Repose

Here’s a little excerpt from a talk by Katagiri Roshi:

Even though you have a custom of seeing this total situation in terms of your view point, practically, please be flexible, magnanimous.  Take a deep breath right in the middle of confusion.

Don’t see this situation only from your own point of view, your own self-grasping.  In your everyday life, please be right in the Universe.  If you see this situation of being in the Universe in terms of your understanding only, your life becomes rigid.  You never be relaxed and magnanimous.

This is our practice from moment to moment.  Be relaxed and present right now right here.  Repose yourself.  Not rushing in to get.  If you rush in to get, you become rigid.

For instance, I always mention this oneness and Universal perspective.  Please see human existence in terms of the Universe.  But you don’t believe it so you bring up a question, dealing with your life in a dualistic way.

For instance, I want to do sesshin, but on the other hand, I don’t want to attend.  “How can I deal with this?”  At that time you are standing in the dualistic world.  In the whirl of dualism.  No matter how long we discuss, you never find solution.

Finally, I say, keep your month shut and do it.

Both of your desires – to attend and not to attend – can be understood in a deep sense.  The desire to attend is a solid existence?  No.  It’s changing.  Like a stream.  Like the weather.  So next moment you say, I don’t want.  The desire to attend has no independent existence.  It is not a solid thing.

If you understand your desires like this you can be present with flexibility and magnanimity.  In repose.  Delivered from the idea to attend or not to attend.

First of all, you should do it.  Then both of your desires should be accepted in the same way.  There is no difference.  Just like a flashing light in the intersection.  When the situation changes, the green like becomes yellow.

The light doesn’t last forever.  However, we act as if it will and become completely confused.  If you accept them as a flashing light, both become dissipated in the Universe.