Wisdom Quarterly, Koan Study Group (PasaDharma.org), The Book of Equanimity
PREFACE TO THE ASSEMBLY
When food comes, fill the mouth.
When sleep comes, close the eyes.
When washing the face, rub the nose.
When taking off straw sandals, touch the feet.
At such times, if you miss the point, take a light and search hard in the depths of the night.
How will you meet this?
MAIN CASE
Attention!
A monk pleaded with Joshu, "Your student has just entered the monastery. Please, master, instruct me."
Joshu asked, "Did you finish your rice gruel?"
The monk replied, "I have finished eating."
Joshu remarked, "Then wash your bowl."
APPRECIATORY VERSE
When the gruel's finished, have him wash the bowl.
Suddenly the mind-ground naturally meets itself.
Right then the monastery's guest is replete.
Tell me: Is any enlightenment in there or not?
 |
| A slice of wisdom from Zen Comics by Ionna Salajan (via voiceofhappiness) |
PREFACE TO THE ASSEMBLY
When food comes, fill the mouth.When sleep comes, close the eyes.
When washing the face, rub the nose.
When taking off straw sandals, touch the feet.
At such times, if you miss the point, take a light and search hard in the depths of the night.
How will you meet this?
MAIN CASE
Attention!A monk pleaded with Joshu, "Your student has just entered the monastery. Please, master, instruct me."
Joshu asked, "Did you finish your rice gruel?"
The monk replied, "I have finished eating."
Joshu remarked, "Then wash your bowl."
APPRECIATORY VERSE
When the gruel's finished, have him wash the bowl.
Suddenly the mind-ground naturally meets itself.
Right then the monastery's guest is replete.
Tell me: Is any enlightenment in there or not?
Cryptic commentary
Yogi Seven, Roshi Albrizze, Mara Shaeffer, Wisdom Quarterly
Zazen is "just sitting." But mindfulness and clear comprehension (sati-sampajanna) extends to all activities. Just breath, just eat... Not thinking, one is aware. There is no intermediate thought about it, no filtering or distorting. One is aware just of what is. BE HERE NOW. This is it. This is life. This is worth living. What to do? Be. Where to do it? Here. When? Now. Sitting goes to absorption with singleminded concentration (Sanskrit dhyana, Pali jhana, Japanese zen). Therefore, when one is tired, sleep. When one is hungry, eat. (And while eating, just eat). Then wash your bowl. Zen stages of stillness are ecstatic meditative experiences. But to say so destroys the student by setting up expectations. To say that nothing ever happens other than sitting destroys the teacher: Who needs a guru or "Zen Master" if nothing will ever happen? Nevertheless, "After the ecstasy, the laundry." So when you eat, don't forget the dishes.
