Origin of wind

Just saying thanks.

2011-08-19T22:25:00.000+02:00

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i just want to say thanks.

So please read along.

Its been a year since my ordination today.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity.

Thank you.

Mtfbwy

Fugen

always fine

2011-08-07T17:46:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about fine.

So please read along.

There's an story i heard some time ago, and it came up in a conversation today, so i thought i'd write it down.

The student asked the teacher how he was.

The teacher said "fine".

Next day the student asked the teacher how he was again.

The teacher said "fine".

This continued on for a while, with the student asking and the teacher answering "fine".

The student knew how much turmoil there was in the teachers life, he had an wife, a kid and students and... Eventually he asked how it came that the teacher always answered fine.

The teacher answered "You know if the sun is out it is fine, if it is raining its fine.

If i have an good day its fine, if i have an bad day its fine.

You can't have an up without an down and both are fine.

Thats why i'm always fine."

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Fighting and Sewing...

2011-07-18T18:39:00.002+02:00

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about fighting and sewing.

So please read along.

There's Three rules i'd take to a fight.

First, Never take an opponent lightly.

Respect doesn't cost anything and nothing gets a man beat faster than confidence.

Second, Look like a weakling, a coward, a fool.

Look like it but don't be one.

I once heard ”Silence is a combatants best defence”, maybe it is true, i've seen alot of talkative people loose.

Third, Watch your opponent, listen to advice and opinions you're given, but once you set your plan in action, fix on it and don't stray.

When the time comes to act, act with no backward glances.

Now you are halfway through, the rest is luck and smiles...

There is alot of similarities between fighting and sewing.

And i believe i would say the same things above about sewing, just switching some words to fabric, sewer, sew asf., ...

When all goes according to plan, you are in ”the zone”, all is good.

When you miss the beat in a fight you stray and sometimes get beat.

I did my first Kesa while my life was in utter turmoil, and you can see that in it.
I don't think there is one like it anywhere.

Like an drop of water in the river.
In that you actually see where i have been totally in "the zone".

No distractions.

No entangelments.

Perfect stitches.

Just acting.

Then suddenly someting happens, and the thread goes astray.
Missing the pace.

Not going straight.
Getting entangled in life; sewer, thread, fabric.

All the while, the kesa is perfect, just as it is.
Perfectly sewn, perfectly viewed, perfectly worn.

A difference between the two, fights and sewing, might be a bloody nose...

But we'll see as i'm about to start another fight, this time with a ninestripe Kesa...

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Ps the three rules above is from the character Logen ninefingers in Joe Abercrombes trilogy "The first law" the sewing and the smiles are on me.

Watts on youtube

2011-07-01T13:30:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about Watts on youtube.

So please read along.

An lecture by Alan Watts apparently recorded 1965 and 1969, but still very watchable many times over.

Thank you Alan.
Thank you for your practice.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Empty boats and Joko Beck

2011-06-29T20:35:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about boatlife.

So please read along.

Suppose we are out on a lake and it’s a bit foggy – not too foggy, but a bit foggy- and we’re rowing along in our little boat having a good time. And then, all of a sudden, coming out of the fog, there’s this other rowboat and it’s heading right at us. And… crash! Well, for a second we’re really angry – what is that fool doing? I just painted my boat! And here he comes – crash! – right into it. And then suddenly we notice that the rowboat is empty. What happens to our anger? Well, the anger collapses. . . I’ll just have to paint my boat again, that’s all. But if that rowboat that hit ours had another person it it how would we react? You know what would happen! Now our encounters with life, with other people, with events are like being bumped by an empty rowboat. But we don’t experience life that way. We experience it as though there are people in that other rowboat and we’re really getting clobbered by them. What am I talking about when I say that all of life is an encounter, a collision with an empty rowboat? What’s that all about?

from Everyday Zen by Charlotte Joko Beck (opening pandoras box chapter).

Now, you might think i will be elaborating about this story, but i won't really...
All i'll say is BOTH boats are empty.

Thank you Joko.
Thank you for your practice.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Oh, happy day!

2011-06-28T17:57:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about happy days.

So please read along.

I got told the other day, by an friend of mine, that it's an happy day when Jesus walks among us.
I turned to the man and said, he never left, he's right here.

You may not agree on all that's in the song 'Oh, happy day', but that he never left, that is one thing Buddhism has taught me, and maybe it's so...
So, Happy Day!!

And remember, when you smile, the whole universe smiles...

Thank you for your practice.

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Buy an lotteryticket!

2011-06-27T20:57:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about lotterytickets and falling.

So please read along.

A man walks in to a church and up to a statue of an saint, and begins to pray.
-Dear saint, please, please, let me win a million on the lottery!
He comes in and does the same thing the next day
-Dear saint, please, please, let me win a million on the lottery!
He continues to do this the next day and the next and the next for a whole year.
Suddenly, after an year, the statue comes alive, turns to the man and says:
-Please, please buy an lotteryticket!

Don't go around just wishing for things to happen, do something about it.

It is not until you actually do anything about it that something happens.

It is sometimes a mistake to climb;
it is always a mistake never even to make the attempt.
If you do not climb, you will not fall.
This is true.
But is it that bad to fail, that hard to fall?
Sometimes you wake, and sometimes, yes, you die.
But there is a third alternative.
And sometimes, when you fall, you learn to fly.

Neil Gaiman, The Sandman: Fables and Reflections

I would like to end with an quote from another master i really like, Master yoda:

“Do or do not... there is no try.”

Thank you for your practice.

Mtfbwy

Fugen

I used the first story above when i talked to an member of Treeleaf sangha, and thought i'd post it here, and if you know where it originates from, please tell me, since i have forgotten as i first heard it a long while back...

Creating something?

2011-06-13T19:36:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about Pots.

So please read along.

A potterers work, when making an pot, is much like an Zenpractitioners, creating something around nothing, and eventually, hopefully, seeing it.

In the end, its all good practice.
Thank you for your practice.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

A smile can take you a long way.

2011-06-02T10:11:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Before we go any further i would like to say that i have the consent from the person i am to speak about to write this, if there is such a person, and that he would like to commemorate this to all the good fathers out there.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about Smiles.

So please read along.

Some two years ago his wife left him and their 2 year old son.

She told him that she just needed time.

He took care of the son and what needed doing and got an apartment with an room of his own for their son.

For the first three months since she left, she hardly had the son at all, except when her parents where present, and he let her have him whenever she wanted.

Suddenly he got an call from her lawyer saying she wanted single custody and that she wanted to move away from town with the kid.

So the process started, with her blaming him for everything, her family, their fríends almost everybody was on some point or another on his back, because he was ”the bad guy”.

They went to the socialservices for investigation, which took an year and a half.

In the final report made by the socialsevices, they used patronizing language when writing about him including him being called a dominant, diminishing, cruel man who didn't let the mum see her child.

All the while she went away for weeks, just to show up and pick up the kid whenever she wanted.

He had him for almost 4/5ths of the time in those two years, she not even coming with to the dentist...

This and much more, along the same lines happened along the way.

He persevered and always did everything he could but you could see the fatigue growing in his eyes.

So came mothers day.

He and their son toiled with a mothersdaycard, the son picked it out and drew it and on mothers day they delivered it to her.

The son got a hug, he didn't even get an glance or an ”hi.”

Later on that day he got an message on his cellphone from her.

Fearing the worst, the usual yelling, which were more common than not, he looked at it.

It said ”thank you”.

When asked how he felt when he got the thank you textmessage, he smiled, and said ”You know, i was getting kind of fatigued, but now? Now i can go on forever.”

This might just be a story i concocted, who knows?

But i'll tell you this, the smile, that was something...

Writing this made me think of the old story about Hakuin and the baby, found for instance in Paul Reps "Zen flesh, Zen bones", but different versions is found all over the internet...

There was a monk named Hakuin who was well respected for his work among the people.
In the village, there lived a young woman, the daughter of the food sellers.
The young woman became pregnant by her boy friend who worked nearby in the fish market.
When the parents found out about this, they were very angry and pressured her to reveal the name of the father.
She wanted to protect the young man and blurted out the name of Hakuin as the father.
After the baby was born, the parents took the baby to Hakuin.
They told Hakuin that he was responsible for the baby and left the infant with him.
He responded: “Is that so?”
And he simply accepted the responsibility for the child without further reaction.
The monk had no experience with babies.
But he began to care for its needs, finding food, clothing, and warm shelter.
The other villagers became very angry with Hakuin for his offense and his reputation was trashed. These comments did not affect Hakuin, who continued to put his effort and attention into the care of the baby.
After several years, the young woman was filled with remorse.
She confessed to her parents the name of the true father.
They immediately went to see Hakuin, apologized, and took the baby back with them.
Hakuin watched as they returned to there home with the child he had cared for since birth and replied “Is that so?”

Now, you might say that both the stories are sad, and they might be, but they also tell of an great love and compassion.

Both of them took a beating for it, but continued on doing what needed doing, taking care of what needed doing, with, i believe, an allencompassing care, love and compassion and setting an example many would benefit to learn from.

Another thing both these stories tell us is that just because people ”knows” or says something is true doesn't make it so.

And no matter what your reputation is, no matter how much you're put down, it doesn't reflect the real you.

And it might be that the persons involved will never know what really happened, it doesn't matter.

But what you do MATTERS.

And, between you and me, i believe there was an smile on Hakuin's face as they went away, and that smile, that was something ...

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Different Perspectives...

2011-05-20T19:31:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about perspective.

So please read along.

One day a young Buddhist on his journey home came to the banks of a wide river.
Staring hopelessly at the great obstacle in front of him, he pondered for hours on just how to cross such a wide barrier.
Just as he was about to give up his pursuit to continue his journey he saw a great teacher on the other side of the river.
The young Buddhist yells over to the teacher, "Oh wise one, can you tell me how to get to the other side of this river"?
The teacher ponders for a moment looks up and down the river and yells back, "My son, you are on the other side".

Its all a matter of perspective.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Ps. The story above is one circulating around the internet, but might originate from Paul Rep's "ZenBones", or so i have been told at least. If you have any info on the matter plz contact me, wouldn't like looking like a thief in the night, but give credit where's credits due.

Don't loose the orange.

2011-04-22T09:42:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble ordained Zen Priest in training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about power and oranges.

So please read along.

So a person of power goes astray.

Again.

And again.

It does not matter if it is a Politician, Zen teacher, Cook or Friend.

It is all the same, once you put a person up there, sometimes they will fail you.

It will happen all the time, everywhere you put them.

There's no escape.

The important point is not that they sometimes do, but what YOU do when they do.

What are you going to do, freak out or eat orange?

We can't really know until we are there, can we?

All we can do is as best we can, always.

And remember, don't loose the orange.

Mtfbwy

Fugen

Zen is like a parachute jump...

2011-04-16T22:50:00.000+02:00

Hi!

I'm starting up the blogging again after being away for a while.

Even though i'm no authority of any kind, a humble Ordained Zen Priest in Training, and just an modest fool at best, today i want to talk about the likeness between parachuting and Zenpractice.

So please read along.

When you hear the roar from the open door as the wind rushes in and around your airplane you realize it's time to jump.

You get up, stand in the doorway and look out...

The feeling you feel is at once both a rush and a world of fear, because what if?...

Jump.

Now a series of movements happen.

Movements you have done again and again, trained again and again so they become almost second nature.

You may not understand why you do them but you do them nonetheless.

Holding in the arms, pulling a chord, waiting for the chute to open.

If it doesnt open a new set of movements happens.

Scramble for the cord, pray a short pray, wait for second chute.

Suddenly the chute opens, whom!

A big pull/stop.

Floating.

You might think that you steer but you are just hanging there, going wherever the chute wants to take you.

So relax.

Enjoy the moment.

Landing.

New movements, new setting.

Been there, done that?

Maybe.

Now what does this have to do with zenpractice?

In zenpractice we do the same things.

We stand in the doorway, looking.

We do weird movements, get a feeling of ”floating” and land, only not in the same way, or is it?

And lastly, if the second chute doesn't open, enjoy the moment and hope that you instanly learn to fly...

So shall we get in the plane?

Mtfbwy

Fugen

The teachings of the Daruma doll...

2010-09-07T19:31:00.000+02:00

Hi.

The thing isn't to do everything right.

In our practice, whoever we are, we can, and will, stray from the path.
No exception, this will happen to everybody.
The thing is that when it happens getting back to the path.
Sometimes we can make it by ourselves.
Sometimes we need help from others.
And it's all ok.
The main thing is getting back, not how you did it, as long as you keep in accord with the precepts..
Much like an Daruma doll, which keeps uprighting itself...

There has been a lot of talks about teachers and others doing this or that or straying from the path in one way or another, but that's just normal.
The thing is not that they strayed, or will stray or...
The thing is what you do about it.

Two zen monks were travelling.They came to a ford of a stream that was running high, and the current was strong and frightening looking. An attractive young lady was standing at the ford, looking nervous. She clearly was afraid to cross, but had an important reason to go. Without a word, the older of the two monks lifted her in his arms and waded across the stream, and placed her safely on the far bank. The younger monk looked shocked at this action, but kept his silence for quite some number of miles as they continued their journey. Finally, he blurted out "You know that it is against the rules of our order to have any contact with women. How could you do that?".

The older monk replied "I put her down when I reached the other side of the river. You, on the other hand, have been carrying her this whole way."

I am not a Zen teacher and only in training as a priest, and as such is not to be viewed as an authority of any sort, but today i would like to write a little about one of the things people often hear me saying, "When this happens do this, when that happens do that" and "It's all good practice."

The first sentence is that you should do one thing at the time, and it's the thing that is right in front of you right now.
Not anywhere else or at any other time.

The second is that it's all good, everything is as it is.
You know it, he knows it, she knows it, i know it.
But sometimes we miss it, and don't see it.
That's when we strayed.
That's when we need to get back on track.
Mind you, i might be saying to get back on track, but that doesn't mean we're off, just that we think we are...

The thing isn't to do everything right.
We all stray and miss the path sometimes, doing things we maybe shouldn't have.
All i ask of you is that when i stray, please lead me back.
It's all good practice.
Thank you for your practice.

May the force be with you.
Fugen

When life hits you in the face...

2010-08-30T17:46:00.000+02:00

Hi.

What do you do when life hits you in the face?
What do you when your old mum is dying, your child is resisting, your wife/husband leaves you, life is acting crazy or your computer had enough?

There has been many things said about this, and a great many books written on the topic.
Some of them are good, some...
But i like to say some things in the subject to.

First of all, the thing we are talking about here is Dukkha and samsara.
I am not a Zen teacher and only in training as a priest, and as such is not to be viewed as an authority of any sort but Dukkha is sometimes interpreted as impermanence, change, suffering and it derives from a word often interpreted as uneasy.
I kinda like the word uneasy in this situation, it goes along the lines i'm talking about now.
Uneasy.
Thats what it's all about.
Uneasy.

Why do we feel it to be uneasy?
It's because we want something to be different than it is.
Even though we see it as it is, we interpret it as something else, and as something as we do not want or want it to be.
I often explain it as a "wheel that is out of focus", as a "wheel with the axis not in the middle but out towards one side", so that it wobbles forward.
That means it goes at a little different "speeds" when it rolls forward...
We are "suffering" because we want it to go smoothly at the same speed all the time, which it doesn't, and therefore creates an un-smoothness.

So, What do you do when life hits you in the face?
Some say "nothing!"
Some say "Sit with it!"
Some say "It's all good practice."
But it doesn't matter what people say, it matters what YOU DO.
And as long as you do as good as you can in the situation at hand with the righ intention, you are, according to me, not so far off.

In the Garland sutra, buddha supposedly says this

I should be like the sun, shining universally on all without seeking thanks or reward, able to take care of all sentient beings even if they are bad, never giving up on my vows on this account, not abandoning all sentient beings because one sentient being is evil.

This shows to the right intent, doing something for the sake at hand, not for getting some credit.
And in some sense it says "love your enemy".
No matter what it is, love your enemy.

I would like to end with a story about what to do with people that is not as everyone wants.

When Bankei held his seclusion-weeks of meditation, pupils from many parts of Japan came to attend. During one of these gatherings a pupil was caught stealing. The matter was reported to Bankei with the request that the culprit be expelled. Bankei ignored the case.
Later the pupil was caught in a similar act, and again Bankei disregarded the matter. This angered the other pupils, who drew up a petition asking for the dismissal of the thief, stating that otherwise they would leave in a body.
When Bankei had read the petition he called everyone before him. "You are wise brothers," he told them. "You know what is right and what is not right. You may go somewhere else to study if you wish, but this poor brother does not even know right from wrong. Who will teach him if I do not? I am going to keep him here even if all the rest of you leave."
A torrent of tears cleansed the face of the brother who had stolen. All desire to steal had vanished.

It's never easy to deal with people.
Especially people who don't do as they should or as you think they should do.
But in the end, if you just "do as good as you can" and "love your enemy", your not to far off in your practice.

Thank you for your practice.

May the force be with you
Fugen

What happened? Or my view of the treeleaf online shukke tokudo 2010...

2010-08-26T20:51:00.000+02:00

Hi.

What is the meaning of “Shukke tokudo”?
Shukke Tokudo is the ceremony of ordination marking the passage from layperson to what we call a monk, nun, or a priest (the japanese term of is Unsui- cloud and water). Tokudo means ‘ceremony,’ and Shukke is ‘leaving home.’ so in a sense it's a homeleaving ceremony, although there is no home to leave and more in the lines of coming home...

So how does it work? What do you do?
The ceremony is supposed to be composed of three parts, or so i've been told.
One known by all, one known by the teacher and one ”unknown”.
And it really was all of it.
My brother came by train from gothenburg early in the morning, and from there the circus was on.
Before long i had had the head shaved, been interviewed by both radio and the newspaper, gotten the outfit on and off a couple of times, standing barefoot before a computer all clad in white and hearing the words ”the ordination ceremony...”

As for the ceremony settings, it was just me, my brother and a computer as we were doing the ceremony online.
We did some ceremonies, some bowing, some chanting.
It was more or less like anything you do in life – ordinary, simple.
The ceremony itself wasn’t so impressive.
Or maybe it was.
Maybe that was what made it so special.
Because we deem it so special and important, made it special and important...

The ordination ceremony itself went well, some minor glitches is supposed to be in to perfect it even more.
I don't think what had been done really hit me until put on skype after the ceremony and there was maybe 20 people trying to call me all at the same time...

The reception in the evening was another thing all together.
We had an reservation on the local chinese restaurant, and it was just an short walk for me and my brother to get there.
When we got there, there were a lot of pictures taken, some hugs and some congratulations.
All in good order.
When we got in, it was another thing.
Suddenly i had almost the whole restaurant staff standing there, wanting a photo and everything.
All chatting excitedly in chinese...

The next day i went to gothenburg, to see my brothers lifepartners first dangraduation in aikido (she passed).
Luckily enough i went early in the morning.
As i found out later the frst radio transmission had taken place at 15.30, my time, and the first customer asking for me had come in to the bookshop were i work part time 5 minutes after that.
And it had continued to come in more customers on friday and on saturday i was in the papers...
Luckily i missed all that commotion, but thank you for the kind gestures.

The end?
The thing about Shukke Tokudo is not the ceremony itself, that’s just the “end of the beginning of the journey”.
And it isn't really about the ceremony, that's just a ceremony.
Even if i hadn't done the ceremony, if the lightning had struck out my connection or whatever, i would still be here doing this.

In my lineage we were supposed to sew our own Kesa and study texts, as well as have showed some deepened comitment.
It’s not just to step up and take a ticket.
It’s hard work, and it has only begun.
And don't get me wrong, i think it should be, in some sense.
This is all part of the practice.

I'd like to end this post with a quote from my article about Jukai, please replace jukai with ”Shukke Tokudo”.

I learned more from the journey towards Jukai than I have leaned during the rest of my “life as a Buddhist”. The question is if it will change anything.
Now, I may anger some people by saying that taking Jukai isn’t such a big thing. It was not for me. It doesn’t involve earthchanging moments, no strikes of lighting to the head or anything dramatic like that. It just confirms what you already know and do. For me it’s not a big thing, but for some it might. Ultimately, the real significance of Jukai will be that which every recipient finds for him/herself.

But in the end what does this make me?
I see myself as a humble Ordained Zen Priest in Training, and not an authority of any sort.
Please respect that, and don't make me something i'm not.

May the force be with you
Fugen

Simple practice?...

2010-08-23T11:31:00.000+02:00

Hi.

I got the question on how you could practice, when "not sitting on the cushion".
So i'd like to offer three advices.

1. smile
2. Straighten your fingers
3. Say "thank you"

Now to go through them and why i chose those.
Often people say you should do this, this this and so on and it ends up being a book, or something like that.
I don't go there.
For me simplicity is the key.
So we end up with three things.

And here we go.

1. smile
Always have an smile on your lips.
This makes not only you having an positive mindset.
It also spreads like a disease to people around you, making more people having a smile/positive mindset making...

2. straighten your fingers
When we are practicing zazen, we should maintain a proper posture.
Our posture linked intimately with our mind; if our posture is sloppy and lazy, our mind is also sloppy and lazy.
Therefor when straighten out the body, you straighten out the mind.
In remembering to straighten out your fingers you unconsciously straighten your body/mind.
It is also an good practice in mindfulness, in that you are mindful of straightening your fingers.

3. Say "thank you"
Humbleness is a good teacher.
And there is no better humbleness training than to say "thank you".
In doing this you raise th other up, while not lowering yourslf.
You make him/her conscious about her/himself and about the act at hand.
That is to say, in saying thank you, you are not only teaching yourself, but also others.

But in the end it's all good practice.
Thank you for your practice.

May the force be with you
Fugen

i made the news...

2010-08-19T22:06:00.000+02:00

Hi.

I made the news...

http://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=97&artikel=3934281

It's all good practice.
Thank you for your practice.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

The buddhist teachings...

2010-08-12T13:24:00.000+02:00

Hi.

When I’m asked to describe the Buddhist teachings, I say this:
Everything is connected; nothing lasts; you are not alone.
Though it may seem like restatement of the traditional Three Marks of Existence: impermanence (anicca,無常), suffering or unsatisfactoriness (dukkhā,苦) and not-self (anattā,空), i think it encapsules the teaching quite well.
If you leave them out, you're missing the important core of buddhist teachings and in doing that you miss an important core of zen buddhist teachings.

As i'm going to be a priest soon i often get questions like the the one above.
I also get a lot of reactions from people.
These reactions differ from people who think i am crazy to people who run like crazy to people that want to know more.
These reactions tie together nicely with how i explain the core of buddhist teachings.

People who think i am crazy, is showing that everything is connected.
Because where do they get the notion of what crazy is?
How have they learned what it is?
How can they put a label on you if you're not connected in some way?
And just a reminder, at the same time that they put they label on you, they put a label on themselves.
It may be unconsciously, but it's placed.

People who run away is showing us that nothing lasts.
Even this meeting that you had with this person didn't last.
Often these meetings with these persons has gone pretty good right up to the point when religion/Buddhism has been raised.
After that, it's all lost, already showing that nothing lasts.

People who want to know more, is sensing that they're not alone and want to understand things that happens around them.
These people often, in my sense, has had some encounter with buddhism/religion before and is open at heart - open in mind.

Meeting these people, for me, is valuable.
I'm not saying some are better than others.
They're all good practice.

Thank you for you're practice.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

This thing called Karma...

2010-08-11T17:09:00.000+02:00

Hi.

In spring this year i ordered an Koromo and kimono for my priestordination from Yuko Conniff at Great Patience Zen Stitchery.
It took until yesterday until i got it and it was near that i didn't...

Here's the story.
After It had gotten to the us postal service it went to malmoe here in sweden, where it stayed in customs for two days (but not being opened must mean it wasn't so interesting...).
Then it went by swedish mail all the way to the bookshop where i work.
The thing is, there was only my name on it, not saying i was working at the bookshop.
So they looked for my name on any door, which there wasn't any.
At this point, i would like to put in that the mailbox is at the back of the bookshop...
So it went back to the postal office with a note saying, "Could not deliver."

Luckily, one of the postalworkers saw the package and asked herself if it wasn't for one of the ones working at the bookshop.
And guess what, so it was!
Having established that, i got to pick up the package, and got my robes.
Some times i wonder about this thing called KARMA!...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Samu the whale...

2010-08-09T14:49:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Get off your behind and do someting useful!
The work is part of the koan.
-Hakuin

Today i'd like to adress the subject of work, or rather samu.
I rather like the definition on Wikipedia is quite good...

Samu refers to work that is done to promote mindfulness...
Mindfulness means accepting reality just as it is. Samu is a means of finding Buddha-nature in everyday life, that reality has ever been pure from the very beginning...

Samu is one way to go beyond the self and is one way to integrate practice into daily life.
Samu is sometimes translated as "daily work practice.
And i would say that Samu is vital to Practice.
In fact, Samu is "working Zazen"!

Being part of the Treeleaf sangha, Samu is something that is somewhat encouraged, but up to each person to do, as we are a "worldwidesangha", and not always near another person.

At treeleaf, we are encouraged to do some hands-on, actually helping people while doing Samu, not just pulling weeds and raking the gravel.
Some hands on work with the sick, the abused or suffering.
However, this should not take out the time to take care of family, children and such, since that is ALSO Samu, done properly.

How much should you be doing?
Well, that is a another question.
I would say, just enough.
When you do it, do enough.
Not to much, not to little, just enough.
If that is just giving a smile and a hand in something simple, and that is all you can, thats enough.
If you can put off some hours each week sitting with the needing, then that is enough.
I can't say what is enough for you, you have to feel that yourself.

The second thing i would like to say, do it so it feels, but not more than enough.
In fact, it is even good to choose (if you choose) an activity that you resist ...
If you do it so it doesn't feel, it somewhat diminishes it's value, and you don't get the right things out off it....

There is an old story which is an favourite of mine...

No Work, No Food

Hyakujo, the Chinese Zen master, used to labor with his pupils even at the age of eighty, trimming the gardens, cleaning the grounds, and pruning the trees.
The pupils felt sorry to see the old teacher working so hard, but they knew he would not listen to their advice to stop, so they hid away his tools.
That day the master did not eat. The next day he did not eat, nor the next. "He may be angry because we have hidden his tools," the pupils surmised. "We had better put them back."
The day they did, the teacher worked and ate the same as before. In the evening he instructed them: "No work, no food."

I'd like to end this by a saying supposedly from the buddha.

“Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.”

These works in quite well with Hakuin's quote in the beginning, "work is part of the koan".
No way around it.
Get to it.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

when something appears, something appears

2010-07-24T14:06:00.000+02:00

Hi.

When there is grasping, the grasper Comes into existence. If he did not grasp, Then being freed, he would not come into existence.

- Nagarjuna, "Mulamadhyamaka-Karika"

So, when something appears, something appears.
Is it the same something?
Yes and no.
Buddhism is sometimes a little bit hard to get, it's a little difficult philosophically.
Or so it may seem.
The buddhist philosophy pend between the absolute and the relative and neither.
THe absolute stand for how it really is, not how we perceive it or think it is, thats the realtive.

We may think that something has the colour blue, but does it really?
yes and no.

We may think we are driving a car, but do we?
yes and no.

Now, you might say that it is really a yellow truck we're driving and that is why it isn't as we said.
Yes, but thats not what i'm talking about.
I'm talking about how we perceive and interpret the world.
Something is blue because we say it's blue, it's driving a car if we say its driving a car.

Makes you wonder what would happen if "driving a car" meant something like a "fork" and blue meant happy in another language..
It could be something like this
-hi! what are you doing?
- hi. im happy fork (driving a blue car).
Could make some interesting discussions....

But, what i was talking about was perceiving and interpreting the world.
We do it constantly AND we do it according to our mind.
Thats a really important lesson to see.
What we see is not always what is true and not even what others might see.
We create the world around us and revolves around us.
In a sense it is us!

Which gets us back to Nagajunas Quote.
If we do not try to interpret things around us, if we stop thinking about them, just letting them be as they are, we are not caugth, we are free.
And this is we're the neither part comes in, because we can never be truly free until that one is.

But remember, it's all good practice.

May the force be with you
Fugen

Hardly Hard?

2010-07-08T19:22:00.000+02:00

Hi.
How do you explain the colour blue to a blind person?
This Koan struck me today as a friend of mine asked me how everything was and i said "as it should".
And he got all roused up since my life is kind of turbulent right now.
But, as i tried to explain to him, when something is hard because it is hard and you realize its hard because it is hard, then it's not so hard anymore.
It just is as it is.
When i have a hard time i have a hard time.
When i have a good time, i have a good time.
Nothing more.

Now, this may be hard to understand, and believe me, even harder to explain.
But thats how it is.
Follow the stream, don't force it.

Now, some might say you "can't do that" or "it would take me forever to learn that" or...
No, it's not hard.
It doesn't take more than a moment.
You just do, or do not.

May the force be with you.
Fugen

A modest input

2010-06-24T21:31:00.000+02:00

Hi.
I saw this interesting post over at monkey mind, and i had some things i'd like to emphasize..

It's called A Modest Call for A Reformation of Ordained Zen Leadership in the West, and right from the onset it got me.
First, as i am working with and am going to be one of those i thought it worthwhile.
But i don't like being called a leader or what i do a leadership.
If anything, call it companionship, as i am a companion on the way.
Even if i am only an companion to one.

Now he brings up some really good things in the article.
Some i agree on some i don't.
But let's begin.

Today in Japan Zen clerical leadership is roughly more analogous to Anglican parish ministry than to the monasticism of any tradition, where clerics are responsible for the rites of the community, particularly funerals and related memorials.

This is true in most cases, but not all.
There still is some who practices the monastic way or a variant of that in Japan.
What he's talking about here is organisations like, for instance, the soto shu, which are more or less "corporations", in lack of a better word.
Instances, which in some cases, are hereditary and serves a function in the community while at the same time is run lika any corporation.
I see no harm in maintaining that way, as long as you serve your function.
If you lose sight of that, it becomes another matter entirely.

He then goes on talking about how we in the west picked up on this ordination to ministry rather than monasticism and has expanded on it.
And although we have done so continue to use monastic terminology.
Here is another point i agree on.
If you have an banana, call it a banana.
If you have an orange call it orange.
Otherwise it gets confusing and misleading.

The belief that one's best training happens in close proximity to a teacher, is, in my understanding somewhat flawed.
Somewhat because it depends on what you call a teacher.
Please see earlier post for thoughts on teachers...
And if you only think that training happens when you do retreats, zazenkai's and such, you miss the point.

The difference between the ”lay” and ”monastic” way, is somewhat of a hot bun.
More in some traditions than in others.
Let me just quote another master on that one.

No different! Only different in your mind.
-Yoda

On practice in laycommunities he says this.

Still, when people do throw themselves into the practice, it turns out do just fine. It works. Living at home, alone or with a partner, practicing daily and participating in one, three, five and seven-day retreats as one can is enough.

Lives are transformed, people grow deep and wise.

And the many beings are saved.

Yes.
Is that enough?

He also brings forth a point when he says

What I suggest for us in the West, is that unless one feels a call to an actual cloistered life and wishes to become a monastic in the traditional celibate sense, if one feels called to ordination, one’s ordination path should be seen as an adjunct to practice, rather than as some special or more intense form of practice.

There is no deeper practice than practice. Water does not get wetter.

And this is an important point.
I wrote earlier about practice, and where is that if not here.
Doing what you do.
And if you can help others at the same time, what is that?
Thats good practice.

Now what should we start with?
He gives an notion to that one to.

And let our priests become ministers, where ordination is about a calling to service. Heaven knows, we need such ministers, such priests.

Acknowledging this we can shift the focus of training beyond the primary disciplines of Zen meditation, which we all share, from the cycle of monastic liturgy to professional pastoral training. Let us look to the Western seminary tradition and see what we can learn. Let our priests in training learn a little about pastoral counseling. Let’s require clinical pastoral education units of our clerics in training. Let clerical aspirants learn how to organize a spiritual community and a religious education program for our children. Let them learn how to read a financial statement.

What he proposes is that we bring forth these ”leaders” to help out in every way they can.
Not just sitting there, but doing.
I think he says it best himself, when he says

Let our Zen clergy do some of the many things that might actually help as Zen takes root here in the West.

And out of all this let these priests go into the world establishing sitting groups while also working in the fields of need.

Could do a world of good.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

a virtual-real real-virtual world

2010-06-17T10:35:00.000+02:00

Hi.

As you all know by know, there's going to be an "all online priest ordination" over on the treeleaf sangha.
The general public hasn't really caught up and some may not even care enough of it.
One who has on the other hand is Nathan over at Dangerous harvest.

The interesting is not what he writes, but what there is discussed in the commentsection of the blogpost.
The heart of the discussion, i think, is about the real-virtual world being more real than the virtual-real world.
The real-virtual world being where we live our lives and the virtual-real world being the interbased world we also live our lives, so to speak.
The discussion being presented there is much as expected where people are more or less stuck in their own views of how things should be, not as they are.
But think about where it would lead us if we dropped all thoughts of here/there, real/virtual and now/then.
Where would that lead us?

The other thing they bring up is the teacher-student relationship, which i think is really interesting.
What makes an real-virtual teacher better than an virtual-real teacher?
Don't get me wrong, in some cases, so far as i've seen, one teacher is better in some instances, the other in other.
What they are remains to be seen.

Another question is why it so important to some people about having an real-virtual teacher rather than an virtual-real one?
With the technologies used today, there is not much difference in having an virtual-real or an real-virtual teacher in many aspects.
As one of those that has been intearcting with several virtual-real teachers, there is not much you can't do, short of being physically prodded by the teacher or being hit with the kyosaku.
Maybe that's one app you can get for your computer, a small tazerthing..

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Jundo's announcement of the treeleaf online priestordination

2010-06-05T20:50:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Here's the link to Jundo & Taigu's blog about the First online priestordination (shukke tokudo).

http://www.shambhalasun.com/sunspace/?p=16977

Mtfbwy
Fugen

A sand mandala being created...

2010-06-03T09:04:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Got this link about the making of the sand mandala.
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/?hpt=C2

Mtfbwy
Fugen

How to start a movement or "are you a lone nut?"

2010-05-28T17:16:00.000+02:00

Hi.

This is from a TED talk with Derek sivers.
http://nikhilnulkar.posterous.com/ted-derek-sivers-how-to-start-a-movement-call

How to start a movement or "are you a lone nut?"
Thats an important question, are you a lone nut?

In another post of mine, i mentioned the first ever shukke tokudo.
This means it has never been done before.
And it may not be done again.
But the important thing is that there are people who are willing to try it, and be a "lone nut" (or maybe lone nuts...) just so people can realize that it is possible.
Where would we have been if Sidharta himself hadn't gotten up, walked out of his house and sat down under a tree?

Buddha himself said, think for yourself.
Well, lets all sit back, think for ourselves and enjoy the ride.
Wherever it may take us.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

First online priest ordination!!

2010-05-24T06:56:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Here's the first official announcement of the worlds first online shukke tokudo (priest ordination ceremony).

http://www.treeleaf.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2516

We're living in interesting times.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Work is part of the koan!

2010-05-23T21:12:00.001+02:00

Hi.

Get off your behind and do someting useful!
The work is part of the koan.
-Hakuin

How true is not this?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Are you going to freak out or eat orange?

2010-05-17T10:33:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Here's a clip of the great picture ZEN NOIR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PambD5PyhrI&feature=player_embedded

Don't miss the orange.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Get it out!

2010-05-14T17:32:00.000+02:00

Hi.

A pupil approached his master and said "Master, i no longer have anything on my mind."
"Then throw it out!"
"If i have nothing on my mind how can i throw it out?"
"Then carry it out!"

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Eshun's answer

2010-05-14T17:20:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Zen nun Eshun realized it was time for her to die, so she got the monks to build a funeral pyre, climbed up and set it alight.
As the fire grew, one of the monks called out "is it hot in there?"
Eshun replied, "Only an idiot like you would ask such a question!"

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Babyzazen

2010-05-14T17:12:00.000+02:00

Hi.

A young lady appeared in a zendo seeking some help.
She was worried that since having a baby her life had been full of sleepless nights, diaper changes, baby walking, feeding and thousands of other tasks that she no longer had time for zazen.
"Don't worry, " said an friend, "all those things are zazen."

What if zazen were only the sitting on the cushion, what a thought!

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Recite Heart sutra in Japanese...

2010-05-13T17:59:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Maka Hannya Haramita Shin Gyo*
(The Heart of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra)

Kan Ji Zai Bo Satsu Gyo Jin Han Nya Ha Ra Mi Ta Ji Sho Ken*
Go On Kai Ku Do I Sai Ku Yaku Sha Ri Shi Shiki Fu I Ku Ku Fu I Shiki Shiki Soku Ze Ku Ku Soku Ze Shiki Ju So Gyo Shiki Yaku Bu Nyo Ze Sha Ri Shi Ze Sho Ho Ku So Fu Sho Fu Metsu Fu Ku Fu Jo Fu Zo Fu Gen Ze Ko Ku Chu Mu Shiki Mu Ju So Gyo Shiki Mu Gen Ni Bi Ze Shin Ni Mu Shiki Sho Ko Mi Soku Ho Mu Gen Kai Nai Shi Mu I Shiki Kai Mu Mu Myo Yaku Mu Mu Myo Jin Nai Shi Mu Ro Shi Yaku Mu Ro Shi Jin Mu Ku Shu Metsu Do Mu Chi Yaku Mu Toku I Mu Sho Tok ko Bo Dai Sat Ta E Han-Nya Ha Ra Mi Ta*
Ko Shin Mu Kei Ge Mu Kei Ge Ko Mu U Ku Fu On Ri Is Sai Ten Do Mu So Ku Gyo Ne Han San Ze Sho Butsu E Han Nya Ha Ra Mi Ta* Ko Toku A Noku Ta Ra San Myaku San Bo Dai Ko Chi Han-Nya Ha Ra Mi Ta Ze Dai Jin Shu Ze Dai Myo Shu Ze Mu Jo Shu Ze Mu To To Shu No Jo Is Sai Ku Shin Jitsu Fu Ko Ko Setsu Han Nya Ha Ra Mi Ta Shu Soku Setsu Shu Watsu Gya*
Tei Gya Tei Ha Ra Gya Tei Hara*
So Gya Tei Bo Ji Sowa Ka Han Nya Shin Gyo

Thats all folks!
Fugen

John cage- 4'33''

2010-05-09T20:08:00.000+02:00

Hi.

An "Goldenoldie".

I give you, John cage- 4'33''
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUJagb7hL0E

Enjoy!

Mtfbwy
Fugen

four noble truths and the eightfold path

2010-05-09T10:58:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Buddha taught us to comprehend dukkha, abandon tanha, directly experience the cessation of dukkha, and develop (cultivate and practice) the Noble Eightfold Path — right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration..

Right?
This doesn't mean right as opposed as left, and i'm not even sure that's it the best interpretation available either?
Thoughts?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Keeping monkeys

2010-05-05T21:35:00.000+02:00

Hi.

A man who kept monkeys fed them on bananas.
He gave them three in the morning and four in the afternoon.
The monkeys were clearly dissatified.
So he gave them four in the morning and three in the afternoon.
Then the monkeys were happy.

The grass is always greener on the other side...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Voyage

2010-05-05T21:29:00.000+02:00

Hi.

A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what they are built for.
-Anon

What's the purpose?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Just do it!

2010-05-02T07:07:00.000+02:00

Hi.

My favourite just do it picture.
Just do it and let the doing just do you.
Thats all it's about.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

hot dog

2010-04-25T21:26:00.000+02:00

hi.

Zen buddhist to hot dog vendor:
"Make me one with nothing."

He gets the hot dog pays for it and asks for the change.
The vendor answers:
"change must come from within."

Mtfbwy
Fugen

suzuki roshi and the enlightened people.

2010-04-25T21:08:00.001+02:00

Hi.

"Strictly speaking, there are no enlightened people, there is only enlightened activity."

And

"What we are talking about is moment-to-moment enlightenment, one enlightenment after another"

Our practice is living in the reality of the present, one moment at the time.
Do not consider yourselves with what comes next, or doing something for somebody else, or about what others think, live here now doing this.
Don't live there.
Live here now.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Rinzai and wise beings...

2010-04-25T21:04:00.000+02:00

Hi.

zenmaster Rinzai described a wise being as one who

"enters fire without being burnt, goes into water without being drowned, and plays about in the three deepest hells, as if in a fairground; he enters the world
of Pretas and dumb animals without being molested by them."

None of the realms of existence lie outside of our practice.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Bookreview: True love

2010-04-18T18:57:00.000+02:00

Hi.

The famous Thich Nhat Hanh has written a lot of books, on a variety of topics,and there is something for all in his writings.

This book is about love.
Not just any love, but the love that springs from the buddhist tradition.
He talks about the four aspects of love as described in the buddhist tradition:
1) Maitri: Loving kindness
2) Karuna: Sympathy, or the ability to ease others pain
3) Mudita: Joyful loving
4) Upeksha: Freedom through love
From these four aspects he gives explanations and practices applicable in you daily life.

The essential message he gives is the practice of mindfulness and understanding.
Understanding is a big part of being able to love, and understanding comes from being mindful and seeing things as they are.
So in short, it all comes back to mindful presence, being there, not just in body, but in full absolute awareness and not just once in a while either...

This is truly a book to recommend to those who really want to know love.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Lisa simpson and starwars on youtube...

2010-04-12T20:47:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Just putting this here.
Lisa always makes me smile...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnZ8fCA_hOM&feature=player_embedded

Also found a nice video parallelling the star wars movies and Buddhism...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc4-gHJh9ho&feature=related

Mtfbwy
fugen

Mealchant for teaparty.

2010-04-04T19:49:00.000+02:00

Hi.

At treeleaf we're trying to have an short sitting together each sunday.
As it is a "teaparty", we start by reciting a mealchant.

This food comes from the efforts
of all sentient beings past and present,
and is medicine for nourishment of our Practice.
We offer this meal of many virtues and tastes
to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,
and to all life in every realm of existence.
May all sentient beings in the universe
be sufficiently nourished.

It's at 21:00 (swedish time), and if you want to join, we are currently using skype so send an mail with your skype name.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

The sound of the drums...

2010-03-31T19:56:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Just got this one sent to me.
A very good video.
Just listen to those drums...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDJhpg01RG4&feature=related

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Bookreview: zen parenting

2010-03-14T08:50:00.000+01:00

Hi.

There's a brand called zen.
Don't get me wrong, i know it's a part of buddhism.
But it's also a branded name, in so much as it is used in the sence of doing something "intently, singlemindedly".
Todays book is much like this.
Zen parenting is a very good book for the parents out there.
Not if they want to learn anything about the buddhist sciptures or the life of buddha, but if the want to be here, now.
The way to do this is not by a certain method but to be here, mindfully seeing what is happening and mindfully responding to it.
And the teacher in the most cases is the children.

I said that in the most cases the children were the teachers, but not always so.
In the book they have chapters like "work and zen" and "zen during divorce" in which the emphasis is put on the workplace and undergoing divorce.
Both wonderfully done and brings about some good advices.

Each chapter in the book is put forth in a most elegant way, made for easy reading.
It starts up with a short story, and the lesson of the story is discussed.
A short section called living the lesson follows, in which the authors puts forth some things to think about and work into the practice of being a parent.
Because that's what the book is about, being a parent.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Recite the heart in finnish...

2010-03-14T08:45:00.001+01:00

Hi.

I got a reply to my translating the heart sutra to swedish by Uku who gave it to me in finnish..
So i guess we're doing this, if you have it in your language, and it's not posted here, please send it to me.
I'll put it up. ;)

So, the heart sutra in finnish!

Y/din/suut/ra

Kun/ A/va/lo/ki/tes/va/ra /Bod/hi/satt/va/, har/joit/ta/en/ sy/väs/ti praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/taa/, ha/vait/si/ sel/ke/äs/ti/ vii/den/ skand/han/ o/le/van/ tyh/ji/ä/, hän/ va/pau/tui/ kai/kes/ta/ kär/si/myk/ses/tä/ ja/ tus/kas/ta.

Sa/ri/put/ra/, muo/to/ ei/ e/ro/a/ tyh/jyy/des/tä, tyh/jyys/ ei/ muo/dos/ta/.

Se/ mi/kä/ on/ muo/to/a/ on/ tyh/jyyt/tä/, se/ mi/kä/ on/ tyh/jyyt/tä/, muo/to/a/.

Sa/moin/ o/vat/ myös/ tun/te/muk/set/, ha/vain/not/, kä/si/tyk/set/ ja/ tie/toi/suus/.

Sa/ri/put/ra/, kaik/ki/ a/si/at/ ja/ il/mi/öt/ o/vat/ tyh/jyy/den/ lei/maa/mi/a/; ne/ ei/vät/ syn/ny/ tai/ ka/to/a/, ei/vät/ o/le e/pä/puh/tai/ta/ tai/ puh/tai/ta/, ei/vät/ kas/va/ tai/ vä/he/ne/.

Näin/ ol/len/, tyh/jyy/des/sä/, ei/ muo/to/ja/, ei/ tun/te/muk/si/a/, ha/vain/to/ja/, kä/si/tyk/si/ä, tai/ tie/toi/suut/ta/; ei/ sil/mi/ä/, kor/vi/a/, ne/nää/, kiel/tä/, ke/ho/a/, miel/tä/;

ei/ hah/mo/ja, ää/ni/ä, tuok/su/ja/, ma/ku/ja/, kos/ke/tet/ta/vi/a koh/tei/ta/, mie/len/ koh/tei/ta/; ei/ mi/tään/ nä/ke/mi/sen/ a/lu/eel/ta/ tie/toi/suu/den/ a/lu/eel/le/ saak/ka/;

ei/ tie/tä/mät/tö/myyt/tä/ ei/kä/ tie/tä/mät/tö/myy/den/ lop/pu/a/, ai/na/ van/he/ne/mat/to/muu/teen/ ja/ kuo/le/mat/to/muu/teen/ saak/ka/, ja/ ei/ van/he/ne/mi/sen/ ja/ kuo/le/man/ lop/pu/a/;

ei/ kär/si/mys/tä/, syy/tä/, lak/kaa/mis/ta/ tai/ pol/ku/a/; ei/ vii/saut/ta/ ja/ ei/ saa/vut/ta/mis/ta/.

Il/man/ mi/tään/ saa/vu/tet/ta/vaa/, bod/hi/satt/vat/ tu/keu/tu/vat/ praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/taan/, ja/ hei/dän/ mie/len/sä/ ovat/ vail/la/ es/tet/tä/.

He/ o/vat/ vail/la/ es/tet/tä/, ja/ tä/ten/ il/man/ pel/ko/a/.

Kau/ka/na/ kai/kis/ta/ häm/men/nyk/sen/ u/nis/ta/, he/ o/vat/ nir/va/nas/sa/.

Kaik/ki/ men/nei/syy/den/, ny/kyi/syy/den/ ja/ tu/le/vai/suu/den/ budd/hat/ tu/keu/tu/vat/ praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/taan/ ja/ saa/vut/ta/vat/ a/nut/ta/ra/-sam/yak/-sam/bod/hin/.

Näin/ ol/len/ tie/dä/, et/tä/ praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/ta/ on/ suu/ri/ y/li/maal/li/nen/ mant/ra/, suu/ri/ lois/ta/va/ mant/ra/, y/li/ver/tai/nen/ mant/ra/, ver/taan/sa/ vail/la/ o/le/va/ täy/del/li/nen/ mant/ra/,
jo/ka/ ky/ke/nee/ pois/ta/maan/ kai/ken/ kär/si/myk/sen/, ja/ on/ to/del/li/nen/, vir/hee/tön/.

Siis/ lau/su/ praj/na/-pa/ra/mi/ta/ mant/raa/, lau/su/ mant/raa/, jo/ka/ me/nee/ näin/:

ga/te/, ga/te/, pa/ra/ga/te/, pa/ra/sam/ga/te/, bod/hi/, sva/ha/!

Praj/nan/ Y/din/suut/ra/.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

A threesome of brad warner

2010-03-04T18:23:00.000+01:00

Hi.
This is partly an translation of an article i made for a swedish buddhist magazine and partly an new review

The article
Two books for the price of one

If you Mention Brad Warner, you always get emotional (and sometimes strong) words ...

The man has been called "the pornobuddhist", he writes articles for the Suicide Girls, a page might not be loaded if you have "notforchildrensetup" on your computer. But it is also possible to read them on his own website .

He was born in 1964, has been a bassist in a punk band, released a number of their own records, has become a zenpriest in "Dogen Sangha" and written two books,

Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies & the Truth About Reality and Sit Down and Shut Up: Punk Rock Commentaries on Buddha, God, Truth, Sex, Death, and Dogen's Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye.

The first, hardcore zen, is about how he became involved in Buddhism, taking up some of its important parts. The second, sit down and shut up, take up Zen master Dogen's book Shobogenzo and with the help of it another deep step down into Buddhism.

He describes his approach as "no bullshit Buddhism", which largely mirrors his books and articles, they are straight, usually simple letters about things that may seem difficult.

In the first of the books Hardcore Zen, it shows that he has been with the punk scene, it is full of reference to punk songs and punkrelatreade occasions. Nevertheless, it is a very good book. Brad is quick in the turns, witty in its language and it's sometimes difficult to hold back a smile. In chapters such as "Gimme Some Truth" and "The Great Heart of Wisdom Sutra" he makes up with great Buddhist concepts such as truth and the heartsutra. One of the most referenced chapters in the book "Do not worry, it will come ... with enlightenment!" He talks about "Kensho" and raises an event that can only be described as a "kenshomoment".

The chapter "In my next life i want to come back as a pair of Lucy Liu's pants", he makes up with questions about reincarnation. He also points out the view that was emphasized by Kanja Odland sensei in Buddhism-now No. 2-2008 "we are all one", which also runs through parts of his second book, Sit Down and shut up.

In "Sit down and shut up", it was observed that he has gone further in his development, both as a writer and as a Buddhist. The language is much better and his present attitude of the various Buddhist concepts show a greater understanding of Buddhism. It may also be that he has another book to relate to that helps. The starting point of "Sit Down and Shut Up" is the Zen master Dogen's book "shobogenzo", a book of about 1200 pages on zenbuddhism.

In chapters such as "why Dogen matters" and "Genjo Koan" he explains the importance of the Dogen and his letters, both from a personal and other points of view.

In chapters such as "cleaning up your room" and "evil is stupid", he goes in to our own state and what we must do to improve our situation.

But he is not without controversy, in the chapter "The day they shot a hole in the jesus egg", he goes onto to speculate that the closest an Buddhist has to "God" is "Universe" itself, which has started a major uproar within the Buddhist circuits and also led to people leaving his sangha.

Even though he may be a controversial and sometimes provocative writer, he has a lot of points. I was going to close with a reference from the "sit down and shut up"'s chapter Zen and stress management: "If there's any single point i dont mind repeating until you're sick to death of it, it's that there are never any shortcuts. "

Thats the article and since then he's released a third book "zen wrapped in karma dipped in chocolate".
In this book we're allowed to follow brad warner during one of his, maybe, more turmoiled periods in his life.
He is unfaithful, breaks up with his wife, Mother and grandmother dies, receives laureates from all over for holding talks and retreats, becomes the head of Dogen sangha, gets into turmoil with some its members, all the while mixing it up with some zenbuddhism.
All of this get's worked into this, his third, book in a very elegant way.
Or at least some of it.
He's Brad Warner, after all...
The issues surrounding this book still echoe in the halls of amazon (if they have halls...). And temperatures run high even speaking of some of the things mentioned in the book.
One of these is the "gummoincident", in which "the nowadadys head of another sangha" was not so pleased that the "pornobuddhist" was appointed the head of Dogensangha.
Sidenote: he wasn't the only one of the former sangha who "disagreed", but the most "famous" and perhaps persistent of them.
This "feud" has since been on the tapestry a couple of times, with Gummo trying to make a mends and other people not so forthgoing...
Or make your own mind up, it's all out there...
The thing to remember though is that there is no "only one side to the story" and that we're all responsible for what happens around us.

In general the book is quite readable, and it has some really good bits in it.
And if you've read the other two you should pick it up, but in my opinion it's hard to beat the second of his books.
I mean, even the title says it all: sit down and shut up!

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Recite the heart sutra in swedish...

2010-03-03T19:13:00.000+01:00

Hi.

I noticed there were no swedish translations of how to recite the heartsutra (hjärtsutran) in swedish.
So i made a go at it.
Ino is the one leading the ceremony, and * means you "ring the bell".
enjoy.

(Ino only)
Hjärtat av den perfekta visdomen sutra*

(Alla)
Då/ A/vo/lo/ki/tes/va/ra/, me/di/te/ra/de/ dju/pt*
såg/ han/ tom/het/en/ i/ al/la/ fem/ skan/dhas/
och/ löste/ de/ band/ som/ or/sa/kat/ li/dan/det/.
O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/,
Form/ är/ ing/et/ an/nat/ än/ tom/het/,
tom/het/ ing/et/ an/nat/ än/ form.
Form/ är/ en/dast/ tom/het/,
tom/het/ en/dast/ form/.
Kän/slor/, in/tryck, for/mer/ing/ar/,med/vet/an/de/
är/ ock/så/ sam/ma.
O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, Allt/ing/ är/ ur/sprung/lig/ tom/het
som/ var/ken/ föds/ el/ler/ för/gås,
är/ var/ken/ fläck/ad/ el/ler/ ren,
var/ken/ kom/mer/ el/ler/ går.
Så/, i/ tom/het/ ing/en/ form,
ing/en/ kän/sla/, tan/ke/ el/ler/ for/mer/ing,
ing/et med/vet/an/de.
Ej/ öga/, öra/, nä/sa/, tun/ga/, kro/pp/, sin/ne
ej/ färg/, ljud/, lukt/, smak/, kän/sel,
ell/er/ det/ som/ sin/net/ hål/ler/ fast/ vid,
inte/ ens/ för/nim/mel/sen/ som/ såd/an.
Ing/en/ o/kun/nig/het/ eller/ dess/ upp/hör/an/de,
Ing/et/ ål/dran/de/ och/ ing/en/ död,
ing/et/ slut/ på/ ål/dran/de/ och/ ing/en/ död.
Ing/et/ li/dan/de, or/sak/ till/ li/dan/de/
eller/ upp/hör/an/de/ av/ li/dan/de
Ing/en/ väg/, ing/en/ vis/dom/ ing/et/ upp/nå/en/de.
Ing/et/ upp/nå/en/de, så Bod/dhi/satt/vas/ lever/
det/ta/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/*
Be/fri/ad/ från/ il/lu/si/on/ens/ hin/der
Be/fri/ad/ och/ där/i/gen/om/ be/fri/ad/ från/ räd/sla/
Bort/om/ all/ il/lu/si/on, nir/va/na/ är/ här
Al/la/ ti/di/ga/re/, nu/va/ran/de/ och/
fram/tida/ Bud/dhor,lever/ det/ta/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/*
och/ kom/mer/ till/ hel/ och/ full/änd/ad/ ins/ikt/.
Vet/ där/för/ att/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/
Är/ det/ hel/iga/ man/trat/, det/ lys/an/de/ man/trat/,
det/ ena/stå/en/de/ man/trat/,
det/ o/jäm/för/li/ga/ man/trat/
Ge/nom/ vil/ket/ allt/ li/dan/de/ blir/ klart/
Det/ta/ är/ ing/et/ an/nat/ än/ san/ning.
pro/kla/me/ra/ där/för/ praj/na/ pa/ra/mi/ta man/trat/
pro/kla/me/ra/ det/ta/ man/tra/ och/ pro/kla/me/ra
Gate! Gate! Paragate! Parasamgate! Bodhi! Svaha! *

And here's the original...

INO ONLY =

The Heart of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra*
(Maka Hannya Haramita Shin Gyo in English)

EVERYONE =

A/vo/lo/ki/tes/va/ra/, A/wa/kened/ One/ of/ Com/pas/sion/,

In/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/, the/Deep/ Prac/tice/ of/ Per/fect/ Wis/dom/*

Per/ceived/ the/ emp/ti/ness/ of /all /five /con/di/tions/,

And/ was/ free/ of/ suf/fer/ing/.

O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, form/ is/ no/ o/ther/ than/ emp/ti/ness/,

Emp/ti/ness/ no/ o/ther/ than/ form/;

Form/ is/ pre/cise/ly/ emp/ti/ness/, emp/ti/ness/ pre/cise/ly/ form/.

Sen/sa/tions/, per/cep/tions/, for/ma/tions/ and/ con/scious/ness/ are/ al/so/ like/ this/.

O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, all/ things/ are/ ex/pres/sions/ of/ emp/ti/ness/,

Not/ born/, not/ des/troyed/, not/ stained/, not/ pure/;

Nei/ther/ wax/ing/ nor/ wan/ing/.

Thus/ emp/ti/ness/ is/ not/ form/; not/ sen/sa/tion/ nor/ per/cep/tion/,

not/ for/ma/tion/ nor/ con/scious/ness/.

No/ eye/, ear/, nose/, tongue/, bo/dy/, mind/;

No/ sight/, sound/, smell/, taste/, touch/, nor/ ob/ject/ of/ mind/;

No/ realm/ of/ sight/, no/ realm/ of/ con/scious/ness/;

No/ ig/no/rance/, no/ end/ to/ ig/no/rance/;

No/ old/ age/ and/ death/,

No/ ces/sa/tion/ of/ old/ age/ and/ death/;

No/ suf/fer/ing/, nor/ cause/ or/ end/ to/ suf/fer/ing/;

No/ path/, no/ wis/dom/ and/ no/ gain/.

No/ gain/ – thus/ Bod/dhi/satt/vas/ live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/*

With/ no/ hin/drance/ of/ mind/ –

No/ hin/drance/ there/fore/ no/ fear/.

Far/ be/yond/ all/ de/lu/sion/, Nir/va/na/ is/ al/rea/dy/ here/.

All/ past/, pre/sent/ and/ fu/ture/ Budd/has/

Live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/*

And/ re/al/ize/ su/preme/ and/ com/plete/ en/light/en/ment/.

There/fore/ know/ that/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/

Is/ the/ sac/red/ man/tra/, the/ lu/min/ous/ man/tra/,

the/ sup/reme/ man/tra/, the/ in/com/pa/ra/ble/ man/tra/

by/ which/ all/ suf/fe/ring/ is/ clear/.

This/ is/ no/ o/ther/ than/ Truth/.

There/fore/ set/ forth/ the/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/ man/tra/.

Set/ forth/ this/ man/tra/ and/ pro/claim/:*

(1x)
Gate! Gate! (Already Gone, Gone)
Paragate! (Already Gone Beyond)
Parasamgate! (Already Fully Beyond)
Bodhi! Svaha! * (Awakening, Rejoice)

Mtfbwy
Fugen

firefoxaddon...

2010-03-01T17:15:00.000+01:00

Hi.

I've come across this addon i'd like to share.

consciousness bell
At a given (or random) time interval, it plays a bell chime, inviting you to stop & sit for a while. From the website:

The Consciousness Bell is intended to introduce mindful awareness into everyday life.

A soft Tibetan bowl chime will play at random points throughout the day. When it does, take a few moments off. Stay still, and be mindful.

Notice your body. Your sensations. Your breath.
Where are you? What are you doing right now? What are you feeling?

After a few conscious moments, take a deep, relaxing breath. Smile. And return to normal life...

Allowing yourself these few daily seconds of mindfulness will grant you moments away from the rush. Being more aware and less automated in your actions, and introduce calmness and ease to your daily routine.

Enjoy.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

The zen mind videos

2010-02-28T06:39:00.000+01:00

Hi.

Found this on my way around.
Great videos, but be wary of some instructions given.
Notice Gudo Nishijima (part 1&2), my "grandfather" in dharma, he's my teacher's teacher.though old he still sits zazen.
Also be wary that it is an rinzai zen roshi speaking(part 3), maybe already knowing it is for a western viewer

Other than that, entertaining.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBrflCGEYW0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6ZO1pOzBMI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSCzT9XckMs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JlpQ6-r4p8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrt_NbYMxBk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCk5cNAhhzc&feature=related

Mtfbwy
Fugen

What happens now?

2010-02-12T20:01:00.000+01:00

Hi.

I use to say “when this happens, do this. When that happens, do that”.
But what does it mean?
It means to fully emerge yourself in the water, without having any thoughts of the waters colour, temperature, flavour asf.
To fully do what is right to do in that moment/doing, without any pretences or judices.
To be fully "here" without there being a "there", totally mindful of the moment and the task at hand.

There's a line in the Tenzo kyokun (instructions for the cook) that really has always mesmerised me, ever since i read it.

"When steaming rice, treat the pot as one's own head; when rinsing the rice, know that the water is one's own lifeblood."

And mind you it's not something you can "just let happen", you have to be "active"...
I once got asked if it matters if we do or not do.
I would say it matters, sometimes much, sometimes little.

When doing this, this happens.
When doing that, that happens.
other than that, I don't know.
And i don't really think it matters.
What matters is that you try ("beyond trying") to see and do what's right.

Now, people may think it’s “platitudes” and that Dead Zen Masters talk and live like that in story books, and teachings not used anymore.
Yes, they're platitudes.
Sometimes useful ones.
And there's masters/teachings being here doing the same now, just as in the books.
The problem is to find them.
I hope you do.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

a lecture in the wind...

2010-02-03T09:19:00.000+01:00

Hi.

The 25:e of february i'll be doing a lecture on the philosophy of Buddhism in Tibro.
We'll look at some of the words and methods deriving from and central to Buddhism, and do some meditationpractices.
If you're interested, please email me or contact the local bookshop or vuxenskolan tibro.

And remember to smile.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

A short snap!

2010-01-17T18:07:00.000+01:00

Hi.

This is from an entry i made in Zen forum international about the importance on treating people's questions rightly.

First of all, thanks everybody for your answers, i'll pass them along (somehow...).

Secondly, the belief in rebirth is manyfold.
is there rebirth from this second to the next, or just between lives?
Is it just a figure of speech or something "real"?

Thirdly, realms and other stuff, are they for real and does it matter if they are?

Fourthly, can we believe in that the Buddha said what he did, and does it matter if he did or not?

Fifthly, religion? Do i need to say more or have i already thrown enough s--t in the fan?

Sixthly, what about nirvana?

All the above questions matter to people.
So they are important.
Treat them rightly.

As for me, i'll just sit here saying "when this happens do this, when that happens do that".

All questions are important.
Why would they otherwise be asked?
Treat them accordingly.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Bookreview: Daily wisdom & more daily wisdom

2010-01-12T08:54:00.000+01:00

Hi.

I like these little quaint books full of quotes and reminders from a little of everywhere, and these are a great example of that.
Daily wisdom & More daily wisdom are both collections of quotes out of books published by wisdom publications and edited by Josh Bartok.

The book's blend of useful insights for daily reflection, from a variety of different of buddhist schols, make them an good read and gives some good moments of thought.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Hyakujo's fox, cause & effect, enlightenment and Dogen...

2010-01-10T10:42:00.000+01:00

Hi.

When Baizhang would give teachings to the assembly an old man would often appear and listen to his Dharma talks.
The old man usually left after the talks, but one day he remained behind.
Baizhang asked, “Who are you?”
The old man said, “I am not actually a human being. In ancient times, at the time of Kashyapa Buddha, I lived and taught on this mountain. One day a student asked, ‘Does a person who has cultivated great practice still fall into cause and effect?’ I said to him, ‘No, such a person does not.’ Because of this I was reborn as a wild fox for five hundred lifetimes. Venerable Master, please say a turning word and free me from this body of a wild fox.”
Then he asked Baizhang, “Does a person who has cultivated great practice still fall into cause and effect?”
Baizhang said, “Do not ignore cause and effect.”
Immediately the old man had a great realization.

The famous koan Hyakujo's fox is perhaps the most cited koan in the works of Dogen. It appears in the Shinji Shobogenzo, Eihei koroku, Zuimonki and is discussed at length in the chapters Jinshin inga and Daishugyo of the shobogenzo.

I've read an interesting statement regarding the name Dai-shu-gyo that led me to this blogarticle.
It is not an bad attempt, and it shines some light into the story.
He, Dosho mike port, explains the name as great-conduct oneself well-action.
This goes somewhat in line with what Dogen says about the story

When we thoroughly investigate the "great cultivation" (Daishugyo), we find that it is already "Great Cause and Effect" (dai inga).(110) This "Great Cause and Effect" is the completeness of cause and completeness of effect. Therefore, it is not a question of falling or not falling, or of obscuring or not obscuring.
...
even though he errors, there is falling into rebirth as a fox, and there is release from rebirth as a fox.

All of those who have not yet seen and heard the Buddha Dharma say that after the end of his rebirths as a fox the "old master" attained supreme enlightenment (daigo) and that the fox body was completely absorbed into the ocean nature of original enlightenment (hongaku no shogai).
This meaning implies the erroneous notion of "returning to an original self" (honga ni kaeru).
This has never been a Buddhist teaching.
Moreover, if we say that the fox had no original nature (honsho), that the fox was not originally enlightened (hongaku nashi) : this [also] is not the Buddha Dharma.

- Daishugyo

On a side note, the last quotation is also the most used when trying to explain Dogen's view on enlightenment...
The Koan brings to light such things as Cause & effect and enlightenment.
And we have seen somewhat what Dogen had to say about them.
He also says that Cause & Effect arise at the same time and is an inevitable fact of the human existence.
You can't have one and not the other, or?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

The posture of meditation

2010-01-09T10:09:00.000+01:00

Hi.

What significance does the posture of body have for the meditation and the experience of meditation?
The author of the book, Will johnson, shows that when it comes to meditation practices, the body is as important as the mind.
This is a fact that may come as a surprise to the many people who regard meditation as a strictly mental activity, and as Will Johnson shows, the physical aspect of the practice is far too often underemphasized.
He goes to some lenghts at showing the importance of the relationship between the body and the mind.

In this book johnson offers guidance and exercises for working with the posture of meditation and also gives advice on how to carry its benefits on into all the rest of life.
An almost "new agey-feeling" creeps in on the text, but if you can see past that this one of the best books i've read on meditation and how to get it right.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Who's your teacher?

2010-01-09T09:25:00.000+01:00

Hi.

Two friends sat down discussing buddhism and things in general.
Suddenly one tells the other "you should speak to your teacher about that one".
The other tells him "I'm doing that".
The first one turns around calling the name of the person the first one had done the Jukai with.

The question is, what did he miss?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Fugen's poke

2010-01-08T07:39:00.000+01:00

Hi.
In zen you have expression's like Joshu's bowl and Huineng's flag.
Apparantly we now also have "Fugen's poke", which is what you get when you get on a forum with me...

Now, Don't expecting something out of me, as all you'll get is nothing...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Bookreview: Jake fades

2010-01-07T11:15:00.000+01:00

Hi.

Have you read ”tuesdays with morrie” by Mitch albom?
Then you’ll love this one.
It’s the sequel novel to that one.
Although written by another writer, it touches the topic started in Albom’s book, death, impermanence and the joy of life.
It all starts out with the standard relationships, father-son, teacher-student, life-death in a way you might not suspect. The teacher says to his student that he’ll leaving some of his teaching in the upcoming retreat to the reluctant student.
What then follows is an magical journey through the space and time.

This book opens a somewhat different look on zenpractice, commitment, relationships, and it shakes the foundation of some of the most fundamental concepts the “hamsterwheel-human of today” might have.
A book for everyone to read and ponder upon.

The author, David Guy, teaches at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He is the author of numerous books, including The Autobiography of My Body and The Red Thread of Passion. His book reviews appear regularly in the Washington Post, the New York Times, and other papers, and he is a contributing editor to Tricycle: The Buddhist Review.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Your own thinking

2010-01-03T09:21:00.000+01:00

Hi.

On the importance of doing your own thinking Dogen says the following

“Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. Your body and mind will become clear and you will realize the unity of all things.”

- Inmo (it, that)

But who's thinking are you doing?

“When we discover that the truth is already in us, we are all at once our original selves.”

-Genjo koan

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Moving, but always here...

2010-01-02T09:20:00.000+01:00

Hi.

A couple of friends of mine have moved their videoblog to here.

But they're always here.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Nanquan's sickle capping verse

2010-01-02T09:18:00.000+01:00

Hi.

Due to a discussion with a great friend of mine, and his wanting to keep everything public, i am posting this here, for all to ponder.

Don't be deluded by the words
"the great way."
Realize that it is nothing other
than what you do from morning till night.

- dogen,the true dharma eye, case 154 "Nanquan's sickle"

If it is not other than what you do from morning till night, what is left?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

A motherly heart...

2010-01-01T09:27:00.000+01:00

Hi.

So-called "motherly heart" is the spirit of fathers and mothers. ... Without regard for their own poverty or wealth, "parents" earnestly turn their thoughts toward raising their child. Without regard for whether they themselves are cold or hot, they shade the child or cover the child.

...

A "motherly heart” is a heart which maintains the Three Jewels as a parent cares for a child. A parent raises a child with deep love, regardless of povertyy or difficulties. Their hearts cannot be understood by another; only a parent can understand it. A parent protects their child from heat or cold before worrying about whether they themselves are hot or cold. This kind of care can only be understood by those who have given rise to it and realized only by those who practice it.

-Dogen, Tenzo kyokun

You are not a mother/father just by giving birth to a child, it goes deeper than that. It is not until you give yourself up in favour of the child that you become a mother/father.
When you think of your childs wellbeing before yours, when shading him in the sun, giving him your coat when cold, thats when you go from being parent to being a mother/father.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Happy new moment!?

2010-01-01T09:10:00.000+01:00

Hi.

Master Dogen wrote on Time (in Being-Time, Uji):

See each thing in this entire world as a moment of time.
Things do not hinder one another, just as moments do not hinder one another. …
Each moment is all being, is the entire world.
Reflect now whether any being or any world is left out of the present moment.

Master Dogen wished to convey that each moment of time and being is not anything apart from you. It is your existential time-and-being. So, he wrote in Uji:

Because real existence is only this exact moment, all moments of Being-Time are the whole of Time, and all existent things and all existent phenomena are moments of Time …
If Time does not take the form of leaving and coming, [a task done in the past] is the present as Being-Time.

If Time does take the form of leaving and coming, you yet have this present moment of Being-Time, which is just Being-Time itself.

So each moment is in itself the whole, but is it new?

Happy new moment?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Only different in your mind!!

2009-12-31T20:37:00.000+01:00

Hi.

Is there a difference between buddhism and dharma?
At first, this may seem a tough nut to crack.
But it boils down to a few things.

1. Buddhism is an -ism, meaning largely "adherence or following an ideology or philosophical world views", dharma is not bound by such as it is more in the line of "the fundamental truths".

2. Buddhism is something you "follow" or "do" (note the ""), dharma "is" what "is".

If you come this far, tag along a little further, because now it gets interesting.
As a buddhist and not a "wordwrangler" you don't have a difference since what you do is what is.
Meaning, that there is no difference between Buddhism and Dharma.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

- Shakespeare, romeo and juliet

Or as another master would say:

"No! No different! Only different in your mind."

-Yoda

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Dogen and teaching/learning

2009-11-26T12:15:00.000+01:00

Hi.

If we value the Teachings we can learn from a post, a lantern, all Buddhas, a fox, a demon, a man or a woman. ... Long ago, Great Master Zhaozhou of the Tang Dynasty aroused the mind that seeks the Way. Setting out on a pilgrimage he vowed,

“If I encounter someone wiser than myself I shall ask for instruction from him or her, even if they are only seven years old. If someone is a hundred years old, if they are inferior to me, I shall teach them."

-Dogen, Rahai Tokuzui

He makes an interesting point about teaching and what/who you can learn about, but has he missed the point or directly found it?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Dalai Lama and teachers...

2009-11-12T08:22:00.000+01:00

Hi.

Some dubious people with little real spiritual training call themselves teachers, but actually take advantage of others in the name of taking care of peace of mind. This is unfortunate. It happens because, when it comes to spirituality, people are still very gullible.

-His holiness the Dalai Lama, imagine all the people

He makes an excellent point, but still misses the target.
What is a teacher?
Something that teaches something to something.

Is it the teachers fault if the student isn't learning?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

dogen sailing

2009-11-05T08:07:00.000+01:00

Hi.

... when you sail out in a boat to the middle of an ocean where no land is in sight, and view the four directions, the ocean looks circular, and does not look any other way. But the ocean is neither round or square; its features are infinite in variety. It is like a palace. It is like a jewel. It only look circular as far as you can see at that time. All things are like this.

Though there are many features in the dusty world and the world beyond conditions, you see and understand only what your eye of practice can reach. In order to learn the nature of the myriad things, you must know that although they may look round or square, the other features of oceans and mountains are infinite in variety; whole worlds are there. It is so not only around you, but also directly beneath your feet, or in a drop of water.

Seeing this, that you, the sea, the vessel is not separate, is a good confirmation that you are on the right path.
But don't forget that there is still depths of the sea, land undiscovered.
Or is there?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Bookreview: Wake up to your life

2009-11-04T14:46:00.001+01:00

Hi.

Wake Up To Your Life begins by introducing Buddhism, covering basic topics such as the four noble truths, the three disciplines of morality, meditation, and understanding, and the cultivation of mindfulness. It continues with contemplations on death and impermanence, karma, reactive emotions, and the four immeasurables, and ends with practices for mind training, insight, and direct awareness. All the while he discusses the topics, he gives methods of meditating over the current Topic, giving it yet another base to stand on.

Ken Mcleod is an Buddhist trained in the Tibetan way. Some may say that this is an disadvantage when coming to speak about awareness.
I disagree. When speaking about awareness and “being in midst of life” this is for the better.
He views the matter from another perspective than usual, not from the perspective of mindfulness, awareness, and attention but more on “active attention”.
This leads to en perspective who is wider than usual, although it doesn’t miss the point.
I can’t say I agree with everything he says, like when he speaks about a teacher having to be an person, and that he strikes down on some sort of teacher he apparantly has met, who didn’t do as he thought he would deal with things…

This being said, I think it is important to see that Mcleod is an “Buddhist lighthouse” for beginners and those been on the path a while as he displays and discusses things in a manner suitable for the current generation, Giving everybody something they need/can use.

Is this a book I recommend then?
Yes.
Even though he sometimes may seem a bit hard to handle. He still cuts through to the point with the skill of an surgeon. And I also do think this will be an important book in the future, who will find it’s home in many people’s bookshelves and hearts.

Mtfbwy
Fuugen

A special request...

2009-10-08T19:58:00.000+02:00

Hi.

An old friend and teacher/zenpriest made an reference to me in his videoblog.
Here it is.

Guess i'm not such an pothead after all...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Article on Jukai

2009-09-30T21:05:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Posting a an article posted on Appropriate response.

Fugen on Jukai experience

What is the meaning of “Jukai”?

According to the Buddhist Dictionary, Jukai literally means “to receive” or “to undertake the Precepts”. It is the ceremony both of one’s formally committing to the Buddhist Sangha and to the practice of Zen Buddhism, and of one’s undertaking the Sixteen Mahayana Bodhisattva Precepts as guidelines for life.

Traditionally for Jukai, one receives from a teacher a rakusu, which represents the robe of the Buddha, a kechimyaku, written lineage chart connecting the recipient to the Buddhas and Ancestors, and a Dharma name selected by the teacher and representing qualities of the recipient’s personality and practice. The Soto Sect’s Shumucho (Religious Affairs Office in Japan) wrote:

Though people approach it with different motivations, all participants must realize that in Jukai-e they inherit the life and quintessence of Buddhism as passed down correctly by generation after generation of Ancestors since the days of ancient India.

When do you take Jukai?

Nishijima Roshi wrote that one should take Jukai at the start of their study of Buddhism:

When a Buddhist seeks to commence upon the study of Buddhism, there is first a ceremony which should be undertaken: It is called ‘Jukai,’ the “Receipt of the Precepts”, the ceremony in which one receives and undertakes the Precepts as a disciple of the Buddha. … Master Dogen specifically left us a chapter entitled ‘Jukai,’ in which it is strongly emphasized that, when the Buddhist believer first sets out to commence Buddhist practice ….. be it monk, be it lay person, no matter ….. the initial needed steps include the holding of the ceremony of Jukai and the undertaking of the Precepts.

I took my first Jukai after being a Buddhist for more than 15 years. For me it was not a really big thing, it just happened to be an option so I took it. But ultimately I believe you can take it anytime and any number of times for that matter.

So how does it work? What do you do?

The Jukai ceremony itself wasn’t so impressive. It was just me, my wife and a computer as we we’re doing the ceremony online. We did some ceremonies , some bowing, some chanting and some zazen. It was more or less like anything you do in life – ordinary.

The thing about Jukai is not the ceremony itself, that’s just the “end of the beginning of the journey”. In my lineage we we’re supposed to sew our own rakusu and study the texts about the meaning of the Precepts. It’s not just to step up and take a ticket, it’s hard work. Sewing the rakusu is a tremendously arduous endeavour, but also a very good practice: the rakasu is made up of a lot of little pieces of cloth which have to be handsewn together in preordered fashion.

The precept study on the other hand was made up as a book club, taking you through the Precepts one at a time, with lots of great discussions on the way. This is a helpful way to approach the Precepts. By not confronting them all at once. Slowly and steadily considering them, putting them up against each other so to speak, you realize they are not that different either in manner or goal.

Precepts are at the core of Jukai. In the chapter on Jukai in his work Shobogenzo Master Dogen pointed out that precepts were central to our practice:

Unless we accept the Precepts, we are not yet a disciple of the Buddhas, nor are we an offspring of our Ancestral Masters, because they have considered one’s departing from error and resisting wrong to be synonymous with practicing meditation and inquiring of the Way. The words, “They have made the Precepts foremost” are already what the Treasure House of the Eye of the True Teaching is.

What does Jukai stand for?

The representation of Jukaj and the Precepts are about us trying, as much as we can, live in a manner unharmful, healthy and helpful to ourselves and others, knowing that ultimately there is no separation between us and others. It is also equally important to understand that the precepts are not commandments in the Judeo-Christian sense, they are more like guidelines for us along the way. You won’t go to hell if you break them, but you might encounter some hardships.

Secondly, the Jukai ceremony is a commitment to live by the Precepts, “do the Dharma” and be “Buddhists” in a sense. It represents a vow to seek to remain within the Precepts although our human nature might push us sideways. The ceremony does not make you into a Buddhist, you already are. You might say that it celebrates the fact.

Thirdly, the Jukai ceremony stands for a commitment to continue the practice, to the sangha and to the teacher, knowing that ultimately there is no separation.

Fourthly, it is a statement to yourself and others that you are trying to “draw your straw to the anthill”, “do your part”, and try to do “good things”.

As I see it the Jukai puts an emphasis on a number of things, the precepts, a sort of confession/commitment, a statement.

I learned more from the journey towards Jukai than I have leaned during the rest of my “life as a Buddhist”. The question is if it will change anything.

Now, I may anger some people by saying that taking Jukai isn’t such a big thing. It was not for me. It doesn’t involve earthchanging moments, no strikes of lighting to the head or anything dramatic like that. It just confirms what you already know and do. For me it’s not a big thing, but for some it might. Ultimately, the real significance of Jukai will be that which every recipient finds for him/herself.

illuminating reality

2009-09-29T16:19:00.000+02:00

Hi.

In the face of realitys illumination There is neither self nor other, No duality, no division-void of identity And yet neither void Nor not void, Theres no perceiver at all. Eh Ma! Until a mountain yogi Has realized well the meaning of this, He should not disparage cause and result!

- Drinking the Mountain Stream: Songs of Tibets Beloved Saint, Milarepa

A very important point, though not many has realized it.
One of the greatest illusions is that of the separate self, and one though one at that.
But without it we wouldn't be able to feel lonely...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Bookreview: No self no problem

2009-09-29T16:13:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Author Anam Thubten, who was born in Eastern Tibet, undertook Buddhist training in the Nyingma tradition at an early age and has been teaching in the West since the 1990s.
The book is simply written, straightforward, and remind you of the work of Thich Nhat Hanh.
No Self No Problem tackles one of the great challenges of being a Buddhist: eliminating the sense of the separate self (the ego) as a means to reach enlightenment.
In the book he tries to encourage the reader to come to the understanding that anyone and everyone can lose their attachment to the ego.
Simultaneously, Thubten points out that the way to enlightenment is far easier than we think it is: it simply comes down to losing attachments.
Thubten acknowledges that failure can, does, and will happen along the way; accepting that truth will make things easier, although failure does not give excuse for not trying.
He takes up such different subjects as Meditation, Mindfulness, Acceptance, enlightenment and nonattachment.
Or my favourite chapterheadline : “truth’s eternal mantra:”hey, it’s your fantasy!”
He has some special moments in his book, including that where he’s explaining his definition of "Buddha Nature":

"There are many words we can use to describe what our true nature is. The simplest word in Buddhism for that is Buddha Nature. The definition of Buddha Nature is that we are already enlightened.
We are perfect as we are.
When we realize this, we are perfect. When we do not realize this, we are also perfect."

Although he is an tibetan schooled Buddhist, his style and writing strikes me more of that of an “western buddhist” or someone like that.
And the things he puts forth as well as the manner they are presented in seem more westernized.
Maybe this is just what the “Buddhist society” needs, an other vew of the perspectives of tibetan Buddhism.
An buddhism that is not all about love, brotherhood and compassion, but one that strikes at the heart of the matter.

I think this is one of those “keepsakebooks” that you keep just to be able to read them again and again.
And it is something to read for all people interested in buddhism, both those that are new and more experienced in the dharma of buddhism.
And yes, I’d love to see more from this author.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Bookreview: "What Makes You Not a Buddhist"

2009-09-28T14:52:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Have you ever wondered what makes a buddhist a buddhist?
In the book “What makes you a Buddhist” Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche talks about the fundamentals of buddhism and what makes a Buddhist a Buddhist.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is Tibetan Lama.
He is also the film director of critically acclaimed movies The Cup and Travellers and Magicians.

The way in which he expresses himself is both funny and provocative, as he moves from one conception/misconception challenging many of the beliefs about Buddhists and Buddhism ocurring today.
This straight forward books takes you from the basic principles of Buddhism and encourages you to analyze its roots, cut right through to the heart of Buddhism and share the view that far from the shaved heads, robes, meditation and peaceful smiles, Buddhism has a more practical approach to our everyday existence.
In chapters as “everything is emptiness” and “Nirvana is beyond concepts” he nails down his case both with stories from the buddha and the Kanon, and from everyday life, and in doing so presenting his view of the fundamentals of buddhism.

For me this is a very good book.
Finally an Tibetan Buddhist stepping out and giving everybody an very much needed kick in the behind.
A fair warning, this is not a book for those that want Buddhism to be about love, compassion and brotherhood.
But is an essential book, in that it puts forth the fundamentals of buddhism in a very concise way.

The essence of Buddhism is beyond culture, but it is practiced by many different cultures, which use their traditions as the cup that holds the teachings. If the elementsof these cultural trappings help other beings without causing harm, and if they don’t contradict the four truths, then Siddharta would encourage such practices.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

"throw away one thing every month"

2009-09-20T10:29:00.000+02:00

Hi.

They are happy indeed who own nothing at all; Those with highest knowledge own nothing at all. See how people who own things are afflicted, Bound to others by their obligations.

- Udana 2.6

Some People have an interesting view of things. They almost "accuse me" of not being interested in them, in that i have a saying "throw away one thing every month".
And funnily enough i met an old friend, who, the first thing she commented on was me saying this to her a long time ago. Well, i did say that, but she completely missed the point, instead of liberating herself from things, she clinged even more to hem, even my saying so.
In my perspective, things are just as they are.
Nothing more, nothing less. Just as they are.

From my perspective i am not interested in them and in the same time i am. They are there and i am conscious of them, but nothing more. I do not cling to them and go hunting for more. Sure, i use my computer to write this down, but what would i be with my computer?
Just as i am.

People of this day and age are more and more conscious of things. whether it is in the collecting or the abstinence of things, they are more conscious of them. But my view is somewhat different, instead of clinging to them, just see them as they are.

Now, you might think that i, in view of my saying "throw away one thing every month", is also clinging to things. And in a matter i am, but only so that you can experience for yourself, the thing about not clinging to things. So i say "throw away one thing every month", but what does it mean?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

"How to Cook Your Life." - clips

2009-09-17T21:06:00.000+02:00

Hi.

I found on youtube some clips from the wonderful documentary "How to Cook Your Life."with Edward espe brown, the author of the tassajara cookbook and breadbook.

In the clips, he mentions the Tenzo kyokun (instructions for the cook), one of my favourite buddhist texts/books.

Well, here they are.

Part 1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdrMJoyFGrU&NR=1

Part 2.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5i1gBqNmgQ&feature=related

Part 3.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DHP3cnAmvQ&feature=related

Part 4.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC5FUW5PEWo&feature=related

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Verse of 5 Contemplations

2009-09-02T22:11:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Verse of 5 Contemplations (Gokan no ge)

First, we reflect on the labours that brought us this food and consider how it comes to us.
Second, as we receive this offering, we should consider whether our virtue and practice deserve it.
Third, we regard greed as an obstacle to freedom of mind.
Fourth, we regard this meal as medicine to sustain our life.
Fifth, to attain our Way, we now receive this food.

This is an chant to recite before eating a meal.
The meaning of this mealchant is to remember where it all comes from and whether we deserve it.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Meal verse

2009-09-02T22:02:00.001+02:00

Hi.

This food comes from the efforts
of all sentient beings past and present,
and is medicine for nourishment of our Practice.
We offer this meal of many virtues and tastes
to the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,
and to all life in every realm of existence.
May all sentient beings in the universe
be sufficiently nourished.

Den här maten kommer från alla dåtida och nutida varelsers insatser,
och är den närande medicinen för vår utövning.
Vi erbjuder denna måltid av dygder och smaker
till Buddhan, Dharman och Sanghan,
Och till allt liv i varje värld av existens.
Må alla varelser i universum bli mätta.

This is an chant to recite before eating a meal.
The meaning of this mealchant is to remember where it all comes from and to where it goes.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

The dancers dance

2009-08-29T20:43:00.000+02:00

Hi.

... [We] should realize that living-and-dying is just nirvana; [Buddhists] have never discussed nirvana outside of living-and-dying. ... Further, if we think that life and death are something to get rid of [or be free of], we will [be guilty of hating] the Buddha-Dharma. How could we not guard against this? Remember, the lineage of the Dharma which [asserts that] "in the Buddha-Dharma the essential state of mind universally includes all forms," describes the whole great world of Dharma inclusively, without dividing essence and form, and without discussing appearance and disappearance. There is no [state] - not even [life and death and] bodhi or nirvana- that is different from the essential state of mind. All dharmas, myriad phenomena and accumulated things [all the myriad phenomena in the who universe], are totally just the one mind, without exclusion or disunion [everything included and interconnected]. [The myriad things and phenomena] are the even and balanced undivided mind, other than which there is nothing; and this is just how Buddhists have understood the essence of mind. That being so, how could we divide this one reality into body and mind, or into life-and-death and nirvana?

The point is that we're not just the dancers, we are also the dance.
Both at the same time, without separation, because how do you get a dance without dancers and dancers without an dance?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

on mindfulness article

2009-08-19T20:55:00.000+02:00

Hi.

This is an article i wrote for appropriateresponse.

Have you ever watched a kid playing?
There is something special about the way they can pick up a stick, shout “STICK!!” and run into the world causing havoc. There is nothing more in this moment than the kid, the stick and the world. I would like to call this special something ‘mindfulness’ or ‘presence’ if you will.

Master Dogen wrote on Time (in Being-Time, Uji):

See each thing in this entire world as a moment of time.
Things do not hinder one another, just as moments do not hinder one another. …
Each moment is all being, is the entire world.
Reflect now whether any being or any world is left out of the present moment.

Master Dogen wished to convey that each moment of time and being is not anything apart from you. It is your existential time-and-being. So, he wrote in Uji:

Because real existence is only this exact moment, all moments of Being-Time are the whole of Time, and all existent things and all existent phenomena are moments of Time …
If Time does not take the form of leaving and coming, [a task done in the past] is the present as Being-Time.

If Time does take the form of leaving and coming, you yet have this present moment of Being-Time, which is just Being-Time itself.

Mindfulness is a new catchphrase, a phenomenon not much older than 10 years or so, you might think. But this is not the case. There has been something like it in every culture, be it modern western culture, Hawaiian native culture or, in this case, Buddhist culture.

There are several words in Pali and Sanskrit which are often translated into the English word mindfulness. However, these terms mean different things which is why confusion may often arise in discussions of mindfulness.

The Sanskrit word that is most often translated into mindfulness is Sati/Smriti, which means to remember (non-forgetfulness). It simply means that if we decide for ourselves to attach the mind to our present experience, we will remember to hold it there, instead of letting it slip away.

Another word which also is commonly translated into mindfulness is Manisikara, which is the moment of pure perception just before the mind starts to separate, judge and value. In the western interpretation of mindfulness (within psychology) a large amount of emphasis is put on this particular aspect.
The Sanskrit term Appamada/Apramada means being thorough and calculated in your actions and not to act unskillfully or rashly. This is also an aspect of mindfulness.
A final term also taken to mean mindfulness is Sampajanna/Samprajana which means to see clearly, to separate (skillful from unskillful action).

The ability to stay with your experience, to see it clearly, to separate skillful and unskillful actions, and to act in a favourable way are all aspects of mindfulness. Maybe the most important of all the Buddhist scriptures concerning mindfulness is the Satipatthanasutta. Satipatthana is the practice of sati, the maintaining a constant attention on the here and now and is a part of the eightfold path. Patthana can be translatated as placement or attaching point. Satipatthana can therefore be translated as to put the attention or the attaching point of attention.

You may well be asking yourself why am I writing this? Well, for one, you have to have an solid foundation to stand on, and it is always good to have some knowledge of the definition of terms.

Mindfulness isn’t just this moment, it is all-permeating, it is everything, just as Dogen says. You can’t just try doing it either. I often quote another spiritual master, Yoda : “Do or do not… there is no try.” This is a vital part of mindfulness practice to understand; if you are only trying you are not doing.

This brings us back to the child with the stick. He is not trying anything. He knows exactly what he is doing. He’s got a stick, and it’s him against the world.

A further point I would like to make about mindfulness and being mindful is that the way things are is just the way things are. You know what, it’s ok. It’s all OK!! Shit happens, deal with it. It is all about being at the razor’s edge, not falling to one side or the other, not being cut, not missing the point.

If this happens, do this. If that happens, do that. When life’s roller coaster goes up, go up. When heading down, head down. Just ride the ride. Sometimes it can be very hard. Then let it be hard. Your sympathy for me might feel great, but will it help?

I have to take me, and pick myself up, to get on with it, even when there is no me to pick myself up. I am not saying it will be easy, just saying it is so. And it’s ok! It’s all OK!!

Maybe that is enlightenment, to see that everything is ok! It is just what it is.

Is that ok with you?

May the force be with you
Fugen

The concept of "right concentration"

2009-08-10T09:35:00.000+02:00

Hi.

The eighth factor of the path is right concentration, in Pali samma samadhi.

And what is right concentration? There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is called right concentration.

- Magga-vibhanga Sutta

It's not so much WHAT you do as HOW you do it.
In general terms, Right Concentration means establishing the "Right mind".
But what is "left mind"?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

What's love got to do with it?

2009-08-08T19:45:00.001+02:00

Hi.

I've been thinking about words lately.
Take for instance "LOVE", as i "i love tomatoes" or "i love you".

The meaning behind is somewhat different and because of one the other is distorted.
Saying "i love you" to some tomatoes is not the same as saying "i love you" to a person, or is it?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

How to be happy?

2009-08-08T09:26:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Today it's an staement from the Dalai Lama

In this world, all qualities spring from preferring the wellbeing of others to our own, whereas frustrations, confusion, and pain result from selfish attitudes. By adopting an altruistic outlook and by treating others in the way they deserve, our own happiness is assured as a byproduct. We should realize that self-centeredness is the source of all suffering, and that thinking of others is the source of all happiness.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV, The Dalai Lama’s Little Book of Inner Peace

Notice that he says "treating others in the way they deserve" not "treating others in the way you want to be treated"
which put's the empasis on them not you...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Words have power.

2009-08-07T19:48:00.000+02:00

Hi.

In the last days i had some difficulties concerning written words, and i came to think of this.

It’s telling that in English “disenchanted,” “disillusioned,” and dispassionate” often have a negative connotation. But looking more closely at their meaning reveals their connection to freedom. Becoming disenchanted means breaking the spell of enchantment, waking up into a greater and fuller reality. This is the happy ending of so many great myths and fairy tales. Being disillusioned is not the same as being disappointed or discouraged. It is a reconnection with what is true, free of illusion. And “dispassionate” does not mean indifference or lack of vital energy for living. Rather, it is the mind of great openness and equanimity, free of grasping.

- Joseph Goldstein, one dharma

Words have power and doesn't always mean what you think they do.

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Kids and mindfulness

2009-08-03T13:27:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Have you ever watched a kid playing?
There’s something special about the way they can pick up a stick, shout “STICK!!” and run into the world causing havoc. There’s nothing more in this moment than the kid, the stick and the world…
I would like to call this special something “mindfulness” or “presence” if you will.

Master Dogen wrote on Time (in Being-Time, Uji)

See each thing in this entire world as a moment of time.
Things do not hinder one another, just as moments do not hinder one another. ...
Each moment is all being, is the entire world.
Reflect now whether any being or any world is left out of the present moment.

Master Dogen wished to convey that each moment of time and being is not anything apart from you,it is your existential time-and-being. So, he wrote in Uji, Being-Time ...

Because real existence is only this exact moment, all moments of Being-Time are the whole of Time, and all existent things and all existent phenomena are moments of Time …
If Time does not take the form of leaving and coming, [a task done in the past] is the present as Being-Time.
If Time does take the form of leaving and coming, you yet have this present moment of Being-Time, which is just Being-Time itself.

Mindfulness is an “new catchphrase”, an phenomenon not much older than 10-years or so, you might think. But that’s not the case. There’s been something like it in every culture, be it an modern western culture, an Hawaiian native culture or in this case an Buddhist culture.

Now, what does this give you, why am i writing this?
Well, for one, you have to have an solid foundation to stand on, and it’s always good to have some knowledge of things.
Mindfulness isn’t just this moment, it’s all-permeating, it’s everything, just as Dogen says. You can’t just try doing it either. I often quote another master, yoda :

“Do or do not... there is no try.”

And this is a vital part of mindfulnesspractice to, if you’re only trying you’re not doing…

Which brings us back to the child with the stick. He’s not trying anything. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s got a stick, and it’s him against the world.
And that leaves me the third part of this essay, the way things are is just the way things are.
You know what, it's ok. It's all OK!!
Shit happens, deal with it. It's all about "being the razor's edge", not falling to one side or the other, not being cut, not "missing the point".
If this happens, do this. If that happens, do that. When life's roller coaster goes up, go up. When heading down, head down. Just ride the ride. Sometimes it can be very hard. Then let it be hard.
Your sympathy for me might feel great, but will it help?
I have to take me, and pick myself up, to get on with it, even when there is no me to pick myself up. I’m not saying it will be easy. just saying it is so, And it's ok! It's all OK!!

Maybe that's enlightenment, to see that "everything is Ok"!...
It's just what it is...
Is that ok with you?

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Dogen on time

2009-08-03T12:19:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Master Dogen wrote on Time (in Being-Time, Uji) ...

See each thing in this entire world as a moment of time.
Things do not hinder one another, just as moments do not hinder one another. ...
Each moment is all being, is the entire world.
Reflect now whether any being or any world is left out of the present moment.

This is an important piece in the whole puzzle.
What he is talking about is the concept of "all is one".
But if there'a a "one", don't there have to be a "zero"?
That's where nothing comes in...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

"De Fem hågkomsterna"

2009-07-28T15:43:00.000+02:00

Hi.

This is for all the swedish readers out there, the "five remebrances" in swedish...

De fem hågkomsterna

1. Min natur är att åldras.
Det går inte att undfly åldrandet
2. Min natur är att bli sjuk.
Det går inte att undfly åldrandet.
3. Min natur är att dö.
Det går inte att undfly döden
4. Allt som jag håller kärt och alla som jag älskar undergår förändring.
Det går inte att undfly att skiljas från dem.
5. Det enda jag äger är mina handlingar.
Jag kan inte undfly konsekvenserna av mina handlingar.
Mina handlingar är den grund jag står på.

De fem hågkomsterna hjälper oss att bli vän med rädslan för ålderdom, sjukdom, övergivenhet och död.
De är också en påminnelse om att uppskatta de livets underverk som finns här och nu.

May the force be with you
Fugen

One self?

2009-07-27T18:43:00.000+02:00

Hi.

To learn the Buddhist way is to learn about oneself.
To learn about oneself is to forget oneself.
To forget oneself is to perceive oneself as all things.
To realize this is to cast off the body and mind of self and others.
When you have reached this stage you will be detached even from enlightenment but will practice it continually without thinking about it.
When people seek the Dharma [outside themselves] they are immediately far removed from its true location.
When the Dharma has been received through the right transmission, one's real self immediately appears.

- Dogen, Genjokoan

http://www.terebess.hu/english/dogen2.html

The keypoint here, is what is "oneself"...

May the force be with you
Fugen

An enlightenend being?

2009-07-27T18:39:00.000+02:00

Hi.

It is an illusion to try to carry out our practice and enlightenment through ourselves, but to have practice and enlightenment through phenomena, that is enlightenment.
To have great enlightenment about illusion is to be a Buddha.
To have great illusion about enlightenment is to be a sentient being.
Further, some are continually enlightened beyond enlightenment but some add more and more illusion.

- Dogen, Genjokoan

http://www.terebess.hu/english/dogen2.html

The keypoint here, is what is "a being"...

May the force be with you
Fugen

Choose your words carefully...

2009-07-25T10:39:00.000+02:00

Hi.

In Master Linji [Rinzai]'s time, some Buddhist terms were used so often they became meaningless. People chewed on terms like "liberation" and "enlightenment" until they lost their power. It's no different today. People use words that tire our ears. We heat the words "freedom" and "security" on talk radio, telelvision, and in the newspaper so often that they've lost their effectiveness or their meaning has been distorted. When words are overused, even the most beautiful words can lose their true meaning. For example, the word "love" is a wonderful word. When we like to eat hamburger, we say, "I love hamburger." So what's left for the meaning of the word "love"?

- Thich nhat hanh, Tricycle issue 65

Venerate the words, or they'll loose their meaning...

Mtfbwy
Fugen

Meeting life...

2009-07-23T12:51:00.000+02:00

Hi.

You can face anything properly, elegantly, when you meet life where it is, in the moment. When conditions are fresh and joyous, we can delight in that changing image. When the karma and goodness sustaining life is exhausted, we can look death right in its face. We live life wisely and compassionately in the beginning, middle, and end.

–Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu, Meeting the Monkey Halfway

The important point is that life is not over there.

May the force be with you
Fugen

Picking up your coat

2009-07-22T13:15:00.000+02:00

Hi.

A contemporary Zen master has said that "Zen is picking up your coat from the floor and hanging it up." Nothing could be simpler. Yet how difficult! There is no fun in "picking up your coat." Tasks like this do not seem at all self-fulfilling and enriching. Even worse, "picking up your coat" doesn't seem to be a very "spiritual" kind of practice—unlike, we imagine, prayer, meditation, fasting, or developing a meaningful relationship. There is nothing more ordinary or unspecial than "picking up your coat." Yet, it is really the essence of practice, for "picking up your coat" is exactly what Dogen means by meditation.

-Francis Dojun Cook, How to Raise an Ox

The simple is not always as hard as it seems...

May the force be with you
Fugen

Five remembrances and transition...

2009-07-21T22:55:00.000+02:00

Hi.

This short Dharma talk is an discussion on what to recite upon an funeral/ remebrance ceremony. Mostly (or commonly) in the ZenBuddhist society you read the Heart sutra (se Below). But i would also reccomend the "the five remembraces" from the Upajjhatthana Sutta.

The Five Remembrances (from the Upajjhatthana Sutra)
I am of the nature to grow old.
There is no way to escape growing old.
I am of the nature to have ill-health.
There is no way to escape having ill health.
I am of the nature to die.
There is no way to escape death.
All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change.
There is no way to escape being separated from them.
My deeds are my closest companions.
I am the beneficiary of my deeds. My deeds are the ground on which I stand.

Birth will end in death.
Youth will end in old age.
Meetings will end in separation.
All things in cyclic existence are transient, are impermanent.

The Buddhas cannot wash our sins with water.
They cannot remove our suffering with their hands.
They cannot transfer their insights to us.
All they can do is teach the Dharma.
I am my own protector.

Actually as Thich Nhat Hanh put them forth in his book The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching it's only the first section that is "the five remebrances", but recommend the whole section.

As for the heart sutra it goes a little like this (the backslashes is for showing how to say it...):

The Heart of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra
(Maka Hannya Haramita Shin Gyo)

A/vo/lo/ki/tes/va/ra/ Bo/dhi/satt/va/, A/wa/kened/ One/ of/ Com/pas/sion/,
In/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/, the/Deep/ Prac/tice/ of/ Per/fect/ Wis/dom/
Per/ceived/ the/ emp/ti/ness/ of /all /five /con/di/tions/,
And/ was/ free/ of/ suf/fer/ing/.
O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, form/ is/ no/ o/ther/ than/ emp/ti/ness/,
Emp/ti/ness/ no/ o/ther/ than/ form/;
Form/ is/ pre/cise/ly/ emp/ti/ness/, emp/ti/ness/ pre/cise/ly/ form/.
Sen/sa/tions/, per/cep/tions/, for/ma/tions/ and/ con/scious/ness/ are/ al/so/ like/ this/.
O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, all/ things/ are/ ex/pres/sions/ of/ emp/ti/ness/,
Not/ born/, not/ des/troyed/, not/ stained/, not/ pure/;
Nei/ther/ wax/ing/ nor/ wan/ing/.
Thus/ emp/ti/ness/ is/ not/ form/; not/ sen/sa/tion/ nor/ per/cep/tion/,
not/ for/ma/tion/ nor/ con/scious/ness/.
No/ eye/, ear/, nose/, tongue/, bo/dy/, mind/;
No/ sight/, sound/, smell/, taste/, touch/, nor/ ob/ject/ of/ mind/;
No/ realm/ of/ sight/, no/ realm/ of/ con/scious/ness/;
No/ ig/no/rance/, no/ end/ to/ ig/no/rance/;
No/ old/ age/ and/ death/,
No/ ces/sa/tion/ of/ old/ age/ and/ death/;
No/ suf/fer/ing/, nor/ cause/ or/ end/ to/ suf/fer/ing/;
No/ path/, no/ wis/dom/ and/ no/ gain/.
No/ gain/ - thus/ Bod/dhi/satt/vas/ live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/
With/ no/ hin/drance/ of/ mind/ -
No/ hin/drance/ there/fore/ no/ fear/.
Far/ be/yond/ all/ de/lu/sion/, Nir/va/na/ is/ al/rea/dy/ here/.
All/ past/, pre/sent/ and/ fu/ture/ Budd/has/
Live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/
And/ re/al/ize/ su/preme/ and/ com/plete/ en/light/en/ment/.
There/fore/ know/ that/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/
Is/ the/ sac/red/ man/tra/, the/ lu/min/ous/ man/tra/,
the/ sup/reme/ man/tra/, the/ in/com/pa/ra/ble/ man/tra/
by/ which/ all/ suf/fe/ring/ is/ clear/.
This/ is/ no/ o/ther/ than/ Truth/.
There/fore/ set/ forth/ the/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/ man/tra/.
Set/ forth/ this/ man/tra/ and/ pro/claim/:

Gate! Gate! (Already Gone, Gone)
Paragate! (Already Gone Beyond)
Parasamgate! (Already Fully Beyond)
Bodhi! Svaha! * (Awakening, Rejoice)

But what the both texts really say is everything change, or do they?

May the force be with you
Fugen

Bookreview: The mind of clover

2009-07-20T14:33:00.000+02:00

Hi.

Robert Aitken has practiced Buddhism for more than half a century. He is an American Zenmaster (now “retired”), a writer and teacher of vast reputation.
His beginning as a Buddhist resulted from being a prisoner of the Japanese in the Second World War, where he met R. R. Blythe and D. T. Suzuki as fellow inmates.
When he came back to america after the war he met Nyogen Senzaki, with whom he continued to study Buddhism. Aitken has returned to Japan on several occasions to study for a number of masters including Haku'un Yasutani.
He has written more than than 10 books on Buddhism, and resides on Hawaii.

Aitken's approach is clear and sure as he shows how our minds can be as nurturing as clover, which enriches the soil and benefits the environment as it grows.

The presentation written on the back of the book couldn't be more true.
Aitken states his aims regarding the book to beas "being to clarify the precepts for use by the Western students of Buddhism", “as a way to help make Buddhism a daily practice.” and prevent Zen from becoming a hobby, which is “made to fit the needs of the ego.” The mind of clover is a compilation of essays, some of which have been previously published.

The first chapter is an “overview” of the nature of the precepts, followed by 10 chapters on the the grave precepts, One precept per chapter. Aitken further points out, that the precepts are "not commandments etched in stone but expressions of inspiration written in something more fluid than water."
Aitken approaches these precepts, the core of Buddhist ethics, from several perspectives, offering many layers of interpretation.

The dharma is the law of the universe, a law that may be expressed simply: "one thing depends upon another".

His interpretations and explanations grows and widens, and his focus expands to include a wide variety of topics and views concerning the precepts.
After the chapters on the Ten Grave Precepts, we have ten further chapters, which are taken from Dharma talks or teishos given by Aitken Roshi. In these chapters he writes about everything from Ecology to religious activism, the self, and who to blame...

This is the great joke of Zen. It is the great joke of the universe. There is no absolute at all, and that is the absolute. Enlightenment is practice, as Dogen Zenji said.
And what is practice?
Getting on with it.

It is hard to find any good books on the ten grave precepts, this makes Aitkens book even more special. Not only does it take up the ten precepts, it also puts them under focus and puts new perspectives on them. And as a extra bonus you get some extra chapters all wonderfully narrated in that special style that Aitken uses about an variety of things.
All in all, a book to keep.

May the force be with you
Fugen

Bookreview: suffering is optional (att lida är valfritt)

2009-07-14T13:17:00.001+02:00

Hi.

The author of suffering is optional, Cheri Huber has been studying Buddhism for over 30 years, written 19 books, started two zen centers, has an weekly radioshow and holds regular reterats and talks.

It takes courage to look deeply into oneself

What Cheri Huber writes in the Introduction to this book, can not be more true. If you are willing to take the step, this is the book for you.
This is a wise, practical and useful book without any esoteric influences, for all who are interested in Buddhist philosophy.
It is based on a Buddhist course, which the author held on the web with over 500 participants and it centers around three basic aspects of Buddhist practice: awareness, to abandon prejudices and not take things personally.
The book urges readers to be willing to be quiet and pay attention to the process of suffering in effort to see each moment as an opportunity to step beyond illusion into freedom.

We suffer when we resist life. We suffer when we believe life should be different. We suffer when we think there is something wrong with life that needs to be changed or fixed

Instead of taking up a subject in each chapter, it contains an assignment for the reader to do and investigate. It can be a simple task like taking a deep breath. She then goes on to add some comments made by the participants and by her self, neatly wrapping it all together, within a few pages for each assignment.
One of the many things that got me attracted to the book was that there was short "assigments" you could do and experience one by one in no particular order, almost anywhere, anytime. Another thing is that it seems written for "the ordinary people", without any prerequisites required. But don't be fooled, as the author points out:

I remind people with annoying regularity that if this practice were easy it would be more popular. Consider that, please. Look around and see what has thousands or even millions of 'adherents.' What do those things have in common? I would suggest that they all share the quality of people being exactly as they are while having something hopeful to believe. Very popular. Compare that with a practice that encourages people moment by moment to go up against, see through, and embrace the worst stuff in life.

All in all it is an good introduction and practical gateway to the buddhist world, and to see for yourself what needs to be done with your life.

May the force be with you
Fugen

The dharma is not something separate from ourselves

2009-07-13T10:22:00.000+02:00

Hi.

We perceive Zen, the Dharma, and the Way to be outside of ourselves. But it is a serious error to create a distance between yourself and these things in this manner. If you make a separation between yourself and what you are looking for, no matter how much effort you make to lessen that distance, that effort will be in vain.

- The Essence of Zen, Sekkei Harada

Do not separate between hot and cold.
Nor between this and that.

May the force be with you
Fugen

Buddhism, Western Psychology and knowing

2009-07-11T10:32:00.000+02:00

Hi.

One important question always seems to come up when Western psychologists begin to study Buddhism. Does one have to become a Buddhist in order to learn about Buddhism?
The answer is that of course one does not, but it must be asked in return, what does one want to learn?
What Buddhism really has to teach the Western psychologist is how to relate more closely with his own experience, in its freshness, its fullness, and its immediacy. To do this, one does not have to become a Buddhist, but one does have to practice meditation.
It is certainly possible to study only the theory of Buddhist psychology. But in doing so, one would miss the point. Without experience to rely on, one would end up simply interpreting Buddhist notions through Western concepts. A good taste of meditation is actually necessary in working with oneself and others.

-Chögyam Trungpa, The Sanity We Are Born With

This is a question also asked in Bärmarks "Jag vet inte" ("i dont know"), what do you need to do something?
In this case do you need to be a buddhist to study buddhism?
It's the same as asking "do you need to be sick to be an doctor and heal people" is it not?
You might know things "in theory", but can you really "KNOW"?

May the force be with you
Fugen

You're It !

2009-07-11T10:20:00.000+02:00

Hi.

We have the habit of always looking outside ourselves, thinking we can get wisdom and compassion from another person or the Buddha or his teachings (Dharma) or our community (Sangha).
But you are the Buddha, you are the Dharma, you are the Sangha.

–Thich Nhat Hanh, Answers from the Heart

Its the same as hakuins poem:

All beings are Buddha by nature,
just as water and ice are the same.
Without water there’s no ice,
outside of beings, no Buddha.

The important point is to start with you.
Don't go looking elsewhere for it.
You're it.

Mtfbwy
Fugen