Good morning!
We can hear the sound of raindrops dripping on leaves in our quiet sitting on this quiet weekend morning.
Tatsuno Yutaka, an essayist, said, “I like rain so much, I think my ancestors were frogs.”
All living creatures like water, the source of life, and rain stills our actions of going out and our minds of doing things. So, rain makes us still and serene.
Yesterday I talked about the four limitless minds or hearts, also called the four Brahma-viharas, Brahma-abodes or purity residence.
“Tuning in” there means really tuning into the peaceful state, essentially the last one – equanimity.
Humans have always been driven by ordinary habits, karma, and, especially today, they are bombarded by all kinds of advertisements and activities.
Eventually, however, all actions and movements stop in stillness, simplicity, and serenity.
The day before yesterday, we read Dogen’s Gakudoyojinshû (The Collections on Cautions for Learning the Way: ?????). He mentioned belief in our being in the way and ikon-zadan (sitting to still the will root:????). Will causes actions.
When we sit, we still the horse will. It is not forcible stopping, but natural stilling. In sitting we naturally tune into peace, harmony, holiness, truth – thus into awakening.
The Buddha is expressed in his sitting form, sitting buddha. If one sits in zazen, anyone can become a buddha (awakened) in peace, truth, harmony, holiness, and happiness.
5/14/11