https://www.reddit.com/r/zenbuddhism/comments/1ixj1wc/for_any_who_despair/
created by TheForestPrimeval on 25/02/2025 at 01:30 UTC
52 upvotes, 5 top-level comments (showing 5)
If you find yourself despairing in these times, or in your practice, remember:
[N]o matter how shallow or deep our motivations for wanting to practice, we should grasp one important point: our attraction to Zen—for whatever initial reason—in fact arises exactly from our own intrinsic wisdom. In other words, if we were not already in some manner endowed with the very wondrous awakening that we seek, such an attraction to the Zen path would not arise in the first place.
Furthermore, from the standpoint of Buddhist teaching, the fact that we have encountered Zen at all shows that we already have a deep affinity with it. We have, after all, not only been born in a time and place where the Buddhist teachings exist; we have actually encountered an expression of the One Vehicle, the supreme vehicle, the vehicle of complete wisdom. How incredibly fortunate this is! And needless to say, actually giving rise to the desire to practice Zen shows that we have a very deep affinity indeed.
The rationale of Zen (and all expressions of the One Vehicle) is that sentient beings, though they are seemingly imprisoned by false seeing, intrinsically do not lack the *tathagata* wisdom, the wisdom of awakening. True, this wisdom may seem obscured by the habitual delusion we have discussed. But the fact remains that each of us already possesses the highest qualifications for this path. Zen people are often concerned with the lineage of this teacher or that, but we should never forget this: no matter what our individual backgrounds or what challenges we face, we are all human beings who have encountered the buddha-dharma. It is thus clear that each of us already belongs to the most profound, noble lineage possible: that of beings who—though confused and deluded—nevertheless have the capacity to realize the wondrous mind of awakening and who have a deep karmic connection with the teachings leading to liberation.
The Rinzai Zen Way: A Guide to Practice, pp. 45-46
Comment by gregorja at 25/02/2025 at 01:55 UTC
10 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Thank you! I needed to read this today 🙏🏽❤️
Comment by GentleDragona at 25/02/2025 at 23:28 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Always a pleasure to hear the Song of Rinzai
Comment by The_Koan_Brothers at 26/02/2025 at 19:02 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Meido Moore Roshi is the real deal.
Comment by EZ_Lebroth at 27/02/2025 at 17:32 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Very beautiful. Very wise. Thank you.
Comment by JundoCohen at 26/02/2025 at 00:39 UTC
-1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
And perhaps we should also recognize that Christians have an affinity for Christianity, and their godly nature within them, same for Jews and Muslims, Hindus and Jains. Atheists have their atheist nature. Others have their nature.
It does not really matter, so long as we all live as gentle and generous people, sharing this world. Only paths of hate, violence and division should be rejected.
In Master Dogen's Way, having some inner *tathagata* nature means nothing if we don't work it, live accordingly, bring it to life in our thoughts, words and acts. Same for any "godly nature" or just human nature. We realize our *tathagata* nature by making it real in how we live in the world.
I would hesitate to congratulate ourselves too much on being Buddhists. The Buddha spoke of the rarity of taking human form, but not that there is some privilege in being one type of good and wise human. There are many ways to be a good and wise human.