and<\/em> radiance. In other words, all our past and twisted karma.<\/p>\nNo matter how skillful we\u2019ve become at any technique, it will not save us in the present unless we apply it in the present. When sick, what is the practice then?<\/p>\n
Just be sick through and through. Cough, cough. Gasp, gasp.<\/p>\n
How to do it? Soften. Turn the light around into whatever is arising, including fear, terror, pain, or panic. It has little to do with posture or a particular type of breathing. Sure, sitting upright and breathing from the belly might make the work a bit easier. But when sick, curled up in the fetal position and sucking in whatever breath we can might be the fitting way to receive and actualize it.<\/p>\n
As Dogen put it in \u201cAwesome Presence of Active Buddha,\u201d \u201cIn the steadfastness of thorough investigation, all phenomena are the unadorned clarity of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is to embody the key word k\u014dan of this sucky moment. This is the practice of identity action, the awesome presence of active buddha. And herein lies freedom \u2013 freedom to be exactly as you are with the 10,000 things.<\/p>\n
Lest you think this is just my whacky idea, I cite this:<\/p>\n
D\u00e9sh\u0101n was not well. A monk asked, \u201cIs there someone who does not get sick?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nD\u00e9sh\u0101n said, \u201cThere is.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nThe monk said, \u201cWho does not get sick?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nD\u00e9sh\u0101n said, \u201cOuch, ouch!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nD\u00e9sh\u0101n continued, \u201cYou extend your hands to the sky and chase after echoes, exhausting mind body. Wake up from the dream and realize it was not. In the end, what is there to do?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nOnce D\u00e9sh\u0101n was done talking he sat peacefully and passed away.<\/em><\/p>\nTo paraphrase: Will my practice save me <\/em>from the 10,000 sufferings?<\/p>\nYes.<\/p>\n
How?<\/p>\n
Be it<\/em> without remainder, not as an idea or dogma, but as the moment-to-moment living reality.<\/p>\nOuch! Ouch! Shiver! Shiver! Gasp! Gasp!<\/p>\n
And when the time comes to die, just die.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I recently met with a student (via Zoom, of course) who was recovering from the coronavirus. With a wool hat pulled over his head and half his face, with blanket wrap-around, looking really weak, he told me about being sick. He had all the now common symptoms \u2013 fever, muscle ache, cough and breathing difficulties. […]<\/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":[245,251,248,18],"class_list":["post-5987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-coronavirus","tag-deshan","tag-sickness","tag-zen"],"yoast_head":"\n
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I recently met with a student (via Zoom, of course) who was recovering from the coronavirus. With a wool hat pulled over his head and half his face, with blanket wrap-around, looking really weak, he told me about being sick. He had all the now common symptoms \u2013 fever, muscle ache, cough and breathing difficulties.<\/p>\n