pittman-unfolding vow and service

Unfolding,

Running head: UNFOLDING VOW AND SERVICE

Unfolding Vow and Service: A Personal Formation

David Seigetsu Pittman

Upaya Zen Center

Learning Project Requirement

February 14, 2010

©2010

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Abstract

This paper represents a synthesis of the two concurrent training tracks I have been

involved in for the last two years, the Daojin Postulancy of the Mountains and Rivers Order

based at Zen Mountain Monastery in Mount Tremper, New York and the Chaplaincy of Upaya

Zen Center at Santa Fe, New Mexico. It became necessary for me to find the base teaching in

each of these tracks and then resolve to a common thread. The Daojin is defined by their vows

and Chaplaincy is based on the Five Buddha Family Mandala. In following the common thread, I

found the wisdom portion of the Eightfold path and in a sense, found myself back at the

beginning, but having now defined a triad of (Daojin, Chaplaincy, and Community) with service

underlying each element of that triad.

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This project has grown, morphed and reflected eventually my position in the process. An

initial suggestion from my mentor for the project evolved to a triad of the defining elements in

my spiritual life, i.e. Daojin, Chaplaincy and Community. Although these facets are marked by

their transitions of certificates and formal liturgy, it is service that underlies each.

I do not find myself a naturally compassionate person; I move along fulfilling requests of

others but rarely initiate an altruistic “selfless” act. It is ultimately the “promise” of the

development of compassion that holds me to practice and train. The difficulty in transforming

my karma is a result of an emotional survival mentality, which resulted in a personality of

independence and individualistic functionality.

Whenever there is elevated talk of an idea, be it religion, drugs, or even people, I look for

the backdoor. It happens in Buddhism with its emphasis on teachers, or facets of the dharma.

There is always this underlying “promise” of no-self being a better self. Whether that is factual

or not is beyond anything I wish tangibly to claim in this paper. What holds consistency across

the divisions of Buddhism is the underlying assertion of being a wisdom tradition. It is

remarkable in itself to have a wisdom tradition viable post industrial age.

There is an interesting element in teaching the dharma. Our teachers take us right up to

the teaching, we step on it, smell it; it is all over us and yet the teacher does not name it, to

paraphrase, does not own it. That is explicitly allowed the student. I asked, “What about the

Five Buddha families, huh? the five energies? You know, Upaya does it; Roshi Bernie did it;

what about us? (Referring to MRO students) Never a direct answer, maybe an implied answer,

“that is not Zen.” Of course, before the question was barely articulated on my part, Daido Roshi,

when introducing Buddhism at the Zen Training Weekends, consistently calling the Four Noble

Truths, the Four Wisdoms. Still, I was slow, dull-witted. When talking to another teacher, it

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dawned eventually on me the source of those energies is wisdom. I looked deeper into my triad

and found that wisdom was the common thread through each aspect of this bigger Self.

The elements of that investigation are what I want to describe in this paper. It feels like I

have done all the ground work but actual service to the community has not materialized. I hold

out hope, even with the idea of letting go of that too. Perhaps, I am at the point of letting go of

the letting go? I had my training plan, “looked good”, but there needs to be a little cooperation

from the “community” as it can not be foisted upon them; the advice I would give my children at

this point, would be: “step back and see where they smile.”

Daojin

History It is a serious undertaking to introduce a new training track (MRO Training Tracks,

Appendix) in the Mountains and Rivers Order (MRO). In doing that, examples have been taken

from the Christian religious orders. Although not explored in depth, mention was made of the

Franciscans and in particular, the Benedictine Rule to establish a training format. Although

referred to as Oblate, A person dedicated to a life of religion or monasticism, especially a

member of an order without religious vows or a lay member of a religious community

(Wiktionary, 2009), the term lacks specificity related to MRO, as all lay students in MRO could

be considered Oblates. From history we have Oblates defined as a person who is specifically

dedicated to God or to God's service (Wikipedia, 2009) following the Rule of Benedict in the

5th and 6th Century CE. . Saint Frances of Rome founded the Oblates of Mary, a lay

congregation neither cloistered nor bound by formal vows. Oblates today are secular laypeople,

who are affiliated in prayer with an individual order and have made a promise to follow a Rule in

their private life at home and at work as closely as their individual circumstances and prior

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commitments permit. If residing in a religious community, Oblates make a promise of obedience

to the Abbot and undertake any work or service required of them.

In the 13th Century, St. Francis of Assisi drew up a Rule for those of his followers who

were excluded from being members of the order of Friars Minor. These became known as

Tertiary or Third Order. Tertiary are lay people connected with a religious order. Regular

Tertiary took religious vows and lived based on the Rule of the Third Order with supplementary

regulations. Secular Tertiary lived in the world. (Wikipedia, 2009)

Mountains and Rivers Order

Within these models is the foundation for the Daojin1, literally a person of the Way.

An obscure reference was made to Zen Master, “Daowu in the Blue Cliff Record”, who had a

preference for lay students. A lay student’s worldly attachments

were deemed more fertile for realization. From Zen’s Chinese

Heritage, there are two, Daowu Yuanzhi, “Zonzchi”, a dharma

heir to Yaoshan Weiyan and Tianhuang Daowu, a dharma heir to

Shitou Xiqian. No reference is made of their respective Sangha.

The historical founder of the Daojin appears to be in the same

vein as the legendary histories of both Bodhidharma and Hui- Neng.

There was a process of discernment when the original group met. We

viewed a video and read papers of Thomas Merton. This led us to

recognize a religious calling. A paper by Robert

Thurman, “Buddhist Monasticism”, which was his

background work for Inner Revolution, answered any

1 Calligraphy by John Daido Loori Roshi

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remaining doubt I might have had. From that paper (Thurman, 1984); I would like to quote three

of his ten proposed theses:

Enlightenment transcends all dichotomies, and is just as powerful in the social realm as it

is in the personal realm. The core insight of selfless emptiness is simultaneously an

embrace of the inexorable relatedness of the selfless individual to all others.

Buddhahood is thus far more than political World Conqueror-hood; it is the complete

Truth-conquest of the whole world, the creation of the pure Buddha-land, though the

unfolding of the Land appears to take time from the perspective of the unenlightened

people trapped in ordinary time or history.

Truth-conquest, or Buddha-land-building, can only proceed nonviolently, since

individuals can only be conquered from the inside, from their hearts, by their own free

understanding. Their insight itself is what liberates the energy of the general good will

that constitutes the perfected land.

And if I may quote one more line from Mr. Thurman’s paper, attributed to Matrcheta: “Buddhas

do not wash away sins with water; they do not heal by laying on of hands; they do not transmit

their own understanding into others; they introduce to liberation by teaching true Reality.”

Defined By Their Vows

Simplicity

“God is infinitely simple.” St. Thomas Aquinas,

“Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free.” Joseph Brackett,

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“Things should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” Albert Einstein

“You can always recognize truth by its beauty and simplicity.” Richard Feynman

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add,

but when there is nothing left to take away.” Antoine de Saint Exupéry

“Simplicity is the direct result of profound thought.” Anon

Simplicity often denotes beauty, purity, or clarity. Simple things are usually easier to

explain and understand than complicated ones. From the above quotes, we gather that simplicity

is not necessarily simple or better stated, not simple to describe. What is appropriate, regarding

simplicity as a vow? A particular situation demands a suitable response. Simplicity applies not

only to our choice of life style regarding our material existence but also our behavior and thought

patterns. Simplicity as ease, straightforwardness or effortlessness broadens the scope to include

our communication and relationships.

Constancy

“People who know the state of emptiness will always be able to dissolve their problems by constancy”, Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi

The message regarding constancy from Suzuki, Roshi was “Cultivate your own spirit”,

which echoes the historical Buddha’s, “Be a lamp onto yourself.” He continues by making the

distinction in the translation of the Japanese word, nin, which is usually translated as “patience.”

He goes on, “…but perhaps ‘constancy’ is the better word. You must force yourself to be patient,

but in constancy there is no particular effort involved — there is only the unchanging ability to

accept things as they are.” (Suzuki, 1970)

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Note that the vows are inter-related and inter connected within themselves. In the talk on

constancy, Suzuki Roshi talks of the ease and effortlessness “to accept things as they are”. To

accept things as they are; one needs to have cultivated an awareness of things as they are.

Right action

Briefly, I want to offer standard explanations of the next two vows taken from the

Eightfold Path. Right Action means following the ethical precepts: Affirm life — do not kill;

Be giving — do not steal; Honor the body — do not misuse sexuality; Manifest truth —

do not lie; and Proceed clearly — do not cloud the mind.

Right livelihood

Right livelihood means that one should earn ones living in a righteous way and that

wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. One should avoid: dealing in weapons, dealing

in living beings (including raising animals for slaughter as well as slave trade and prostitution),

working in meat production and butchery, and selling intoxicants and poisons, such as alcohol

and drugs. Any other occupation that would violate the principles of right speech and right action

should be avoided

Awareness “Ultimate awareness is suchness”, Daido Loori, Roshi

Chaplaincy

I was given the example of a sudden flash of insight for my teacher finding his calling.

When I was asked about vocation, it appeared to me more as a long slow burn. I found myself or

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it found me within the experience of CPE. Not only did I fit, it seemed without effort and the

experiences of my birth parents also fit into my life calling. It was natural to look at “Being with

Dying” end of life care but a second area proved more elusive until “outlier(ed)” into position.

Hospital settings have been familiar to me since childhood, not as a patient but as a

visitor whether initially at my father’s death bed or because of my mother’s thirty-five years of

small town nursing experience. The early loss of my father taught me the value of having a

father and consequently, of being a father. I could not see beyond myself until having a child.

That is an “automatic fifteen years of ‘no-self’ practice”. Once I took the step of expanding

“Women’s ministry” to include children, it was a short step to family and then to community.

This remains my most difficult area, as a not so easy childhood shaped me into a person who

stands at the edge of any group of people. I have to relearn this from the beginning.

Approach

There are many ways to express the role of a chaplain. The three tenets of the Zen

Peacemaker Order (ZPO): (1) not-knowing, (2) bearing witness, and (3) compassionate action;

the three pure precepts from MRO: (1) Practice good, (2) Do no create evil (3) Actualize good

for others. Or simply to be present, listen and care. Foundational is the Buddha’s teachings of

suffering, impermanence and no-self. I have used the phrase, “Crossing the threshold” with the

understanding that all ideas and agenda are left at the door. The language of Buddhism is

particularly interesting as there is always present a matter of degree in how one understands the

translated terms, karuna translated as compassion, shunyata translated as emptiness, mind

meaning heart/mind, anatman meaning no-self. There is a self that crosses the threshold, but

“not-knowing” and “bearing-witness” require a particular presence and listening. To read “not-

knowing” incurs automatically a meaning of “not-knowing”. Are we able to know “not-

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knowing”? A Dogen fascicle starts with, “It knows…” What is this “it”? What is this

“knowing”?

Role as servant – leader

The Chaplaincy program started for me on Valentine’s Day of 2006. The background

story is: I had just finished my fourth unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at our local

hospital and was exiting the complex of buildings through an area used for dialysis. Stepping out

the door, para-transport vans had just pulled up to pickup dialysis out-patients and take them

home. I recognized a driver, Buzz. At the same time I was wondering what I was going to do

next. The thought came, “I could do worse than doing that work.” I applied with the condition I

could have time off for four one week sesshins at the monastery I attend. It was agreed and that

was my work for the next ten years, as my wife and I raised a young family. Valentine’s Day of

2006 was Buzz’s funeral and his family, knowing my “not Christian” practice, asked me to lead

the funeral. It was in the ten minutes before starting the service, I realized my role was not a

“power” leadership, but without having the words, a “servant-leadership” role.

The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve,

to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply

different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual

power drive or to acquire material possessions… The leader-first and the servant-first are

two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite

variety of human nature. (Greenleaf, 1970)

Ten characteristics: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization,

foresight stewardship, commitment to the growth of others and building community (Spears,

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2004) Servant leadership emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy and the ethical use of

power.

By the end of the service, I realized a little what it meant to be in community. Valentine’s

Day of 2008, I applied for the Upaya Chaplaincy Program. I was accepted on the first full moon.

Manifesting Five Wisdoms

From the Pali Canon (Maha-Saccaka Sutta ,2009), Siddhattha prepared for his enlightenment

by the four stages of absorption (Jhāna), which are characterized by what is absent and what is

present(Marchaj,2009): Before First Jhāna: Present: the five hindrances: sensual desire, ill-will,

sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, doubt; First Jhāna: Absent: sensual desire, ill-will,

sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, doubt; Present: thought, examination, rapture,

pleasure born of seclusion; Second Jhāna: Absent: thought, examination; Present: rapture,

pleasure born of concentration, inner composure, singleness of mind; Third Jhāna: Absent:

rapture; Present: pleasure, unification of mind, equanimity, mindfulness, clear comprehension;

Fourth Jhāna: Absent: pleasure and pain, grief and joy; Present: neither pain nor pleasure, purity

of equanimity, purity of mindfulness.

With his mind “collected and purified, without blemish, free from defilements, grown

soft, workable, fixed and immovable”, he recalled previous existences( first watch), gained

knowledge of karma (second watch) and understood suffering and the four Noble Truths (third

watch) (Schumann, 1989).

The Mahayana expresses this differently. The fruition attained by the historical Buddha

in one night is mapped for bodhisattvas by several schemes: the Dasabhumika Sutra (The Ten

Stages) – chapter 26 of the Avatamsaka Sutra (the Flower Ornament Scripture), the Gandavyuha

Sutra (Entry into the Realm of Reality) – chapter 39 of the Avatamsaka Sutra and the Fourfold

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Dharmadhatu with a superimposed organization on koan collections. This is the middle of the

Middle Path (Middle Path, Appendix). These represent one night to twenty years of training (if

we are fortunate). The purpose of this paper is not to detail the subjective “sustained, relentless

training”. If we have followed the path to this point, we have had a glimpse at the peak from a

distance. That has sustained our training. What is left; is everything. And now we approach the

summit:

The ultimate fruit of dharma practice is the attainment of Buddhahood. Liberating oneself

from all ignorance, delusion and obscurations, one manifests the qualities of a Buddha by

attaining the five kinds of primordial awareness. (Thrangu, 2002)

The Pure Dharma Realm2 is not the peak but a manifestation of this

summit. This summit is expressed in many ways, “body and mind falling

away, satori, Dharmakaya, an aspect of the

Tathagata-garbha”, but can only be “known” by

experience.

The Canon and Sutras abound with description, the

koans with pointers and insight. The Yogacara School formulated the

transformation of the eight consciousnesses to the five wisdoms: wisdom of Dharmadhatu

(Suchness); mirror-like wisdom (Storehouse Consciousness); wisdom of equality (Ego

Consciousness); wisdom of discernment (Cognition and perception consciousness) and all-

accomplishing wisdom(the five sense consciousnesses) (Zim, 1995).

From a late fourth century Yogacara text, “The Buddhabhumi Sutra”, I quote the

characteristics of this Pure Dharma Realm: 2 Calligraphy by Taizan Maezumi Roshi

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First Verse:

Suchness in all things is characterized by purification from the two obstacles (of passion

and to knowledge). Its mastery of doctrinal wisdom and in its content are characterized

by inexhaustibility.

Second Verse:

Because of the cultivation of suchness in all respects, full perfection is realized. It

establishes the two (Absolute and Relative) for all sentient beings and brings about

inexhaustible results in all respects.

Third Verse:

It has the activity of the very skillful methods of the transformations of body, speech, and

thought. It is fully endowed with the two limitless doors of concentrations and

recollective formulae (dharani).

Fourth Verse:

It displays the differentiations of essence, enjoyment of Dharma, and transformation.

This Pure Dharma Realm is enunciated by all Buddhas. (Bandhuprabha, 4th Century CE)

“Tathata (Suchness) as a central concept of Mahayana Buddhism expresses the appreciation of

reality within a unique moment. As no moment is exactly the same, each one can be savored for

what occurs at that precise time”. (Wikipedia, 2009)

I have not experienced this , with that said rather than fit an intellectual understanding into this

paper, I prefer to acknowledge an end of my experience of the path, and state I know where I am,

how to proceed and perhaps what is next.

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The original sutra has not been translated to English as a separate work. I had a brief

communication with the author, John P. Keenan, of the book of his interpretation of the

commentaries on this sutra. He is now an Episcopal priest after retiring from the faculty of

Middlebury College. His stated attempt is to incorporate Mahayana “emptiness” into the

philosophical “Hellenistic” foundations of his religion. My original attempt was to read the sutra

by acquiring his dissertation, “A Study of the Buddhabhu! my-Upadeśa: The Doctrinal

Development of the Notion of Wisdom in Yogacara Thought” (1980) University of Wisconsin at

Madison. He informed me the entire sutra was contained within his book.

Community

How to Initiate

This paper started with the idea of meshing Daojin vows, five wisdoms and the first five

(Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood) of the

Eightfold path into some analytic matrix and then progress through in a linear process of

resolution. What happened was a discovery of the common wisdom thread.

The Wisdom portion of the Eightfold path is Right View and Right Intention. From

various literatures, Right View is the right understanding of the Four Noble Truths. Imbedded in

those Truths is the first turning of the Dharma Wheel — the teachings of suffering,

impermanence and no-self. Implicit is an understanding of Karma.

The beginning of the path, Right View, is also the end of the path. Right View is to

understand the Four Noble Truths, “as it is”. To understand suffering as it is, does not compel

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one to act but unconditional compassion is the natural out flowing of the realization of practice –

like parent and child; the left hand takes care of the right. Service is relationship.

I have served a thousand people during Oryoki. For years that meant “doing the job” but

what I missed was the relationship stated simply in the short meal gatha:

I take this food in gratitude to all beings, who placed it on this table

And in return to those in need, I offer my wisdom and compassion.

Some people find difficulty in asking and being the receiver. That is not the only

perspective. If there is no giver and receiver, this gatha shows our true interconnectedness. It is

their wisdom and compassion to accept my offering. That is their offering.

Our folk wisdom says, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” This has been a

sticking point for me in considering “Engaged Buddhism” without “sustained, relentless”

training. Right Intention is: Being resolved on renunciation, on freedom from ill will, on

harmlessness (Saccavibhanga Sutta). It refers to the volitional aspect of our mental and ethical

development. An act of volition has karmic consequence. Volition/ mental formations appear in

the five aggregates (skandas) and also as part of the chain of dependent co-origination (Twelve

Nidāna). If intention hinges on the notion of a self, “Engaged Buddhism” becomes one more

mishap. Our culture demands quick turnaround; our cultural suffering demands attention, yet

non-selfless intention can perpetuate that suffering. Is the mark of being capable of dealing with

that suffering someone’s approval (transmission)? Yet perfection in this is only attributed to the

historical Buddha.

“Respond to the Imperative” is part of my fiber. There is suffering and on a gross scale

that is the imperative. How do I serve that without creating more suffering? I fall back on

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“time, place, position and degree”. It is where I am and my relationship that determines my

service. These are also the situational elements in which I have some control.

Service Specifics

End of Life care

“Proposed” professional level in-house hospice at ZMM (needs abbot approval)

The last time I saw Daido, Roshi was less than two weeks before his death, one other Daojin, a

doctor, who had spent time with him assisting in treatment and hospital visits for treatment and

myself were asked to help in order to relieve the demands on the three overworked caregivers. It

was suspected, the cancer had metastasized in his brain and there were behaviors manifesting

that could be called, “unenlightened”. He made demands of his wife, who is not a Zen

practitioner, and became dependent on her presence, leaving her little time for a break. He did

not want to be alone; there were also moments of clear “Dharma”. This created a difficult

situation for students to care for him as one had to know when to be a student and when to be a

caregiver, as if that should be separate. Introducing new caregivers required the permission of

his wife, and at the same time, these caregivers were welcomed by Daido, Roshi as old students.

There was a mix of placating him and her with a television serial reminiscent of his life in

advertising of the 50(s), which possibly created its own complications. The agreement reached

with all involved was to bring in professional hospice. This needed to be local hospice but it

pointed also to the need for education and training of caregivers with in the Sangha.

As noted above under Chaplaincy, I have set some direction as to how and in what

capacity I want to serve. It is interesting to note what is happening, and that it is not precisely

what I specified. I want to look at three areas and watch any progression:

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Hospital

I have attended several deaths, usually in hospital settings or hospital related. It fits because

of last seeing my father at age of four, in his hospital deathbed. I am now visiting a person who

has lost all family but an estranged daughter. He has lymphoma, diabetes (double amputee and

loss of vision) and a heart that is functioning at sixty percent. Those are the hard facts; the soft

facts -- he tends to create difficult patient care situations for himself. I have followed him

through several hospital and therapy stays and three nursing homes residencies, always with the

common criticism of a lack of quality care. Whether factual or “paranoid” induced, it has proved

a difficult relationship to build trust. His movement in the hospital and to/from nursing homes

has proved difficult to physically follow. The tracking system of the hospital has been non-

functional since June with only promises of being fixed. Names on the population census that is

distributed for use by outside clergy are missing, making it difficult to find locations and phone

numbers.

I have intermittently been a volunteer at our local hospital for ten years. For nine point nine

of those ten years I have been “positioning” myself for a job as chaplain since completing

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at this hospital. I did my volunteer hours at this hospital and

was put in a compromised position, the role of “greeter”. There is declining contact of patients

with clergy for various reasons, not the least of which is a migration to non-sectarian beliefs in

our local population. Chaplaincy at the hospital is based on the “interfaith” model. I have been

asked at two different hospitals to present an understanding of Buddhism to the volunteers. My

first reaction was this had the intent to diminish the need for a Buddhist chaplain. The volunteers

have little or no knowledge of Buddhism. There is a chance of being challenged in the

presentation due to misunderstadings. My thoughts initially framed this negatively, but as I get

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use to presenting, there is a sense of enjoyment in the interaction. It is the moment of response to

a question, that the Dharma makes sense. The initial presentation was to answer the following

questions (“Presentation Question”, Appendix) in ten to fifteen minutes:

1. How does your faith understand God’s role in illness and suffering?

2. Does your tradition utilize any special prayers for healing and wholeness?

3. What are the practices at the time of death?

This presentation has been given four times with a concentration on the first question being the

last two presentations. Each presentation is now an hour in length. For the most part, it is an

introduction to Buddhism to predominantly Christian volunteers. The responses in general have

been 1/3 agree, 1/3 disagree and 1/3 huh when presented to a non-self selecting volunteer

meeting. The exceptions have been the responses of people who understand and are seeking

more mystical understanding of their own traditions.

Sangha

I have started visits within the Sangha --- usually friends and occasionally by request

from the abbot.

I have proposed a reorganization of the local affiliate with “skype (d)” Sunday service. I

have not proceeded as it needs not only abbot approval but affiliate members’ approval.

Family My daughter will be graduating from college this spring. She is experiencing some

anxiety in what to do next and also voicing her perceived self-inadequacies by comparing herself

to others.

“Life resembles more your bad habits; Rather than so much, your good intentions.” Seigetsu

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“What we humans do quite well is adapt to our situations; What it seems we do not so well is withstand the transitions”. Seigetsu

In the context of this paper, it is not so important what I have said, but my role as father

in our family requires service to my children (and wife). This is by far my most difficult area.

Not only do I replicate my own patterns but I perpetuate childhood patterns by replicating the

people from my childhood; I recreated the patterns. And I do not listen.

It is the family relationship that proves the most fertile ground. My family is always there

for me, even when I behave my worst and it seems I behave my worst within my family. It is

where my inherited behavior patterns play out in their most blatant form to others but in their

most subtle form to me.

I asked once about the San Francisco Zen Center’s scandal and in particular about

Richard Baker. I was answered that it was about power. After several years, I realized this

answer was from someone who had to gauge his own power issues. It would seem that Richard

Baker’s social mode of interacting had to change after assuming the role of teacher. His former

behavior patterns did not fit when he became responsible for so many.

Part of our training is the cultivation of the paramitas. One of those “ten” paramitas is

bala (Keown, 2004) or spiritual power. The explanation “various lists of powers (bala) occur in

the sources, but the most common is a group known as the ‘five powers’. Each of these

eradicates its opposite negative tendency as follows: (1) faith overcomes false beliefs; (2) energy

overcomes laziness; (3) mindfulness overcomes forgetfulness; (4) concentration overcomes

distractedness; (5) insight overcomes ignorance” but does not directly address the abuse of

power whether in the microcosm of my family or macrocosm of a Zen Center. This is food for

future thought or another paper.

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Me (One in many; many in one)

I like the Ecology definition of community: A group of interdependent organisms

inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other. Interrelated, interconnected,

interdependent and interacting (“Letter to a Teacher”, Appendix); the relationship explodes in

significance and consequence and yet is simply defined by its action. To define this relationship

as communion (Wikipedia, 2009), we join together our minds and/or spirits in intimate unity.

Community Prayer

And the deepest level of communication

Is not communication, but communion.

It is wordless. It is beyond words,

And it is beyond actions,

And it is beyond thoughts.

Not that we discover a new unity,

We discover an older unity.

We are already one,

Bu we imagine that we are not.

And what we have to recover is our original unity.

What we have to be, is what we are.

Anon

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Conclusion

There was an article in the “paper” regarding an Episcopal Bishop who made the

statement, “Personal salvation is a heresy”. A commentator made the observation that at the

heart of this statement is the soteriology argument, salvation by “Grace” versus salvation by

“Good Works”. This has been part of Christian monastic/ tertiary order discrepancy from the

beginnings of forming those orders. With a foot each in Daojin and Chaplaincy, I have noticed

that we could repeat that difference, but in terms of Depth (Zazen and Teacher/ Student

Relationship) and Breadth (Engaged Buddhism and Relationship). Zen practitioners do not have

to repeat it. It is our training to merge those positions.

As such, the training as both Daojin and Chaplain exists only for the purpose of service. It is

underlying, implicit and fundamental. Zen would appear, not that it is, extremely self-indulgent

without that understanding. Fortunately for us, compassion is the natural out flowing of wisdom.

An intermediate intent of this paper was to define the three elements of the original triad

by its five characteristics, build a five element, three dimensional matrix and then by brute fore

reduce it to its commonality. What happened was unexpected. A jewel, Suchness, appeared –

whether it is the whole jewel, or equally, a facet of the jewel is still the mystery – a mystery that

does not need to be solved.

This paper represents a not-detailed understanding of the flow of the inputs of Zen,

namely the Nikaya, Madyamaka, Yogacara, Tathagata-garbha and Huayan. It prescribes

implicitly a path from the five hindrances to the wisdom of the Dharmadhatu. Each element can

be viewed as an attempt to explain the ineffable; none of which, including this paper, is

necessary.

Unfolding,

Because of an omission in the above paragraph, allow me to add a small story. In a

Vermont village not far from my home, I was told there was a Chinese American minister in a

Methodist church. I am told, he would say, “In the beginning was the Dao”.There you have it:

the end, the beginning.

We started this paper with a triad; I would like to end with a triad. In a sense, the paper

parallels the process of ending where I started. I was reminded recently of the admonishment of

Aldous Huxley, “It is a bit embarrassing to have been concerned with the human problem all

one's life and find at the end that one has no more to offer by way of advice than ‘Try to be a

little kinder.’”. It would be inappropriate to not include it:

To see things as they are;

To accept things as they are;

To be a little kinder to each other.

Unfolding,

Glossary (Keown, 2004) Jhana (Pali) dhyana (Sanskrit) — a state of deep meditative absorption characterized by lucid awareness and achieved by focusing the mind on a single object Jñāna — non-conceptualizing or non-dual awareness Pañca jñāna — Five Wisdoms

1. Tathatā-jñāna — the bare non-conceptualizing awareness of emptiness and acts as basic ground unifying the other four jñāna

2. Ādarśa-jñāna — Mirror–like awareness is devoid of all dualistic thought and ever reunited with its ‘content’ as a mirror is with it reflections.

3. Samatā-jñāna — awareness of sameness which perceives identity of all phenomena 4. Pratyaveksana-jñāna — investigating awareness which perceives the general and specific

qualities of all phenomena 5. Krty-anusthāna-jñāna — awareness of accomplishing activities which spontaneously

carries out all that has to be done for the welfare of beings, manifesting itself in all directions

Prajna — insight, discriminating knowledge or intuitive apprehension Tathata — suchness denoting the way things are in truth or actuality (absolute);

denotes the essential nature of reality and quiddity or true mode of being of phenomena which is beyond the range of conceptual thought (relative).

Unfolding,

Appendix

MRO Training Tracks

Unfolding,

Middle Path

Sandōkai of Shitou Xiqian

Identity of Relative and Absolute (MRO Version)

The Mind of the great sage of India was intimately conveyed from West to East. Among human beings are wise ones and fools but in the way there is no northern or southern patriarch. The subtle source is clear and bright the tributary streams flow through the darkness. To be attached to things is illusion, to encounter the absolute is not yet enlightenment. Each and all the subjective and objective spheres are related, and at the same time independent. Related, yet working differently, though each keeps its own place. Form makes the character and appearance different; sounds distinguish comfort and discomfort. The dark makes all words one, the brightness distinguishes good and bad phrases. The four elements return to their nature as a child to its mother. Fire is hot, wind moves, water wet, earth hard; eyes see, ears hear, nose smells, tongue tastes the salt and sour. In accordance with each dharma, the root gives rise to separate leaves. Root and branch must return to the great reality. The words high and low are used relatively. Within light there is darkness, but do not try to understand that darkness. Within darkness there is light, but do not look for that light. Light and darkness are a pair, like the foot before and the foot behind in walking. Each thing has it s own intrinsic value and is related to everything else in function and position. Ordinary life fits the absolute as a box and its lid. The absolute works together with the relative like tow arrows meeting in mid-air. Reading words, you should grasp the great reality. Do not judge by any standards. If you do not see the way, you do not see it even as walk on it. When you walk the way, it is not near, it is not far. If you are deluded, you are mountains and rivers away from it. I respectfully say to those who wish to be enlightened, do not waste your time by night or day.

Fourfold Dharmadhatu of Hua-Yen The world of Shih (phenomena, events) The world of Li (principle, reality) The world of Li and Shih perfectly interfused The world of perfect mutual solution between Shih and Shih

Five Ranks of Tung Shan The Apparent within the Real/The Actual within the Ideal The Real within the Apparent/The Ideal within the Actual The Coming from within the Real The Arrival at Mutual Integration Unity Attained

Four Classifications of Linji At the evening gathering the master addressed the assembly, saying: “Sometimes I take away the person but do not take away the surroundings; sometimes I take away the surroundings but do not take away the person; sometimes I take away both person and surroundings; sometimes I take away neither person nor surroundings”

Unfolding,

Presentation Question

How does your faith understand God’s role in illness and suffering? (the personal and subjective answer)

There is no equivalent question in Buddhism; denying my Judeo-Christian background denies my formative years; denies part of myself. Review

1. “Faith” --- Buddhism is not a belief system but experiential based on a. Great Faith, Great Doubt and Great Perseverance b. Trust yourself --- Trust your inherent “heart” wisdom c. Trust the meditative process, which ripens this wisdom

2. God --- a. Buddhism is unique in you are responsible for your own salvation b. Buddhism is non-theistic; not atheistic, not agnostic, not nihilistic and does not

exclude God c. Buddha is not God; is not a god.

3. Suffering i. Pain is real; pain hurts;

ii. old age, sickness and death --- part of being human; b. Suffering is what we do to ourselves intentionally, habitually brought on by our

experiences of life. The Buddha’s question was how to put an end to suffering First Turning of Dharma Wheel3 – mystical rationalism (Hinayana)

1. Impermanence 2. Suffering --- Four Noble Truths 3. No self --- no fixed independent self; (Skandas)

form, sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness Second turning of the Dharma Wheel –rational mysticism (Mahayana)

1. Wisdom (Compassion) 2. Bodhisattva (Arhat) 3. Shunyata --- unconditioned

a. no fixed independent existence for all phenomena b. Everything is inter related and interdependent c. “The emptiness of existence is existence.”

Third Turning of the Dharma Wheel (Vajrayana) 1. Buddha Nature --- Emptiness framed positive

Everyone has Buddha Nature; we are all Buddhas (some realized; some not) “Realization is sudden; practice is gradual” 3 Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught,

Unfolding,

New 1. “Mysticism is essentially a movement of the heart, seeking to transcend the limitations of the

individual and to surrender itself to ultimate Reality” 4 a. Characteristics of Mysticism

i. Mysticism is practical, not theoretical ii. Mysticism is an entirely Spiritual Activity (Unity)

“The heart of the mystic is always set upon the changeless One.” iii. The business and method of Mysticism is Love iv. Mysticism entails a definite psychological experience.

(Ineffable, visceral and transformative)

True Mysticism is never self-seeking 2. Zen (Bodhidharma)

a. Not relying on word or letters, b. An independent transmission apart from any teaching or scriptural doctrine c. Directly pointing to the human mind (heart/mind) d. Awakening one’s original nature, thereby actualizing one’s own Buddhahood

shunyata --- the (experiential) Absolute Basis of Reality 3. Question to Father Robert Kennedy, S.J., Roshi, “How do you reconcile God with emptiness (shunyata)?” “God is incomprehensible and unknowable.” “God is nichts; nichts is love”; Meister Eckhart and Jacob Böhme5,6 Form is emptiness, Emptiness is form (Form │ is \ emptiness, Emptiness is form) Question (How does your faith understand God’s role in illness and suffering?) becomes: How do I understand this (experiential) “incomprehensible and unknowable” putting an end to suffering? That is a Buddhist question; that is exactly the meditative process, zazen. Background 1. When this is, that is.

From the arising of this, comes the arising of that. When this isn't, that isn't. From the cessation of this, comes the cessation of that.

2. Twelve Links of Conditioned Existence (seen as a circle) - moment to moment rebirth a. Ignorance conditions volitional actions or karma formations

4 Evelyn Underhill, Mysticism The Nature and Development of a Spiritual Consciousness 5 Masao Abe, Buddhism and Interfaith Dialogue, Edited by Steven Heine, p. 134 6 Masao, Abe See Background material, “From Christian Mystics”

Unfolding,

b. Volitional Activities condition consciousness c. Consciousness conditions body and mind d. Body and mind conditions the six senses e. Six faculties conditions sensorial and mental contact f. Contact conditions sensation g. Sensation conditions desire h. Desire conditions attachment i. Attachment conditions becoming j. Becoming conditions birth k. And birth conditions sickness, old age and death

3. The Four Noble Truths Life is suffering; The cause of suffering is desire, thirst, hunger; There is an end to suffering; How to do that? Eightfold path:

Right View, Right Intention WISDOM Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood ETHICAL CONDUCT Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration

MENTAL DEVELOPMENT 4. From Christian Mystics:

a. The statement is attributed7 to Meister Eckhart and Jacob Böhme and is derived8 from M. Abe’s statement:

“God is love because God is nichts; Nichts is God because nichts is love.” b. St. John of the Cross

“In prayer, come empty, do nothing.”

That you may have pleasure in everything Seek your own pleasure in nothing. That you may know everything Seek to know nothing. That you may possess all things Seek to possess nothing. That you may be everything Seek to be nothing.

c. Meister Eckhart

The eye with which I see God is the same with which God sees me. My eye and God's eye is one eye, and one sight, and one knowledge, and one love.

We are all meant to be mothers of God, for God is always needing to be born.

7 Masao Abe, Zen, Buddhism and Western Thought, (1985) edited by R. La Fleur, p. 133 8 Masao Abe, “Kenotic God and Dynamic Shunyata”, Divine Emptiness and Historical Fullness,(1995) edited by Christopher Ives, pp. 46-50

Unfolding,

The most powerful prayer, one well nigh omnipotent, and the worthiest work of all is the outcome of a quiet mind.

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "Thank You", that would suffice.

d. Jacob Böhme, The Way to Christ, When thou art gone forth wholly from the creature [human], and art become nothing to all that is nature and creature, then thou art in that eternal one, which is God himself, and then thou shalt perceive and feel the highest virtue of love. Also, that I said whosoever findeth it findeth nothing and all things; that is also true, for he findeth a supernatural, supersensual Abyss, having no ground, where there is no place to dwell in; and he findeth also nothing that is like it, and therefore it may be compared to nothing, for it is deeper than anything, and is as nothing to all things, for it is not comprehensible; and because it is nothing, it is free from all things, and it is that only Good, which a man cannot express or utter what it is. But that I lastly said, he that findeth it, findeth all things, is also true; it hath been the beginning of all things, and it ruleth all things. If thou findest it, thou comest into that ground from whence all things proceed, and wherein they subsist, and thou art in it a king over all the works of God. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakob_B%C3%B6hme, retrieved January 17, 2010)

5. Maha Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, doing deep Prajna Paramita clearly saw emptiness of all the five conditions, thus completely relieving misfortune and pain.

Oh Shariputra, form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form.

Form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form. Sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness are likewise like this.

Oh Shariputra, all dharmas are forms of emptiness; not born, not destroyed, not stained not pure,

without loss, without gain. So in emptiness there is no form; no sensation, conception, discrimination, awareness. No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; no color, sound, smell, taste, touch, phenomena; no realm of sight, no realm of consciousness, no ignorance and no end to ignorance, no old age and death and no end to old age and death, no suffering, no cause of

suffering, no extinguishing, no path, no wisdom and no gain.

No gain and thus the Bodhisattva lives Prajna Paramita, with no hindrance in the mind; no hindrance, therefore no fear. Far beyond deluded thoughts this is Nirvana. All past, present and

future Buddhas live Prajna Paramita and therefore attain anuttarasamyak-sambodhi.

Therefore know Prajna Paramita is the great mantra, the vivid mantra, the best mantra, the unsurpassable mantra. It completely clears all pain. This is the truth, not a lie. So set forth the

Prajna Paramita mantra set forth this mantra and say, Gate! Gate! Paragate! Parasamgate! Bodhi Sattva! Prajna Heart Sutra.

Unfolding,

Letter to a Teacher

Hello Sensei: Just listened to Blue Cliff Record Case 21 Chih Men's Lotus Flower, Lotus Leaves It may not be accurate to say the flower is “deep rooted”, deep is of course relative, but not deeply attached might be better. Some people refer to a particular lily as a Lotus; the American Lotus is Nelumbo lutea, the Asian Lotus is Nelumbo Nucifera. I have not found it in Vermont; I am curious about it being found in the Adirondacks. I have seen Lotus in the backwaters of the Mississippi. I have an article from a 1924 magazine that states, there were as much as an acre of Lotus field in the bends of the River. It was foodstuff for our native peoples, the whole plant nourishes. Seeds were found that were dormant for three to four hundred years and still viable. The seed is enclosed in a shell, a seed coat, virtually unbreakable; but has been opened with acid. No record has been found in the literature of successfully growing the plant from seed.9 The plant grows in the muck; also in the water, the air and the sun. The American Lotus blossom is creamy white with red tips but as it matures, it turns sulphur yellow. The plant is prolific and I suspect spreads in a web pattern, as each end of the tuber sends out new shoots – future tubers. When transplanted as a tuber, there is a very fragile growth tip, if that is broken the plant dies. It is also sensitive to cold water, better to let water sit to air temperature when adding water to a container holding a young plant. The plant can be grown in six to nine inches of soil; six inches of water. At the ends of the tuber a set of roots anchor the plant but the tuber itself is just under the surface of the mud. As the plant grows, young leaves are sent up, they lie on the surface of the water; shortly after, the adult leaves, rolled and sharp pierce through the original leaves to open about two feet above the water; later the seed pod and flower develop about one to two feet above those leaves. On those secondary leaves, rain balls up and rolls off. The flower blossoms for a short time, three to four days. If the tuber freezes the plant dies. There survival in northern climates, I guess, is because when these still waters (3 to 4 feet deep) freeze, there is a layer of air and water between the ice and mud, insulating the mud to above freezing temperatures. It is difficult to cultivate and grow in a container. By the way, they seek large amounts of nourishment. I am sure the similarities to Buddhism are only secondary. Seigetsu

9 Dormancy and Growth Studies of the American Lotus, William C. Meyer

Unfolding,

References

Bandhuprabha (4th Century CE), The Interpretation of the Buddha Land, translated from the Chinese of Hsua" n-tsang (Taisho Vol. 26, Num. 1530) by John P. Keenan, Berkeley: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research Greenleaf, Robert K. (1970). “The Servant as Leader” essay

Keown, Damien. (2004). A Dictionary of Buddhism. Maha-Saccaka Sutta: The Longer Discourse to Saccaka (MN 36) (2009). In Access to Insight, retrieved May 24, 2009 from http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.036.than.html translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Marchaj, Konrad Ryushin, “Attention! Samadhi and Insight in Zen Practice” Retreat (2009)

Saccavibhanga Sutta: An Analysis of the Truths, (MN 141) (2009).In Access to Insight, retrieved May 24, 2009 from http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.141.than.html translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Sammaditthi Sutta: Right View, (MN 9) (2009). In Access to Insight, retrieved May 24, 2009 from http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.9.than.html translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight, June 7, 2009 Schumann, Hans Wolfgang (1989). The Historical Buddha, London: Arkana translated from the German by M. O’C. Walshe. Spears, Larry (2004), “Practicing Servant-Leadership”. In Leader To Leader Journal, No 34 Suzuki, Roshi, Shunryu (1970) Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, , Page 86 Thrangu, Rinpoche, Khenchen (2002). The Five Kinds of Primordial Awareness. In Susanne Schefczyk (Ed.), Everyday Consciousness and Buddha-Awakening (pp. 59 – 73), Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications Thurman, Robert A. F. (1984). “Buddhist Monasticism” essay

Wiktionary (2009) retrieved December 30, 2009, from http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/communion Wikipedia (2009) retrieved December 30, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblate Wikipedia (2009) retrieved December 30, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suchness Wikipedia (2009) retrieved December 30, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Order_of_St._Francis Zim, Roger (1995). “Basic Ideas of Yogacara Buddhism” essay

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