Receiving and Maintaining Our Deepest Aspiration

Receiving and Maintaining Our Deepest Aspiration January 25, 2016

SWhy are you reading posts on a spiritual/religious website? Why do you meditate or pray? Why do you attend a temple, church, or Zen center? Underneath all the practical reasons lies your deepest aspiration and concern for your life, and for the life of all other beings.

In the mid 1200’s in Japan, Zen master Eihei Dogen gave a short Dharma talk that speaks to me of the supreme importance of our deepest aspiration, and how essential it is that we “receive and maintain” it – or remain aware of and strengthen it. This is worth understanding, so stick with this passage of Dogen’s even though its meaning may seem obscure (I then go through it line by line):

In studying the way, the mind of the way is primary. This temple in the remote mountains and deep valleys is not easy to reach, and people arrive only after sailing over oceans and climbing mountains. Without treading with the mind of the way, it’s difficult to arrive at this field. To refine the rice, first the bran must be removed. This is a good place in which to engage the way. And yet, I’m sorry that the master [Dōgen] does not readily attend to others by disposition. However, by day or night, the voice of the valley stream happens to be conducive for carrying water. Also, in spring and fall, the colors of the mountain manage to be conducive for gathering firewood. I hope that cloud and water monks will keep the way in mind.

I remember, a monk asked Shoushan [Xingnian], “All the buddhas come from this sutra. What is this sutra?”

Shoushan responded, “Speak softly; speak softly.”

The monk asked, “How should we receive and maintain it?”

Shoushan said, “It can never be defiled.”

Suppose someone asked me, Eihei, “What is this sutra?” I would say to him: If you call it “this sutra,” your eyebrows will fall out [from lying].

As to “How should we receive and maintain it?” I would say: Reaching back for your pillow in the middle of the night.

– From Dogen’s Extensive Record: A Translation of the Eihei Koroku, translated by Taigen Dan Leighton, Wisdom Publications

 

In studying the way, the mind of the way is primary.

As we practice, the most important thing is The Mind That Seeks the Way. This is also known as bodhicitta, of the thought of enlightenment. In one sense bodhicitta is profound and universal. It describes what happens when beings look up from the narrow track defined by their own desires and concerns, suddenly struck by a deep intuition that there’s a lot more going on here. It’s what happens when we marvel at beauty, compassion, nature, or the infinitude of the universe. It’s what happens we decide we want greater intimacy with what is greater, and dedicate ourselves to supporting and cultivating good in the world.

In another sense bodhicitta is just an everyday affair. It’s operating every time we feel a twinge in our conscience, or the swelling of selfless love or inspiration. It nudges us toward our deepest aspirations, keeping us from falling completely into the sleep of self-absorption.

Without bodhicitta, we would not practice. We would never wake up. Where does bodhicitta come from? If you were completely ignorant, self-absorbed, and asleep, what would wake you up? It’s your own enlightened mind that gives rise to bodhicitta.

This temple in the remote mountains and deep valleys is not easy to reach, and people arrive only after sailing over oceans and climbing mountains. Without treading with the mind of the way, it’s difficult to arrive at this field.

To practice deeply and transformatively is not easy. We need to make a monastery in the midst of our own lives by dedicating our whole lives to What Matters Most – to whatever extent we are able. Creating such a space of practice within our lives is sometimes more difficult than traversing remote mountains and deep valleys to reach a physical monastery. We need to keep waking ourselves up, moment after moment, nurturing our bodhicitta and heeding its call. If our bodhicitta were not calling us forward, we would soon slack off and our practice would become diffused and complacent.

To refine the rice, first the bran must be removed. This is a good place in which to engage the way.

Although we already have everything we need, there is work to be done. There is karma to be faced, habits to be struggled with, relationships to become more present and authentic in, work to embrace wholeheartedly, zazen to be sat, challenging teachings to be wrestled with… the monastery we create in the midst of our own lives is a good place for this work. In this monastery everything is about practice. Everything we say and do is dedicated to the Way.

This doesn’t mean we become uptight! Sometimes it’s time for rest, ease, laughter, joy, friendship, or pleasure – all of these can take place in our monastery, providing fuel for practice and teaching us about the reality of our lives. All we have to do is engage each situation with mindfulness and intention.

And yet, I’m sorry that the master [Dōgen] does not readily attend to others by disposition. However, by day or night, the voice of the valley stream happens to be conducive for carrying water. Also, in spring and fall, the colors of the mountain manage to be conducive for gathering firewood. I hope that cloud and water monks will keep the way in mind.

We naturally want to know what to do, how to practice, how to do this right. We hope that a teacher, or some other authority, or a book, or a tradition will be able to tell us how to practice and live. Maybe we think we can figure it out for ourselves. But the answer does not come this easily. Even Dogen, even the Buddha, can’t directly show you the way, and creating your own philosophy tends to be only a temporary solution that starts to falter when life changes radically.

So what can we rely on? Carrying water and gathering firewood is the everyday affair of our life and practice, and if we look up from the narrow track defined by their own desires and concerns – including the concern about our practice – we realize how everything is supporting us. Everything is right there, waiting for us to wake up. This doesn’t mean valley streams and the colors of the mountain will tell us how to live and practice. The rainwater pouring through your downspout and the hum of traffic are not going to help you fulfill your self-centered desires or resolve your personal concerns. However, they will support your zazen and your momentary wakefulness if you let them.

I remember, a monk asked Shoushan [Xingnian], “All the buddhas come from this sutra. What is this sutra?”

What is that deeper, wondrous Reality that has inspired all holy beings? The deeper, wondrous Reality without which there would be no buddhas because there would be nothing for buddhas to awaken to? Where does bodhicitta come from? What inspiration keeps us from sinking completely into despair, or living out our lives on automatic pilot?

Shoushan responded, “Speak softly; speak softly.”

Speak. Do not turn away from the question, silent because you have no answer. Do not blather on and on loudly about what you think, trying to prove you have the answer. Instead, look within and trust your deepest intuition. Express it without arrogance or shame – just open-heartedly report on your own direct experience.

The monk asked, “How should we receive and maintain it?”

How to we keep bodhicitta alive and strong in our lives? How can we keep from forgetting?

Shoushan said, “It can never be defiled.”

Even when we forget, the sutras from which all buddhas come is there. Once arisen, bodhicitta never again completely disappears. Our failure to be awake does not detract in any way from the greater Reality of which we are a part.

Suppose someone asked me, Eihei, “What is this sutra?” I would say to him: If you call it “this sutra,” your eyebrows will fall out [from lying].

That which we are discussing is ineffable – beyond description, impossible to express through words or concepts. When we imagine bodhicitta over there, our forgetful selves over here, practice over there, failure or success over here… we stray very far from Reality. Bodhicitta, Buddhas, ordinary beings, practice, enlightenment, delusion, valley streams, colors and sounds – all are of one Suchness. It is an infinite display of great mystery and exquisite miracles; we just get stuck in our self-absorbed mindset and experience dissatisfaction with our little role in the universe.

As to “How should we receive and maintain it?” I would say: Reaching back for your pillow in the middle of the night.

You will know what to do, even if that knowing isn’t entirely conscious. If you allow worry about yourself to inhibit your responses, things will not go as smoothly as they could. But even that doesn’t detract from the whole picture. Trust your bodhicitta and do your best.

 


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