Being in the World Without Misery [repost]

[This post was originally written two years ago. Reposted for the links and nostalgia of a more innocent me.]

 

From Zen Lessons - The Art of Leadership, Trans. Thomas Cleary

 

Huitang said:

What has been long neglected cannot be restored immediately.

Ills that have been accumulated for a long time cannot be cleared away immediately.

One cannot enjoy oneself forever.

Human emotions cannot be just right.

Calamity cannot be avoided by trying to run away from it.

Anyone working as a teacher who has realized these five things can be in the world without misery.

• letter to Master Xiang

 

wrrdgrrl I admit that I am drawn to this promise of being in the world without misery -- after all, isn't that why I am studying the way of the gateless barrier? I was inspired to read this collection of short selections by this morning's post which explores the idea of "false teaching" and the cultivation of virtue and knowledge. I also wish to embody the beauty of these verses which I explored a bit in my last post.

 

Here's my question to you - How do these five statements by Huitang relate to the idea of grasping and rejecting? Easy, right? Okay then, how do they support the idea of cultivating virtue and knowledge? Is a zen master free of emotional baggage? (This draws upon some of what /u/hookdump spoke about in a previous chat about "what is a zen master?") Finally, if long-held issues cannot be erased immediately, what are we to make of the idea of "Instant Zen"?

Come down from your pulpits and hit me with your best shot! Fire away!

Submitted September 21, 2020 at 03:42AM by wrrdgrrl https://ift.tt/33IfuQg