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Entering the Gates of Practice Long Distance Training Program Dharma
Texts Online WWZC Resources
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Quotes from teisho are run sequentially in the eMirror
Sitting up straight, ears over the shoulders, nose over the navel, brings the bodymind into alignment with its own natural structure. Sitting up straight, not moving attention towards or away from anything that rises or falls, not following anything, not avoiding anything, brings attention into alignment with its own nature. When we uncover our sitting, walking, standing, and lying down as what the Buddha taught to be the four dignities, we can align ourselves with the ten directions. The ten directions are in each direction and in every point of space. This world of ten directions is filled to overflowing with countless wonders. For us to encounter these wonders, we must ourselves be filled with wonder. In order for us to be filled with wonder, we must make room for it by releasing ourselves. We must allow a space to be where we would usually erect elaborate strategies of hope and fear, of discursive muttering, and our usual paroxysms of melodrama. Although the wonders of the ten directions are boundless and unfold infinite infinities, they are really of no interest to self-image. Self-image wants to be the star attraction of the show. Even if it is watching a show that has been set out before it, in its imagination it is the star and all eyes are always on it. In it's imagination it is Hamlet, it is Juliet, it is Captain Kirk, and it is Elvis and Bob Dylan and Lara the Tomb Raider. But the ten directions have no star attraction. While there are hands and eyes in all directions, they are active in and as all directions, and are not centred on any single point, do not derive from or point to any sense of locatedness. There is no audience. In fact, there is no show. There is only the showing, the bringing forth, the vivid exertion of luminosity. And so there is nothing throughout this world of ten directions of luminosity for self-image because it is always only a turning away, a turning inward. It is a contraction and a collapse. Although it causes the eyes to narrow and peer suspiciously for the possibility of a threat, dart cannily for the possibility of a treat, and stares blandly at anything else, self-image cannot see. It is not doing the seeing, it is only limiting what is seen and categorizing what little might be left according to passion, aggression, and stupidity. There is nothing in this wondrous life as it is for self-image. Self-image's fabrications and distortions bend the bodymind, twist our relationships with each other, cause wars, pestilence, and poverty and devastate the very sky and earth itself. In short, ladies and gentlemen, I must let you know that it is up to no good. Self-image has never been up to any good because it can only see things in terms of its own good. And what it really craves, what it really seeks, is density and contraction because this is its own nature. This world of ten directions is naturally spacious and expansive. Seeing is naturally spacious and expansive. Hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, thinking and all modes of knowing are all naturally expansive and spacious. This bodymind is itself the form of space and the radiance of unobstructed luminosity. In order to realize this, you need only release yourself. Simply let seeing see, let hearing hear, let Knowing know. Simply align yourself moment after moment with this moment. Sit, walk, stand, and lie down open always to the ten directions.
this site is updated weekly The White Wind Zen Community is the Sangha of students
practising under the direction of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi at the Zen
Centre of Ottawa (Honzan Dainen-ji) and its branch practice groups
or centres.
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