In his transmission verse, the twenty-second ancestor, Manora, wrote the following:
The mind turns with it’s surroundings,
A turning that is truly profound;
Perceive mind’s nature within this flow,
And there is neither joy nor sorrow
This extraordinarily simple verse points directly to the essence of our practice. Being truly aware and in the moment, not lost in our habitual mental movie, opens our life to the precision and intelligence found in each moment. Letting go of the myriad thoughts that appear throughout our day, eventuality anxieties begin to dissolve and our true self appears. Nurturing this through meditation establishes firm roots.
Standing, sitting, walking, lying down; when we remain present to our situation and are not moved by outside events and circumstances, these four bodily functions actually comprise the root foundation of samadhi.
It begins by becoming engaged in everything we do, being present to all of our life’s circumstances as they unfold. This simple focus provides the key that unlocks our search for fulfillment as human beings. Easier said than done, right? Ha-ha.
First, we must work diligently on stilling our scattered, connect the thoughts monkey mind that is our familiar habitat. The “I, my, me” ego thrives there. It feels insulated by the random associations that our mind provides working always as a way of securing our self definition. The Oxford Universal Dictionary defines self as “An assemblage of characteristics and dispositions which may be conceived as constituting one of various conflicting personalities within a human being. What one is at a particular time or in a particular aspect or relation; one’s character, appearing different at different times.”
In one of my earlier essays, I quoted the Fifth Ancestor as saying to Hui Neng, the sixth ancestor, in their final parting, “Don’t be in a hurry to teach, just cultivate that place of NOT BEING MOVED BY ANYTHING.” Do you sense this important connection?
There is an interesting Japanese phrase called Shonen Sozoku. We will explore this in more detail next week. Shonen Sozoku is central to the topic discussed today. Simply stated, when we are used by things we lose sight of our inner presence. The not moving mind fulcrum that is essential to our peace, tranquility, and well being is available with our next inhalation.
Ji Haeng Zen Master – The Desert Dragon