With palms together,
Good Morning Sangha,
In Zen we aspire to leave no trace. That is, to live without self-interest. How do we attain this? We behave for the benefit of others. And if we are acting for others fully and completely then there is no room for anything else.
The value that we place on ourselves should only be the value needed to sustain us for our work. We eat so that we may benefit others. We practice Zazen so that we might benefit others. We clothe ourselves to benefit others. We are in relationship to benefit others. With this right understanding, all other paths of the Noble way unfold with ease and genuineness.
In the absence of self, what is there? Compassion. Our practice is to make compassion a living manifestation in the universe. We do this through continuous , moment-to-moment generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom.
We realise that we are the other shore and that we attained the other shore and that we have never left.
Be well.
1 comment:
Roshi, Thank you for your post.
Where does compassion come from? Is it something to be cultivated and grown, or is it something inate that can be uncovered with practice?
I also have a question about rebirth. How is that to be understood in buddhism? Ignorance, I have read, is a state caused by actions done in previous lifetimes and will result in rebirth. Is this to be understood literally, or as a metaphor? Does it mean lifetimes as commonly understood or perhaps as countless previous moments in one life?
Thank you, ~ J
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