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Download (PDF) page Honolulu Diamond Sangha Summer, 2020 Michael Kieran’s Dharma Talk via Zoom for Honolulu Diamond Sangha, April 5, 2020 I want to begin this morning, as is our usual way, Our Zen practice and tradition may be particularly with a clear presentation of the Dharma. Rather well suited to these uncertain times, Zen having than a quote from Dōgen or Zhaozhou or come of age in China during the particularly Yunmen, this clear presentation of the Dharma is turbulent 8th century. Early in the century, Chinese in the form of a so-called cartoon. culture was flourishing. It was an age of “Nothing happens next. This is it.” CartoonCollections.com It's been 40 years now since this bit of Gahan incomparable art and poetry, as well as prosperity Wilson’s genius first appeared in the New Yorker. and trade. At the same time, the strains of the It's as poignant today as ever—poignant for our expanding nation-state were taking their toll. China practice of Zen, as well as our living in these had become a huge country with imperialistic times of the coronavirus pandemic. ambitions and a long border to defend. The cost of page 2 continual warfare was exorbitant. Many lives were So, nothing happens next. This is it. Just drop your lost, and the people were being taxed into poverty line in right where you are. This is our wonderful to pay for mercenary armies. This was the time of way of zazen. The utter simplicity of this practice— Great Ancestor Ma (Mazu) and of Shitou, Yaoshan, not to say it's easy—but the pure, uncomplicated, Baizhang, and Layman Pang. It was also the time of and direct way of zazen is how we can continue to the An Lushan rebellion, a time when China went discover who we are and what this life is—no less so from being one of the greatest empires the world in these uncertain times. had ever seen to a nation devastated by civil war, Under the ongoing quarantine and "stay at home" famine, and disease so severe that two out of three orders, we may be feeling particularly restless and Chinese died within a ten year period. Order was eager to get to the next thing, especially when there eventually re-established, but it would be centuries is so much suffering and it seems likely that it will before the country fully recovered. get worse before it gets better. The records of our Zen ancestors tell us that the How about "nothing happens next, this is it" when great Yantou was killed by bandits who ransacked your partner or housemate comes down with the his temple and then took their swords to him as he coronavirus? How about when the doctors want to sat in zazen. It is said that before dying he let out a put you on a ventilator? If nothing happens next, if great shout that could be heard for three miles. this is it, what about hope? When Shigong, a hunter who hated the sight of Aren't things difficult now so that they can be better monks, came across great ancestor Ma's hermitage, in the future? We now have the opportunity to learn Ma engaged him in dialog. Mazu's words hit the from this and change our ways, right? It's not that hunter with such force that on the spot Shigong things won't get better, but do we always need to broke his bow and arrows and threw them away. believe there is a silver lining? Then, cutting off his long hair with his own sword, he gave himself over to Mazu's guidance and What I want to convey this morning is that there is became a monk. something not only sobering, but also deeply comforting in NOT believing in or needing a silver There are other stories. Chuanzi Decheng, a lining. All of us have lived plenty long enough to see Dharma Successor of Yaoshan, went into hiding as that things get better and things get worse, and then a boatman ferrying people across the river. things get better and things get worse, again and Aspiring monks sought him out there at the river's again. What is it in all this that doesn’t get better or edge. Fortunately for us, the master Jiashan was one worse? of these. A young lecturer monk at the time, Jiashan awakened after kindly being twice knocked into the The point is not simply to become a pessimist—that's river with the boatman's oar. just the other side of the same old hope framework. The truth is we don't know what will happen. Why Living the Dharma there in his boat on the river, waste our precious life-energy choosing among and Chuanzi wrote this timeless verse: hoping for make-believe outcomes? A thousand-foot fishing line hangs Aitken Rōshi used to say, "When there's hope, straight down. there’s no hope. When there's no hope, there's hope." One wave moves, ten thousand follow. In Peter Mathiessen's, The Snow Leopard, (and I've The night quiet, the water cold, heard this from Aitken Rōshi as well), we find this fish aren't nibbling. teaching of Nakagawa Soen Roshi: The moon on the golden ripples fills the boat with light. To the repentant thief upon the cross, the soft Jesus of the modern Bible holds out hope of page 3 Heaven: "Today you will be with me in When we go over our practice forms at the Paradise." But in older translations, as Soen beginning of sesshin, I like to emphasize our Rōshi pointed out, there is no "you will be,"— wonderful way of going to and returning from the there is no suggestion of the future. In the dining hall. We stand with our bowls at eye level, Russian translation, for example, the meaning make a bow, and then turn in the direction we are is "right here now." Thus, Jesus declares, "You going to walk and stand there completely still and are in Paradise right now"—[hanging there on relaxed—doing nothing but standing, without the the cross.] slightest anticipation of what comes next. Then at the exact moment it's time to move, we step out. It's Liberation is nowhere other than in the karmic so wonderful to get out of the way and to trust and conditions of our own lives. Our ancestors often move with what is happening. At one point we're expressed this fundamental matter as "just this" and standing there with nothing going on at all and then I hear many Zen students and teachers also say "just we're walking, without the slightest gap between this"—but it's as though they're talking about them. When it's time to stand we stand. When it's something out there, like some objective fact. If we time to move, we move, exactly in accord with ourselves are not included in "just this," it isn't just circumstances. Please thoroughly investigate this this at all. It's other, and the wisdom and way of living and moving in the world. responsiveness of the Buddha Way does not manifest. "Just this" is not a matter of observing This is the little bit that has never been passed down what's happening in me or around me. It's [Michael by the Buddhas and Ancestors. It can't be passed holds up both hands] or "Good morning!" It's not down. Only you can make that move in your happening somewhere apart from us, WE are situation and time, and yet when you do move happening. Zen is not observation. Take your place according to circumstances, it's like not doing among the ten thousand things and make your move anything at all. in accord with your vows and the present Yunyan asked Daowu, "How does the circumstances. Great Compassionate One use all those In Torei Zenji's Undying Lamp of Zen, in the Chapter many hands and eyes?" 向上 titled “Going Beyond” ( SJ: kōjō), Torei wrote: Daowu said, "Like someone in the Here the direct path to the freedom of going middle of the night groping back after beyond remains [to be realized]. It is said to their pillow." be the decisive move that ancestors cannot Nothing happens next! There is no next thing. transmit. This is why Panshan says: So there is a difference between hope, which looks "The direct path of going beyond is not to the future for fulfillment and the aspiration transmitted by the thousand sages. expressed in our Infinite Vows, which lives here and Practitioners wearing out their body are now and doesn't give a wit about future outcomes. like monkeys trying to catch the It's not that outcomes don't matter; it's just that they reflection [of the moon]." are not in the future. This path is also called the last word. Fushan We don't know what's going to happen, but with says: honest practice and realization we can learn to move "Only with the last word one reaches the freely, fulfilling our Infinite Vows in accord with outer gate of the prison. The purpose of the circumstances as they arise. What you do or I do in teachings is not found in verbal devices." particular depends on our situation, but when called to respond, we must respond. page 4 This is particularly poignant in our present various forms since antiquity—is that the universe pandemic circumstances.
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