Somebody suggested to me today that it is our "seeking and
pursuit" and the "desire to escape" that is preventing people from
overcoming suffering. I could not agree more.
When I reflect on this, here is what I come up with - the first
noble truth is that life is suffering and the second noble truth is
that suffering is caused by desire. So it seems to me to be missing
the point of Buddhism to continually reinforce the desire to be free
from suffering when in fact enlightenment is about just facing
suffering and letting go of the desire that makes it suffering. But
of course then we desire to end that desire. What then?
Here is where practice-realization comes in. We just sit upright in
the midst of this suffering, this desire, this confusion, and
frustration. We just see it for what it is and in coming back
to "just sitting" or "just chanting" again and again we take a step
back from constantly investing in thoughts of "why can't it be
better?" or "how can I make it better?" Bascially through our
practice we give it all a rest and gradually learn to just accept
and be in the midst of it. I have found that when I do this, things
become more workable, but this can't be deliberate. It must just
develop into workableness on its own as a side effect of just being
with the practice.
When we sit or chant with no ulterior motive other than to abide in
the moment - that is the very beginning of being present and awake
to whatever arises within ourselves or in others or all around us.
That presence and wakefulness takes in our hopes, fears,
frustrations, and suffering but is not any of those. And that
wakefulness and non-judging acceptance and uprightness in the midst
of it all is itself the workings of buddha-nature. It is realized,
developed, and grows through such practice.
And there is where the rest of the transcendent qualities of our
lives begin to come in. As we just abide in the practice we must
be generous with ourselves and our situation in order to
sit still with it all, we must discipline ourselves to sit
with it all, we must be patient to sit with it all, we must
make the effort to just sit with it all, we must bring our minds
continually back to just sitting with it all, and we must allow the wisdom of
just sitting with it all to emerge from just sitting with it all.
When I sit down in front of the Gohonzon (or rather in sitting
in the midst of the Gohonzon) and put the Wonderful Dharma into
practice - the practice anchors me in this moment and gives me a
focus so that I can let go of all interpretations, judgements, and
schemes and just be present and awake. The practice, mysteriously,
is itself a function of the enlightenment or awakening we believe we are striving
for but which is right in our midsts all the time.
My apologies if none of this made sense, it is a result of my reflections over the past weekend on my own practice and some of things brought up at my Faithful Fools practice meeting and on another internet forum.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei
Ryuei:
This was a very insighful writing. I've been doing extensive research for my new book in the areas of post-traumatic stress syndrome and the use of guided imagery - all the hardcore scientific papers. What I have come to realize is the conclusion you have so clearly pointed out. For this reason, I am convinced that the ultimate form of imagery that the scientists and frontline therapists are working toward will be found - at some point - ritual, imagery, and sound. All of this is of course, a process of never forgetting your suffering, being in the moment, and transcending that suffering, thus rewiring your brain, so to speak.
Charles
Posted by: Charles at February 7, 2005 02:42 PMI like that image of sitting down "in the midst" of the Gohonzon, rather than in frot of it. I always have felt that my practice was at its "best" (whatever that means) when I was approaching the ceremony in the air as a participant, rather than as an outsider, which is what I think I usually do. Thanks, Michael. Best, Byrd in LA
Posted by: Byrd in LA at February 9, 2005 01:10 PMCan chanting save you from the midst of hellish flames?
Posted by: Veronica Pedruso at February 9, 2005 03:44 PMChanting enables you to be fully present in the midst of hellish flames.
When I was at Shingyo Dojo we were either chanting Odaimoku or learning about chanting Odaimoku or writing out the Odaimoku or living as best we could in the spirit of Odaimoku. But it was very cold and damp much of the time. Here is a little story that helped me:
A monk asked Dongshan, "When cold and heat come, how can we avoid them?" Dongshan said, "Why don't you go where there is no cold, no heat?" The monk asked, "What is this place where there is no cold or no heat?" Dongshan said, "When it's cold, the cold kills you. When it's hot, the heat kills you."