, The Swan," or "Top Chef." Too funny. Our efforts can be more than a little weak."

Going a little further, in training not just with Genjo Osho, but Eido Shimano Roshi too, they have never suggested or offered me a surrender or capitulation for something less that "Dai Kensho," (Great Awakening). It was never like they said, "Okay... that's enough, You can relax now. Maybe next time... Maybe in the next life, perhaps You'll get It then. Just settle for being a little happier... perhaps be a little nicer person. Be good to Your Wife and Kids. Be a nice guy."

What I have heard from Genjo Osho has been quite the reverse. "Good one, but not quite there Yet... ring, ring, ring. Go straight ahead... ring, ring, ring. Not yet complete, come back again another time... ring, ring, ring. I can understand that... ring, ring, ring. Hmmmmmm... ring, ring, ring. What are You waiting for?... ring, ring, ring. Who are You expecting to show up?... ring, ring, ring. Give It Your all, hold nothing back... ring, ring, ring. Turn It this way... ring, ring, ring. Do not waste the sacrifices others have made for You to be Here... ring, ring, ring." We have laughed and cried together, but He's never said, "Okay... enough... stop!"

Why did We come to Buddhism? If You're thinking "I'm not really sure, I have my doubts about enlightenment. I felt like I couldn't live up to the rules of other religions and was always going to be a sinner/failure. I basically felt doomed to failure-given that humans always seem to fail. Buddhism gives me a sliver of hope that I could possibly do something good for myself and I just might somehow succeed. That line of thinking is okay, but know it's okay to let it go too. You won't sink.

Years ago, my family and I went to Disneyland. It took a lot of time, effort and saving to get there, but we suceeded, so that we could "do It right." Once there, it was so amazing and beautiful, not even I could beleive how good the experience was. At one point, my daughter was afraid to go on some of the rides or thought some of the lines were too long. I asked here, "You came all this way, why are You here?" She replied back, to "to play and have fun." And so she did and remembers it as one of the high points of her life, because she held nothing back.

Our Buddha nature is exactly the same as Gotama's Buddha Nature. I used to spend a lot of time doubting that. With deep gratitude to my teachers, Genjo Osho and for that Eido Roshi, I don't any more. The neat thing, I've constantly learning and deepening my feeling and relationship with Buddha Nature. My growth is far from over, and still we can see so much. Beginningless beginning, Endless end. That's the best that I can say, for now.

May All Beings Be Free,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Not Giving Up

It's easy to say, "Don't give up on yourself or others," but much harder to do. Part of what makes it hard is when I focus more on what's going on around me than within me. All sort of defense mechanisms like externalizing (blaming), rationalizing (excuse making), regression (back sliding after a period of progress), can be used when we want to justify or desire to give up or run away.

Compounding matters can be other factors as well. There can be issues surrounding having experienced a difficult life, the one that we didn't have that we thought we were supposed to. There can be issues of low self-esteem, forcing us to sometimes feeling awkward and out of place. There are many, many, many matters to compound and confound us that we are left, not wanting to live, but just survive the day, hoping that somehow things will be better tomorrow. There are so many things to distract, so few to unify.

The truth is that our life circumstances doesn't get better on it's own. We have to take actions that can bring or restore our mind and our life to a place that helps us weather our personal storms, so that we can live forward and not stay stuck in our personal tar-pits. For me it means building a foundation based on the eternal principles within Zen Buddhism.

The eternal principles that I am taught by my teacher, Genjo Marinello Osho are so simple. Regularly he may say "Pay attention to your life. Sit some more, Combust yourself, Practice Open-heartedly, Practice with your vows, Harmonize with your circumstances - even when You don't feel Your best." His guidance is always, "Just straight ahead." There is no complication in this other than the ones that I might choose to make or give into.

To me so-called "Real" Zen encompasses, Mindfulness, determination with a focus on kindness, compassion and a gentle hearted way with All sentient beings... that includes me. When I am living within those principles, it's much easier to live, not just survive. When I am living within the principles expressed here, there is no giving up on myself or other. There are thousand arms and hands that can help to lift us from suffering and be truly awakened. The key for me it would seem is in giving myself to This Way, and not giving up.

Love All - Serve All - Every Day,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Gay-Lesbian Segregation

Though it hasn't been put forward as such, there has been a lot of "Gay-Lesbian Segregationist," thought, attitudes and behavior being pushed in the media, as of late. In fact it might even border on a kind of "Apartheid." The reason that I say this is because, by it's very definition this appears to be the experience of those who are Gay-Lesbian.

In American life we are very hung up on the so-called "Gay-Lesbian," issue. I see in the press or news that Gay-Lesbian people are not fit for marriage. They are not fit to raise their own children. They are not fit to educate kids (or adults for that matter). They are not fit employee's. They are not fit to sit on the Supreme court. In fact, they are not fit to be in any aspect of American life. The net result is that intellectual and physical board fences are place around those who are openly Gay-Lesbian. Further more, as Barack Obama is fond of using the phrase, "Too often do people resort to characterures."

Though I generally like Barack Obama and have been a supporter, like Rachel Maddow, I'm very disappointed in his foot dragging (e.g. don't ask, don't tell). He is procrastinating and delaying a wrong that needs to be righted, plain and simple.

You might ask, how does the problem of "Gay-Lesbian Segregation," fit in with a Zen Buddhist blog and I'd say good question. Here's the answer, Zen by It's very nature means, "Unification." That word implies togetherness, wholeness, no gaps, no separation and certainly no segregation. When you eliminate people simply based on whether or not they are Gay-Lesbian, we cut our nose off to spite our face.

In both World and American history, we are working-through various types of segregation, especially pertaining to race. Think of the stereotypes that persist about Black people, those who are Chinese, Native-American Indians, Japanese, India or Irish, Women, Jewish persons. At one time or another these entities had to deal with the walls of Segregation, but when we as a society stepped back from it, we became stronger through it's naturally unifying aspect.

A long time ago, when I was struggling with the death of my father, a friend told me, "There's a time when you have to put the B.S. down." Psychologically, it seems to me that this is one of those moments where we could do ourselves a little justice, grow up and do the right thing. We need to stop interfering with the life path of those who are Gay-Lesbian and stop trying to shame them. It's not right and they are who they are. They are 100% a-okay. They are not flawed people. They deserve equality and freedom that we cherish for ourselves. To negate Gay-Lesbian's is to negate ourselves.

I intellectually and emotionally know that Gay-Lesbian Segregation is wrong. It is a practice that is not worthy of us as either individuals or as a Nation. We can only benefit from releasing ourselves from a notion that comes with so many limitations.

May Your Life Go Well,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO

Shobogenzo and a Little More

I came across a website called, "Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research." To my amazement, they offer the PDF downloadable version of the complete Shobogenzo, written by Dogen Zenji. It's widely considered to be one of the greatest literary works in Japanese history. And to top it off, the four volumes are FREE. I paid $100.00 for the paperback versions, several years ago. It's very kind that they are offering it this way.

This translation is the one by Gudo Nishijima and Chodo Cross. It's well done and digestible. In addition, they also have translations of "The Platform Sutra," as well as the "Vimalakirti Sutra." Check it out and enjoy. You can't go wrong on this one.

Oh and I last thing. I'm can't remember if I menioned it, but there is another FREE translation of Dogen Zenji's Shobogenzo over at Shasta Abbey. That one is complete and nice too. To download the "complete" book, click the very first link in the sentence. It may not be obvious to you at first. The links further down are to single sections and chapters.

In Gassho,

Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO