7.10.18

Keep Calm and Enjoy

Keep your eyes open and the back straight. These help to keep one grounded in the body. The breath should serve as an anchor to one's attention, what one is focused on, instead of getting lost in ideas, images, feelings, and other mental content, or sensory impressions. When the breath is not perceived, just go back to it, that's why mindfulness is important. The first goal of breath awareness is calm, stable, clear, and aware mind. The two main hindrances of torpor and agitation should not be allowed to take over. The feeling that can be relied upon is the serenity of joyful peace resulting from the relaxation of body and mind.

12.9.18

Direct Cut at the Root

The basis of attachment is the mistaken belief in the reality of thoughts, particularly regarding the existence of a person and an object. Thoughts are not grasped when they are seen to be unestablished, without thought there is no view or interpretation, and without view there is no emotional disturbance. Hence the direct and sudden way is recognising thoughts for what they are, how they conjure a world, and thus there is no identification with them. The gradual way leads to the same, but it is about calming the mind enough to be able to recognise how the process of thought-view-emotion-action-etc. happens.

So, when it comes to Zen, as a sudden teaching, it is simply about no-thought (or no-mind, etc.), that is cutting the root of delusion directly, i.e. seeing the nature of mind. Everything else apart from that are gradual skilful means.

6.2.18

Nothing Moves

(inspired by Sengzhao)

Senses are never defiled,
Since things don't ever abide,
Nor is there anywhere a place
Where anything comes, goes, or stays.
The one speck of dust in the eye,
This singular thought of an I,
Is an unestablished concept,
So just don't reject or accept.
Give or take, hold fast or release,
Searching in stillness for some peace
Is a futile self-amusement,
As there is nothing but movement.
Every moment ungraspable,
Run to or from, so laughable.
Look at this thought and see right there:
It's already gone who knows where.