-1 upvotes, 1 direct replies (showing 1)
View submission: Zen Solves *ALL* Your Problems
I am left to feel that some folks may miss the point of the essay (and it is probably my poor writing as the cause) because they truly miss the lesson of the Relative and Absolute, that Samsara is Nirvana, that the cold and heat never vanish yet we "Go to the place free of cold and heat," that we can never be fully free in this life, yet have been always free from the startless start.
In Master Dogen's vision, Samsara and Nirvana dance together right in this moment, twirling in a single thread.
I wonder why that eludes some practitioners? Problems fully vanish for there never were any problems, no one to feel a problem, no one to cause a problem ... and yet, in this life, there will always be problems, endless problems. Problems, no problems, not one not two. (A Koan)
Comment by Skylark7 at 20/01/2025 at 05:04 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Your writing is not poor. A lot of people here don't seem to have teachers or they've been mired down in Zen dogma. You're describing the whole reason I practice. I can't fix Dad's failing health, only thing is to let it go and be present in the situation.
My own practice isn't to where problems drop away, but I still understand what you're saying. Maybe one day I'll solve that dang Joshu's Dog koan and I won't be stuck trying to use my thinking mind to work with the relative and absolute. Until then, I just muddle along as best I can, but even so Zen helps.