Snowy Day, Dog to Dog

That’s really all I’ve got to say today. The photo was taken with G’s cell phone so you see what you see. Goodness, I love that doggie!

But while I’m at it, another little item that has been up recently is about the upcoming “Dharma Encounter” on December 17 here at the wild-fox house and December 19 at the webinar (said portion not to be recorded, me thinks at present) with which we’re going to end both modes of the present 100 day practice periods.

It interests me how something like this gets people’s attention, as well as love and hate, and beyond.

And that’s the point, I suppose, of many Zen forms. Ringing bells and wearing robes, making a ritual of something very normal like two people meeting for a few moments in this fleeting life seems to summon some energy to help us rise up from our usual stinky, corpse-like lives for a few minutes, at least. Playing full out, as Steve frequently says. Scares up formations too that we thought long since transcended by our deep zazen – that’s the love and hate and beyond part. And somehow in the midst of forms we can (sometimes) see them, let go, and feel so good about our practice.

And then go back to bitching about our lot in life as soon as possible. Hate the winter. People suck. Zen is stupid and a waste of time. Etc.

Nevertheless, one of the really old guys, Bodhidharma, sat in this cave for nine years, we’re told, from about 108 to 117 years old. Believe it? Anyway, after working with his students – both those with one and two arms – for nine years, he said something like, “Alright already, go’l darn it, come forward and express your understanding ’cause I’m about to keel over and die.”

Then each student came forward in turn (note this is inspired by the Daily Show – partly truth and partly fiction):

Daofu said, “My present view is, without being attached to the written word or being detached from the written word, one still engages in the function of the way.”
The Ancestor said, “Yeah, blah, blah, blah! I’m about to die and you’re still stuck in your cotton pickin’ head. Damn. Brother, how do you do it? Anyway, you’ve got my skin.”
The nun Zongchi (also the daughter of Emperor Wu and my personal favorite) said, “My present understanding is, it’s like Ânanda seeing the land of the Buddha Akshobhya:  seen once, it isn’t seen again.”
The Ancestor said, “Dang, that is beautiful. Sweetheart, you’ve got my flesh.”
Daoyu said, “The four great [elements] are originally empty; the five aggregates are nonexistent.  My view is that there’s not a single dharma to attain.”
The Ancestor said, “Are you deaf too? Didn’t you get a clue from hearing Daofu? Anyway, you’ve got my bones.”
Finally, Huike, after making three bows, stood in his place.
The Ancestor said, “Are you copying the end of the Genjokoan? And that’s one lame bow you’ve got there! Anyway, you’ve got my marrow.”
Consequently, [Bodhidharma] made him the Second Ancestor, transmitting the dharma and transmitting the robe. 

Now among other upside down things, Dogen says this:
What is said to the four is equal from the beginning.  While the words of the Ancestor are equal, the four understandings are not necessarily equal.  While the four understandings may be “in pieces,” the words of the Ancestor are just the words of the Ancestor.