Eihei Dogen said...
"If you cannot find the truth right where you are,
where else do you expect to find it"
We have had the most wonderful time visiting Japan over Xmas and New Year.
The snow was exceptional with over three metres covering the lodge. We had to dig ourselves out to go skiing, although on my case it was falling down not skiing.
The highlights of this trip have been many including staying at an authentic Onsen hotel where the hot water is pumped directly from the springs deep underground and we took to the hot and then snow baths with gusto.
Exhilarating.
We also stayed at the most expensive hotel in Tokyo
The fabulous Shangri-La.
Of course meeting up with the Reverend Noguchi at Kikoji
Temple was for me amazing.
There was no coincidence that I was writing about Eihei Dogen the very morning we met with a teacher of this great man's philosophy.
In my searching of the Internet I have come across the following explanation of this extraordinary way of life and thinking;
"The foundations of Zen Buddhism are generally attributed to the Indian monk Bodhidarma who sometime in the early 5th century journeyed to China to teach a new kind of Buddhism focused on experiential wisdom as opposed to theoretical knowledge.
By the 7th century, Bodhidarma's ideas had been integrated with many elements of China's indigenous Taoist (Daoist) philosophy and become a fully developed branch of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism known as Chan (Zen in Japanese).
The daily life of Zen monks was very different from those in other Buddhist traditions. Zen monks meditated but they also extended their practice to every day activities such as food production, building, cleaning, gardening, medicine, and administrative duties.
From China, Zen Buddhism was transmitted to Vietnam, Korea and Japan.
Japan's three Zen sects are the Rinzai school, the Soto and the Obaku school. Of the three, the Soto school is by far the largest.
Historically, the Rinzai school is the oldest followed by the Soto school and the Obaku school.
The Soto school was established by Dogen in the early 13th century based on his studies with the Chinese Caodong sect.
The Obaku school was introduced to Japan in the 17th century by Ingen, the Chinese head of the same school.
Ingen was forced to flee China due to increased persecution of his sect by the Ming Dynasty.
This school shares many similarities with the Rinzai school but is more Chinese in its practices and aesthetics.
The Rinzai school combines aspects of Japanese esoteric Buddhism with the idea of gaining enlightenment through a student-master relationship and meditation.
In the Soto school, achieving enlightenment is based primarily on intense and frequent meditation sessions.
In the quest for enlightenment, both the Rinzai school and the Soto school also make use of Koans, which are stories, questions, or statements in which the meaning eludes rational thinking.
These ''riddles'' can only be solved by bypassing the thinking mind and relying on intuitive processes.
( my own favorite Koan:
"What is your original face
Snowman?)
In Japan, Zen had a major influence on the samurai warrior class and the arts. From the 12th century onwards, Zen was widely adopted as the religion of Japan's increasingly influential samurai warrior class.
The moral code of the samurai warrior (bushido) shares many aspects with Zen philosophy. Both stress the importance of discipline, courage, persistence, and simplicity.
Zen meditation was a key part of samurai life as a way of calming the mind in preparation for battle."
My thanks to the Kyoto visitors guide website for the above article.
Bodhidharma wrote some of the most enlightening words and I share the following;
" People of sharp abilities know that the mind is the path.
People of dull abities seek everywhere for the path,
but don't know it's location.
They are not aware that the mind from the outset
is perfect enlightenment"
"Damo" 470-543
Bodhidharma, "Damo",
is also the
Patron Saint of the Shaolin Monks and KungFu
He is one of my heroes
Another of my heroes said;
" An individual that knows Dharma can be compared to a lamp that lights up the darkness.
One who is close will see clearly, while those further away will see less clearly.
After a period of time the lamp's light may go out or be extinguished, but then, from time to time, the lamp will be relit, again providing illumination."
Why do we allow the light to grow dim or even to extinguish?
Why do we seek a path other than within ourselves?
Maybe we hang on to old programs, hang on to what we believe is our birthright.
Hang on to our teaching from past experience.
Stale lessons that are no longer relevant.
The secret is to let go.
Don't recall;
Let go of
what has passed
Don't imagine;
Let go of
what may come
Don't think;
Let go of what is happening now
Don't examine;
Don't try to
figure anything out
Don't control;
Don't try to make
anything happen
Rest;
Relax,
right now and rest.
Japan, for me,
is a great teacher.
The great reminder.
The great undoer.
Nathan
Sent from my iPhone and
http://www.dharmamaster.com
With love
