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Thursday, October 25, 2012

ZEN: Wash your bowl (comics)

Wisdom Quarterly, Koan Study Group (PasaDharma.org), The Book of Equanimity
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.

A Morning, Evening with Bhikkhu Bodhi (live)

Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly; BodhiMonastery.org; AgainsttheStream.org

  • Live at Claremont Graduate School (10:00 am, Oct. 31, 2012)
  • Live at Univ. of the West (10:00 am, Admin. 208, Oct 30, 2012)
  • Live at ATS Monday (Oct. 29th), Santa Monica (see below)
  • Live at Dharma Seal, Rosemead (10:00 am, Oct. 28, 2012)
Against the Stream is welcoming America's most prolific scholar-monk, Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi -- translator and author of The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha (Majjhima Nikaya), The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha (Anguttara Nikaya), The Connected Discourses of the Buddha (Samyutta Nikaya), a "best of" collection called In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha), and many other less massive texts.
Buddhist Publication Society (bps.lk)
Bhikkhu Bodhi was born in America, got his Ph.D. at Claremont Univ., then travelled to Sri Lanka to become a Buddhist monk. He became editor of the Buddhist Publication Society (BPS), a leading Theravada Buddhist publisher of ancient Buddhist texts from India and Southeast Asia that grew to greatness by the astounding efforts of German and British ex patriot scholar-monks who came to the island to translate and give the gift of the Dharma (Dhamma-dana) to the English-speaking world. 
 
Wisdom Quarterly is made possible only because we are standing on the shoulders of these giants, namely, Nyanaponika Thera (the first BPS editor, author of Heart of Buddhist Meditation), the German nun Ayya Khema, Ven. Nyanatiloka (Buddhist Dictionary: A Manual of Buddhist Terms), Ven. Nanamoli, Francis Story and Sister Vajira (The Last Days of the Buddha), Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya (Bhikkhu Bodhi's teacher), Ven. Piyadasi (who invited Bhikkhu Bodhi to ordain in Sri Lanka), and other Western Buddhist nuns and monks who, like the great commentator Buddhaghosa, revived the Buddha's Teaching through inspired scholarship.
    
Bhikkhu Bodhi: Meditation and Dharma Talk
  • Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, Santa Monica
  • Monday night, Oct. 29th, 7:30-9:00 pm
  • 1001a Colorado Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90401 (MAP)

Dharma Punx's weekly meditation west usually features alternating teachers Noah Levine and Matthew Brensilver. But this Monday is a very special night suitable for people just learning to meditate as well as those with previous experience. No registration required. No set fee. Classes are donation-based. Mondays in Santa Monica, Wednesdays in Hollywood on Melrose Ave.