Last week I placed a few Taoist teachings side by side with Zen to demonstrate similarities.
Let’s continue that format briefly again this week.
The twelfth century Japanese Roshi, Dogen Zenji famously taught “to think
nonthinking.” But we are always thinking. The forever non stop thinking mind is
polluted like some gassy swamp. All kinds of things bubble up from origins that
we cannot even identify. We don’t know what will pop up next. The key is to
recognize our habitual thought patterns and then just cut and let go of these
temporary gaseous fabrications. Sounds simple, right? However, most of us
attach to these thoughts as if they had substance. Constantly spun around by our
clinging mind, we end up the worse for it. We walk around like deluded zombies.
Prajna wisdom is sometimes depicted as the Bodhisattva Manjusri wielding a
sword, a sword designed to cut through this self inflicted mass of delusion. Zen
Masters define this exercise as “controlling the mind.” Controlling in this fashion is
not to be confused with “suppression of thought.” An ancient teaching quote
questions us, “Are you controlled by the 24 hours, or do you control the 24 hours.”
Same thing.
Taoism on the other hand, speaks of governing the mind. Meditation is
immediately recommended because when the mind is quiet and unperturbed, it
quite naturally invites wisdom and insight. Contrary to this, when the mind is
angry, desirous, or agitated, everything we do is clouded and unclear. The
Buddha himself taught “tranquility and wisdom.. In that order!”
It is important to emphasize the phrase “in that order.” Before prajna can manifest,
it is imperative that we develop a daily practice where we sit calmly, detach from
worldly concerns, and give our mind a job. This so called job is something simple
to focus our attention on to counter our wandering thoughts. Time honored
techniques such as counting breath exhalations to ten or internalizing a mantra
such as “om mani padme um” when used as a focal point are two examples.
This step is quite necessary. Without giving our mind a job, we could easily waste
time sitting there lost in a mental movie. Some misguided yoga teachers actually
invite this blissful daydream state.
Remember: “Cling To Nothing!” Eliminating thoughts as they manifest is a training
prerequisite that leads us to peace, equanimity and calmness.” Once you have
experienced “still body, still, breath, still mind” on the cushion, you then need to
consciously stabilize it during the course of all your daily activities. More about that
next week.