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syncro
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: tree frog] 1
#28631746 - 01/23/24 06:27 AM (5 days, 7 hours ago) |
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Just to say again about the free will lady, I like her and think she is a good professor. In her realm (physics) she destroys free will. Yet in all things determined so came this weird thing of intuition, hope, sense of self-direction and self-determination, the sense of free will. We've been through it a lot in these forums in recent years. In language and logic, no free will pretty much wins I think. Yet sitting here it still seems not to, in poetry land, wonder and expansion, stillness, potential, dharma and love, etc.
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syncro
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: spinvis] 1
#28632029 - 01/23/24 11:02 AM (5 days, 3 hours ago) |
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Quote:
The Blind Ass said: Streaming in, and, streaming out.
I find I do that, especially in busy phases with the world, I run back and touch the Self as it were, then run away again.
Nb4 before people correct me and say you can never not touch it, so what I mean is going into a different place within, altered experience of meditative bent that reveals that which is not so evident in the normal waking state. And I agree they should be integrated making "the inner like the outer."
Quote:
spinvis said: Anyway, since mystical experiences happen randomly and are fairly common, there's no requisite practice needed. It becomes wanted once you want to "show" it to the next person.
I respect that and agree. On the other hand, say there is a shrub that grows randomly in the wild, the 'enlightenment flower'. It may be happened upon, but there are those who will farm, cultivate it with intention, like so many here cultivate their own entheogens - they cannot at all say in this context there is no cultivation needed if chosen by other means, if buying or growing, using them.
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Freedom
Pigment of your imagination



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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: tree frog] 1
#28632183 - 01/23/24 02:35 PM (4 days, 23 hours ago) |
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I think once you get a clear enough glimpse of the emptiness of self, that organizing principle stops working, and entropy or deconditioning starts dissolving the self constructs, which leads to a sort of progression on a path, where new vistas continue to open along the way. This process may be helped along through practices.
And for clarity, the appearance of self returns (typically), its just that once its seen for what it is (or isn't), its power to organize the conditioning process is lost or diminished.
It may be that without that glimpse, practices are a continuation of a self practicing, although by accident one may forget the self while practicing.
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syncro
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: spinvis] 1
#28632262 - 01/23/24 03:57 PM (4 days, 22 hours ago) |
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Beautiful Sufi thing. Later I thought of the nature of the namaha in mantra which means 'honor to' but also 'not me', so, God or essence, not me, which that God feller was so driving.
Here's a standard I considered in whether one 'needs' practices, improvement, or not (including entheogens if chosen...) 
In Vedanta again we have the all described as satchitananda, existence, consciousness, bliss. So bliss is foundational, one with existence, one with consciousness. It is not some extra thing we seek but it is realized.
Asking ourselves if we have self-knowledge, we can say, do I exist, am I conscious? These are easy. Then is asked, do I know bliss, am I in it?
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spinvis
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: spinvis] 1
#28633012 - 01/24/24 08:17 AM (4 days, 6 hours ago) |
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This also all reminds me somewhat of the story of Huineng.
Quote:
Only Shenxiu wrote a poem, anonymously on the wall in the middle of the night.[6] It stated:[7]
身是菩提樹, The body is a Bodhi tree, 心如明鏡臺。 The mind a standing mirror bright. 時時勤拂拭, At all times polish it diligently, 勿使惹塵埃。 And let no dust alight.
After having read this poem aloud to him, Hui-neng asked an officer to write another gatha on the wall for him, next to Shenxiu's, which stated:[8]
菩提本無樹, Bodhi is fundamentally without any tree; 明鏡亦非臺。 The bright mirror is also not a stand. 本來無一物, Fundamentally there is not a single thing — 何處惹塵埃。 Where could any dust be attracted?
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syncro
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: spinvis] 1
#28633022 - 01/24/24 08:30 AM (4 days, 5 hours ago) |
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"I'm not really satisfied"
It's well explained. I'm not really passed that I am not space, in good moments, but it's not a bad problem to have. A deeper immersion perhaps is a jump to hyperspace. Also, the insubstantial is increasingly substantial, the density of the exquisite unbounded. Maybe that is in the black holes.
"processing!"
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spinvis
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: syncro] 1
#28633098 - 01/24/24 09:38 AM (4 days, 4 hours ago) |
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Quote:
syncro said: "I'm not really satisfied"
It's well explained. I'm not really passed that I am not space, in good moments, but it's not a bad problem to have. A deeper immersion perhaps is a jump to hyperspace. Also, the insubstantial is increasingly substantial, the density of the exquisite unbounded. Maybe that is in the black holes.
"processing!"

Well I'm pretty sure there's a text floating about somewhere saying it is space/spacious so no worries
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spinvis
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: Freedom] 1
#28633262 - 01/24/24 12:29 PM (4 days, 1 hour ago) |
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Just read the below again and wanted to post, but see you guys already discussing Dzogchen. That's a perfect example indeed! I can highly recommend Longchenpa The Seven Treasuries book series translated by Richard Barron. It's as if Longchenpa speaks to you and explains everything step by step in all detail. I love it!
Karl Brunnhölzl - A Lullaby to Awaken the Heart: The Aspiration Prayer of Samantabhadra and Its Tibetan Commentaries - The Aspiration Prayer of Samantabhadra for Recitation;
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This is from the nineteenth chapter in the Tantra That Teaches the Great Perfection as Samantabhadra's Unobstructed Awakened Mind, which teaches that through making this powerful aspiration prayer, all sentient beings cannot help but awaken.
HO!
Everything in samsara and nirvana that can possibly appear has a single ground, two paths, and two results-- the miraculous displays of awareness and unawareness. Through the aspiration prayer of Samantabhadra, may all awaken in a fully perfect manner in the palace of the dharmadhatu.
The ground of all is unconditioned-- the self-arising, inexpressible, vast spaciousness without the names "samsara" or "nirvana." The awareness of just this is buddhahood; unaware, sentient beings wander in samsara. May all beings of the three realms be aware of the reality of the inexpressible ground.
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syncro said: Taking all the precious jewels in universes as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges, would, spinvis, the value be great?
Muju - Shaseki-shu (Collection of Stone and Sand) - 101. Buddha's Zen;
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Buddha said: "I consider the positions of kings and rulers as that of dust motes. I observe treasures of gold and gems as so many bricks and pebbles. I look upon the finest silken robes as tattered rags. I see myriad worlds of the universe as small seeds of fruit, and the greatest lake in India as a drop of oil on my foot. I perceive the teachings of the world to be the illusion of magicians. I discern the highest conception of emancipation as a golden brocade in a dream, and view the holy path of the illuminated ones as flowers appearing in one's eyes. I see meditation as a pillar of a mountain, Nirvana as a nightmare of daytime. I look upon the judgment of right and wrong as the serpentine dance of a dragon, and the rise and fall of beliefs as but traces left by the four seasons."
Quote:
Freedom said: A Buddhist nun from Australia reads a lot of great texts from different traditions. She has 56 videos just reading Longchenpa:
I like the way she reads
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWzYrEdlV4O7TzD927svErYJ1sH58arEi
One of my favorite channels on YouTube! Also check out her other playlists! She's very eclectic!
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syncro
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: spinvis] 1
#28633370 - 01/24/24 01:54 PM (4 days, 32 minutes ago) |
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Is that the same channel you recommended to me a while back? It was where I heard the space intent quote and posted it in the quotes thread.
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spinvis said:
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syncro said: Taking all the precious jewels in universes as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges, would, spinvis, the value be great?
Muju - Shaseki-shu (Collection of Stone and Sand) - 101. Buddha's Zen;
Quote:
Buddha said: "I consider the positions of kings and rulers as that of dust motes. I observe treasures of gold and gems as so many bricks and pebbles. I look upon the finest silken robes as tattered rags. I see myriad worlds of the universe as small seeds of fruit, and the greatest lake in India as a drop of oil on my foot. I perceive the teachings of the world to be the illusion of magicians. I discern the highest conception of emancipation as a golden brocade in a dream, and view the holy path of the illuminated ones as flowers appearing in one's eyes. I see meditation as a pillar of a mountain, Nirvana as a nightmare of daytime. I look upon the judgment of right and wrong as the serpentine dance of a dragon, and the rise and fall of beliefs as but traces left by the four seasons."
I was trying to do a Diamond Sutra dialogue but glad you didn't reply in kind because I would have had to cheat and look at it to continue I think.
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spinvis
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: syncro] 1
#28633389 - 01/24/24 02:09 PM (4 days, 17 minutes ago) |
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Yes that's the same channel. Awesome stuff.
Haha
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syncro
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: spinvis] 1
#28634097 - 01/25/24 07:32 AM (3 days, 6 hours ago) |
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If awareness runs around in rajas, random activity, or is in tamas, darkness or inertia, does it know itself? When there is some tathata juice, it is recognized as not being in those states, or is an agent of their dissipation.
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spinvis
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: syncro] 1
#28634202 - 01/25/24 09:20 AM (3 days, 5 hours ago) |
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Quote:
syncro said: If awareness runs around in rajas, random activity, or is in tamas, darkness or inertia, does it know itself?
Funny you ask this, because this is actually one of the subjects within the Seven Treasuries. The answer in short is yes, but let me quickly check if I can find the chapter.
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spinvis
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: spinvis] 1
#28634274 - 01/25/24 10:09 AM (3 days, 4 hours ago) |
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So this is from the first chapter. Later it is elaborated on extensively as well.
Longchenpa - The Seven Treasuries - Volume 1 - A Treasure Trove of Scriptural Transmission: A Commentary on the Precious Treasure of the Basic Space of Phenomena - 1 The Adornment of Basic Space;
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First it can be demonstrated that since samsara and nirvana do not stray from basic space, all phenomena are without transition or change within the context of supreme perfection, which is equal to space. To this end, it can be shown that although what arises as samsara and nirvana does so naturally within the scope of awareness-the supreme spontaneous presence of the three kayas-it does not stray from spontaneously present basic space:
Within the expanse of spontaneous presence is the ground for all that arises. Empty in essence, continuous by nature, it has never existed as anything whatsoever, yet arises as anything at all. Within the expanse of the three kayas, although samsara and nirvana arise naturally, they do not stray from basic space-such is the blissful realm that is the true nature of phenomena.
Thus, given that awareness is pure by nature, its essence as emptiness is dharmakaya, its nature as lucidity is sambhogakaya, and the way in which its innate responsiveness arises is nirmanakaya. These three are timelessly and spontaneously present without having to be sought. This great, undiminishing treasure is the utterly lucid mandala that abides as the ground of being. Even as anything at all arises within that context-be it awareness's own manifestations as perceived purely by buddhas or as perceived impurely by ordinary beings-it is only the display of basic space as the true nature of phenomena. Nothing else arises, just as nothing you dream about, be it good or bad, goes beyond the context of sleep. Naturally Arising Awareness states:
Due to the sun of awareness rising within the realm of emptiness, the five unchanging kayas arise directly from the mandala of the great, undiminishing treasure. They present a nondual display within a nonconceptual state. On the level of truth, the five mind-body aggregates, without being deliberately structured, are revealed as a magical display of appearances, however they manifest.
And The All-Creating Monarch states:
The three kayas are subsumed within me, the all-creating one. All phenomena, however they manifest, have three uncontrived aspects-nature, essence, and responsiveness. I reveal these three kayas to be my suchness.
Therefore, it can be shown that the universe of appearances and possibilities, which manifests as samsara and nirvana, is the magical expression of basic space:
Mind itself is a vast expanse, the realm of unchanging space. Its indeterminate display is the expanse of the magical expression of its responsiveness. Everything is the adornment of basic space and nothing else. Outwardly and inwardly, things proliferating and resolving are the dynamic energy of awakened mind. Because this is nothing whatsoever yet arises as anything at all, it is a marvelous and magical expression, amazing and superb.
In the spacelike context of one's self-knowing awareness, this display of myriad phenomena-this animate and inanimate universe that seems to endure-is revealed to be amazing and superb, since it arises timelessly as a continuous magical expression within an unborn state. Naturally Arising Awareness states:
Awareness, difficult for anyone to realize, is subtle, hard to comprehend, and seen by no one. It cannot be reified, but is equally present everywhere as the expanse of naturally occurring well-being. It arises as the display of samsara and nirvana within a continuous context.
And The All-Creating Monarch states:
All phenomena are awakened mind, and to use a metaphor-the universal metaphor-their nature is like space, which is also the ultimate meaning of awakened mind. Space, air, water, earth, and fire-these five are the superb manifest aspect of buddhahood within awakened mind. The manifestations of the three planes of conditioned existence, the five paths, and the six classes of beings are also the manifest aspect of buddhahood, which is not affected by the consequences of karma. The three realms are timelessly the form, speech, and mind of enlightenment. And so, just as there is nothing in the entire universe-the universe of all appearances and possibilities-that does not abide within the realm of space, so too the enormous scope of the vast expanse of awakened mind is such that buddhas, ordinary beings, and the entire universe are present therein.
The way in which the display arises within the expanse of awakened mind can be explained in detail:
Throughout the entire universe, all beings and all that manifests as form are adornments of basic space, arising as the ongoing principle of enlightened form. What is audible, all sounds and voices without exception, as many as there may be, are adornments of basic space, arising as the ongoing principle of enlightened speech. All consciousness and all stirring and proliferation of thoughts, as well as the inconceivable range of nonconceptual states, are adornments of basic space, arising as the ongoing principle of enlightened mind.
Within this scope of awareness, all the sensory appearances that manifest as the universe of appearances and possibilities, whether of samsara or nirvana, arise naturally as awareness's own manifestations, their very essence being nothing other than that of a dream, their nature that of the moon's reflection in water. All manifest forms are the mandala, or display, of enlightened form as an aspect of naturally occurring timeless awareness. All sounds and voices are the mandala of enlightened speech. Ordinary consciousness and the vast range of nonconceptual timeless awareness arise naturally as nothing more than the display of the supreme mandala of enlightened mind. Not even afflictive emotional patterns, which manifest due to the six sense faculties and their attendant objects being invested with identity, stray from the context of this single mandala of naturally occurring timeless awareness. The Tantra Without Letters states:
Everything that occurs-perceptions based on confusion-is my mind. Everything that abides-perceptions based on confusion-is my enlightened mind. Everything that manifests-perceptions based on confusion-is my enlightened form. Everything that is audible-perceptions based on confusion-is my enlightened speech.
And The All-Creating Monarch states:
Ah! The all-creating monarch, teacher of teachers, arrays the heart essence as the mandala of enlightened form. However phenomena appear and remain, they are all arrayed within the realm of the unborn basic space of phenomena. Moreover, because there is no acceptance or rejection with regard to the ultimate meaning of this heart essence, I, the all-creating one, have also arrayed them. Ah! The all-creating monarch, teacher of teachers, arrays the heart essence as the mandala of enlightened speech. However phenomena are audible and endure, they are all arrayed through words as enlightened speech within the realm of unborn basic space.
Edited by spinvis (01/25/24 11:34 AM)
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spinvis
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: tree frog] 1
#28634533 - 01/25/24 01:44 PM (3 days, 42 minutes ago) |
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Quote:
tree frog said: Light meditation trips me up in the tibatan terminology and I tend to get hung up on eye consciousness in particular being into psychedelics. Lately the entheogens have been drawing me into shadow work. Granted I fell back into some habits over covid so there's a lot of shadow work happening around boundaries and precepts.
Is light a metaphor for the reflexive nature of mind to cognize?
The text above and stuff I've read on Nirvana suggests that the mind can't cognize itself.
That the Nirvana event is touching the essence and the place cognition ends because the essence is both the birth and death of all cognitive events.
A sign arises after (Oh, I touched it). But the cognitive act is again a sign and not the essence itself.
My reflections anyway after eating a small handful of dried Bisporus today and doing a lot of energy work 'in the dark'.
And of course, carrying this conversation with me into all of that.
Your story reminded me somewhat of the following:
Ronald David Laing;
Quote:
Before one goes through the gate one may not be aware there is a gate One may think there is a gate to go through and look a long time for it without finding it One may find it and it may not open If it opens one may be through it As one goes through it one sees that the gate one went through was the self that went through it no one went through a gate there was no gate to go through no one ever found a gate no one ever realized there was never a gate
Thanks for sharing your experiences and story! Hopefully the following answers your question.
Longchenpa - The Seven Treasuries - Volume 5 - The Precious Treasury of The Way of Abiding - 4. The Theme of Oneness;
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To reveal the key point, all phenomena are first shown to have the same source:
Next, the nature of oneness is revealed. Awareness—oneness—is the ground of all phenomena. Although there is the appearance of multiplicity, to say that there is no wavering from oneness is to say that naturally occurring timeless awareness is the single source. Although fire and water manifest separately from a single gem under specific circumstances, their source—the pure gem—is the same. Similarly, although both samsara and nirvana arise from oneness, self-knowing awareness, their source—ultimate awakened mind—is the same. There is simply the illusion of difference based on whether or not awareness is recognized.
Fire or water comes from a single gem because of the specific properties of the sunlight or moonlight shining on it. Similarly, there are different manifestations: samsara, due to nonrecognition of the very essence of awareness, and nirvana, due to recognition. Although they are the display, or the arising mode, of a single awareness, in their essence they neither separate nor waver from it.
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spinvis
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: syncro] 1
#28635223 - 01/26/24 04:45 AM (2 days, 9 hours ago) |
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What follows are excerpts, from the book I previously mentioned. The first chapter/question I posted in another thread previously, however I included it here again, to avoid confusion.
John Blofeld; Hui Hai - The Zen Teaching of Hui Hai on Sudden Illumination - 2;
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Q: What method must we practise in order to attain deliverance? A: It can be attained only through a sudden Illumination. Q: What is a sudden Illumination? A: Sudden means ridding yourselves of deluded thoughts instantaneously. Illumination means the realization that Illumination is not something to be attained. Q: From where do we start this practice? A: You must start from the very root. Q: And what is that? A: MIND is the root. Q: How can this be known? A: The Lankavatara Sutra says: ‘When mental processes (hsin) arise, then do all dharmas (phenomena) spring forth; and when mental processes cease, then do all dharmas cease likewise.’ The Vimalakirti Sutra says: ‘Those desiring to attain the Pure Land must first purify their own minds, for the purification of mind is the purity of the Buddha-Land.’ The Sutra of the Doctrine Bequeathed by the Buddha says: ‘Just by mind-control, all things become possible to us.’ In another sutra it says: ‘Sages seek from mind, not from the Buddha; fools seek from the Buddha instead of seeking from mind. Wise men regulate their minds rather than their persons; fools regulate their persons rather than their minds.’ The Sutra of the Names of the Buddha states: ‘Evil springs forth from the mind, and by the mind is evil overcome.’ Thus we may know that all good and evil proceed from our minds and that mind is therefore the root. If you desire deliverance, you must first know all about the root. Unless you can penetrate to this truth, all your efforts will be vain; for, while you are still seeking something from forms external to yourselves, you will never attain. The Dhyanaparamita Sutra says: ‘For as long as you direct your search to the forms around you, you will not attain your goal even after aeon upon aeon; whereas, by contemplating your inner awareness, you can achieve Buddhahood in a single flash of thought.’ Q: By what means is the root-practice to be performed? A: Only by sitting in meditation, for it is accomplished by dhyana (ch‘an) and samadhi (ting). The Dhyana-paramita Sutra says: ‘Dhyana and samadhi are essential to the search for the sacred knowledge of the Buddhas; for, without these, the thoughts remain in tumult and the roots of goodness suffer damage.’ Q: Please describe dhyana and samadhi. A: When wrong thinking ceases, that is dhyana; when you sit contemplating your original nature, that is samadhi, for indeed that original nature is your eternal mind. By samadhi, you withdraw your minds from their surroundings, thereby making them impervious to the eight winds, that is to say, impervious to gain and loss, calumny and eulogy, praise and blame, sorrow and joy. By concentrating in this way, even ordinary people may enter the state of Buddhahood. How can that be so? The Sutra of the Bodhisattva-Precepts says: ‘All beings who observe the Buddha-Precept thereby enter Buddhahood.’ Other names for this are deliverance, gaining the further shore, transcending the six states of mortal being, o’erleaping the three worlds, or becoming a mighty Bodhisattva, an omnipotent Sage, a Conqueror!
John Blofeld; Hui Hai - The Zen Teaching of Hui Hai on Sudden Illumination - 3;
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Q: Whereon should the mind settle and dwell? A: It should settle upon non-dwelling and there dwell. Q: What is this non-dwelling? A: It means not allowing the mind to dwell upon anything whatsoever. Q: And what is the meaning of that? A: Dwelling upon nothing means that the mind is not fixed upon good or evil, being or non-being, inside or outside or somewhere between the two, void or non-void, concentration or distraction. This dwelling upon nothing is the state in which it should dwell; those who attain to it are said to have non-dwelling minds—in other words, they have Buddha-Minds! Q: What does mind resemble? A: Mind has no colour, such as green or yellow, red or white; it is not long or short; it does not vanish or appear; it is free from purity and impurity alike; and its duration is eternal. It is utter stillness. Such, then, is the form and shape of our original mind, which is also our original body—the Buddhakaya! Q: By what means do this body or mind perceive? Can they perceive with the eyes, ears, nose, sense of touch and consciousness? A: No, there are not several means of perception like that. Q: Then, what sort of perception is involved, since it is unlike any of those already mentioned? A: It is perception by means of your own nature (svabhava). How so? Because your own nature being essentially pure and utterly still, its immaterial and motionless ‘substance’ is capable of this perception. Q: Yet, since that pure ‘substance’ cannot be found, where does such perception come from? A: We may liken it to a bright mirror which, though it contains no forms, can nevertheless ‘perceive’ all forms. Why? Just because it is free from mental activity. If you students of the Way had minds unstained, they would not give rise to falsehood and their attachment to the subjective ego and to objective externals would vanish; then purity would arise of itself and you would thereby be capable of such perception. The Dharmapada Sitra says: ‘To establish ourselves amid perfect voidness in a single flash is excellent wisdom indeed!’
John Blofeld; Hui Hai - The Zen Teaching of Hui Hai on Sudden Illumination - 7;
Quote:
Q: When there are sounds, hearing occurs. When there are no sounds, does hearing persist or not? A: It does. Q: When there are sounds, it follows that we hear them, but how can hearing take place during the absence of sound? A: We are now talking of that hearing which is independent of there being any sound or not. How can that be? The nature of hearing being eternal, we continue to hear whether sounds are present or not. Q: If that is so, who or what is the hearer? A: It is your own nature which hears and it is the inner cognizer who knows. Q: As to the gateway of sudden Illumination, what are its doctrine, its aim, its substance and its function? A: To refrain from thinking (nien) is its doctrine; not to allow wrong thoughts to arise is its aim; purity is its substance and wisdom is its function. Q: We have said that its doctrine is to refrain from thinking, but we have not yet examined the meaning of this term. What is it that we must refrain from thinking about? A: It means that we must refrain from wrong thinking, but not from right thinking. Q: What are wrong thinking and right thinking? A: Thinking in terms of being and non-being is called wrong thinking, while not thinking in those terms is called right thinking. Similarly, thinking in terms of good and evil is wrong; not to think so is right thinking. The same applies to all the other categories of opposites—sorrow and joy, beginning and end, acceptance and rejection, dislikes and likes, aversion and love, all of which are called wrong thinking, while to abstain from thinking in those categories is called right thinking. Q: Please define right thinking (more positively). A: It means thinking solely of Bodhi (Enlightenment). Q: Is Bodhi something tangible? A: It is not. Q: But how can we think solely of Bodhi if it is intangible? A: It is as though Bodhi were a mere name applied to something which, in fact, is intangible, something which never has been nor ever will be attained. Being intangible, it cannot be thought about, and it is just this not thinking about it which is called rightly thinking of Bodhi as something not to be thought about—for this implies that your mind dwells upon nothing whatsoever. The term ‘not to be thought about’ is like the various kinds of not-thinking mentioned earlier, all of which are but names convenient for use in certain circumstances—all are of the one substance in which no differences or diversities exist. Simply to be conscious of mind as resting upon nothing whatsoever is to be without thought; and whoever reaches this state is naturally delivered.
John Blofeld; Hui Hai - The Zen Teaching of Hui Hai on Sudden Illumination - 10;
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Q: When you said that wisdom is the function, what did you mean by wisdom? A: The knowledge that by realizing the voidness of all opposites deliverance is assured and that, without this realization, you will never gain deliverance. This is what we call wisdom or knowing wrong from right. Another name for it is knowing the function of the ‘substance’. Concerning the unreality of opposites, it is the wisdom inherent in the ‘substance’ which makes it known that to realize their voidness means liberation and that there can be no more doubt about it. This is what we mean by function. In speaking thus of the unreality of opposites, we refer to the non-existence of relativities such as ‘is’ and ‘is not’, good and evil, love and aversion, and so on. Q: By what means can the gateway of our school be entered? A: By means of the danaparamita. Q: According to the Buddha, the Bodhisattva-Path comprises six paramitas. Why, then, have you mentioned only the one? Please explain why this one alone provides a sufficient means for us to enter. A: Deluded people fail to understand that the other five all proceed from the danaparamita and that by its practice all the others are fulfilled. Q: Why is it called the danaparamita? A: Dana means relinquishment. Q: Relinquishment of what? A: Relinquishment of the dualism of opposites. Q: Which means? A: It means total relinquishment of ideas as to the dual nature of good and bad, being and non-being, love and aversion, void and non-void, concentration and distraction, pure and impure. By giving all of them up, we attain to a state in which all opposites are seen as void. The real practice of the danaparamita entails achieving this state without any thought of ‘Now I see that opposites are void’ or ‘Now I have relinquished all of them’. We may also call it the simultaneous cutting off of the myriad types of concurrent causes; for it is when these are cut off that the whole Dharma-Nature becomes void; and this voidness of the Dharma-Nature means the non-dwelling of the mind upon anything whatsoever. Once that state is achieved, not a single form can be discerned. Why? Because our self-nature is immaterial and does not contain a single thing (foreign to itself). That which contains no single thing is true Reality, the marvellous form of the Tathagata. It is said in the Diamond Sutra: ‘Those who relinquish all forms are called Buddhas (Enlightened Ones).’ . Q: However, the Buddha did speak of six paramitas, so why do you now say they can all be fulfilled in that one? Please give your reason for this. A: The Sutra of the Questions of Brahma says: ‘Jala-vidya, the Elder, spoke unto Brahma and said: ‘‘Bodhisattvas by relinquishing all defilements (klesa) may be said to have fulfilled the danaparamita, also known as total relinquishment; being beguiled by nothing, they may be said to have fulfilled the silaparamita, also known as observing the precepts; being hurt by nothing, they may be said to have fulfilled the ksantiparamita, also known as exercising forbearance; clinging to nothing, they may be said to have fulfilled the viryaparamita, also known as exercising zeal; dwelling on nothing, they may be said to have fulfilled the dhyanaparamita, also known as practising dhyana and samadhi; speaking lightly of nothing, they may be said to have fulfilled the prajfiaparamita, also known as exercising wisdom. Together, they are named the six methods.” Now I am going to speak about those six methods in a way which means precisely the same—the first entails relinquishment; the second, no arising (of perception, sensation, etc., etc., etc.); the third, no thinking; the fourth, remaining apart from forms; the fifth, non-abiding (of the mind); and the sixth, no indulgence in light speech. We give different names to these six methods only for convenience in dealing with passing needs; for, when we come to the marvellous principle involved in them all, we find no differences at all. So you have only to understand that, by a single act of relinquishment, EVERYTHING is relinquished; and that no arising means no arising of anything whatsoever. Those who have lost their way have no intuitive understanding of this; that is why they speak of the methods as though they differed from one another. Fools bogged down in a multiplicity of methods revolve endlessly from life-span to life-span. I exhort you students to practise the way of relinquishment and nothing else, for it brings to perfection not only the other five paramitas but also myriads of dharmas (methods).
John Blofeld; Hui Hai - The Zen Teaching of Hui Hai on Sudden Illumination - 12;
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Q; When the mind rests in a state of purity, will that not give rise to some attachment to purity? A: If, on reaching the state of purity, you refrain from thinking ‘now my mind is resting in purity’, there will be no such attachment. Q: When the mind rests in a state of void, will that not entail some attachment to void? A: If you think of your mind as resting in a state of void, then there will be such an attachment. Q: When the mind reaches the state of not dwelling upon anything, and continues in that state, will there not be some attachment to its not dwelling upon anything? A: So long as your mind is fixed solely on void, there is nothing to which you can attach yourself. If you want to understand the non-dwelling mind very clearly, while you are actually sitting in meditation, you must be cognizant only of the mind and not permit yourself to make judgements—that is, you must avoid evaluations in terms of good, evil or anything else. Whatever is past is past, so do not sit in judgement upon it; for, when minding about the past ceases of itself, it can be said that there is no longer any past. Whatever is in the future is not here yet, so do not direct your hopes and longings towards it; for, when minding about the future ceases of itself, it can be said that there is no future. Whatever is present is now at hand; just be conscious of your non-attachment to everything—non-attachment in the sense of not allowing any love or aversion for anything to enter your mind; for, when minding the present ceases of itself, we may say that there is no present. When there is no clinging to any of those three periods, they may be said not to exist. Should your mind wander away, do not follow it, whereupon your wandering mind will stop wandering of its own accord. Should your mind desire to linger somewhere, do not follow it and do not dwell there, whereupon your mind’s questing for a dwelling-place will cease of its own accord. Thereby, you will come to possess a non-dwelling mind—a mind which remains in the state of non-dwelling. If you are fully aware in yourself of a non-dwelling mind, you will discover that there is just the fact of dwelling, with nothing to dwell upon or not to dwell upon. This full awareness in yourself of a mind dwelling upon nothing is known as having a clear perception of your own mind or, in other words, as having a clear perception of your own nature. A mind which dwells upon nothing is the Buddha-Mind, the mind of one already delivered, Bodhi-Mind, Uncreate Mind; it is also called realization that the nature of all appearances is unreal. It is this which the sutras call ‘patient realisation of the Uncreate’. If you have not realized it yet, you must strive and strive, you must increase your exertions. Then, when your efforts are crowned with success, you will have attained to understanding from within yourself—an understanding stemming from a mind that abides nowhere, by which we mean a mind free from delusion and reality alike. A mind disturbed by love and aversion is deluded; a mind free from both of them is real; and a mind thus freed reaches the state in which opposites are seen as void, whereby freedom and deliverance are obtained.
John Blofeld; Hui Hai - The Zen Teaching of Hui Hai on Sudden Illumination - 24;
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Q: As to the Buddhas and the Dharma, which of them anteceded the other? If the Dharma came first, how can there have been a Buddha to preach it; but, if a Buddha came first, then what doctrine led to his attainment? A: The Buddhas anteceded the Dharma in one sense, but came after it in another. Q: How is that possible? A: If you mean the Quiescent Dharma, then the Dharma anteceded the Buddhas; but, if you mean the written or spoken Dharma, then it was the Buddhas who came first and the Dharma which followed them. How so? Because every one of the Buddhas attained Buddhahood by means of the Quiescent Dharma—in that sense, the Dharma anteceded them. The ‘Teacher of all the Buddhas’ mentioned in the sutra is the Dharma; it was not until they had attained Buddhahood that they first embarked upon their detailed exposition of the Twelve Divisions of the Sutras for the purpose of converting sentient beings. When these sentient beings follow and practise the Dharma preached by previous Buddhas, thereby attaining Buddhahood, that is also a case of the Dharma anteceding the Buddha.
John Blofeld; Hui Hai - The Zen Teaching of Hui Hai on Sudden Illumination - PART TWO - 11;
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Upon the same day, as the assembly of monks did not break up at the usual time, the Master said: ‘Why do you not disperse? This poor monk has already sat face to face with you. Just go and rest. What doubts do you still entertain?!’ Do not misuse your minds and waste your energy. If something is still bothering you, hurry up and ask whatever you wish.’ Then Fa Yuan, one of the monks present, asked: “What are Buddha, Dharma and Sangha; what are the Three Jewels in One Substance? We beg you, Master, to explain.’ M: ‘Mind is the Buddha and it is needless to use this Buddha to seek the Buddha. Mind is the Dharma and it is needless to use this Dharma to seek the Dharma. Buddha and Dharma are not separate entities and their together-ness forms the Sangha. Such is the meaning of Three Jewels in One Substance. A sutra says: “Mind, Buddha and sentient beings—there is no difference between any of them. When your body, speech and mind are purified, we say a Buddha has appeared in the world. When these three become impure, we say a Buddha has been extinguished.” For example, when you are angry you are not joyous, and when you are joyous you are not angry; yet, in both cases, there is only the one mind which is not of two substances. Fundamental wisdom is self-existent; when the passionless (anasraya—that which is outside the stream of trans-migration) appears, it is like a snake becoming a dragon without changing its scaly skin. Likewise, when a sentient being turns his mind towards Buddhahood, he does not change his physiognomy. Our Nature, which is intrinsically pure, does not rely on any practice in order to achieve its own state. Only the arrogant claim that there are practice and realization. The real void is without obstruction and its function is, under all circumstances, inexhaustible. It is without beginning or end. A man of high spirituality is capable of sudden Illumination, whereon its function will be (seen to be) unsurpassable—this is Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (Unexcelled Enlightenment). Mind has neither form nor shape; it is the subtle Sambhogakaya. That which is formless is the Dharmakaya of Reality. That of which the nature and phenomenal expression are void is the Boundless Immaterial Body. That which is adorned with a myriad modes of salvation is the Dharmakaya of Merit, which is the fundamental power responsible for the conversion of sentient beings; it (mind) is named according to how it appears and its wisdom is inexhaustible—hence it is called the Inexhaustible Treasury. As the progenitor of all phenomena (dharmas), it is called the Primal Dharma Treasury. As the container of all knowledge, it is called the Wisdom Treasury. As the Suchness to which all phenomena ultimately return, it is called the Tathagata Treasury. The Diamond Sutra says: ““Tathagata means the Suchness of all dharmas.”’ Another sutra says: “‘Of all the dharmas in the universe coming into existence and fading out of existence, there is not one which does not return to the Suchness.”’’
Edited by spinvis (01/26/24 08:09 AM)
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syncro
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: spinvis] 1
#28635444 - 01/26/24 09:54 AM (2 days, 4 hours ago) |
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"must first purify their own minds"
It is sufficient, but I notice it being the bodies, which is why I like the 'kaya', body vocab, and it is the way my mind works with it, that everything (around dukkha and moksha) is bodies. The trikaya fits well with it, in my way of seeing.
With the image of the likeness of Longchenpa, I was filled with joy, and in the chest, diaphragm, belly was opened, released into that.
Though making without (wrong) thought is sufficient and everything, in the yogas there are emphases on purifying the bodies with subtle elements. Bodies, elements, are mind, and mind is body.
The body takes the form of the practice, or objects, the dharmakaya, anandakaya. I like to see mahamudra as body. It is the same as the form of the mantra which becomes it.
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syncro
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: spinvis] 1
#28635501 - 01/26/24 10:52 AM (2 days, 3 hours ago) |
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And as many interpretations of these terms as there are souls. I vote take it as you like. Some maintain say Dharmakaya as body of teachings, yet it is also disagreed with as literal. It reminds me of the thought that everyone can write their own version of Ramayana which will join it.
Edited by syncro (01/26/24 10:53 AM)
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syncro
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: syncro] 1
#28635522 - 01/26/24 11:20 AM (2 days, 3 hours ago) |
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There are as many paths to God as there are souls on earth.
I also didn't mean to imply it as a different path per se, but an emphasis. I imagine there are similar practices in Buddhism, as the principle of bhuta shuddhi, purification of the elements, though my personal uses of the body ideas are beyond purification, in how things manifest and are described.
There are principles in the yogas of taking on new bodies, a divine body which I fit with trikaya, the threefold bodies of Buddha.
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spinvis
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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: syncro] 1
#28635945 - 01/26/24 05:35 PM (1 day, 20 hours ago) |
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For Zen, the following book: 'Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy' is highly recommend reading material within this regard.
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spinvis
Stranger

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Re: Agency, Who is the doer? [Re: syncro] 1
#28636593 - 01/27/24 08:34 AM (1 day, 5 hours ago) |
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Some excerpts with examples from Zen. The author approaches it from a scientific viewpoint, which makes the material a bit dry, very thorough and clear with scientific research incorporated and backing it up.
Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy - CHAPTER ONE Orientations
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Subsequently, by stilling the activity of our mind, a state is reached in which time, space, and causation, which constitute the framework of consciousness, drop away. We call this condition “body and mind fallen off.” In ordinary mental activity the cerebral cortex takes the major role, but in this state, apparently, it is hardly active at all. “Body and mind fallen off” may seem to be nothing but a condition of mere being, but this mere being is accompanied by a remarkable mental power, which we may characterize as a condition of extreme wakefulness. To those who have not experienced it, this description may seem strange, yet the condition really does occur in samadhi. At the time, however, we are not aware of it, because, as we shall explain in chapter 10, there is no reflecting activity of consciousness, and it is thus hard to describe. However, if we were to try to describe it, it would be as an extraordinary mental stillness. In this stillness, or emptiness, the source of all kinds of activity is latent. It is this state that we call pure existence. This, perhaps, is the most simplified form of human existence. If you catch hold of this state of pure existence, and then come back into the actual world of conscious activity, you will find that Being itself appears transformed. Because of the possibility of this transformation, Being is said to be “veiled in darkness” to the eyes of those who have not experienced pure existence. When mature in the practice of zazen, Being is seen with one’s own eyes. Or, as it is said in the sutras, “The Tathagata sees Buddha Nature with his naked eyes.”
Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy - CHAPTER THREE The Physiology of Attention
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This inhibition can be sustained as long as the breath is kept stopped or almost stopped. It is true that your eyes are reflecting the images of outside objects clearly, but “perception” does not occur. No thinking of the hill, no idea of the building or the picture, no mental process concerning things inside or outside your mind will appear. Your eyes will simply reflect the images of outside objects as a mirror reflects them. This simplest mental action may be called “pure sensation.” William James, in his classic study of psychology, depicts this pure sensation as follows: “Sensation distinguished from Perception.—It is impossible rigorously to define a sensation; and in the actual life of consciousness sensations, popularly so called, and perceptions merge into each other by insensible degrees. All we can say is that what we mean by sensations are FIRST things in the way of consciousness. They are the immediate results upon consciousness of nerve-currents as they enter the brain, and before they have awakened any suggestions or associations with past experience. But it is obvious that such immediate sensations can only be realized in the earliest days of life. They are all but impossible to adults with memories and stores of associations acquired. Prior to all impressions on sense-organs, the brain is plunged in deep sleep and consciousness is practically non-existent. Even the first weeks after birth are passed in almost unbroken sleep by human infants. It takes a strong message from the sense-organs to break this slumber. In a new-born brain this gives rise to an absolutely pure sensation. But the experience leaves its ‘unimaginable touch’ on the matter of the convolutions, and the next impression which a sense-organ transmits produces a cerebral reaction in which the awakened vestige of the last impression plays its part. Another sort of feeling and a higher grade of cognition are the consequence. ‘Ideas’ about the object mingle with awareness of its mere sensible presence, we name it, class it, compare it, utter propositions concerning it, and the complication of the possible consciousness which an incoming current may arouse, goes on increasing to the end of life. In general, this higher consciousness about things is called Perception, the mere inarticulate feeling of their presence is Sensation, so far as we have it at all. To some degree we seem able to lapse into this inarticulate feeling at moments when our attention is entirely dispersed.”
. . .
In the experiment of one-minute zazen described above, you stopped or almost stopped breathing. The purpose of that was to create tension in the respiratory muscles and so bring about the effect referred to. The thought-controlling power of the wakefulness center can be regarded as a mental or spiritual power. However, the power is sustained by the stimulation coming from the tension in the respiratory muscles of the abdomen, which do not themselves think, of course, but by their straining permit that power to be generated. So we may regard these muscles—or the tanden in general—as the root of spiritual power. The physiology textbook tells us, it is true, that the second cycle is formed between the wakefulness center and the peripheral muscles in general. But we suggest that among the muscles the respiratory ones alone can provide a strong enough stimulus to control thought for any length of time. When you strike a hammer blow, or leap out of a window, no thought occurs in your mind. The momentary tension of the skeletal muscles here presumably generates a strong impulse that is transmitted to the wakefulness center, which it occupies, with consequent inhibition of thoughts. But this inhibition is momentary. On the other hand, the tension of the respiratory muscles of the abdomen can be maintained in such a way as to take possession of the wakefulness center for a much longer time.
Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy - CHAPTER FOUR Breathing in Zazen
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The major muscles of inspiration are the diaphragm, the external intercostals, and a number of small muscles in the neck. The inspiratory muscles cause the pleural cavity to enlarge in two ways. First, if the lower abdomen is allowed to fill out or inflate, this facilitates the downward movement of the diaphragm, which in turn pulls the bottom of the pleural cavity downward. This is called abdominal respiration. Secondly, the external intercostal muscles and the muscles of the neck combine to lift the front of the thoracic cage, directing the ribs farther forward than previously and thus increasing the depth of the pleural cavity. This may be called thoracic inspiration. In zazen it is exclusively the former method that is used. This is because the thoracic method elevates the thoracic cage and displaces tension upward, thereby partly depriving the lower abdomen of its internal pressure, while the abdominal method pulls the cavity downward and increases the pressure in the lower abdomen. As we have already emphasized, in zazen, tension and pressure must be kept in the lower part of the abdomen as much as possible, as this brings about both physical and mental stability. The major muscles of expiration are the abdominals and, to a lesser extent, the internal intercostals. The abdominal muscles cause expiration in two ways. First, they pull downward on the chest cage and reduce its thickness. Secondly, they force the abdominal contents upward against the diaphragm, reducing the length of the thoracic cage. The internal intercostals help in expiration to a small extent by pulling the ribs downward, which also reduces the depth of the thoracic cage. In zazen, we repeat, the thoracic cage is to be kept as still as possible. Inspiration is performed by inflating the lower abdomen, while expiration is performed by contracting the abdominal muscles. There is, however, an important difference between the method of expiration in normal breathing and in zazen. In normal abdominal respiration the abdominal muscles are simply contracted, which pushes the viscera upward, causing them to press on the diaphragm, which in turn expels air from the lungs. However, in zazen, the free contraction of the abdominal muscles and their upward pushing movement are opposed by the diaphragm. This produces bated breath.
Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy - CHAPTER FIVE Counting and Following the Breath
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COUNTING THE BREATH It is usual to begin the practice of zazen by counting your breaths. There are three ways of doing this: (1) Count both inhalations and exhalations. When you inhale, count “one” inwardly; when you exhale, count “two,” and so on up to ten. Then return to one again and repeat the process. Perhaps at first it may be helpful to whisper the count inaudibly, or even audibly. Then, except for occasions when you feel the need for audible counting, concentrate on the counting inwardly, stressing your vocal cords but not making any sound. (2) Count your exhalations only, from one to ten, and repeat. Let the inhalations pass without counting them. (3) Count your inhalations only, letting the exhalations pass without counting them. Of these three, the first method is generally used for the initiation of beginners, the second is recognized as a more advanced step, and the third is somewhat difficult for a beginner but gives good training in inspiration.
. . .
One final word on the topic of counting the breaths. If, after making good progress in zazen, you return to this practice once more, you will find that it leads to the development of an extraordinarily brilliant condition of consciousness. But this is not to be expected in the zazen of beginners. Therefore, the teacher is usually satisfied if his pupil can master just the elements of counting the breaths and will then pass him to another kind of practice. The pupil may suppose that he has finished with this sort of discipline and that he will not have to practice it again, but this is mistaken. Students practicing alone may also revert to counting the breaths from time to time, even though they have gone on to other kinds of exercises.
. . .
Instructions for following the breath are very simple. Follow each inhalation and exhalation with concentrated attention. At the beginning of your exhalation, breathe out naturally, and then when you reach a point near the horizon of breathing, squeeze the respiratory muscles so as nearly to stop breathing. With the epiglottis open, the air remaining in the lungs will almost imperceptibly escape, little by little. At first this escape will be so slight that you may not notice it. But presently it will become noticeable, and as the exhalation goes below the horizon you will find that the air is being pushed out intermittently. If you regulate the escape of air in a methodical manner you will advance more effectively toward samadhi. The longer the exhalation, the sooner you will be there. However, a very long exhalation must necessarily be followed by short, rather quick respirations, to make good the oxygen deficiency that results. This more rapid respiration need not disturb samadhi, as long as you continue with abdominal breathing. However, if you find such an irregular method of breathing uncongenial, try shorter exhalations. These seem to be used by many Zen students.
Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy - CHAPTER SIX Working on Mu
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THE BAMBOO METHOD OF EXHALATION I want to discuss here in detail a method of breathing that we have already touched upon, which to my mind is of great value in zazen and which, to my knowledge, is not described elsewhere in Zen literature. In practice, however, I believe many Zen students must have used this method without being aware of it. It has not been explicitly described before simply because nobody has previously taken the trouble to analyze in detail what he was doing. The method is to say, in one breath, “Mu . . . Mu . . . Mu . . .” or “Mu-u-u,” with intermittent or wavelike exhalation. We hit upon the name “bamboo method” for this type of exhalation, for just as a bamboo trunk has successive joints or nodes, so exhalation is stopped now and then for a little while, giving short pauses. The length of the intervals and exhalations may be decided according to the length of your breath. The possible variations are too diverse to be described here. I once foolishly tried to give much too detailed a procedure, going so far as to specify for how many seconds the breathing was to be stopped at each pause and how long the exhalations should be. This was a mistake. The method had developed as a result of long practice and thus came quite naturally to me, but to others who tried it such a rigid specification proved altogether too stiff and inflexible, and they found the method too troublesome to adopt. If you think of trying this method, do it as if you were pushing repeatedly at a closed door that will not open, saying, “Mu-u-u-u-uu.” Then in the course of time your own way of doing this will become more or less established. That method will itself no doubt undergo some modification as your training progresses, and eventually you will find that you have developed your own style. When we say “wavelike” this refers to a continuous but repeatedly stressed way of exhaling. “Intermittent,” on the other hand, implies rather long intervals between exhalations. When one’s samadhi becomes deeper, exhalation may seem almost stopped for a long while, with only an occasional faint escape of breath and almost imperceptible inhalation. Such variations of breathing appear spontaneously, according to the degree of development of one’s samadhi. With any of these patterns of breathing, however, we generally go down deep into the reserve volume. Why do we practice this kind of breathing? Once more, the answer is: (1) in order to make the tanden replete with power; and (2) to send repeated stimulation from the tanden to the wakefulness center of the brain, by which means, as we have already discussed (chapter 3), we inhibit the occurrence of thoughts and so bring about absolute samadhi. Consciousness is by nature constituted so as to be always thinking something, and if left to itself it starts daydreaming. These wandering thoughts are quite a natural thing, but one cannot get into samadhi if one’s mind is occupied with them. The bamboo method of exhaling is nothing more than a device for controlling wandering thoughts. Anyone who has practiced zazen will know how difficult it is to control wandering thoughts. We suggest that if you use the method just described you will find it somewhat easier to bring them under control.
Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy - CHAPTER NINE Koans
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THE SOUND OF FIREWOOD TUMBLING DOWN A certain monk suddenly realized his Original Self when he heard the sound of a heap of firewood tumbling down. In the sound he heard all things collapse—delusive thoughts, the habitual way of consciousness—leaving pure existence exposed. But in fact, the collapse had occurred long ago in his absolute samadhi. The realization was only a matter of noticing this for the first time, as if the falling away had taken place just at the moment that he heard the sound of the wood crashing down. The pure existence that made its appearance following the collapse wore a universal aspect; at the same time, it was an event inside himself. On such an occasion one hears in the sound of the falling wood the noise of the universe collapsing. The monk heard the hills, valleys, woods, and everything go down into the infernal region with a tremendous roar. Many such experiences have been related by Zen students, and there are many examples in Zen literature. These are the stories of kensho. Kensho is an event in positive samadhi, in which consciousness is in touch with the outer world.
Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy - CHAPTER TEN Three Nen-Actions and One-Eon Nen
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The impulse to theft, greed, anger, complaint—all make their appearance before one is aware of them. If the reflecting action of consciousness fails to appear and does not recognize them, they will pass unnoticed and sink into the depths of subconsciousness. However, a nen is an internal pressure of some kind, and if it is not consciously recognized it will remain in the subconscious, unresolved. In this way, some nen will undergo a kind of fermentation and perhaps cause harm to the mind, as we shall explain later. THE FIRST AND SECOND NEN Let us call the outward-looking action the first nen, and the reflecting action of consciousness the second nen. The first and the second nen come and go momentarily (Fig. 21), and when a serial process of thought is occurring the second nen will frequently arise to illuminate the preceding nen, and the two will intermix as if they were entangled with each other. This makes a person feel that, while thinking, he hears a voice within him that knows his thinking and gives advice to him. For instance, while roaring with anger, one may find another voice whispering in one’s ear, “Don’t get angry! You mustn’t lose yourself in a fit of rage!” This persuading voice is comparatively composed, but the first nen is bawling forth, and this is accompanied by an excitement of the entire body. All the nervous system, internal glands, even the circulation of the blood are thrown into a commotion. They are surging waves, like a mob demonstrating outside a public building, crying out, “Our patience is exhausted! It has gone beyond a question of gaining or sing.” Then the other voice will be quietly saying, “No, you should bear it to the best of your ability.” Of course, this is but one example. The first nen will often be quiet humor, the silence of the Himalayas, the mercy of Kannon, or the spiritual power of “silver mountains and iron cliffs.” THE THIRD NEN The second nen, which illuminates and reflects upon the immediately preceding nen, also does not know anything about itself. What will become aware of it is another reflecting action of consciousness that immediately follows in turn. This action is a further step in self-consciousness. It consolidates the earlier levels. We shall call it the third nen. This third nen will think, for example, “I know I noticed I had been thinking, ‘It’s fine today.’” Or it may say, “I know I was aware of my knowing that I noticed I had been thinking, ‘It’s fine today.’” For the sake of simplicity we may depict these nen as occurring in the first place in a linear progression, with groups of first, second, and third nen following sequentially (Fig. 22). In our example relating to the weather, we have first the observation, second the awareness of that observation, and third the acknowledgment of ourselves becoming aware of the observation. Subsequent acknowledgments may follow and are all in this context third nen, and thus the sequence becomes: first nen, second nen, third nen, third nen, third nen, and so on.
. . .
In our ordinary life, however, this one-eon nen is manifested, if deluded, as a deluded ego; if angry, as an angry ego; and so on. It is, in fact, no less than the first or the second or the third nen. What is required is the purification of these nen-thoughts, first through absolute samadhi, in which the habitual way of consciousness falls away, and then through positive samadhi—that is, through the socalled cultivation of Holy Buddhahood (see chapter 17)—in which a reconstruction of consciousness is carried out.
Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy - CHAPTER TWELVE Laughter and Zen
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INTERNAL PRESSURE AND LAUGHTER The connection between laughter and Zen arises in this way. Zen is largely a matter of how to deal with one’s internal pressure. Laughter, too, is a means of liberating internal pressure. Internal pressure comes from nen. We have already discussed nen at some length in chapter 10, but some additional explanation may be helpful. Nen (or nen-thought) is a term with many meanings. It may mean a fragmentary thought or a flash of thought. We hear a crash behind us and react by looking back. This is a reflex movement in which, it is generally believed, there is no thought. But in fact, at the moment of looking back a certain action of the mind is stirring in us. Something that asks, “What is the matter?” makes us look around. An internal pressure is arising in our mind, and it is in fact this that makes us look back. Or, to take another example, there may be a flash of jealousy at another’s success, or secret delight at his failure, in spite of an inward reproach that follows immediately and may cause us to feel remorse. Such a fragment of thought that momentarily appears in our mind is called nen. Nen has another meaning. Suppose a mother is fighting against a tiger to protect her child. There is only one thought in her mind— protection. This is a kind of willpower and is called nen, or in this case, ichi-nen. Ichi means “one” and here implies a full-scale, wholly concentrated action of the mind. A murderer may be driven by the single thought that he must kill such and such a person. This concentrated, persistent intention is also called nen. Nen is also used to mean ordinary thought. Nen involves the idea of drive, but it is more than that, since it covers all actions of the human mind. Nen is necessarily accompanied by internal pressure because all actions of the mind have that feature. In any nen-thought —for instance, wanting something, grudging a stupid fellow his fine house and beautiful wife, hating a neighbor, loving or delighting in anything or anybody—a certain degree of internal pressure develops in our minds. This is the case even when we think, “It’s fine today.” We are tempted to accost someone, saying, “It’s fine today, isn’t it!” in order to discharge our internal pressure. The slightest nen-thought or idea that appears in our mind is thus accompanied by internal pressure, which has both physiological and psychological aspects. We say in our routine way, “Good morning.” “How do you do?” “Did Dorothea go to school?” “I don’t want scrambled eggs this morning, I’ll have fried eggs.” To examine this sort of conversation may seem silly. But Zen takes up the slightest action of the mind and makes a great matter of it. “Good morning” makes a Zen koan. How to dispose of momentary internal pressure is central to the whole question of Zen practice. Now, laughter is one of the great masterpieces of humanity. We invented it to dispose of internal pressure.
Katsuki Sekida - Zen Training: Methods and Philosophy - CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Stages in Zen Training
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IN THIS CHAPTER I want to discuss two classics of Zen literature: first the traditional series of pictures called “In Search of the Missing Ox,” and second the Five Ranks or Situations of Tozan.
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TOZAN’S FIVE RANKS In searching for the ox, we were mainly dealing with the process of attaining enlightenment. Tozan’s Five Ranks are concerned with matters after enlightenment: that is, with the cultivation of Holy Buddhahood. Certain Buddhist schools assert that there are fifty-two stages through which the enlightened person has to pass before he reaches the true maturity of the Buddha. However, Tozan’s Five Ranks are sufficient to enable us to grasp the essential points. Before commenting on them in detail, however, we must introduce and explain certain essential terms used in describing these ranks. When one attains kensho and the habitual way of consciousness falls off, there appears what is called daien-kyōchi; this may be translated as “the great perfect Mirror of Wisdom” (dai, great; en, round, which here means “rounded maturity” and hence “perfect”; kyō, mirror; chi, wisdom). Everyone is innately equipped with this Mirror of Wisdom. However, in most people it has long been veiled because of the activity of our topsy-turvy delusive thought. In absolute samadhi the veil is cleared away and the perfect mirror is allowed to appear. This condition constitutes Tozan’s First Rank. The Mirror of Wisdom, however, still remains in darkness in the absolute samadhi of the First Rank. This rank corresponds to the eighth stage of searching for the ox, illustrated by the circle, in which body and mind have fallen off.
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Let us put these matters in another way. At an early stage in the cultivation of Holy Buddhahood, you may often find yourself failing to behave well; you do not what you would wish to do but what you hate. You say, “It should not be so,” but to no avail. However, as you go on, you begin to lose these discriminating motivations and ultimately come to find equality in distinction. It is this state that constitutes Tozan’s Second Rank. We used the words “Sho” and “honbun” to characterize the First Rank, which we connect with the world of equality. The Second Rank relates to the world of differentiation and distinction, which in Zen terminology is called hen (periphery). The two words “Sho” and “Hen” have no exact equivalents in English, and we shall not try to translate them here. However, to suggest their meanings, we will list contrasting terms that can be associated with them; in each pair, the first term represents Sho and the second Hen: absolute, relative; equality, distinction; emptiness, form; absolute samadhi, positive samadhi; darkness, light; yin, yang; no-thought, thought; inward, outward; central, peripheral; reason, matter; reality, appearance. Here we have a series of concepts that are in opposition to each other. However, in actual life, we find that we simply exist. When we are in absolute samadhi, we are in absolute quietness. When we are in positive samadhi, we are in vigorous activity. There is only one stream of existence, the continuum of the present. However, when we take up philosophical speculation again, we are once more confronted by ideas of reality and appearance, absolute and relative, and so on. Then once again we return to the continuum of one single existence. Sho and Hen alternate, each retaining, so to speak, a vague memory of the other. Thus, two situations can be considered: “Hen in Sho” (Tozan’s First Rank) and “Sho in Hen” (Tozan’s Second Rank). To go on from there, we abolish entirely the dualistic idea of Sho and Hen—absolute and relative, and so on—and bring about a synthesis and integration of them. There then remains the Real in its true sense. That is to say, when you are in absolute samadhi, you are in absolute samadhi; when you are in positive samadhi, you are in positive samadhi. There is only one fact—that you exist. This returning to “existing,” with the resumption of the activity of consciousness, constitutes Tozan’s Third Rank, “Coming from Sho.”
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