Part of life
posted by SlowZen @ Saturday, September 20, 2008
8 comments
Flapping Mouths
Four Zen monks were meditating in a monastery. All of a sudden the prayer flag on the roof started flapping. The younger monk came out of his meditation and said: "Flag is flapping" A more experienced monk said: "Wind is flapping" A third monk who had been there for more than 20 years said: "Mind is flapping." The fourth monk who was the eldest said, visibly annoyed: "Mouths are flapping!"
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Contributors
Previous Posts
- Definitive Zen doctrines, absolute Zen truths...
- What does Dogen mean by enlightenment?
- Dogen, nonduality and practice-realization
- Who are we going to trust?
- Dogen - A Balanced View
- Dogen on the words and behavior of the Ancestors
- Dogen - On Being Enlightened about Delusion
- Dogen instructing the Tenzo on the word "great"
- The depth of the drop is the height of the moon
- The vast unnamable fathomless void
8 Comments:
Hm, this reminds a person of mortality. Mortality is a part of true nature. To take for granted that it is, it is not the same as to stop and consider that it is. This beggar welcomes the invitation to stop and consider that it is.
Even if one would subscribe to the concept of reincarnation, then, does it mean one should not do one's utmost, now?
and the utmost in what, then? It is the questioner's question. To simply be, the response of the falling leaf.
The discriminating mind lunges for its conclusions. The form of the matter is.
Namaste
I just came up with a haiku, thought I might share it in this context. To lend some background, first, I have been reading the book, The Sound of Water, from Shambala publishing. It is a small book with quite a number of haiku in it, translated from works by Basho, Buson, Issa, and other persons having written haiku. I think, there are a number of haiku in it that lend an intriguing light about mortality, but to transcribe those, here, it would prevent that I would get my azz to the chow-hall before it closes.
Here is the haiku I had thought to mention, and that it might be mentioned in this context. I call it, Haiku Work.
Then round the corner,
The next terrain, open, clear,
Workday continues.
— S.C, 18 October 2008
Alright, the fried trout was good. Here is a haiku to the community, translated by Sam Hamill, from a work by Basho.
Culture's beginnings:
rice-planting songs from the heart
of the country
It is to the soul of music
Namaste
You changed your name.
Interesting game
I have no shame
this poem is lame
Gassho,
Jordan
If you thought the haiku was lame, fair enough.
If you didn't realize, there is no game in the name-change, and there was no game to begin with.
Cute poem though.
I was talking about my own poem.
Interesting that you thought it was yours though.
Take care,
Jordan
Yeah, I come to the web expecting that strife is possible here.
It was impossible for me to interpret your comment otherwise, but I am glad if I was mistaken about it.
Be at ease.
Post a Comment
<< Home