Daily Zen..

[Bodhisattva]

THE LAW OF LOVE
==============

Fear and love are contradictory terms. Love is reckless in giving
away, oblivious as to what it gets in return. Love wrestles with the
world as with itself and ultimately gains a mastery over all other
feelings. My daily experience, as of those who are working with me, is
that every problem would lend itself to solution if we are determined
to make the law of truth and non-violence the law of life. For truth
and non-violence, are to me, faces of the same coin.

Whether mankind will consciously follow the law of love I do not
know. But that need not perturb us. The law will work, just as the law
of gravitation will work whether we accept it or no. And just as a
scientist will work wonders out of various applications of the laws of
nature, even so a man who applies the law of love with scientific
precision can work greater wonders. For the force of non-violence is
infinitely more wonderful and subtle than the forces of nature, like
for instance electricity. The man who discovered for us the law of
love was a far greater scientist than any of our modern scientists.
Only our explorations have not gone far enough and so it is not
possible for every one to see all its workings.... The more I work at
this law the more I feel the delight in life, the delight in the
scheme of this universe. It gives me a peace and a meaning of the
mysteries of nature that I have no power to describe.

~ Mohandas, Mahatma Gandhi.

[Bodhisattva]

The Message of The Lotus
===================

Behold the Splendor of the sunrise as a new day Dawns!

The View of the early morning sun rising over the horizon is always exhilarating. However, if we live on the western side of the forest, the beautiful sunrise is not available to us unless we take the time to walk around or through the woods and accross the swampy marches. Then, we can partake of the splendor of nature's creation.

Some mornings, though, a thick mist forms over the lake, obstructing the magnificient view of the rising sun. Even on these mornings, we know that the sun still shines with the same luster beyond the transient mist. In spite of the words, in spite of the mist, the glory and essense of the surn remain.

So, the Eager among us venture to climb the mountain that rises above the mist. Then, to our supreme joy, we find that we have trodden the path that gaurantees us its pristine beauty of every surnrise, every day with not even the mist to stand in between. Self-detrmination, courage, and genuine effort to conquer the obstacles of the woods and then the mist where all we needed to enjoy this reward.

.........

In my daily life, I try to remember the message of the beautiful Lotus. Though grounded in the mud and surrounded by murky water, it grows out of the impurities that surround it, reaches the sunlight, and blossoms into a beautiful flower. The lotus has taken a long path through the mud and murky water, seeking the sunrise to open its heart to the world and express its essense.

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Be the lotus my fellow Citizens... It is in one and everyone. Be the Lotus.


thank you Bhante Y. Wimala, from Lessons of the Lotus.

[Bodhisattva]

The Mind Moves
============

Two men were arguing about a flag flapping in the wind. "It's the wind that is really moving," stated the first one.

"No, it is the flag that is moving," contended the second.

A Zen master, who happened to be walking by, overheard the debate and interrupted them. "Neither the flag nor the wind is moving," he said, "It is MIND that moves."

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Ponder this Parrable my Fellow brothers and Sisters... and next time you observe your reality, attempt to understand what it is that is Changing!!!

[Bodhisattva]

The Corners of The Mind
==================

There was once a group of learned Buddhist monks who spent all their time in scholastic
debate. As part of their banter they would often wonder, half-joking, half-seriously, which
one of them would attain enlightenment first.

Whenever this topic came up, the only thing they could all agree on was that it would not be Stupid, the illiterate monk who was capable only of sweeping the monastery floor and whom nobody has any time for. And Of course, it was Stupid who realized enlightened first.

The jealous monks went to the Abbot. How come Stupid had attained enlightenment first? Had he been overhearing their intellectual conversations?

"Not at all," replied the Abbot. "It's just that while he was sweeping the corners of the
monastery he made sure he was also sweeping the corners of his mind."

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Identify what feeds into your ego, against what helps free from ego. One is the way to suffering, the other: liberation... Be Awake!

[Bodhisattva]

Obedience
========

The master Bankei's talks were attended not only by Zen students but by persons of all ranks and sects. He never quoted sutras nor indulged in scholastic dissertations. Instead, his words were spoken directly from his heart to the hearts of his listeners.

His large audiences angered a priest of the Nichiren sect because the adherents had left to hear about Zen. The self-centered Nichiren priest came to the temple, determined to debate with Bankei.

"Hey, Zen teacher!" he called out. "Wait a minute. Whoever respects you will obey what you say, but a man like myself does not respect you. Can you make me obey you?"

"Come up beside me and I will show you," said Bankei.

Proudly the priest pushed his way through the crowd to the teacher.

Bankei smiled. "Come over to my left side."

The priest obeyed.

"No," said Bankei, "we may talk better if you are on the right side. Step over here."

The priest proudly stepped over to the right

"You see," observed Bankei, "you are obeying me and I think you are a very gentle person. Now sit down and listen."

[Bodhisattva]

True Reformation
==============

Ryokan devoted his life to the study of Zen. One day he heard that his nephew, despite the admonitions of relatives, was spending his money on a courtesan. Inasmuch as the nephew had taken Ryokan's place in managing the family estate and the property was in danger of being dissipated, the relatives asked Ryoken to do something about it.

Ryokan had to travel a long way to visit his nephew, whom he had not seen for many years. The nephew seemed pleased to meet his uncle again and invited him to remain overnight.

All night Ryokan sat in meditation. As he was departing in the morning he said to the young man: "I must be getting old, my hand shakes so. Will you help me tie the string of my straw sandal?"

The nephew helped him willingly. "Thank you," finished Ryokan, "you see, a man becomes older and feebler day by day. Take good care of yourself." Then Ryokan left, never mentioning a word about the courtesan or the complaints of the relatives. But, from that morning on, the dissipations of the nephew ended.

=====================

TIME for REFORM

[Bodhisattva]

My Heart Burns Like Fire
==================

Soyen Shaku, the first Zen teacher to come to America, said: "My heart burns like fire but my eyes are as cold as dead ashes." He made the following rules which he practiced every day of his life.

* In the morning before dressing, light incense and meditate.

* Retire at a regular hour. Partake of food at regular intervals. Eat with moderation and never to the point of satisfaction.

* Receive a guest with the same attitude you have when alone. When alone, maintain the same attitude you have in receiving guests.

* Watch what you say, and whatever you say, practice it.

* When an opportunity comes do not let it pass you by, yet always think twice before acting.

* Do not regret the past. Look to the future.

* Have the fearless attitude of a hero and the loving heart of a child.

* Upon retiring, sleep as if you had entered your last sleep. Upon awakening, leave your bed behind you instantly as if you had cast away a pair of old shoes.

[Spawn Of Cthullu]

very nice, keep them coming !

[Bodhisattva]

Destiny
======

During a momentous battle, a Lebanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, "I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If tails, we shall lose. Destiny will now reveal itself."

He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious. After the battle, a lieutenant remarked to the general, "No one can change destiny."

"Quite right," the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.
=========================

Aywa General!!!!

[Bodhisattva]

Sour Miso
========

The cook monk Dairyo, at Bankei's monastery, decided that he would take good care of his old teacher's health and give him only fresh miso, a paste of soy beans mixed with wheat and yeast that often ferments. Bankei, noticing that he was being served better miso than his pupils, asked: "Who is the cook today?"

Dairyo was sent before him. Bankei learned that according to his age and position he should eat only fresh miso. So he said to the cook: "Then you think I shouldn't eat at all." With this he entered his room and locked the door.

Dairyo, sitting outside the door, asked his teacher's pardon. Bankei would not answer. For seven days Dairyo sat outside and Bankei within.

Finally in desperation an adherent called loudly to Bankei: "You may be all right, old teacher, but this young disciple here has to eat. He cannot go without food forever!"

At that Bankei opened the door. He was smiling. He told Dairyo: "I insist on eating the same food as the least of my followers. Whe you become the teacher I do not want you to forget this."

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A true teacher practices what he preaches and preaches what he practices.