~Zen Mountain~
- Thread starter My Erotic Tale
- Start date
My Erotic Tale
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Angeline said:u2
Thanks Grasshopper~ <chirp chirp>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I strive to be as the big red woods
from my bonsai bowl~
Art~ 2005
can a tree see?
High on a ridge
over looking the world
above a deep canyon
two sprouts reach for the sun
twin trunks digging deeply
both stretching and reaching
towards the heavens
In the strong winds
they brush each other
years unfold
one tree leans away
from the steep, cliffs, drop off
the others
roots gripped tight
and leaned out
over the canyon
storms and rain
and beating sun
found a day
when there was
one tree
the other
lay fallen
deep in the canyon
<under construction>
My Erotic Tale
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Old man:
"Meditate, sit still and think of nothing at all!"
Little boy:
"Why,"
Old man:
"Because it's good for you. Helps you learn about your self."
Little boy:
"Okay!" <closes eyes> ... this is like 'Time Out' ...huh?"
"Meditate, sit still and think of nothing at all!"
Little boy:
"Why,"
Old man:
"Because it's good for you. Helps you learn about your self."
Little boy:
"Okay!" <closes eyes> ... this is like 'Time Out' ...huh?"
Du Lac
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A two for one...
Three Days More
Suiwo, the disciple of Hakuin, was a good teacher. During one summer seclusion period, a pupil came to him from a southern island of Japan.
Suiwo gave him the problem: "Hear the sound of one hand."
The pupil remained three years but could not pass the test. One night he came in tears to Suiwo. "I must return south in shame and embarrassment," he said, "for I cannot solve my problem."
"Wait one week more and meditate constantly," advised Suiwo. Still no enlightenment came to the pupil. "Try for another week," said Suiwo. The pupil obeyed, but in vain.
"Still another week." Yet this was of no avail. In despair the student begged to be released, but Suiwo requested another meditation of five days. They were without result. Then he said: "Meditate for three days longer, then if you fail to attain enlightenment, you had better kill yourself."
On the second day the pupil was enlightened.
Everything is Best
When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer.
"Give me the best piece of meat you have," said the customer.
"Everything in my shop is the best," replied the butcher. "You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best."
At these words Banzan became enlightened.
Three Days More
Suiwo, the disciple of Hakuin, was a good teacher. During one summer seclusion period, a pupil came to him from a southern island of Japan.
Suiwo gave him the problem: "Hear the sound of one hand."
The pupil remained three years but could not pass the test. One night he came in tears to Suiwo. "I must return south in shame and embarrassment," he said, "for I cannot solve my problem."
"Wait one week more and meditate constantly," advised Suiwo. Still no enlightenment came to the pupil. "Try for another week," said Suiwo. The pupil obeyed, but in vain.
"Still another week." Yet this was of no avail. In despair the student begged to be released, but Suiwo requested another meditation of five days. They were without result. Then he said: "Meditate for three days longer, then if you fail to attain enlightenment, you had better kill yourself."
On the second day the pupil was enlightened.
Everything is Best
When Banzan was walking through a market he overheard a conversation between a butcher and his customer.
"Give me the best piece of meat you have," said the customer.
"Everything in my shop is the best," replied the butcher. "You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best."
At these words Banzan became enlightened.
My Erotic Tale
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The deadliest weapon in the universe
is a focused mind~
is a focused mind~
My Erotic Tale
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A mother squirrel built her nest, next to the ocean. A cool breeze from the sea was a nice touch to the hot days in the sun. A tree on the edge had a limb that extended out with a glorious view of the beach, ocean and in-land forest. So she built her a home there.
She had a litter of baby squirrels and one day went off as usual to dig and forage for something to eat. While she was gone, the oceans swells got rather large and rose up and whisped the baby squirrel nest away. Floating away with the tide was the nest and the babies.
Momma squirrel heard the ruckus and babies screaming chatter and came running to find her babies drifting away to sea. In her haste she went to the waters edge and started swatting at the water and throwing the water onto the bank. An attempt to drain the sea? Swatting in a frenzy, splashing the water onto the sand.
A fox came strolling up and saw the dilema ran out on the tree limb over looking the ocean and broke a limb off and used it to float to the babies and swam back to the mother and the babies were safe.
moral: sometimes our first impulse, energies and actions may not be the right one for the job <grin>
She had a litter of baby squirrels and one day went off as usual to dig and forage for something to eat. While she was gone, the oceans swells got rather large and rose up and whisped the baby squirrel nest away. Floating away with the tide was the nest and the babies.
Momma squirrel heard the ruckus and babies screaming chatter and came running to find her babies drifting away to sea. In her haste she went to the waters edge and started swatting at the water and throwing the water onto the bank. An attempt to drain the sea? Swatting in a frenzy, splashing the water onto the sand.
A fox came strolling up and saw the dilema ran out on the tree limb over looking the ocean and broke a limb off and used it to float to the babies and swam back to the mother and the babies were safe.
moral: sometimes our first impulse, energies and actions may not be the right one for the job <grin>
bluerains
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turtle soup
The Turtles
A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. Turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last! For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years... six years...then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, "See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt."
The Turtles
A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. Turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last! For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left. Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years... six years...then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, "See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt."
My Erotic Tale
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turtle speed
An old zen master was walking through town one day,
he was a very short and a skinny man, elderly and walked with a
wobble.
The Old Zen Master had made a few purchases and
was making his way back to the temple when 4 big BIG guys
jumped out and demanded the old monks belongings.
The Old monk tried to ignore them and went to go around them
but they subdued him, "look little old man, we are bigger and stronger
don't make us hurt you."
"My friends, it is not size that matters," replied the monk.
"Oh Yea! Prove it!" they demanded.
The old monk went back to a shed and came out with his
hands cupped. And asked if the men were 'ready to fight?'
They said "yes" and the zen master then opened his hands
and out came a wasp, buzzing around angrily. The four
big men ran and the Monk headed towards the temple.
An old zen master was walking through town one day,
he was a very short and a skinny man, elderly and walked with a
wobble.
The Old Zen Master had made a few purchases and
was making his way back to the temple when 4 big BIG guys
jumped out and demanded the old monks belongings.
The Old monk tried to ignore them and went to go around them
but they subdued him, "look little old man, we are bigger and stronger
don't make us hurt you."
"My friends, it is not size that matters," replied the monk.
"Oh Yea! Prove it!" they demanded.
The old monk went back to a shed and came out with his
hands cupped. And asked if the men were 'ready to fight?'
They said "yes" and the zen master then opened his hands
and out came a wasp, buzzing around angrily. The four
big men ran and the Monk headed towards the temple.
Last edited:
bluerains
528 inception
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- Mar 29, 2004
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rains
Flower Shower
Subhuti was Buddha's disciple. He was able to understand the potency of emptiness, the viewpoint that nothing exists except in its relationship of subjectivity and objectivity.
One day Subhuti, in a mood of sublime emptiness, was sitting under a tree. Flowers began to fall about him.
"We are praising you for your discourse on emptiness," the gods whispered to him.
"But I have not spoken of emptiness," said Subhuti.
"You have not spoken of emptiness, we have not heard emptiness," responded the gods. "This is true emptiness." And blossoms showered upon Subhuto as rain.
Flower Shower
Subhuti was Buddha's disciple. He was able to understand the potency of emptiness, the viewpoint that nothing exists except in its relationship of subjectivity and objectivity.
One day Subhuti, in a mood of sublime emptiness, was sitting under a tree. Flowers began to fall about him.
"We are praising you for your discourse on emptiness," the gods whispered to him.
"But I have not spoken of emptiness," said Subhuti.
"You have not spoken of emptiness, we have not heard emptiness," responded the gods. "This is true emptiness." And blossoms showered upon Subhuto as rain.
My Erotic Tale
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bluerains:
two faces surreal
facets clad behind spindling veil
glassy flaws polished
by hands untouched
(I got lost in this so many ways)
very inspirational and mystique <grin>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
(!)
light and darkness
each have their time
one for each eye
eye to eye you and I
how many rehlms do we see
which do we believe?
(2)
two blades of wheat stand together
then beat each other as the wind sails by
compete for the suns warmth
in a race to get into heaven
(3)
image distorted
by cob web strands
in darkness
words reveal the soul
but not the image
close your eyes to see
two faces surreal
facets clad behind spindling veil
glassy flaws polished
by hands untouched
(I got lost in this so many ways)
very inspirational and mystique <grin>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
(!)
light and darkness
each have their time
one for each eye
eye to eye you and I
how many rehlms do we see
which do we believe?
(2)
two blades of wheat stand together
then beat each other as the wind sails by
compete for the suns warmth
in a race to get into heaven
(3)
image distorted
by cob web strands
in darkness
words reveal the soul
but not the image
close your eyes to see
Ninja Nookie
Really Experienced
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- May 16, 2004
- Posts
- 104
when a man sweeps you off your feet he has you in the perfect position to drop you on your ass!
My Erotic Tale
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In the Zen garden at Three Wheels, London.
............is a hanging inscription on the viewing platform wall:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here in the garden
do not ask who made it,
or why, or when.
The garden is
and you are
Be.
Things are
what they seem
and are not
what they seem
and neither is true
or untrue.
There are islands
and forests
and mountains
and vast
grey seas,
if you see it so.
There are peaks
above rolling blankets
or grey cloud,
Mount Sumeru
and Mount Hiei,
if you see it so.
And there is yourself.
If you see it so,
there are twelve small rocks
of no consequence
from Cumbria
and Aberdeenshire,
from screeds
and spoil heaps
and river beds.
You can make of the garden
what you will.
But it may, perhaps,
make something of you
which you were not,
if you wait
and are still:
if you become one
with the garden
and move beyond thought
or imagination.
and are,
as the garden
is.
............is a hanging inscription on the viewing platform wall:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here in the garden
do not ask who made it,
or why, or when.
The garden is
and you are
Be.
Things are
what they seem
and are not
what they seem
and neither is true
or untrue.
There are islands
and forests
and mountains
and vast
grey seas,
if you see it so.
There are peaks
above rolling blankets
or grey cloud,
Mount Sumeru
and Mount Hiei,
if you see it so.
And there is yourself.
If you see it so,
there are twelve small rocks
of no consequence
from Cumbria
and Aberdeenshire,
from screeds
and spoil heaps
and river beds.
You can make of the garden
what you will.
But it may, perhaps,
make something of you
which you were not,
if you wait
and are still:
if you become one
with the garden
and move beyond thought
or imagination.
and are,
as the garden
is.
My Erotic Tale
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- Oct 25, 2004
- Posts
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We are all part of the tree of life,
though we all bloom at different times
our collective radiance together
creates a beauty unmatched
one maybe but a drop of water
but band together we can make a wave
though we all bloom at different times
our collective radiance together
creates a beauty unmatched
one maybe but a drop of water
but band together we can make a wave
bluerains
528 inception
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2004
- Posts
- 2,777
light in the meeting tent...
ains:
two faces surreal
facets clad behind spindling veil
glassy flaws polished
by hands untouched
(I got lost in this so many ways)
very inspirational and mystique <grin>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
(!)
light and darkness
each have their time
one for each eye
eye to eye you and I
how many rehlms do we see
which do we believe?
I see dimensions on and off
yet and not
frame after frame
like a video game
unwinding rewinding
and who controls
the channels.
(2)
two blades of wheat stand together
then beat each other as the wind sails by
compete for the suns warmth
in a race to get into heaven
and so roots entwine
in the cold dark earth
begging for release
(3)
image distorted
by cob web strands
in darkness
words reveal the soul
but not the image
close your eyes to see
__________________
the golden mean
ains:
two faces surreal
facets clad behind spindling veil
glassy flaws polished
by hands untouched
(I got lost in this so many ways)
very inspirational and mystique <grin>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
(!)
light and darkness
each have their time
one for each eye
eye to eye you and I
how many rehlms do we see
which do we believe?
I see dimensions on and off
yet and not
frame after frame
like a video game
unwinding rewinding
and who controls
the channels.
(2)
two blades of wheat stand together
then beat each other as the wind sails by
compete for the suns warmth
in a race to get into heaven
and so roots entwine
in the cold dark earth
begging for release
(3)
image distorted
by cob web strands
in darkness
words reveal the soul
but not the image
close your eyes to see
__________________
the golden mean
My Erotic Tale
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2004
- Posts
- 3,359
ains:
two faces surreal
facets clad behind spindling veil
glassy flaws polished
by hands untouched
(I got lost in this so many ways)
very inspirational and mystique <grin>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
(!)
light and darkness
each have their time
one for each eye
eye to eye you and I
how many rehlms do we see
which do we believe?
I see dimensions on and off
yet and not
frame after frame
like a video game
unwinding rewinding
and who controls
the channels.
The mind absorbs
its surroundings
like a beautiful rose bush
soaking knowledge from the soil
Uproot, ship of and transplant
it is still the same rose bush
and for this does it know
such is as a rose?
And it know not what it may bring
it knows not its beauty of spring
yet strives to be among the living
two faces surreal
facets clad behind spindling veil
glassy flaws polished
by hands untouched
(I got lost in this so many ways)
very inspirational and mystique <grin>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
(!)
light and darkness
each have their time
one for each eye
eye to eye you and I
how many rehlms do we see
which do we believe?
I see dimensions on and off
yet and not
frame after frame
like a video game
unwinding rewinding
and who controls
the channels.
The mind absorbs
its surroundings
like a beautiful rose bush
soaking knowledge from the soil
Uproot, ship of and transplant
it is still the same rose bush
and for this does it know
such is as a rose?
And it know not what it may bring
it knows not its beauty of spring
yet strives to be among the living
My Erotic Tale
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2004
- Posts
- 3,359
Do not say that I'll depart tomorrow because even today I still arrive. Look deeply: I arrive in every second to be a bud on a spring branch, to be a tiny bird, with wings still fragile, learning to sing in my new nest, to be a caterpillar in the heart of a flower, to be a jewel hiding itself in a stone. I still arrive, in order to laugh and to cry, in order to fear and to hope. The rhythm of my heart is the birth and death of all that are alive. I am the mayfly metamorphosing on the surface of the river, and I am the bird which, when spring comes, arrives in time to eat the mayfly. I am the frog swimming happily in the clear pond, and I am also the grass-snake who, approaching in silence, feeds itself on the frog. I am the child in Uganda, all skin and bones, my legs as thin as bamboo sticks, and I am the arms Merchant, selling deadly weapons to Uganda. I am the twelve-year-old girl, refugee on a small boat, who throws herself into the ocean after being raped by a sea pirate, and I am the pirate, my heart not yet capable of seeing and loving. I am a member of the politburo, with plenty of power in my hands, and I am the man who has to pay his "debt of blood" to my people, dying slowly in a forced labor camp. My joy is like spring, so warm it makes flowers bloom in all walks of life. My pain is like a river of tears, so full it fills the four oceans. Please call me by my true names, so I can hear all my cries and laughs at once, so I can see that my joy and pain are one. Please call me by my true names, so I can wake up, and so the door of my heart can be left open, the door of compassion.
by Thich Nhat Hanh
by Thich Nhat Hanh
bluerains
528 inception
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2004
- Posts
- 2,777
a poem I wrote several years ago
for apache horse woman...and cleo her arabian horse who ate the judges flowers...and the paint on his antique jag...
ROSES I PASSED
UPON TO SEE
A TINY DROP OF
WATER MELTING
QUIETLY AND FREE
NOT A SOUL TOOK
NOTICE OF THE DROP
OF MISTY DEW
FOR THE BEAUTY
OF THE ROSE
WAS ONLY IN THEIR
VIEW.
BUT THE SINGLE
DROP OF WATER
HELD A BEAUTY
ALL ITS OWN
IT HAD GIVEN
ALL ITS LIFE
SO THE ROSE
WOULD BECOME
KNOWN
for apache horse woman...and cleo her arabian horse who ate the judges flowers...and the paint on his antique jag...
UPON THE MORNINGMy Erotic Tale said:
ROSES I PASSED
UPON TO SEE
A TINY DROP OF
WATER MELTING
QUIETLY AND FREE
NOT A SOUL TOOK
NOTICE OF THE DROP
OF MISTY DEW
FOR THE BEAUTY
OF THE ROSE
WAS ONLY IN THEIR
VIEW.
BUT THE SINGLE
DROP OF WATER
HELD A BEAUTY
ALL ITS OWN
IT HAD GIVEN
ALL ITS LIFE
SO THE ROSE
WOULD BECOME
KNOWN
bluerains
528 inception
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2004
- Posts
- 2,777
Living Waters
*
atoms of wonder
water born pieces of light
becoming conscious
The Buddha Bowl
INTRODUCTION
Zen Buddhism has a teaching tradition based on koans. Koans are short stories or conversations designed to awaken the human potential for insight into the nature of reality. Usually the teacher gives Zen students koans apppropriate for the next level of their realization.
A koan does not make logical sense. In order to open the mind and heart, the student surrenders to not-knowing by meditating (zazen) within the mystery of the koan. Zen has many stories of students struggling with life's predicaments through koans.
The great masters often embellished and commented on these little stories. An example is the famous Blue Cliff Record of 100 koans compiled by Zen Master Hsueh-tou (980 to1052). For the past one thousand years, teachers have been adding their commentaries to these koans. A long conversation!
THE PARABLE
*
Emperor Wu had an ancient treasure, a bowl made from the skull of a revered Buddhist master. Whenever he drank tea from the delicate polished skull, he felt at one with the wisdom of the ages. It was his "Buddha Bowl."
One day a nun from the nearby monastery was serving the emperor his tea. Fu was a rather dreamy Buddhist nun and, on this particular day, she spilled a few drops of tea on the emperor's hand. The hot liquid burned. The bowl fell, shattering into numberless pieces. Fu stared at the white bone bits on the black stone floor. "Like stars strewn through the night" she mused. Then she heard Emperor Wu shouting: "My precious Buddha bowl, gone, because of your clumsiness!"
Fu looked up and met the emperor's eyes. " You must find me another," he warned, "or I will have your skull, nun Fu!" Kicking aside the bits of broken skull, Emperor Wu stormed out.
Fu returned to her monastery, approached her teacher's door, knocked three times as prescribed , and soon heard the answering bell admitting her. She bowed. Then she told of her predicament.
The two nuns sat in silence. The Zen teacher spoke a koan for Fu:
FIND YOUR GREAT SELF.
THE BUDDHA BOWL OF THE STARS
SHALL APPEAR FOR YOU TO USE AT WILL.
Fu bowed and left. The koan rang in her ears. As she repeated it, the words echoed within her skull. They reverberated through her bones.
The Emperor's official tea ceremony was to be held at the next full moon. When Fu went into the monastery garden, she saw the white sliver of the new moon appear in the west as the sun set. She sat zazen into the night until even the dimmest stars appeared. Each evening for the next twelve days, Fu practiced zazen in the monastery garden, breathing her koan into her bones.
By day the nun was assigned by her teacher to work in the little Zen garden. There she raked patterns into the sand around the carefully placed rocks. Sunlight glinted off the myriad bits of quartz — of silica — at her feet. "Daytime stars," thought Fu.
Each evening Fu watched the stars appear and scatter themselves into deep space. Breathing in the dark, sitting without end, she surrendered herself to the koan. It was taking her deeper and deeper into the emptiness of space, to the time before the light of stars was born.
Body and mind dropping off into astonishing Radiance . . .
Everything arising together out of that Radiance . . .
The Starburst breaking open the wonder of the Universe.
Fu herself became this Vastness. She became Vastness watching Itself unfold. Fu was light and air and water and earth. She became the Universe of stones and bones, sunshine and sand.
On full moon day, Fu shaved her head. She softly touched her smooth round skull. She whispered her koan: " Find your Great Self. The Buddha Bowl of the stars shall appear for you to use at will." It was time to return to Emperor Wu's palace and prepare for the tea ceremony. The sun was setting.
Emperor Wu appeared in his finest silks, welcomed his noble guests, and took his seat. He held out his hand, waiting for the new Buddha Bowl.
Fu stood before him, her hands clenched at her sides. Suddenly she flung open her fingers. Sand scattered across the floor. At that moment the light of the full moon shone through the eastern window on to the black stone floor. The sand glistened as brightly as stars in the night sky.
"Receive the Buddha Bowl of the stars," spoke Fu.
"Know it as your very Self.
Star, Sand, Stone, Bone —
All take refuge in the one Being of the Universe.
Will you take refuge in the Self which is not separate, but is one?"
Fu bowed deeply. She waited until she heard the rustling of silks. When she rose, Emperor Wu was there, serving her a cup of tea.
_____
PAULA HIRSCHBOECK teaches Philosophy and Environmental Studies at Edgewood College, a Dominican Liberal Arts School in Madison, WI, where she also serves as a Zen Buddhist chaplain.
*
atoms of wonder
water born pieces of light
becoming conscious
The Buddha Bowl
INTRODUCTION
Zen Buddhism has a teaching tradition based on koans. Koans are short stories or conversations designed to awaken the human potential for insight into the nature of reality. Usually the teacher gives Zen students koans apppropriate for the next level of their realization.
A koan does not make logical sense. In order to open the mind and heart, the student surrenders to not-knowing by meditating (zazen) within the mystery of the koan. Zen has many stories of students struggling with life's predicaments through koans.
The great masters often embellished and commented on these little stories. An example is the famous Blue Cliff Record of 100 koans compiled by Zen Master Hsueh-tou (980 to1052). For the past one thousand years, teachers have been adding their commentaries to these koans. A long conversation!
THE PARABLE
*
Emperor Wu had an ancient treasure, a bowl made from the skull of a revered Buddhist master. Whenever he drank tea from the delicate polished skull, he felt at one with the wisdom of the ages. It was his "Buddha Bowl."
One day a nun from the nearby monastery was serving the emperor his tea. Fu was a rather dreamy Buddhist nun and, on this particular day, she spilled a few drops of tea on the emperor's hand. The hot liquid burned. The bowl fell, shattering into numberless pieces. Fu stared at the white bone bits on the black stone floor. "Like stars strewn through the night" she mused. Then she heard Emperor Wu shouting: "My precious Buddha bowl, gone, because of your clumsiness!"
Fu looked up and met the emperor's eyes. " You must find me another," he warned, "or I will have your skull, nun Fu!" Kicking aside the bits of broken skull, Emperor Wu stormed out.
Fu returned to her monastery, approached her teacher's door, knocked three times as prescribed , and soon heard the answering bell admitting her. She bowed. Then she told of her predicament.
The two nuns sat in silence. The Zen teacher spoke a koan for Fu:
FIND YOUR GREAT SELF.
THE BUDDHA BOWL OF THE STARS
SHALL APPEAR FOR YOU TO USE AT WILL.
Fu bowed and left. The koan rang in her ears. As she repeated it, the words echoed within her skull. They reverberated through her bones.
The Emperor's official tea ceremony was to be held at the next full moon. When Fu went into the monastery garden, she saw the white sliver of the new moon appear in the west as the sun set. She sat zazen into the night until even the dimmest stars appeared. Each evening for the next twelve days, Fu practiced zazen in the monastery garden, breathing her koan into her bones.
By day the nun was assigned by her teacher to work in the little Zen garden. There she raked patterns into the sand around the carefully placed rocks. Sunlight glinted off the myriad bits of quartz — of silica — at her feet. "Daytime stars," thought Fu.
Each evening Fu watched the stars appear and scatter themselves into deep space. Breathing in the dark, sitting without end, she surrendered herself to the koan. It was taking her deeper and deeper into the emptiness of space, to the time before the light of stars was born.
Body and mind dropping off into astonishing Radiance . . .
Everything arising together out of that Radiance . . .
The Starburst breaking open the wonder of the Universe.
Fu herself became this Vastness. She became Vastness watching Itself unfold. Fu was light and air and water and earth. She became the Universe of stones and bones, sunshine and sand.
On full moon day, Fu shaved her head. She softly touched her smooth round skull. She whispered her koan: " Find your Great Self. The Buddha Bowl of the stars shall appear for you to use at will." It was time to return to Emperor Wu's palace and prepare for the tea ceremony. The sun was setting.
Emperor Wu appeared in his finest silks, welcomed his noble guests, and took his seat. He held out his hand, waiting for the new Buddha Bowl.
Fu stood before him, her hands clenched at her sides. Suddenly she flung open her fingers. Sand scattered across the floor. At that moment the light of the full moon shone through the eastern window on to the black stone floor. The sand glistened as brightly as stars in the night sky.
"Receive the Buddha Bowl of the stars," spoke Fu.
"Know it as your very Self.
Star, Sand, Stone, Bone —
All take refuge in the one Being of the Universe.
Will you take refuge in the Self which is not separate, but is one?"
Fu bowed deeply. She waited until she heard the rustling of silks. When she rose, Emperor Wu was there, serving her a cup of tea.
_____
PAULA HIRSCHBOECK teaches Philosophy and Environmental Studies at Edgewood College, a Dominican Liberal Arts School in Madison, WI, where she also serves as a Zen Buddhist chaplain.
Du Lac
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a melting pot of wisdom
Teacups
A student asked Suzuki Roshi why the Japanese make their teacups so thin and delicate that they break easily. "It's not that they're too delicate," he answered, "but that you don't know how to handle them. You must adjust yourself to the environment, and not vice versa."
From: "To Shine One Corner of the World: Moments with Shunryu Suzuki: Stories of a Zen Teacher Told by His Students" (Edited by David Chadwick): http://cuke.com
The Gates of Paradise
A soldier named Nobushige came to Hakuin and asked: "Is there really a paradise and a hell?"
"Who are you?" inquired Hakuin.
"I am a samurai", the warrior replied.
"You, a soldier!" sneered Hakuin, "What kind of ruler would have you as his guard? You look like a beggar".
Nobushige became so angry that he began to draw his sword.
Hakuin continued: "So you have a sword! Your weapon is probably to dull to cut off my head."
Nobushige drew his sword.
Hakuin remarked: "Here open the gates of hell!"
At these words the samurai, perceiving the master's discipline, put away his sword and bowed.
"Here open the gates of paradise", said Hakuin.
From 'Zen flesh, Zen bones'
Love
A student confided in Suzuki Roshi that she had tremendous feelings of love for him, and that it confused her.
"Don't worry," he said. "You can let yourself have all the feelings you have for your teacher. That's good. I have enough discipline for both of us."
Teacups
A student asked Suzuki Roshi why the Japanese make their teacups so thin and delicate that they break easily. "It's not that they're too delicate," he answered, "but that you don't know how to handle them. You must adjust yourself to the environment, and not vice versa."
From: "To Shine One Corner of the World: Moments with Shunryu Suzuki: Stories of a Zen Teacher Told by His Students" (Edited by David Chadwick): http://cuke.com
The Gates of Paradise
A soldier named Nobushige came to Hakuin and asked: "Is there really a paradise and a hell?"
"Who are you?" inquired Hakuin.
"I am a samurai", the warrior replied.
"You, a soldier!" sneered Hakuin, "What kind of ruler would have you as his guard? You look like a beggar".
Nobushige became so angry that he began to draw his sword.
Hakuin continued: "So you have a sword! Your weapon is probably to dull to cut off my head."
Nobushige drew his sword.
Hakuin remarked: "Here open the gates of hell!"
At these words the samurai, perceiving the master's discipline, put away his sword and bowed.
"Here open the gates of paradise", said Hakuin.
From 'Zen flesh, Zen bones'
Love
A student confided in Suzuki Roshi that she had tremendous feelings of love for him, and that it confused her.
"Don't worry," he said. "You can let yourself have all the feelings you have for your teacher. That's good. I have enough discipline for both of us."
My Erotic Tale
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During the civil wars in feudal Japan, an invading army would quickly sweep into a town and take control. In one particular village, everyone fled just before the army arrived - everyone except the Zen master. Curious about this old fellow, the general went to the temple to see for himself what kind of man this master was. When he wasn't treated with the deference and submissiveness to which he was accustomed, the general burst into anger. "You fool," he shouted as he reached for his sword, "don't you realize you are standing before a man who could run you through without blinking an eye!" But despite the threat, the master seemed unmoved. "And do you realize," the master replied calmly, "that you are standing before a man who can be run through without blinking an eye?"
THANKS DU~
RAIN~ (~_~)
THANKS DU~
RAIN~ (~_~)
My Erotic Tale
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does the dew drop cling to the leaf for every second of life
or does it anxiously await a stratijic dive to the earths soil
in hopes to excalade to heaven for the bigger fall?
or does it anxiously await a stratijic dive to the earths soil
in hopes to excalade to heaven for the bigger fall?
My Erotic Tale
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Du Lac said:who wrote this one??? I really love it
Du~
hehehey~ moi!!!
I wrote a poem over ten years ago
but I don't have any more
but I always remembered
the reason I wrote the poem
each dew drop waited anxiously
for their turn to chime the symbol dive to make
one long morning song for mother nature
every day they return to practice again <grin>
as a hunter I have sat in the woods
(way more than most) <grin>
and right after the sun comes up,
in that first hour, the dew drops off trees like rain
and makes a natural noise you can use to move about silent,
blending steps with the sound of dew hitting the
forest floor and leaves...it really is quite awesome <grin>
watch a drop of water fall from a tall pine and await its crash
to step <grin> or the wind to blow a splattering rainfall of Du ...
I meant dew <grin> it's yours if you want to play with it <grin>
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