Zen Anybody

[Phaelyn]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

"By chance", I came across this short 2:36 video on YouTube entitled "A ZEN MASTER STORY - looking danger in the eye". Typical atypical Zen !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFpoaG0wh44

That Zen story's message is pretty similar to Jesus's in Luke 6:29 (KJV) - And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

It's interesting how various media define somebody who is simply non-judgmental of others and not attached to their material belongings as a "Master" in one case, a "God" in another. I don't think being non-materialistic and being understanding/loving verses judging is as rare as we may assume.

I think that's why miracles and superpowers are added to religious or spiritual stories typically as presenting a person as simply full of love, understanding, compassion, empathy, and non-judgmental, non-attached to material things, is not enough to "sell" such a person or the religion or path they represent to others.

The "love others unconditionally," and the answer.... why? So add in hell, threat of endless rebirth etc. Bad karma... Punishment for sin... The natural actual reward is not a bad one. Profound inner peace. Love has and is it's own reward.

There is kind of two parallel paths. One is seeking a particular experience, and it turns out, that particular experience requires a particular way to be, and that way to be aligns one with love and peace, eliminates conflict with others. So the way "I am" not only effects how I experience the world, it also goes along with what I do or how I treat others. How I relate to others.

All ideas effect perception and experience, and potentially action. An interesting thing also is all ideas can be changed or discarded. That Zen master did not see a thief walk in, he saw an equal. One that wanted money and then that vase. Jesus is basically saying, if somebody asks for your cloak, give him more. Well there is a lot more in these stories because one has to ask themselves, why am I not like that? What makes me judgmental and selfish? Being judgmental and selfish leads to conflict so the reason why one may be these things is simply they are not aware of the relationship between what they are and what they experience. All roads lead to being love as that is where the most pleasure is found... but one has to become aware of this... through many many lives apparently.

[Joe Mc]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

"By chance", I came across this short 2:36 video on YouTube entitled "A ZEN MASTER STORY - looking danger in the eye". Typical atypical Zen !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFpoaG0wh44

Something similiar going on with the Japanese Zen Master Poet Ryokan in his famous Haiku

The thief
Left it behind
The moon at my window

And also in his longer poem called The Robber.

A thief has stolen my zafu and futon
Why did he break into my hermitage
The door is never locked
The night is ending,
And I sit alone by the window -
A sparse rain falls gently
against the bamboo grove

*****************************

[sky]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

That Zen story's message is pretty similar to Jesus's in Luke 6:29 (KJV) - And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

It's interesting how various media define somebody who is simply non-judgmental of others and not attached to their material belongings as a "Master" in one case, a "God" in another. I don't think being non-materialistic and being understanding/loving verses judging is as rare as we may assume.

I think that's why miracles and superpowers are added to religious or spiritual stories typically as presenting a person as simply full of love, understanding, compassion, empathy, and non-judgmental, non-attached to material things, is not enough to "sell" such a person or the religion or path they represent to others.

The "love others unconditionally," and the answer.... why? So add in hell, threat of endless rebirth etc. Bad karma... Punishment for sin... The natural actual reward is not a bad one. Profound inner peace. Love has and is it's own reward.

There is kind of two parallel paths. One is seeking a particular experience, and it turns out, that particular experience requires a particular way to be, and that way to be aligns one with love and peace, eliminates conflict with others. So the way "I am" not only effects how I experience the world, it also goes along with what I do or how I treat others. How I relate to others.

All ideas effect perception and experience, and potentially action. An interesting thing also is all ideas can be changed or discarded. That Zen master did not see a thief walk in, he saw an equal. One that wanted money and then that vase. Jesus is basically saying, if somebody asks for your cloak, give him more. Well there is a lot more in these stories because one has to ask themselves, why am I not like that? What makes me judgmental and selfish? Being judgmental and selfish leads to conflict so the reason why one may be these things is simply they are not aware of the relationship between what they are and what they experience. All roads lead to being love as that is where the most pleasure is found... but one has to become aware of this... through many many lives apparently.

' It's interesting how various media define somebody who is simply non-judgmental of others and not attached to their material belongings as a "Master" '


I don't see anything that implies this is the definition of a Zen Master, I understand a ' Zen Master ' to be an individual who teaches Zen Buddhism and it's practises, they usually have longtime study and subsequent authorization to teach and transmit the tradition.

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by Phaelyn

That Zen story's message is pretty similar to Jesus's in Luke 6:29 (KJV) - And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

It's interesting how various media define somebody who is simply non-judgmental of others and not attached to their material belongings as a "Master" in one case, a "God" in another. I don't think being non-materialistic and being understanding/loving verses judging is as rare as we may assume.

I think that's why miracles and superpowers are added to religious or spiritual stories typically as presenting a person as simply full of love, understanding, compassion, empathy, and non-judgmental, non-attached to material things, is not enough to "sell" such a person or the religion or path they represent to others.

The "love others unconditionally," and the answer.... why? So add in hell, threat of endless rebirth etc. Bad karma... Punishment for sin... The natural actual reward is not a bad one. Profound inner peace. Love has and is it's own reward.

There is kind of two parallel paths. One is seeking a particular experience, and it turns out, that particular experience requires a particular way to be, and that way to be aligns one with love and peace, eliminates conflict with others. So the way "I am" not only effects how I experience the world, it also goes along with what I do or how I treat others. How I relate to others.

All ideas effect perception and experience, and potentially action. An interesting thing also is all ideas can be changed or discarded. That Zen master did not see a thief walk in, he saw an equal. One that wanted money and then that vase. Jesus is basically saying, if somebody asks for your cloak, give him more. Well there is a lot more in these stories because one has to ask themselves, why am I not like that? What makes me judgmental and selfish? Being judgmental and selfish leads to conflict so the reason why one may be these things is simply they are not aware of the relationship between what they are and what they experience. All roads lead to being love as that is where the most pleasure is found... but one has to become aware of this... through many many lives apparently.

Well said.

***********************
It's interesting how various media define somebody who is simply non-judgmental of others and not attached to their material belongings as a "Master" in one case, a "God" in another. I don't think being non-materialistic and being understanding/loving verses judging is as rare as we may assume.
**************************

[sentient]

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

I am noticing that the perceived "gap" between meditation and psychiatry/therapy is narrowing. In addition to my meditation background, I also have a clinical postgraduate degree in social work (LMSW) and actually did an internship as a therapist at Coney Island Psychiatric.

Empathy can be overrated.

How as a therapist do you walk the fine line between … or stay personally empathetic and impersonally discerning (technically neutral) all at the same time, so that the empathy doesn’t lead, disintegrate into “idiot compassion” i.e. buying into - thus further enabling the patient’s delusions/false self/fears what have you … or feed the patient’s emotional need patterns (which further attract situations and people into their lives that are dysfunctional) ….. etc. etc. ?

Because - what one does not acknowledge, one cannot heal.

*

Oblivion

幽鳥語如篁 A bird in a secluded grove sings like a flute.

柳搖金線長 Willows sway gracefully with their golden threads.

雲歸山谷静 The mountain valley grows the quieter as the clouds return.

風送杏花香 A breeze brings along the fragrance of the apricot flowers.

永日蕭然坐 For a whole day I have sat here encompassed by peace,

澄心萬虞忘 Till my mind is cleansed in and out of all cares and idle thoughts.

欲言言不及 I wish to tell you how I feel, but words fail me.

林下好商量 If you come to this grove, we can compare notes.

Ch'an master Fa-yen (法眼 Hõgen) (The Golden Age of Zen 238, 321 n.31)

The Essence

The bamboo shadows are sweeping the stairs,

But no dust is stirred:

The moonlight penetrates deep in the bottom of the pool,

But no trace is left in the water.

Author unknown (Essays in Zen Buddhism – First Series 352)

I am refreshed by this type of language, since it feels like life.
Most other things just seem like noise.

[sky]

El silencio es oro.....

[sentient]

Whenever winds blow
the butterfly finds a new place
on the willow tree

~Basho

*

'Bran Nue Dae' from 'Fragmented Pieces' of past history:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdQBmsobnrg

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...o5Wfw&usqp=CAU

*

Originally Posted by ImthatIm

Willows sway gracefully with their golden threads.

The local nursery has Northern Territory Weeping Tea Trees for sale .... Ahhhhhh ....:
https://projectplants.com.au/wp-cont...392aa14ca9.jpg

As I brush my fingers through its threads – they must be the most sentient of all trees and silently know - just how much I love them.

*

[sentient]

Originally Posted by sky123

El silencio es oro.....

... ....
From silencio a ‘new’ song is born ….

‘Latin flavoured’ of course …. sensual as a Willow Tree ….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXMyK6hbQZc

*

Originally Posted by sentient

Whenever winds blow
the butterfly finds a new place
on the willow tree

~Basho

*

'Bran Nue Dae' from 'Fragmented Pieces' of past history:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdQBmsobnrg

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...o5Wfw&usqp=CAU

*

The local nursery has Northern Territory Weeping Tea Trees for sale .... Ahhhhhh ....:
https://projectplants.com.au/wp-cont...392aa14ca9.jpg

As I brush my fingers through its threads – they must be the most sentient of all trees and silently know - just how much I love them.

*

I have spent many hours under the weeping Willow trees, and I never
heard of the weeping tea tree. I had to look twice to make sure I wasn't looking at a willow.

Your Afro-Cubism song has got the stuff.