Ox Herding

Reindeer Buddha

Another wonderful photograph from Japan, courtesy of John Small:  A Reindeer Buddha!

See more of John's images at John Small. Photos.

John in Japan

My friend, John Small, is a superb photographer and Buddhist practitioner. And, lucky bastard, he's now in Japan for four weeks, from where he's started posting images on his photo blog. Check 'em out.

The Inner Problem

In today's video, Shodo Harada Roshi talks about what we must do to "solve the world's problems." 

Roshi points out that Zen is the practice of digging through the deepest of our afflictive roots to find our "huge, clear mind." When we do this work, we can help the world from the inside, out.

Roshi teaches each year at Tahoma One Drop Monastery, near Seattle.

Thank you for your practice. And thank you for reading Ox Herding!

Barry

Aldous Huxley

As Aldous Huxley approached the end of his life, he was visited by an old friend, Huston Smith. During the visit, Huxley said to Smith:

It's a little embarrassing to have spent one's entire life pondering the human situation and find oneself in the end with nothing more profound to say than try to be a little nicer.

 

Source: Shambhala Sun, November 2009

Painting of Aldous Huxley by torbakhopper

The Log in the Eye

Over coffee last week, Bob and I tried to remember the Biblical story about having a "log" in one's eye. Or a "mote." Or something. We couldn't remember.

So I looked it up (it's from Matthew 7.3):

Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 

Or how can you say to your brother, "Let me take the speck out of your eye," and behold, the log is in your own eye? 

You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 

When I read this passage, I was reminded of the Great Bodhisattva Vow sometimes taken by those of us who practice in the Mahayana tradition:

Sentient beings are numberless; I vow to save them all.

We aspire to save all beings from suffering, but often experience confusion about our direction. Maybe this confusion arises from our refusal to work with the log that pierces our own eye. 

Perhaps, with practice, we might see how the log distorts our view of the world. With more practice, we might remove it entirely. What then?

 

Photo by kqedquest

Well, Let's Stop Arguing

 

I frequently come across blog posts that argue for one particular viewpoint in opposition to others. In fact, I've been known to write quite a few posts of this type (as some of you have kindly pointed out).

I notice (after the fact) how I can write an oppositional post without the faintest consciousness about it. My mind seems stuck in certain ruts, especially the rut of certainty.

Pali has term for this kind of stuckness, a term that originally referred to a cart axle that had rusted or frozen to its wheel: dukkha.

It seems reasonable to assume that whenever the impulse to argue appears, we're stuck in dukkha.

Or maybe that's just my way of picking a fight. Anyway, here we are. Let's stop arguing.

One Time, One Meeting

I recently made the online acquaintance of Ben Howard, a well-regarded poet and fellow blogger. Ben's posts come sparingly but each one reveals and explores an important aspect of our practice tradition.

Last week, he posted a wonderful essay, Closing Doors, on the transitional moments of life, and how we might work with them. The post contains these beautiful lines from a poem entitled, "Men At Forty," by Donald Justice.

Men at forty

Learn to close softly

The doors to rooms

They will not be coming back to

Of course, none of us - at any age - will ever return to the moment just now passing. How can we complete this moment softly?

Just Do It!

Today's video features Zen Master Seung Sahn giving an encouraging talk to retreat participants during the last year of his life (2003). At this point, his teaching had become very clear and simple: Just do it!

Thank you for reading Ox Herding. May we all just do it this weekend!

Barry

The Work of a Dog

A few days ago I came upon a man walking two dogs.

Actually, the fellow was walking only one dog . . . the other, a German Shepherd, was rolling along on wheels.

The shepherd probably has hip dysplasia, an inherited condition common to shepherds. The man had created (or purchased?) a set of wheels that were harnessed to the dog's hips. Using this device, the dog walked normally on its front legs, while its back legs shuffled along the sidewalk.

As you can see in the photo, the shepherd was quite happy with this arrangement, totally relaxed and at ease in the world.

Walking along behind this group, I remembered Zen Master Seung Sahn's frequent teaching: "Dog understands dog's job. Pig understands pig's job. Only human being not understand human being's job."

The shepherd didn't check its situation or condition - it happily went about its doggie job. And its human companion certainly understood how to help his canine friend.

But I wonder why so many of us humans remain confused about our own correct job?

Back

I returned yesterday from a week of travels, visiting Providence Zen Center for a retreat, and then spending two nights at Cambridge Zen Center. Thanks to everyone who left comments on Ox Herding

Here are a few photos from the journey. Click on an image to see more detail (subject to my shaky hands and iPhone resolution).

Diamond Hill Zen Monastery at Providence Zen Center

Kwan Seum Bosal on altar at Diamond Hill Zen Monastery

 

Bell tower at Providence Zen Center

Pagoda at Providence Zen Center

Stained glass window of Kwan Seum Bosal at Providence Zen Center

Entrance to Cambridge Zen Center

 

Amitabha Buddha on main altar at Cambridge Zen Center

 

Small, clay Kwan Seum Bosal at Cambridge Zen Center