Today is the fifth day of this April 2024 seven day sesshin. And I'm going to read again today, teachings of Ajahn Chan from the book, Living Dharma edited compiled by Jack Kornfield.
And I'm going to continue from where we left off yesterday with a question this is question and answer here. You have said that samatha and Vipassana or concentration and insight are the same. Could you explain this further. And John Shaw says, it is quite simple concentration Samata and wisdom, the pasta we could say Samadhi and prajna. Using Zen terms, Buddhist other Mahayana Buddhist terms concentration and wisdom work together. First, the mind becomes still by holding on to a meditation object. disquiet only while you're sitting with your eyes closed, of course, this is how they sit, closing the eyes. Of course, we do it with the eyes open. Nobody's looking though, looking at any objects or distracting themselves. That whole business about closing the eyes. There are arguments both ways. It is true that there are less distractions if your eyes are closed, but you're also more drowsy. And in and it's also kind of we could say training wheels, it's you have to live your life with your eyes open. So if you learn to focus the mind with them open, then you can take it more readily into your life. Between the Soto and Rinzai forms of sitting, there is the difference that in Soto generally we face the wall, which is less distracting. And in Rinzai they face out they face each other as we do at certain times, and so shame some of our some of our sittings. And again, it's easier facing the wall at least at first. But if you learn to have the eyes open without picking and choosing without looking around without becoming distracted, then that benefits you later on. So there are good reasons for both. It's all just different, different ways.
So again, it is quiet only while you were sitting with your eyes closed. This is samatha and eventually this concentration is the cause for wisdom or Vipassana to arise. Then the mind is still whether you sit with your eyes closed, or walk around in a busy city. It's like this. Once you were a child, now you are an adult or the child and the adult the same person, you can say that they are or looking at it another way you can say there are different in this way samatha and Vipassana could also be looked at as separate or near he takes an interesting metaphor, or it is like food and feces, food and feces could be called the same. Don't just believe what I say do your practice and see for yourself. Nothing special is needed. If you examine how concentration and wisdom arise, you will know the truth for yourself. These days many people cling to the words. They call their practice of Vipassana Samata is looked down on odd or they call their practice summertime. It's essential to do Samata before the pasta they say all this is silly. Don't bother thinking about it in this way. simply do the practice and you'll see for yourself. In the end, it really comes down to personal experience comes down to seeing directly, the form doesn't matter so much. Question is, are we awake? Are we aware? Really awareness is everything
there's that story of a man who went to a Zen master who is I guess, doing calligraphy and asked for some words of wisdom. And the master wrote awareness. Some versions, he wrote attention amounts to the same thing. And the man was very grateful for that said, thank you. Could you could you write a little more? And the master wrote awareness? Awareness? Okay, yeah. awareness, awareness. Okay. Yeah, yeah. But what else could you write? And he wrote three times running awareness, awareness, awareness. Finally, the guy asked, well, what does awareness mean anyway? And the teacher said, awareness means awareness.
Read a little something from John semedo. Another actually he was studied with John Shaw. He said mindfulness or awareness is knowing, isn't it? It is a direct knowing, imminent here and now is being fully present attentive to this present moment as it is. But defining mindfulness tends to make it into something. And then it is no longer mindfulness is it? Talk about awareness. It's a thing. What are we talking about? He says, mindfulness is not a thing. It is a recognition and intuitive awareness, awareness without grasping. With this recognition, we have perspective on the conditions that we experience in the present. Our thoughts identities, and the conditioning we have. concentration on the other hand, here he's talking about Samata, or Samadhi, is usually on a form. We choose an object and then put our full attention on to it in contrast to mindfulness, which is formless and immeasurable, and does not seek a form. That is why describing mindfulness or awareness leads to the wrong attitude. Terms like wake up, awakening, or pay attention are not definitions. They're suggestions to trust in this moment, to be present, to be here and now. And that's the most important thing to be here. Where in this moment
we struggle, it seems so hard to do. Because we keep drifting off into various mind objects. Thoughts and feelings. emotions, memories, fantasies. Thoughts of time.
Feel so hard to be aware. But it's it's who we are.
To go back said awareness is our true self. It's what we are. So we don't have to try to develop awareness. We simply need to notice how we block awareness with our thoughts, our fantasies, our opinions, and our judgments. We're either in awareness which is our natural state, or we're doing something else. The mark of mature students is that most of the time, they don't do something else. They're just here, living their life. Nothing special
It's a real turning point when you realize that no no special extra twist, you have to give in order to pay attention. Just need to open up as you are to all your problems and conditioning and foibles, shortcomings Nevertheless when a bird calls you here
it's amazing, and it's nothing special. It's what we've always been
John Chow says simply do the practice. And you'll see for yourself. The next question, is it necessary to be able to enter absorption in our practice, and he says, no absorption is not necessary. You must establish a modicum of tranquility and one pointedness of mind, then use this to examine yourself. Nothing special is needed. If absorption comes in your practice, this is okay to just don't hold on to it. Some people get hung up with absorption, it can be great fun to play with. You must know proper limits, if you are wise and you will know the uses and limits of absorption. Just as you know the limitations of children versus grown men. It's easy to get obsessed with Samadhi your accounts of people in states of total absorption and those those those are great. But people can come to understanding can awaken to the truth. At any moment in any state. It's just a question of seeing clearly suddenly seeing
the metaphor of coming across your long lost father and a crossroads.
When he says modicum of tranquility and one pointedness there's a lot of tranquility at one point in us. But the problem with this obsession with concentration is that now you're measuring it. You're thinking how concentrated am I? How much farther do I have to go? If you're working out at koan, it's just questioning, questioning is not worrying about conditioning.
We just need to be natural. We need to be diligent need not to get lost in distraction.
Don't dwell on the past. Don't dwell on the future. Don't even dwell in the present. When you're in the present when you're here, you're not thinking about past, present and future.
Next question. Why do we follow the aesthetic rules such as eating out of our own? Yeah, eating out of our bowls? I guess in in their practice. All the food as we said yesterday, I think gets mixed together in one bowl. And John Chow says the ascetic precepts are to help us cut defilement. By following the ones such as eating out of our bowls, we can be more mindful of our food as medicine. If we Have no defilements that it does not matter how we eat. But here we use the form to make our practice simple. The Buddha did not make the aesthetic precepts necessary for all monks, but he allowed them. For those who wish to practice strictly, they add to our outward discipline, and thereby help increase our mental resolve and strength. These rules are to be kept for yourself, don't watch how others practice. Watch your own mind and see what is beneficial for you. The rule that we must take whatever meditation cottage is assigned to us is similarly helpful discipline keeps the monks from being attached to their dwelling place, they go away in return, they must take a new dwelling. This is our practice not to cling to anything. So Sheen is a great place to see how attached we are to things.
What room did we get? What job were we assigned? Where are we sitting? All unnecessary concerns
hurrying to get somewhere before others, so we won't have to weight behind them.
So questioner comes back and says, if putting everything together in our bowls is important, why don't you as a teacher, do it yourself? Don't you feel it is important for the teacher to set an example. And John Chow says, Yes, it is true. A teacher should set an example for his disciples. I don't mind that you criticize me. Ask whatever you wish. But it is important that you do not cling to the teacher. If I were absolutely perfect and outward form, it would be terrible. You would all be too attached to me. Even the Buddha would sometimes tell His disciples to do one thing and then do another himself. Okay, take his word for it. Your doubts in your teacher can help you. You should watch your own reactions
when you when you have a thought like that, whether it's about a teacher or a fellow practitioner, anyone? What are you paying attention to? When you focus on their shortcoming? You're missing your judgmental cast of mind. You've gone away you're really no longer practicing. So difficult for people whose minds are attuned to other people's shortcomings or to people who are attuned to their own constantly constantly seeing fault. Suppose it's just as bad if you're constantly feeling you're great.
Again, he says you should watch your own reactions. Do you think it is possible that I keep some food out of my bowl in dishes to feed the layman who work around the temple? It's possible. Wisdom is for yourself to watch and develop. Take from the teacher what is good. Be aware of your own practice. If I am resting while you almost sit up, does this make you angry? If I call the color blue, red or say that male is female, don't follow me blindly. Have you aware of your own practice? We're each in charge. This is this is a project each of us is doing and we're in charge of it. Teacher is there to help you. Others are there the monitors are there to help you. But you're you're the one it's just you. Just your life. You decide. It's great to get advice. Great to get encouragement.
He says one of my teachers ate very fast. He made noises as he ate. Yet, he told us to eat slowly and mindfully. I used to watch him and get very upset. I suffered, but he didn't. I watched the outside. Later I learned. Some people drive fast but carefully. Others drive slowly and have many accidents. Don't cling to rules to outperform. If you watch others at most 10% of the time, and watch yourself 90% This is proper practice. At first, I used to watch my teacher, John Tom Rath, and had many doubts. People even thought he was mad. You would do strange things or get very fierce with His disciples. Outside he was angry. But inside there was nothing. Nobody there. He was remarkable. He stayed clear and mindful until the moment he died. had this experience with both Roshi Kapleau and with Boden and Roshi of being subjected to their anger? And then then the next moment, next time you see them, it's gone. Just pass right through.
But what about us get furious and that simmers and goes on and on? Not necessary.
He says looking outside the self is comparing discriminating, you will not find happiness that way. Nor will you find peace. If you spend your time looking for the perfect man or the perfect teacher. The Buddha has taught us to look at the Dharma the truth, not to look at other people. There are a lot of different sorts of styles of student teacher relations, in Buddhism and in Zen. In Japan, you know, there is there is generally one teacher, sort of the daimyo the Lord, the feudal lord, and everything comes through him. I gather this was the way that tartar Roshi taught, he asked, he said that his students not even read the books of other teachers. You wanted to be able to totally control how they were taught, not have other ideas coming in and confusing them think is the rationale. And obviously, that's a system that worked. You know, when it's like that teacher takes a great deal of responsibility for the student doesn't he? Or she? In China, from my readings, there seems to be more of an elder brother relationship in many cases. Monks traveled together, the old days, they would go from place to place, meet with different teachers.
It's important to have guidance, but it comes a lot of different ways.
And basically, as a student, you're looking for what works. There isn't any right or wrong. If you find one teacher is you resonate more at this point in time anyway, with them. It's okay to move to another teacher. You don't want to do it casually and be flitting from blossom to blossom. Good teacher isn't going to be upset at all. If you found something that's a better fit, and be happy for you.
Why we explain when someone becomes as formal student of a teacher, that the relationship is not the same on both sides. The teacher is saying as long once I've accepted you, as long as you wish to be my student, I'm going to be there for you. But from the student side, if there's you know, circumstances change or whatever, and you wish to take your leave and go elsewhere. That's definitely okay
of course, the Buddha taught us to look at the Dharma the truth, not to look at other people. These were his last words, when he was on his deathbed
look to the teachings look to the Dharma, not to me
be your own refuge
student says what about anger? What should I do when I feel anger arising. And he says you must use loving kindness. When angry states of mind arise in meditation, balance them by developing loving kindness feelings. This is something we've done a little bit even in says sheen, metta meditation, prayer practice of radiating goodwill, in every direction, to every kind of person to close friends, families, partners, to friends, to strangers, and even to enemies even to those we don't get along with.
It's amazing, it can be amazingly effective. If you do it sincerely. It's hard to do when you're really angry. He says if someone does something bad or gets angry, don't get angry yourself. If you do, you're being more ignorant than he be wise. Keep in mind compassion for that person is suffering. Roshi has a bumper sticker he did on his car, said mean people are suffering. Mean angry people. fill your mind with loving kindness as if you were a dear brother. Concentrate on the feeling of loving kindness as a meditation object. Spread it to all beings in the world. Only through loving kindness is hatred overcome. Sometimes you may see other monks behaving badly, you may get annoyed. This is suffering unnecessarily, is not yet our dharma. You may think like this, they are not as strict as I am. They are not serious meditators like us. Those monks are not good monks. This is a great defilement on your part. Do not make comparisons. Do not discriminate. Let go of your opinions and watch yourself. This is our dharma. You can't possibly make everyone act as you wish or to be like you, this wish will only make you suffer
and then there's wanting others to be impressed with you. We have to look at ourselves and notice. Sometimes people sit up late because they want to impress others or they want to impress the teacher.
Why do you care what other people think? What does it matter? And why should other people care what you think? Sometimes we can help someone by pointing out something they're doing that they're not aware of, but to sit in silent judgment. Talk about them to others. This is a grave mistake
says watching other people won't develop wisdom. Don't worry. Simply Examine yourself your feelings. This is how you will understand. Next question is I feel sleepy a great deal. It makes it hard to meditate. And I John Shaw says there are many ways to overcome sleepiness. If you are sitting in the dark moved to a lighted place, open your eyes. Get up and wash your face. slap your face or take a bath Don't slap your face somewhere where people can hear you. Roshi Kapleau used to dip his head into a basin of water, you'd fill up a sink with cold water, dip his head in there and then open his eyes underwater. And that shock of the cold against the eyeball would help him to drive away drowsiness.
If nothing works, then go to sleep. Lie down carefully and but try to be aware until the moment you fall asleep. So many of us get into bed, and then we sort of go into automatic pilot. Those are awareness. Actually, you can do really good Zen. Lying in bed. Sometimes people worry because they can't sleep. Just rest the body and watch the mind.
He says then as soon as you awaken, get right up. Don't look at the clock or rollover, start start mindfulness from the moment you awaken. If you find yourself sleepy every day, try to eat less, examine yourself. As soon as five more spoonfuls will make you full stop. Then take water until properly full. I've never heard of doing this before. But sounds like that might work. Go and sit. Watch your sleepiness and your hunger. You must learn to balance your eating, you must learn to balance your eating. As your practice goes on, you will feel naturally more energetic and eat less. But you must adjust yourself
another thing I would add is if you do eat too much, observe yourself. See what effect it has. Don't beat yourself up
so many things that we do without thinking. Once we're curious, once we're once we're bringing awareness into every aspect of our life, we notice we notice things it's easier to change doesn't happen overnight. And the method where you think of all the things you know and make a list of all the things you're going to improve in yourself, usually falls apart. It's really tough to do something just with iron will. But by paying attention, we can change naturally.
questioner asks, why must we do so much bowing here and he says bowing is very important. It is an outward form that is part of practice. This form should be done correctly. Bring the forehead all the way to the floor. Have elbows near knees and knees about eight inches apart. Not sure if that's what we do. But I think we all know the form here our form. Bow slowly mindful of your body is a good remedy for our conceit. We should bow often when you bow. When you bow three times, you can keep in mind the qualities of the Buddha Dharma and Sangha. And this is taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. That is the qualities of mind of purity, radiance, and peace. So we use the outer form to train ourselves, body and mind to become harmonious. Don't make the mistake of watching others bow. If the young novices are sloppy or the agent monks appear on mindful, this is not for you to judge. People can be difficult to train. Some learn fast but others others learn slowly. judging others will only increase your pride. Watch yourself instead. Bow often get rid of your pride. That's the wonderful thing about bowing is just such a physical way to drop our conceit to drop our rigidity.
Those who have really become harmonious with the Dharma get far beyond outward form. Everything they do is a way of bowing They're walking they bow eating the bow, deprecating the bow. This is because they've got beyond selfishness.
questioner asks, What is the biggest problem of your new disciples? And John Shaw says, opinions, views and ideas about all things about themselves about practice, about the teachings of the Buddha. Many of those who come here have a higher rank in the community. There are wealthy merchants or college graduates, teachers and government officials. Their minds are filled with opinions about things. They are too clever to listen to others. It's like water in a cup. If a cup is filled with dirty stale water, it is useless. Only after the old water is thrown out. Can the cup become useful? You must empty your mind of opinions. Then you will see. There's a story I used to see a lot back in the 60s 70s. Zen master who had someone coming to him asking about the teaching, teaching of Zen. And he offers him tea guy holds out his cup and he pours and he just keeps pouring. Water goes running down the sides of the cup. And he's like, What are you doing? What are you doing? The cup can't hold that. And he says you need to empty your mind until your mind is empty. How can I fill it? How can I teach you
he says our practice goes beyond cleverness and beyond stupidity. If you think yourself, I'm clever, I'm wealthy, I am important. I understand all about Buddhism. You're an idiot, you cover up you cover up the truth of anata or not self. All you will see itself is mine. But Buddhism is letting go of self the joy of Buddhism comes from letting go of self traveling lightly letting go of our baggage. We all get stripped down and so sheen
these last two days two and a half days of says sheen. We have this opportunity to just be clean and bear it's it's such a paradox. As we go deeper and deeper into such sheen, the mind is cleansed, comes more pure. Our awareness is more vivid.
So much more that we can see. But at the same time we know our time is coming to an end and it's easy to fall into thoughts about what have I accomplished what will I accomplish fall back into keeping track of time we need to learn to be diligent to stick to this moment only now only here
when we do that, we can benefit from all the work that we and everyone else has done all the momentum that we've built up
lot of people here have practice very well. Our minds it's so much more receptive
have the ability to be right here. Of course conditions change and we go up and down. If you get caught by conditions, you can despair. You know, oh my god, it's the fifth day and I'm still thinking about this or thinking about that. But as I said, Yesterday, we have the ability, the potential to drop that to have that just vanish. All of a sudden we can be wide awake. Just need to keep working with things as they are. Tell Ourselves right now, it's like this. It's not good or bad. It's what it is. It's what we're working with. Make our minds up to stick with this moment
to make our awareness steady, like a fine stream as Sheng yen puts it finds its way finds its way around obstacles
the practice takes care of everything. It's nothing that we have to create.
Time is up. We'll stop here and recite the Four Vows
