July 09th, 2015

Last night, while we sat, we sat with Case 76 of the Blue Cliff Record : Tanxia’s Eating Rice

Tanxia asked a monk, “Where have you come from?”

The monk said, “From the foot of the mountain.”

Tanxia asked, “Have you eaten your food?”

The monk said, “Yes, I have.”

Tanxia said, “What sort of person would bring you food to eat? Did she have open eyes?” The monk said nothing.

Later, Changqing said to Baofu, “Surely it is one’s role to repay the buddhas and ancestors by giving people food. How could it be it that the one who served had no eyes?”

Baofu said, “Server and receiver are both blind.”

Changqing asked, “Is the one who makes the utmost charitable effort still blind, or not?”

Baofu said, “Do you call me blind?”


Later, we played a game.  

First, we discussed briefly the three pure precepts, three of the sixteen vows taken by bhuddists, vows to do good, avoid evil, and save all beings.  It was the later that seemed to resonate with the koan, and that inspired the game.  We discussed how sometimes, when it feels like one hasn't the resources to spare themselves their own suffering, that, counter-intuitively, saving another (feeding another) can create more capacity and break down our beliefs of our own limitations.  And how we are often saving beings without knowing it, and ourselves being saved.  That saving and being saved are more a state of mind or an intention, an openness that allows pervasive and limiting beliefs to evaporate and light to enter.   


So, we found our cushions again, the bell was rung, we sat, and the sangha was encouraged to save all beings.  To note how that felt.  What it meant to save, and who were all beings.  To see how our hearts understood that instruction.  Just to gently let the notion roll around and find what root it would.  


After about three minutes, we rang the bell again, and the group was encouraged to select one member of the sangha, quietly and to themselves, but one person there that night, and them to save them.   To end their suffering. 


After another three minutes, the bell was rung one last time, and the group was instructed to shift their awareness to the fact that someone there tonight was saving them.  Was supporting them.  Was reaching out to them in some sincere way.  And how it felt to know that.  To be carried by that.  


Then we got out the Zen Owl (thanks James) and discussed what we noticed.  


A: It was a much more profound experience than expected.  That what came naturally, given the direction to save a person, was not to pelt them with advice, or even to move toward them, but to understand that they suffered and accept that.  Accept their humanity.  To project compassion and care and support.  And the experience of being saved was buoyant, warming.  It came with a sense of responsibility and the non-directional nature made it feel like it was just arising, and unconditional
B: Felt like hands reaching out, drawing his proactive upward.  Like support, and help, even when saving. 
C: It felt like there was a momentum to her practice, carrying her forward, so that she didn't need to generate effort herself, but relax and submit to the energy that was already there.  
D: Made it feel like everything was tied together.  She was aware of the connection to all beings and all things.  She also noted that she had a reaction to the notion of saving, that it had a certain power dynamic inherent in the phrase that didn't resonate right.  She used the notion of feeding instead.  She also wondered if someone was getting left out of being saved, and dedicated her practice and efforts to everyone there.  
E: Broadened his practice, moving it from the personal, to something wider and more inclusive.  Felt self conscious being saved by someone else.  
F: Felt the same sense of connection to everyone and noted that it was easier to be kind to himself and others like that. 


There were many more observations and a lengthy discussion, but memory is a pourous and temporary thing, so you will have to play this yourself and see what you think