Good morning!
We have gorgeous fresh flowers on the altar. The first koan is “Holding up a flower and smiling at it.” Anyone would smile at such beautiful flowers. Because life is one, we communicate life to life, heart to heart, and unwittingly smiling happens. We are moved by the wonder of the whole universe in its total space and time.
Flowers can bloom by the luck of good seeds, seasonal weather, and being saved from other species’ infestation. I have rather poor vegetable and fruit harvesting this year due to too much rain, heat waves, less input of labor and chemicals, and animal damage – sprouts and even well grown leaves and roots have been eaten, fruits carried away, etc.
Our practice of Zen or the Awakened Way is similar. Even with good aspiration, social situations or environmental entities may cause deviation or destruction. Cultivation may not be continued or concentrated. The Way Cycle of aspiration, cultivation, awakening, and nirvana may not be completed or continued for further cycles.
Our practice may become a mannerism, forgetting that every day and every moment is fresh and great. Zen mottos are “every day, a fresh day” and “every day, a good day.” We must put our utmost power into each moment and day to make it fresh, great, and good. Each moment and motivation is the pivot to turn our life and world.
August 3, 2019 C.E. Dharma talk
お早うございます！
祭壇には豪華な新鮮な花がありますね。公案第一則は「拈華微笑」です。そんな美しい花には誰でも微笑むでしょう。命は一つだから、命から命へ、心から心へ伝わり、覚えず笑みがこぼれるのです。私達は全宇宙の驚異に感動します。
花は良い種子、季節の気候、他の種の害などから免れて咲くことが出来ます。今年は雨が多すぎ、熱波や、労働・化学物質の希少、動物の損害―新芽や大きく育った葉や根さえ食べられ、果物が持ち去られるなどして、今年は野菜と果物の収穫が良くありません。
私達の禅、仏道の実践も同様です。発心が良くても社会情勢や環境実体がそれを逸らしたり駄目にしたりするかもしれません。修行は継続できず集中もできないかもしれません。発心、修行、菩提、涅槃の行持道環は完成せず次の道環に続かないかもしれません。
私達は毎日、毎秒が新鮮で偉大であることを忘れて、実践がマンネリになるかもしれません。禅の標語は「日々是新日」、「日々是好日」です。私達は毎秒、毎日に全力を投入して新鮮、偉大、良好なものにしなければなりません。一刻、一（意）図は私達の生命と世界を転換する回転軸です。
２０１９共通年８月３日 法話
