milwaukee zen center newsletter volume 26, no.2 march 2010 Are We There Yet? a destination to which Buddha apart from “Far beyond inverted When I was a child our practice can lead, birth-and-death is like views”. The suggestion is in the late 1930’s, my some wondrous state of pointing the thills of a cart that nirvana does not family’s favorite recreation being in another place. northward when you want exist within our upside was to take a ride in the Our texts sometimes to go south to Yueh, or down thinking. We can- car. Sometimes it was a speak of “entering facing south to see the not see the big Dipper by road trip to places like nirvana” and this adds northern Dipper; it only looking south. We must Quebec and sometimes to our notion that to furthers the conditions look for nirvana where it was just a drive in the reach nirvana is to go of birth-and-death and it is, and the suggestion early evening around the from here to there. This deprives you all the more is that it is right here. countryside surrounding yearning for nirvana as a of the Way of deliverance. Dôgen echoes the our farm. Looking back, place other than where Just understand that understanding of I remember those times we are may actually add birth-and death itself Mahayana Buddhism with great fondness considerably to our is nirvana, and you will when he says that as a time of shared dissatisfaction with neither hate one as being birth-and-death itself family experience. where we are right now. birth-and-death, nor is nirvana. But at the actual time, The Buddha described cherish the other as Somehow, we have I was often restless and the human condition being nirvana. Only difficulty wrapping our uttered those classic child as duhkha, usually then can you be free minds around this idea. words that have become translated as “suffering,” of birth-and-death. Nirvana supposedly a humorous refrain in but another possible Dôgen’s suggestion indicates a state in which our culture: “Are we there translation of duhkha is that we are looking in our desires and our yet?” My mother would “not satisfactory,” What the wrong direction for suffering are extinguished answer, “No, but…Oh, is going on right now nirvana is interesting in like blowing out the flame look there are horses is not nirvana and I’m light of a section of the of a candle. How can this in that pasture!” And not satisfied. Are we Heart of Great Perfect happen when we feel I would look at the there yet? Wisdom Sutra that we assaulted on every side by beautiful animals and But just as the little chant during morning the circumstances of our forget that we were girl stopped fussing about services here at the MZC: daily lives and live in the not there yet. where she was not when …with nothing to attain, shadow of death? The As I think of those shown something new a bodhisattva relies on flame of our suffering trips in the car they right where she was, so prajna paramita and flares high like a torch fed remind me of our can we be distracted from thus the mind is without by the fuel of our desires. search for nirvana. our dissatisfaction by hindrance. Without Yet Dôgen insists that we Misunderstanding the looking more closely at hindrance, there is are mistaken if we seek true nature of nirvana, what we are experiencing. no fear. Far beyond all Buddha apart from birth we are attracted by Dôgen says in Shôji (Birth inverted views, one and death. the thought of it as and Death): To seek realizes nirvana. He is reminding us continued on page 2 continued from page 1 stumble, we do not thousands of people still had been extraordinarily that our life exists only appreciate that it fills do this, and I just reach accomplished within his “here” and never “there,” our horizon just now, out my hand to a spigot, field, but what struck only “now” and never just here. turn it gently and check me most as person “then.” No matter how It is we who label to see if the water is hot after person spoke of much we may desire things and events as enough to wash my his life was that they all to be elsewhere or in a samsara or nirvana. It is dishes, giving no mentioned his unusual better time, we can only we who find them “not thought to the miracle capacity for being happy. be here in this moment. satisfactory” and invent this represents. Sometimes during a But as long as we believe the notion of a wondrous It should be noted Buddhist funeral mention that there can be a state that by definition is that duhkha exists will be made that the different moment, we never here. Imagining a primarily within what I deceased has now gone feel trapped within this fairy kingdom in the sky, find unsatisfactory with to nirvana. I found myself moment. To be free of we are blind to the regard to ME and the way thinking that in this case this moment is to no wonder of everyday I think MY life should be it was unnecessary longer contrast it with earthly reality. Layman going. In terms of the because Dr. Katayama anything, but rather to P’ang, on the other hand, world beyond my narrow had been living nirvana live it fully, knowing that saw nirvana when he concerns, there are of every day. He knew how it is all we have. said, “My supernatural course many conditions to be happy. Just understand that power and wondrous that are unsatisfactory. In And that is the birth-and-death itself is activity – drawing water this case, duhkha exists key. When we learn to nirvana. It is our inverted and carrying firewood.” primarily when we do appreciate this moment, views that lead us to look We so little appreciate nothing to correct what right in this place, that elsewhere to an imaginary what we have. As a child, harms others. It is one is when samsara and place and illusory time. I often visited my grand- thing to moan about nirvana become one. That Racing frantically to catch mother who lived outside poverty and another to is when the answer to the a rainbow, we do not a tiny rural community. support food banks for question, “Are we there realize that it is only here For drinking water, the hungry or teach skills yet?” becomes “Yes!” and now and from this we walked about the that may help someone –Tonen O’Connor particular angle of vision equivalent of a city block become employable. to a pump with a bucket Recently, I had the Note: quote from Shoji by that the rainbow exists. Norman Waddell and Masao Running toward it, eyes to lug the water home. privilege of officiating at a Abe in The Heart of Dôgen’s on the ground lest we Today, thousands upon funeral for a man who Shôbôgenzô. Sixth Annual Great Sky Sesshin August 7-14, 2010 Hokyoji Zen Practice Community in beautiful southern Minnesota co-sponsored by Cedar Rapids Zen Center and Milwaukee Zen Center Teachers: Dokai Georgesen Tonen O’Connor Zuiko Redding Rosan Yoshida Brad Warner Limited to 24 participants Information: www.milwaueezencenter.org or email: [email protected] Happenings Suzuki’s commentary Mudra Tonen has been busy on Sandokai. responding to requests my hands from the community. February 5-8, Tonen the nest around the egg and Jim Gother were in She has made several of emptiness pastoral visits to Rogers Albuquerque to visit Memorial Hospital in Tomon Marr. Jim, Tomon keeping it still Oconomowoc, spoken and Tonen have been and warm at a prayer breakfast participating in a weekly honoring Martin Luther program of “long-distance in the clutch of limbs King, Jr. Day at Marian learning” utilizing The Zen College in Fond du Lac, Sourcebook. They read at the nexus a section each week, attended a meeting of the of the world’s body DOC Religious Practices exchange written Advisory Committee in commentary via email where time sits Madison, and welcomed and then confer via for a brief hatching Boundless as the sky, radiant as the an Episcopal church teleconference on moon is the fourfold wisdom; group for a visit to the Sunday mornings. At this moment what do you lack? Zen Center. Two UWM This trip provided of love’s nestlings Nirvana is right in front of you, students visited the MZC an opportunity for face new eyes to face practice and This very place is the Lotus Land, as research for papers new mouth discussion. And, of this body is the body of Buddha. they were writing, and new mind. course, some fun. A visit Tonen spoke to a class at Hakuin Ekaku (1684-1786) UWM, as well as a class to the hills just outside Song of Meditation –Mary Lux trans. Stephen Addiss at the University School. Albuquerque to see She also attended a the petroglyphs was meeting in Cudahy fascinating. of a group that is attempting to create an The Japanese feature Milwaukee Zen Center – Schedule interfaith chapel available film, ZEN, based on the April to travelers at Mitchell life of Dôgen, was shown 7 Introduction to Zen Airport. On February 27, in lieu of the study class 10 Buddha’s Birthday 9:30 a.m. Dharma talk – Tonen officiated at a on Saturday morning, March 6.