{"id":213,"date":"2010-02-05T12:56:00","date_gmt":"2010-02-05T12:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wildfoxzen\/2010\/02\/the-study-of-a-flip\/"},"modified":"2010-02-05T12:56:00","modified_gmt":"2010-02-05T12:56:00","slug":"the-study-of-a-flip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/wildfoxzen\/2010\/02\/the-study-of-a-flip.html","title":{"rendered":"The Study of a Flip"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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<\/a><\/div>\n

\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll be in sesshin this weekend, studying the flip, as Dogen says below (the above photo is a real groaner). Sesshin is a rare and wonderful opportunity to taste the deep settled mind, a treasure hidden in the open field of this oh-so-busy, going-in- circles world.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
As I drove into work this morning through light snow, roads wet with thick slush, <\/span>I listened to a talk by Katagiri Roshi about dharma<\/a> transmission, \u201cPlum Blossoms,\u201d and wondered if the next generation will be patient and persistent enough to pass on this jewel.\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
What is the essence of what is passed on? That\u2019s what we\u2019ll be taking up this sesshin by dipping into a short passage from an old plum tree, bent and gnarled, we call Dogen. In Extensive Study <\/i>(click here for the new-ish translation from the Soto Zen Text Project<\/a>), he wrote: <\/span>
<\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

The great way of the buddhas and ancestors is study and penetration of the ultimate limit; it is to \u201cgo without a string at your feet\u201d; it is \u201cclouds arose underfoot.\u201d Nevertheless, though this is so, it is \u201ca flower opens and the world arises\u201d; it is \u201cI always care for this.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Therefore, \u201cthe sweet melon is sweet through to its stem\u201d; \u201cthe bitter gourd is bitter to its root\u201d; the sweet sweetness is sweet through to the stem.\u201d\u00a0 This is how it has been studied.<\/b>1<\/a><\/b><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n

\u2026<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0 The principle of extensive studying is the study of a flip; it is \u201cdon\u2019t do even the noble truths\u201d; it is \u201cwhat stages are there?\u201d<\/span>3<\/a><\/b><\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not going to comment on this now because I want the sesshin participants to have the opportunity to taste it freshly and to sit with it. I\u2019ll come back to it after sesshin and share some thoughts here.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

One thing I will share now is about studying the flip together in the company of Dogen\u2019s words. But rather than blather on myself, here\u2019s another couple voices.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Steve, of the practice period support team asked the others to fill in the blank, Whether you are a Buddhist<\/a> or not or ever read this Japanese guy Dogen, he is really interesting to study because:<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dhyan wrote, Well, I have to say I am one who read the first passages in Dogen and FREAKED OUT! I had NO idea what he was talking about and my nicely, honed logical mind was extremely resistant. I wanted to give up. HOWEVER! Dosho encouraged me to just \u201cswim in the water\u201d for awhile and see what happened.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I was not required to \u201cdemonstrate understanding\u201d and what I did come up with served nicely as a starting point for conversation, deepening practice, and insight. I got a lot from the insight of others. Additionally, I am probably a better person for not just moving straight into what Dosho calls \u201ccrabbiness with self and others\u201d and learning to patiently work away at something that doesn\u2019t immediately make sense to me.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This was not only an incredibly interesting process, but something that is going to positively change other areas of my life. Dhyan\/Boulder, CO USA<\/i><\/span><\/span>.<\/b><\/span><\/i> <\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 We\u2019ll be in sesshin this weekend, studying the flip, as Dogen says below (the above photo is a real groaner). Sesshin is a rare and wonderful opportunity to taste the deep settled mind, a treasure hidden in the open field of this oh-so-busy, going-in- circles world. As I drove into work this morning through […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":182,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Study of a Flip<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"  We'll be in sesshin this weekend, studying the flip, as Dogen says below (the above photo is a real groaner). 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