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Online Newsletter of the Prairie Zen Center - 515 S. Prospect, Champaign, IL 61820 Sept 2006 |
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Online Newsletter of the Prairie Zen Center - 515 S. Prospect, Champaign, IL 61820 Sept 2006 |
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(cleaning/set up)
(sitting and walking meditiation)
There will be no phone hours on Oct. 30th, 31st or Nov 2nd.
Phone - (217)355-8835
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- Dogen Zenji - Genmyo Upcoming Events - On Sunday, September 24th, Elihu will speak "On Hate and Violence in Religious Traditions" on the radio program “Keepin’ the Faith” broadcast on WILL 580 AM from 5 to 6 pm. Those outside the Central Illinois area can hear the program, real-time or archived, at http://www.will.uiuc.edu/am/ktf/default.htm. - On Saturday, September 30th Elihu will visit the Sangamon Zen Group in Springfield, Illinois. The day will be from 9:00am to 4:00pm and will include zazen, dharma talk, dokusan, discussion and a pot luck lunch at noon. A donation of $25 is requested. For information contact Ed Russell at 217-528-4834 or pzc@prairiezen.org. This group is an affiliate of the Prairie Zen Center. Audio Talks on the Web Site Dharma talks in audio (MP3) format are available on the PZC website. They can be accessed by going to the “Articles and Dharma Talks” page via the “Readings” menu of the web site. No donation is required to access the audio page, although contributions are welcome.
Tuesday Night Class |
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Driving a Hybrid Car An Edited Dharma Talk Elihu Genmyo Smith “Zazen,” Dogen Zenji writes, “is simply the Dharma gate of joyful ease.” Certainly we all want joyful ease. Though this is who we are, at times zazen seems quite hard not “joyful ease;” likewise, at times our life seems quite hard. Joko clarifies this: “joy is who we are if we’re not preoccupied with something else.” Joy does not mean “happy” or even “easy” in the ordinary sense of these words. It is not the opposite of difficulties, sadness, loss and suffering, but rather these, and the so-called positive emotions and circumstances, are in the midst of this joy. In believing and being caught up in self-centered views, in habits of body-mind, we do not allow life to be as we are. In taking things personally, i.e. “hard” etc., the personal blinds us to and keeps us from the reality of this moment, from this universal life. Being occupied in the self-centered perspective, life is excluded: there is no room for this moment as we are. I recently drove a Prius, a hybrid car with an electric motor and a gas motor. When a Prius is moving at slower speeds the electric engine is used and there is no engine noise; when more power is needed, a gas engine, with the attendant noise, kicks in. When at a stop light both engines shut off. When moving, the car uses only the engine that is needed for the power of the moment. When braking, the braking energy slows the car and this momentum/energy is converted into electric power which is stored in the battery. In a gas powered car, the engine is running even if the car is not moving, even when in neutral. Moving, the energy is transmitted to the axle(s) and turns the wheels. However, when braking and stopping, the engine is still operating, the energy is still being generated, but the brake is also being used to stop the car. The brake is applied even when at a stop sign because otherwise the car might move if there is momentum or energy is still being transmitted to the wheels. When are we at rest? Is our life like the car? When are we using energy, generating bodily tension, which is unnecessary for the task at hand? At this moment, do you feel unnecessary bodily tension, contraction? We may notice this in zazen, in being present. Are we tensing and holding to keep from moving; are we moving and contracting even as we seem to be still? Body and mind not two; now, is body-mind still? Practicing, we begin to notice what we are doing that gets in the way of abiding as this moment, of functioning and responding as this moment. Even though a hybrid car is not moving and the engine is shut off, the car is still functioning. Temperature is sensed and the car computer adjusts the climate control; and it may adjust the lights. Some cars “sense” whether something is too close. The car can “sense” where it is in the universe through global positioning. Of course, the analogy of a car and a human are not one to one; heart and brain “work” all through our life, body-mind is functioning. Nevertheless, there is ordinary functioning and there is added “voluntary” muscle contraction; unfortunately, what is voluntary sometimes seems to be involuntary – “automatic” reactions, habits, tensing, and contractions. Being present is this connectedness, this myriad phenomena universe. It is natural functioning, though at times we miss this. Running the engine when we are sitting still is being preoccupied with thoughts, sensations and emotions. This is self-centeredness. In zazen we notice the added holding and tension we are carrying along while sitting still. We discover this not because we think about it or figure it out, but because this awareness arises of itself in being bodily present. In a circular sense, zazen, inhabiting this moment universe, allows us to notice; noticing, we can bodily inhabit this moment universe. What are we carrying along right now? Are we like a car with a revving engine while braking at the stop sign? When there is held tension even while being stopped, when we are applying energy while at rest, are we fighting our life? Being present, we sense this. Releasing as this body mind awareness is opening as this present moment. Being present allows life to resolve as this moment. Ramana Maharshi speaks of someone getting onto a crowded bus with a suitcase and holding the suitcase while standing - instead of just putting it down and letting the bus carry it along. If you put it down, when you are ready to get off the suitcase is there for you to pick it up. Sometimes we carry along thoughts and emotions, body tensing and contracting, even while sitting still. Are we afraid that when we need the thoughts, feelings and so forth, they won’t be there - unless we review them over and over? As we sit, if we sense this carrying along, from the so-called past or for the so-called future, this noticing and being present is our practice. If you can settle and trust this as you are, be so. If not, be the carried along. Some cars can be programmed for the travel destination, and will prompt you as you drive along. We too may have plans for the future, and gather information, think about choices. However, until we need to act, nothing is necessary. Is it necessary to make sure that we still have the plans and are holding on to this? Sitting, we may discover how we are reviewing and planning, bodily, mentally, emotionally. Ongoing practice is right now being here, seeing what is necessary now and responding. On a computer or the Internet, sometimes we have to “reload” in order for the program to function smoothly and according to current circumstances - rather than based on a “past” format. Though zazen is not a means for any thing, as an analogy we can say zazen is “reloading” our functioning so as to be as we are, functioning smoothly as is now. Our practice is making the needed practice effort right here, releasing into this moment. Thoughts, feelings, even body tension, may arise. If and when this arises, including difficulties and suffering, the appropriate practice effort is noticing and opening as this moment, being breathed by breathing, being tensed by tension. Simply be this “joyful ease” that you are - nothing special or extra needed. Until my late 20’s I lived in New York City. I rarely drove. Nonetheless, as Maezumi Roshi’s attendant at Zen Center of Los Angeles, I often was his driver. Early on, noting my unease while driving, Roshi said, “Genmyo, you are driving the car; let the car drive the car.” Zazen is zazen zazening zazen. Explaining more, not me driving the car, not me sitting zazen. Practice is not being any particular thing, even openhearted; practice is opening this heart mind as is. This is a subtle but significant point. Zazen is not controlling this moment; not controlling “self”, not controlling “other,” but being this moment as is, allowing sitting to sit us. Being ordinary is being lived as the universe of everyday functioning. Appreciating life is inhabiting this moment, even when pain and suffering arise. Even lying on an icy couch is the Dharma gate of joyful ease. This is the opportunity and the effort of practice. Are we carrying something along? Exactly this bodily moment is our opportunity. Appreciating this moment right here is being this, seeing and taking care of what appears, responding as this functioning life. “Not two” is exactly this manifold functioning right here of the joy we are. © 2006 Elihu Genmyo Smith |
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