Resilience

Histories of ages past Unenlightened shadows cast Down through all eternity The crying of humanity -Donovan, Hurry Gurdy Man This past week I read of pieces by enlightened writers regarding the election results. Eve Marko, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, Matthew Cheney , and Bhilkkhu Bodhi all wrote about their reactions and feelings. Their expressions spanned the emotional gamut fromContinue reading "Resilience"

vigna

Dec 2, 2024 - 16:38

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Histories of ages past
Unenlightened shadows cast
Down through all eternity
The crying of humanity

_{-Donovan, Hurry Gurdy Man}

This past week I read of pieces by enlightened writers regarding the election results. Eve Marko, Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, Matthew Cheney , and Bhilkkhu Bodhi all wrote about their reactions and feelings. Their expressions spanned the emotional gamut from rage to compassion. My emotions are likewise, as are the voices I heard from our sangha members.

I heard there was tradition in Japan of supporting whomever was elected in order to give that person the opportunity to pursue their agenda so the country might see if it actually works. I don’t adhere to this philosophy considering the malicious degenerate that has been elected. I’d prefer he had no chance at all.

I fully agree with Bhilkkhu Bodhi’s recent call to action;

“I here find myself compelled to dissent from a typical response I often encounter among Western Buddhists. This is the response which says that, in any conflictual situation, we must adopt a stance of detached neutrality, that we shouldn’t take sides but should try to see the good and bad hidden in both sides. That’s a style of Buddhist rhetoric I don’t want to accept. I also don’t want to accept the familiar line, “Everything is impermanent, so don’t worry.” It’s true that everything is impermanent, but by the time this regime ends, millions of lives may be lost and damaged and the entire ecosystem of the earth disrupted beyond repair.”

It seems many of us who are awakened to the suffering of sentient beings are particularly sensitive to the unfolding of evil. Roshi Robert Aiken:

“If Buddhist metaphors seem removed from the standards of our modern acquisitive society, the point is that any ideal of dignity and honor and integrity will stand out vividly in contrast to the conspiracies and conflicts of race and nation-state that endanger humanity-and in contrast to anthropocentric conspiracies and conflicts that endanger the Earth and it’s many beings.”

“We have a model of personal dignity and honor and integrity for our difficult task of practice within the predatory systems that surround and infuse our lives.”

I say, as such, our engagement with Zazen meditation, dokusan, Dharma learning and Sangha points towards the same venerable ends.

Myoshin Roshi said to me; “To be enlightened is to live with the suffering of all beings.” Perhaps all suffering is a prayer for peace and enlightenment of all beings. So clear, just the reality of that awareness. Are we prepared for that reality now? Are we prepared to act?

To be a person of no-rank is the foundation of understanding and right action. The Morning Star says: “However we cannot afford to remain in the complacent mind-set of “nothing special”, for when malice appears, you will be at a loss, and you will retreat or lash out in response, making things much worse. Maintain your practice and understanding will deepen.” This sentiment is born of the realization that the very clay from which we emerge is the sacred ground that is the nobility of all beings, your nobility.

There is balance in the cosmos. Around every shadow gathers light. Are we not the light around this particular shadow of darkness? Being the light of awakened consciousness begins with honoring the awakened Buddha that you are. The marrow of the ancestors is within your bones. Live up to it!

The Dharma elucidates itself vigorously regardless of countless crises throughout time and space. The dharma is resilient. We are resilient, we have the support , wisdom and ability to recover from and adjust to misfortune and change. We may take refuge and sanctuary, gain wisdom and engage actively with the Buddha, the Dharma and especially now, the Sangha. Take these gifts with you when taking action in this hurt world and share what these Three Treasures have given you.