milwaukee zen center newsletter volume 27, no.4 july 2010 Devadatta ter he was. He harbored elephant and sent it rush- Buddha reveals that he Devadatta was hatred and ill will toward ing towards the Buddha, himself was that king in Shakyamuni’s cousin. the Buddha and his but the elephant, having a former lifetime, and that They were about the same followers. He formed compassion for the he achieved great under- age, and grew up together. an offshoot group from Buddha, instead knelt standing from Devadata’s As sometime happens the Buddha’s students, in front of him. He tried teaching. In fact, he states in a family, they were splitting the sangha. He and tried to prove he “that I have attained constantly in competition adopted stricter rules for was better, but failed. He impartial, proper awaken- with each other. In fact, himself and his monks eventually stopped trying, ing and saved many of Devadatta and Shakyamuni than the Buddha taught a bitter man. He became the living is due to my competed to marry the for his students to prove ill soon after and was good friend Devadatta.” same woman, and he was better. Then he dying, and realized in He states that in a future Shakyamuni won her convinced the young his illness how delusional lifetime, Devadatta him- heart. It seems it son of the king to kill he had been in his life. self will become a Buddha. was always like this– his father, so he would He wanted to seek refuge I personally under- Shakyamuni kept besting become king, and he told in the Buddha and asked stand being consumed Devadatta, which made the young prince that he his servants to carry him by the three poisons– him try even harder, and himself would kill the to see the Buddha and greed, anger and delu- made him frustrated. Buddha so they could ask for forgiveness, but sion. I also know when Eventually Devadatta rule together. his insight had come too I am in the grip of one and Shakyamuni both He hired people to late. He died enroute to of the poisons–my chest pursued a spiritual path, kill the Buddha, but they see the Buddha, and was is tight, my face is angry, and became monks and failed. So he took matters sucked into the hell realm I feel nauseated, and I practiced together. into his own hands. The for countless eons. can’t stop thinking about Through deep practice, Buddha was walking But the story doesn’t the situation. I am miser- Devadatta achieved a through the hills with his end there. In the Lotus able, and completely cut great deal, “gaining the students, and Devadatta Sutra, we hear about off from my surroundings. supernormal powers of perched himself high on Devadatta again. The I remember having a diffi- the mundane plane”. But a hillside, and rolled a Buddha, speaking to his cult time with a work Devadatta also became boulder off the edge, students, says that in a colleague, and going over jealous and angry. “Why attempting to crush the former lifetime, Devadatta and over a conversation, is my cousin getting all Buddha. But the boulder taught a king about the and what I should have the praise? ”. He made it split in two before crush- Lotus Sutra and was a said, what to do next, etc. his goal to demonstrate ing the Buddha, although devout teacher. Devadatta And I looked down and how flawed the Buddha a splinter from it punc- (at that time known as realized I had cooked a was, and how much bet- tured his foot and injured Asita) worked tirelessly full dinner, and didn’t him. He intoxicated an for other beings. The really remember any of it. continued on page 2 continued from page 1 like a statue that I need we follow the Buddha’s who are the most I laughed out loud and to defend?). teaching by following the challenging, are, in said “No one is here in I also see great Eightfold Path. We see fact my best teachers, the kitchen with you!!!” suffering in Devadatta. things clearly, not blinded challenging me to look When I saw a painting My heart feels for him. by the poisons, and with at how I see myself. I also of Devadatta hiding No one does the things our clear sight, intention have a choice, in each behind a rock on a he did without great and view, we act appro- moment, how to cliff, trying to push the suffering. My heart feels priately to the situation, respond. It’s not that I boulder onto the Buddha, for myself too, and all not in the old habitual never feel anger, or never I laughed. How ridiculous those who get swept up way. We strive towards get jealous, or deluded, it seemed. But I also saw in the rushing tide of work and activity that but I strive to not myself there. At times emotions, cutting them- allows us to remain in become attached to in my life, I’ve been selves out of the flow of the flow, not obstruct these emotions, so that crouched alone on life. I think of it as being it. None of this involves I can determine the best a cliff and would have a big boulder in the mid- wasting time by comparing response, in situation loved to roll a boulder dle of a stream–everyone ourselves with others, after situation. onto someone! I may not needs to flow around ME, as Devadatta did. And we’re fortunate have actually done this, rather than being in the I find hope in to hear the Buddha’s but I know there are flow of everything else. Devadatta’s story. teachings, in our life- times when I have caused As the Lotus Sutra Devadatta paid the price times. The Lotus Sutra harm, often after feeling tells us, we ALL have for his misdeeds, but tells us of our great my sense of myself threat- the potential to become Devadatta himself was fortune in being born as ened. (And to be honest, Buddha. We act like not a “lost cause”. a human, and hearing of what the heck is that? Buddha when we follow Devadatta, despite Buddha potential in all As if I’m some fixed the precepts. One of the all his horrible acts, of us. For those struggling permanent static thing, precepts is “not harboring eventually became today, take heart. “Of all hatred, malice or ill will”, a Buddha himself. In those who hear the a lifelong challenge. And fact, the Buddha called Dharma, none will fail Devadatta his greatest to become a Buddha”. teacher. With time I’ve –Tomon Marr found that the people Milwaukee Zen Center – Schedule Happenings August 4 Introduction to Zen On May 14, Andy 7-14 Great Sky Sesshin, Ferguson gave a splendid Hokyoji, Minnesota illustrated lecture on Bodhidharma’s history September and the manner in 1 Introduction to Zen 4 CLOSED for holiday which his disciples avoided contact with October the Imperial government. 6 Introduction to Zem 16 All-day sitting The weekend of May 17 All-day sitting 15 &16 was the final To see the 2010 Schedule and more information two-day sitting until fall, on Two-day sitting, visit our web site at and in the afternoon John www.milwaukeezencenter.org Rhiel and Jim Gother put in the MZC’s My Dog is a are happy, sad when you to my attachment or Zen Master are sad, etc. Then move loosen my grip. In this (Part One) on to the next moment. sense, we are different There is a Buddhist tale Dogs just take what from dogs because we about the student who comes and respond have choices they do asks his teacher if dogs according to their not have. have Buddha Nature. If “dog nature”. Recently, the U.S. we limit Buddha Nature My dog is named Navy’s Blue Angels fighter to “sentient beings” the Gidget, and I confess jets were practicing above Gidget: My primary question then becomes I am a little jealous of our neighborhood. I was interests are birds and a matter of defining her “dog nature”. She is watching planes, in awe, squirrels. I am mostly “sentient”. Sentient not perfect and she does out my office window interested in how they has been defined as not care. And, if I died when my wife called. might taste and their the ability to “feel” tomorrow, I think she “Gidget is in the closet metabolism. I have or to “perceive”. If would “feel” lonely. I and won’t come out! not been able to you narrow this to hope she may even miss She’s terrified of the obtain a sample to emotions such as fear me. She will feel “sad” fighter jets!” Feeling study yet, but I try and happiness, then because something she is sorry for Gidget, I began very hard every day. certainly dogs have attached to is missing but to question my whole I am also interested Buddha Nature. then she will probably Buddha Nature – dog in treats, specifically Dogs do not seem respond by bonding more nature premise. “If she is Beggin’ Strips (bacon- to worry much about closely with my wife and a Zen Master, then why is cheese flavor) and things. They could care son. In this sense she she cowering in the closet dried pig ears. In my less if it’s going to rain illuminates the nature of because of a couple of opinion, my humans tomorrow.