Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Eternal Peace

I realised that I have been missing Dogen. There was something about the accrued luminosity of Saturday, which carried over into Sunday - okay, it helped that it was a pearl of a day - that reminded me how being opened up while reading him can bring about a subtle dislocation which leaves you blinking anew. The silence of the one-day was hugely beneficial, along with a morning of riding alone with just occasional greetings to fellow riders, and I got to feel again how much can come from such an experience of spaciousness.
Well, that is how it was a couple of days ago. My energy started to dissipate with a gnarly Practice Committee meeting yesterday afternoon, and also two interactions this morning that left me feeling that I had not been heard or met, which took the wind out of my sails somewhat.
Nevertheless, I opened the Shobogenzo again, and this seemed the most appropriate paragraph: "When we reflect quietly, it appears that our body-and-mind has practiced together with all buddhas of the past, present and future, and has aroused the aspiration for enlightenment together with them. When we reflect on the past and future of our body-and-mind, we cannot find the boundary of self or others. With what delusion do we believe that our body-and-mind is apart from all buddhas of the past, present and future? Such delusion is groundless. How, then, can delusion hinder the arousing of the aspiration for enlightenment and practice of the way by all buddhas of the past, present and future? Thus, understand that the way is not a matter of your knowing or not knowing" - 'Only a Buddha and a Buddha'.

4 comments:

robert barrer said...

It was nice to read your Dogen quote right before going into my Finance Committee meeting.

Your study hall selections never fail to inspire me.

Shundo said...

Thanks Robert, see you tomorrow

HLH said...

Dear Shundo, It's Heather from the gaitan of many years. I just found this blog & the Dogen selection. Thank you.

I think of a sensation of separate-not-separate that I am grateful to be aware of at times during the daily, often when least suspecting.

Forgive me, this is not the most appropriate place, but I've wondered for a few weeks how best to say, "Way to go Cav!' & "Gee, what great riding weather we're having." Glad you got to ride last Sunday. It was so very.

Shundo said...

Hi Heather, glad you found this.
There is always room in the comments section for bike-related stuff, as you will find if you go through the archives. Are you congratulating Cav on being World Champion or being a father-to be?
Glad to see you back in the gaitan again as well.