Only Half a Buddhist

A post in the blog All Considering came up with a quick and easy definition of what a "real" Buddhist is...

A real Buddhist, in my view, and in the Traditional Asian view, is someone who has taken refuge. That is, in a solemn ritual they have taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. I have not done that so I'm not officially a Buddhist.

Really? A ceremony makes a Buddhist real? While I won't stomp over some one's opinion or their personal definitions of Buddhism, I will make an attempt to better define what a Buddhist is. Although, granted, my definition will be as flimsy as any other definition offered. It is next to impossible to say what being a Buddhist means to such a diverse group of practitioners but I can go deeper into how I define myself as a Buddhist.

The ceremonial aspect of taking refuge in the 3 Jewels is important step in the practice of Buddhism but does not define a Buddhist as real or not. Most Buddhists will take those vows eventually in the evolution of their practice but it is by no means necessary to make it "official" by involving a monk or priest or piece of paper. I made those vows for myself one morning after a horrific event in my life. The bottom of my pail fell out and it was time to refill it. I took the vows and I began daily practice and I am a Buddhist. If I took those same vows in front of a monk or priest they would have meant next to nothing compared to when I was driven through my own experience to make them. Which would make me a "real" Buddhist, I wonder.

This is not to say that the "official" taking of refuge (or the precepts or intense meditative retreats) is without merit. They serve a purpose in deepening one's commitment to their practice and to Buddhism. Also, if one is looking for guidance with their own exploration of Buddhism then it is important to ascertain whether or not a teacher is "authentic". In the end it is really up to the individual how much emphasis they put on the ritualistic or organizational aspects of Buddhist practice. I put great emphasis on the ritualistic but very little on the organizational. This is not a definite - It is just my practice now.

Whether you want to call your self a Buddhist is up to you, the individual, to decide. If you are a practicing Christian or Jew and wish to label yourself as a Buddhist as well - then by all means - Do so. If it helps your practice and understanding of the Dharma then do it. If you don't feel that the label of Buddhist is right for you or if you think that your practice is contrary to the fundamental teachings of the Buddha then do not call yourself one. It means very little to me whether or not you consider yourself a Buddhist. If you are applying the Dharma to your own life in a way that fits your life - Then I couldn't be happier.

Now, I may be mistaken but a "solemn" ritual does not necessarily entail monastic representation for one to take refuge. I take refuge daily in my own practice but I have no specific ceremonial experience to speak of. Do I really need someone to tell me that it isn't "real" unless it is witnessed by a monastic or lay-ordained practitioner? I don't try to pretend to be anything that I am not. I am not lay-ordained or a monastic and I have very little experience in the realm of monastic practice. My practice is mostly home-centered and with a small lay sangha (mostly, two are lay-ordained). This does not make my practice and experience any less relevant compared to someone with more practice in a monastic setting.

My thoughts are simple in this manner - You learn from what resources are available to you at this time in your life. Don't spend your days wishing that you had a larger sangha or a monastery close by. Or a specific school or sect that is nearer to what you think Buddhist practice should be. Use what is available to you now. Your only enemy is a lack of striving.

Its really all just tools. We are trying to build something...why would you worship the specific hammer that you are using when the big picture is the process of building. Zen is my hammer for now but it may be that sometime in the future a new tool is needed...just have to wait and see.

Cheers,

[Jack Daw is a non-lay-ordained home practitioner of Buddhism. He has no specific lineage or teacher. Instead he grabs what he can like a crow picking a carcass. He currently practices Zen but that could change as the wind does not blow from the same direction everywhere. He does however think that all beings deserve compassion. He is also fighting a three day flu and feeling quite pissy right now - but this will pass.]

Updated Bat Nha links and info

From Barbara's Buddhism Blog:

A violent mob drove Buddhist monks and nuns from Bat Nha monastery in Vietnam over the weekend, according to several news stories. Agence France-Presse reports that more than 100 monks fled Bat Nha on Sunday when a mob armed with hammers and batons showed up and threatened then. About 200 nuns left Bat Nha earlier today.

The monks and nuns of Bat Nha are followers of the internationally revered Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich Nhat Hanh fell into the bad graces of the Vietnamese government last year when he told an Italian interviewer that His Holiness the Dalai Lama should be allowed to return to Tibet. The government of China then pressured Hanoi into punishing Thich Nhat Nanh's disciples living in Vietnam.

This is less about mixing religion and politics and more about well-respected religious leaders speaking out against brutality and ignorance. Many say that Buddhism is a docile and "removed" religion but its leaders will speak out when necessary and they do so honestly. But it should always be remembered that any "state-sanctioned" religion will lead to ignorance and intolerance even under the best of circumstances. Best of luck to those monks.


For more info:

• Plum Village - Bat Nha Needs Your Help
• Mob, police force nuns to leave Vietnam monastery - Associated Press -Vietnam Buddhist Standoff
• Vietnam Buddhists flee amid threats
• The Reformed Buddhist - Vietnam Govt Raid Buddhist Monastery
• The Buddhist Blog - Urgent Help Bat Nha Monastery Emergency Angry Asian Buddhist - [check for videos] tinh hinh cac thay co het suc kho khan
• The Buddha is my DJ - Bat Nha Monastery
• The Buddhist Blog - Vietnamese Bat Nha Monastery Raid Update
• The Budding Buddhist - Urgent Update: Bat Nha Monastery

The Asian Welder and Bonfires

I woke up this morning, headed to the dump to drop off some recycling and pick up some wild plums from a friend to make plum wine when I saw a package hanging out of my mailbox. What do you suppose was within the package? Well, a brand new t-shirt from my new Sangha-sibling Hazel from "The Asian Welder" blog!

So we had a great day of curry, pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup), spiced cider and bonfires. And I got to wear my fancy new shirt the entire time. The front says "Spark This" if you can't tell from the picture.

So, please stop by The Asian Welder, check out her work, read a little Buddhism and thank Hazel for me for sending me the sweet, sweet shirt. I can't afford to buy them new anymore so if you got a t-shirt you want me to wear about anything drop a me a line on twitter, send it to me and I'll wear it.

I am a whore for this sort of attention and frankly I love me some t-shirts...maybe next time I'll even pose sexy-like...

Cheers,

Dirty Watches and Filthy Buddha-Nature

From Zen Flesh Zen Bones:

• 29. No Water, No Moon
  
  When the nun Chiyono studied Zen she was unable to attain the fruits of meditation for a long time.
  
  At last one moonlit night she was carrying water in an old pail bound with bamboo. The bamboo broke and the bottom fell out of the pail, and at that moment Chiyono was set free.
  
  In this way I tried to save the old pail
  Since the bamboo strip was weakening and about to
  break.
  Until at last the bottom fell out.
  No more water in the pail!
  No more moon in the water!
  
  

This reminds me of my own eventual conversion to Buddhism - years of study (in a laid-back bedside table sort of manner) which led up to one explosive moment when the bottom of my pail broke and all the water ran out. That explosive part of anyone's conversion is a stressful and sometimes painful one but one that needs to occur. The reasons will differ from person to person but in the same way an addict needs to hit rock-bottom to see the top - I needed to see my world of attachment for what it was.

In Rinzai Zen this moment can be described as...

A revolutionary experience and insight capable of shattering all categories of thought and sweeping away all academic exercises and turning the world upside down...like a time bomb ticking in the depths of consciousness... [Once Born, Twice Born Zen]

This experience can not be realized until the tension, frustration, doubt and confusion in one's life hits a boiling point - a point where the vessel can no longer contain it - it is kensho or bust! In Soto Zen a less dramatic approach is taken with an...

Enjoyment of one's intrinsic Buddha-Nature...allowing this Buddha-Mind to well up and flow through all areas of one's consciousness and life. One does not begin by building up a strong sense of false and illusory ways of thinking and being, but a positive sense of fundamental well-being...[Once Born, Twice Born Zen]

Most converts fall along the spectrum of these two extremes - maybe not necessarily in Zen practice, itself - but as a gradual move from something else to Buddhism through a nurturing of the Buddha-mind or a drastic switch due to the bottom falling out.

I look at this moment as a convert's initial piece of enlightenment - a fleeting, brief glimpse of kensho as the bottom of our bucket falls out and everything rushes out leaving a husk of the former vessel. Momentarily, unable to hold anything or be filled up again. It doesn't last a long time but whether gradual or sudden we do feel a sense of the absolute at that moment of conversion...at least I did.

Mine was both sudden and gradual. A gradual and slight nurturing of the Buddha-nature (as well as the increases in tension, confusion, frustration and pain) enveloped in all of that samsaric nonsense. Hidden from view but growing slowly. However, at that moment of sudden emptying, the Buddha-nature stands very clear and apparent. But only for a moment. A convert's brief picture of enlightenment. The crack-cocaine of Buddhism.

So now that we've seen that jewel and acknowledge and take refuge in it. What do we do with it? The image of a jewel to be polished through practice somewhat goes against my sensibilities. With practice we keep that jewel bright and shiny - radiating out for the world to see. Blah! My jewel, my Buddha-mind, is dingy and tarnished with experience. Unlike a piece of jewelry, my Buddha-nature isn't for public consumption - for others to see and gawk at. It doesn't need to shine forth and glow since I already know that it is there. My wife bought me a turquoise and silver watch for my 30th birthday. It was far too expensive but my wife knew that I would need something to mark that turning point in my life.

Tradition is that a watch such as that is never cleaned or polished. It gathers the dirt and the dust of its owner and it tells a story. My watch has got bits of shale from my summer field work and specks of epoxy and glue from working in the lab. It has blood and has been broken a few times. Fixed but never cleaned. That grime tells a story of where I have been, just like the hands of a mechanic or farmer or accountant - grease and oil, dirt and much, smudges and ink.

A face well-worn from the sun and wind or smooth. It doesn't matter. My Buddha-nature sat and grew slowly, unrealized, through many mistakes and errors of my life and emerged briefly to mark its presence when my bottom fell out. I will nurture it but I refuse to clean it - Refuse to ignore and forget what brought on its appearence. My Buddha-nature will hold those scars of my youth and marks of my old age, my triumphs and my failures. Like my watch that will pass to my daughter after my time with it is done so will my Buddha-nature to the next - both with traces of Pierre Shale and blood, ink and tears, failures and successes.

Cheers,

Sake and Beer Brewing Update

Both bottles of sake - Left is filtered once and right is twice filtered - Notice that the left still has sediment at bottle's bottom.

No Buddhism here this morning, just and update on the brewing of sweet sake and Chai Beer.

Sake Update:

Well, its been a couple of weeks since I started my batch of sake. Above is our co-brewmaster El Blanco Grande and he is holding our fermenter full of rice/koji/yeast slurry. It smells delightful but I may not have steamed some of the rice fully before transfering it to the fermenter - many individual grains are still noticeable. Don't be fooled by the perspective in the picture - that jug hold 5 gallons - El Blanco Grande is just that massive.

The pouring, pasteurizing and filtering of the sake slurry. I learning something new - If you want crystal clear sake (or at least close) add 5 coffee filters to a funnel and pour the liquid through it. It will take forever to filter through but it will come out pretty damn clear. I'm still playing around with methods to get it clearer. Also you could possible just filter once and let it settle for a day in a secondary container and then filter again.

Chai Beer Update:

Looks good. Tastes good and is being moved into the secondary fermenter for another 10 days. Then bottled and conditioned for 3 weeks. If it is tasty and delightful after that time I will post the recipe and about my winter brewing project. Traditional Viking Beer brewed "traditionally" - smoked grains over birch, juniper filter and horned hats. I see the possibility of massive failure in this one but I am excited to spend several hours outside smoking the grains.

Virtual dharma resources for REAL practice

In an effort to help some of those home-practitioners that don't have access to a physical sangha or zendo and rely almost completely on home practice to study the Dharma and further their own growth, I though I would list some of the online resources out there. There are plenty of others out there but these came to mind....

• White Wind Zen Community Long Distance Training Program - The practice of Zen is experiential and instruction is based on your actual experience of doing the practice. As soon as possible after reading the transcript and sitting for a full half hour according to the instructions it contains, please write to the monastery to let us know that you read the "Beginner's Mind Workshop" transcript, sat and would like to receive further instruction. Please include in your email some detail concerning what you experienced while sitting and write out any questions that came up. Your email will be answered by a practice advisor or a Dharma Teacher in residence at Dainen-ji and this will be the beginning of an exchange for the purpose of clarifying your understanding of Zen practice so that you can eventually apply as a public student of Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi.

• Treeleef Zendo - This zendo is dedicated to students of Zen Buddhism who cannot travel to a zen center or who otherwise wish personal contact with a zen teacher... [a full review of this site is here]
  

• Wild Fox Zen Blog - The Moon Reflected in the Water: 100 Day Practice Period begins on Saturday for those practicing from afar. The expectations might seem a bit more than you can handle - zazen, Heart Sutra, study, webinar, capping phrases - and if you think so, it might be just right....Anyway, there is still a seat open for you in the virtual practice zendo. If you want to jump in, shoot me an email (wildfoxzen@gmail.com) or register via Facebook by Wednesday. No previous practice period experience necessary. [I think this session is closed but they seem to be willing to do this again, I hope].

• 108 Days - Follow along with the posts for 108 days of meditation. No longer an active blog so engagement is limited but a good way to slide into a daily routine.

• AudioDharma - The Insight Meditation Center (IMC) is a community-based urban meditation center for the practice of Vipassana or Insight meditation. We are a non-residential center in Redwood City, California, dedicated to the study and practice of Buddhist teachings. IMC offers a broad range of practice and community activities. This includes a weekly schedule of meditation sessions, dharma talks (talks on Buddhist teaching and practice), classes, group discussions, yoga practice and a variety of meditation and study retreats. IMC began in 1986 as a gathering of individuals who meet in order to learn, support and deepen their mindfulness practice. It is an informal group, and those interested in mindfulness meditation are heartily welcome to participate whenever they wish. IMC does not require payment for any of our teachings or meetings. The support of our teachers and all our center expenses is done through the voluntary donations of our community. The group is guided by Gil Fronsdal. [Gil may be the closest thing to a bodhisattva that I will ever meet...the man kicks ass]

• BuddhaNet - Its got everything you would ever need, I think, for a full home practice. Sans an actual teacher. [Enough info to make your brain go *pop*!]

• Podcasts - DharmaRealm, Ancient Dragon Zen Gate Dharma Talks, Buddhist Geeks, Rochester Zen Center Teisho, San Fransisco Zen Center Public Lectures, ZenCast [Just a few of my favorites. Plenty more out there from reliable zendos and practice centers. Most have online newsletters too]

• Blogs - Plenty but start at digitalZENDO and The Zennist for an example of two polar opposites in a broad array of fantastic blogs out there. [I can't even start too explain how many are out there but I like these two since they give two very different views of Buddhist and Zen practice]

• Alan Ashley recommends WildMind Buddhist Meditation Resources and Free Buddhist Audio. Thanks!

• Thank you Adam for the recommendation of Urdan Dharma
  

This list is by no means meant to be extensive and it is skewed towards Zen practice by Buddhists on Purpose (lol, hilarious term. Makes me think of "Pigs in Space") but if you know of any other resources please list them in the comments and I'll toss them in...

Cheers and welcome to Buddhist Purgatory (I should rename my blog that, Thanks Kyle!),

Silent Chanting

One of my biggest concerns when I began an actual flesh and blood sangha practice was the prospect of chanting aloud. I have sat in meditation for years (not in one stretch) and was comfortable with that aspect of public practice. The altar opening, ritual, bowing and prostrations were equally familiar to me since I spent years performing them on my own in my home. I did not feel self-conscious or nervous about applying in public what I already did at home for a number of years.

Chanting on the other hand, I approached with extreme trepidation. On the surface level, there was the fact that some of the chants were in Japanese or Sanskrit that led to my nervousness. I screwed up the pronunciation of many of the Japanese phonemes or would get lost on the page as my eyes struggled to keep up with the chanting and my brain was lagging far behind in reminding my lips which phonemes were pronounce in which ways.

But language was really only scratching the surface. The material contained in the "Pure Land" sutras seemed shockingly similar to the prayers that were offered in a Christian prayer. It felt like I was asking or beseeching some outer-worldly power to intervene in my behalf. It was not aiding me in focusing on my practice at all. In fact, it was doing the opposite.

Until I ran across this explaination by Ven. Anzan Hoshin roshi that helped put this into perspective:

In chanting practice you needn’t be shy, needn’t hold back and whisper. You’re not praying to gods or angels or Buddhas. You are manifesting the power and integrity of breath, sound, and posture as this sound of the moment. Allow the sound to swell from the hara in your lowest natural voice register. Abandon hesitation and self-consciousness and feel the sounds vibrating in belly, throat, and mouth. Feel air as breath being drawn in and released as sound. Penetrate the ten directions with this chanting and wake up all beings by exerting both the dignity of the words and the dignity of your expression of them.

Just as when I focus my breathing while meditating, I began to focus on my breathing while chanting. The actual words became less and less important as they became more internalized in to my routine. I would start chanting and continue without reading the words or even thinking about the words as they came out of my mouth. My voice is still horrible and I fumble (horribly) over the Japanese sometimes but I rarely even care. I like to yell. Its fun. And it has no focus beyond the pushing of the air out of this poor wind bag.

The mind is clear and traceless, it does not ponder the meaning of the words as you chant. An alert posture, pure intention, and moment to moment awareness actualize the meaning of the words.

"Pure Land" sutras or not. It doesn't matter as much anymore. I may not particularly "like" a particular sutra for some reason but in essence reciting it is the same as reciting any other one - its just air being pushed from my lungs.

Focus on the sutra's whole presence first, then focus on the words that come and then on the sounds that arise, leave your mouth and disperse. Soon, you don't even hear the words anymore, they don't matter. Just like the ringing of a bell, the sound is impermanent and drifts into silence - You know that they were there but they're is no evidence of there presence. In understanding the origin and trajectory of those sounds we pay homage to our own innate Buddha-Nature. It doesn't matter what the content is or if the language is familiar or not. It all breaks down in the same way. They all disperse into silence. We chant silence.

Chanting, allow this jewel to shine and, in so doing, see that the jewel has no boundaries and is never limited by any single facet or reflection of light. The Four Great Vows are the essence of the Bodhisattva’s energy, the Heart sutra the Bodhisattva’s mind and so on. Express and actualize these in each sound, each moment of chanting, sitting, walking, working, breathing. In so doing, liberate all beings, all times, all directions, all sounds, all breaths.

Cheers,

South Dakota - Buddhist Purgatory

I woke up this morning to a wonderful post by the Reformed Buddhist mentioning the Purgatory State - South Dakota.

Invent a Buddhist Purgatory and put it in South Dakota where there
really is no difference.

Well, thank you Kyle for thinking of us, luckily the Hungry Ghosts and pretas have left us alone for the moment so Samsara baby and myself could enjoy some zazen this morning (thus the picture, taken only moments before a random attack from roaming Hungry Ghosts). Just so you know what we are up against here is the description of what I have to fight against to get into work every day.

Pretas are invisible to the human eye, but some believe they can be discerned by humans in certain mental states. They are described as human-like, but with sunken, mummified skin, narrow limbs, enormously distended bellies and long, thin necks. This appearance is a metaphor for their mental situation: they have enormous appetites, signified by their gigantic bellies, but a very limited ability to satisfy those appetites, symbolized by their slender necks. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preta]

Very scary and you thought ZombieLand was bad! And let me tell you, the Blood Pool Hell Sutra leaves some talking points as well. But, well, home is home and we do our best.

Cheers and Happy Zombie hunting!

To sit or not to sit.

Every Sunday I discover the same dilemma when I get up in the morning and get ready to head to the zendo for our morning practice - I look at my wife and child and get a pang of guilt. Guilty that I am heading out to do something enriching for myself instead of stay back and doing something enriching with or for them. Now I wish I had wonderful sutra quotes to insert here or wisdom from ancient or contemporary masters, but I don't. So I went with the only thing I do have - my gut.

And my gut decided to hang back and go with my daughter to the local park for some time on the swings and let my wife work on her thesis in peace. No sitting and staring at a wall for me. No chanting of the Heart Sutra or prostrations. Instead I was heading to a park. But it all came together for me in shocking brilliance when I got to hear her (my little Samsara Baby of 16 months) say "Weee!" for the first time on the swings. We then spent 20 minutes throwing pieces of recycled shredded-tire padding up a slide and watching them come down. It was meaningful and mindful - Maybe it wasn't zazen and all austere and Buddhisty and stuff but it was me and my daughter sharing a moment that will never repeat itself. One that will never come again. One that faded away as quickly as it arose. One that probably, for her, is already forgotten.

So my home-practice oscilates between sitting zazen with a sangha and living the daily life of a homemaker. The life of a Buddhist and a father. Trying to remove oneself from the attachments of daily life but taking such joy in them at the same time.

Sometimes the words of the Evening Gatha mean so much more outside of the zendo:

Let me respectfully remind you,
life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by,
and opportunity is lost. Let us awaken,
awaken. Take heed,
do not squander your life.

To me this is simply a fact of knowing when to bow - To humbly accept the teaching and opportunities presented in front of me at that specific time and place. To squander those opportunities would be poor form and weak practice. We awaken to the moment as that moment itself awakens in front of us. No plans and no schedules. I planned to sit that day but an opportunity blossomed in front of me. If I rigidly stuck to my Sunday schedule I would have missed the chance to see my daughter happy at that moment and at that time.

I suppose the Evening Gatha was written with enlightenment in mind -telling us not to squander what little time we have in frivolous activities. Instead we should strive ever-forward to realize ourselves. Well, I'm no monk nor am I a "serious" student but I think I can see the Path when she looks up at me, smiles and takes my hand.

Pretty soon my Samsara Baby will be Samsara Grown-Up and hopefully will still be willing to take my hand, smile and lead me to a bar.

Cheers y'all. Don't squander.

Virtual Dharma

A new conversation started on the authenticity and utility of "virtual" sanghas vs. "flesh and bone" sanghas has started up.

• Illusory Flowers in an Empty Sky - Virtual isn't real
• Angry Asian Buddhist - Online sanghas
• The Reformed Buddhist - The snobs show their colors: take two
• The Reformed Buddhist - iSangha
  

Personally, I think both are viable and real outlets of the Dharma and perfectly good training and practicing tools. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. A "virtual" sangha gives an opportunity for many of us in the more rural areas of the US connect with teachers, practitioners and schools that we would not ordinarily be privy to due to geographic and logistical constraints. At the same time a "virtual" sangha does not provide the same type of support as a "flesh and bone" sangha nor does it give the same depth of practice.

I do believe that while I do connect with my "flesh and bone" sangha (I am fortunate that my locale does sport two, formerly three, small sanghas). However, being able to branch out online did much to prepare me for eventual daily practice as well as gave me the support to approach my local sangha with my interest in practice. As with most things, I think a combination of both produces the best results. I sit weekly with a "flesh and bone" sangha but attend virtual retreats (due to time and monetary restraints) online. I am not in the position to attend "real" Dharma Talks but ones podcasted by zendos and by AudioDharma, ZenCast and DharmaRealm serve the purpose more than addequately.

To call this support "not nourishing" seems drastic (I wash plenty of dishes). A sangha is partly about communication. By discouraging virtual sanghas you also discourage teachers to actual reach out to practitioners that don't have a local sangha to practice as well as discouraging individuals to broaden their horizons past what is outside their front door.

I will concede that eventually, a serious Buddhist practitioner needs to confront an actual, authentic teacher for instruction. But whether it is online or face-to-face - It doesn't matter, there is some benefit to be gotten. The bottom line is that any practitioner that is serious needs to access what is available to them by virtue of their situation and location. Whether that be online blogging and chats with other practitioners or sitting with a group or combination of both. At the same time any teacher that is serious about reaching people (especially those that do not have the luxury of local temple or monastery to guide their growth) needs to utilize emerging tools to reach them.

So thank you to all of my "Virtual" Sangha-siblings and Dharma-guides. You all inspire me to practice daily and critically examine myself constantly. You keep me striving.

Its all just tools.

Cheers,

Shunryu Suzuki - Enabler or Zen Master?

Two fantastic posts by My Buddha is Pink on the nature of Buddhist morality brought up whether or not it is more conditional rather than relative. I don't have too much to add to the comments already made other than I agree that the morality taught by the Buddha isn't absolute. That being said I found some excerpts from an excellent transcript of one of Shunryu Suzuki's Dharma talks that touch on this topic as well as the topic of the precepts. So why not kill two birds...

...When you do something, you know, it is a kind of morality is in it because you do something by your choice. But when you make decision to do something, your inmost nature will tell you, “That will not be so good. Why don’t you do it this way.” That is precepts.

This is an understanding of the precepts that is beyond the written words or absolutes. Our own inner morality (relative) speaking to us directly dependant upon our own understanding and our experience (conditional). Our practice helps opens up these doors. Its almost like the mind that lies to us for most of our existence finally falls back and allows the Mind to emerge and converse honestly with us. The "enlightenment" that we seek is really just a moment of honesty with our delusions - a moment of clarity. We truly discover ourselves to be the bags of dung that we indeed are (been reading too much Shosan).

...And at that time you would listen to what your inmost nature will say. That is morality or precepts. Our inmost nature will tell you what to do. So if you understand this way, this is morality, or this is precepts. So the precepts actually is not only two or two hundred or five hundred...Whatever we do is precepts, because we have some choice. We have to make some decision.

We make our own decisions and live by them. Simple and elegant. No ridiculous "what-ifs" or absolute prohibitions. No need to over-intellectualize.

...Here you have, in your everyday life, precepts, and you have freedom too. Whatever you do that is up to you. As long as you have freedom you will make some decision, so you should be responsible for that...So, in our everyday life, we should have precepts, we should observe the precepts, instead of leaving responsibility for Buddha. We should be responsible for that, but at the same time you have freedom. There is no need for you to be bound by precepts. Precepts is formulated by you own choice. As long as you take conscious activity, there is freedom, and at the same time, you should be responsible for that. This is freedom ….true freedom..to leave all the responsibility to Buddha is not freedom. I don’t mind.

The precepts are not binding nor is Buddhist morality. They allow for choice and personal freedom but tempered by responsibility and understanding.

Cheers,

Burnt Out on Race - Where are all the females?

It doesn't take too long for me. Conversations about race, especially on-line, wipe me out and leave me feeling all husk-like and zombie-esque. Much better to engage in person with beer and tea. Either way, it got me thinking this morning while walking and trying to avoid roaming bands of stray dogs, that my blog roll is really white and really converted.

Overall, this doesn't bother me too much but it does mean that my intake of information is one-sided rather than many-faceted as I would like it to be. And, after being told to do my homework before I post next, I thought I would putz around looking for some more diverse Buddhism blogs to follow.

And would you know what, I came up with almost nothing. So, if anyone has some recommendations for Buddhist blogs from an Asian or non-convert perspective please help me out and post them in the comments so that I can get me learning on. Something happy and inviting would be nice but I will settle for angry and persnickety.

Another thing that popped up was that very few of the female Buddhist bloggers that I used to follow are posting anymore.

Cheers,

Profiles of Buddhist Bloggers

I have been wanting to do a list of some of my favorite Buddhist bloggers out there in the Buddhoblogosphere (I hate that word) and decided that if I was going to do it, I was going to make it somewhat entertaining and make some jokes at my expense as well as the expense of others. So here are a few of the bloggers that I respect and read religiously with some added humor in the form of everyone's favorite thing - categories!

A wise man once told me that the line between humor and disrespect was a fine one - and then he never talked to me again - I assume that I crossed that line.


[Have a good laugh on this. Everything was meant in love and we really need to have a sense of humor about ourselves - especially after so much disagreement. So enjoy and If you have some additional profiles I missed, let me know so I can add them!]




The Home-Practicing Hick - Stuck in the Midwest or Deep South, this Buddhist blogger will go on and on about "practical" Buddhism and will act as if he/she eats lotus blossom and shits out petals. In reality this blogger sits maybe once a week and studies under a guy named "Steve" and conducts his Dharma talks at the local Hooters. Most religious paraphernalia was probably purchased from Hot Topic or Old Navy with rituals being carried out in his old Judo gi.

• Favorite Food: Can you put hot dogs in Curry? Yes. Then that.
• Example: Ummmmmm.....ehhhh....me?

The Angry Asian Buddhist - If you are white or any non-Asian you are on notice, my friend. There is no flying under the radar with this blogger manning the helm! If you happen to slip up in your terminology or nomenclature you are immediately regulated to the lowest pits of esoteric Buddhist Hell. Best bone up on your Japanese social strata and grab a sociology primer because you are going to need it.

• Favorite Food: It doesn't matter. Your weak Caucasian palate could never appreciate the flavors.
• Example: Well...the Angry Asian Buddhist for one.

The Prick - No pun is too low or picture too naughty. If you want to talk about Dharma or serious Buddhism, steer clear of this blogger, Dear Reader. Expect any retort to involve squirrel testicles, crack whores or dirty, filthy, potty humor. Just reading this blog will lead to numerous viruses on your hard drive and possibly syphilis. Be WARNED!! If this blogger ever actually teamed up with the Angry Asian Buddhist profile, they would be well-nigh unstoppable. Our only hope is to keep them at constant odds with each other. Its mean, I know, but this is national security we are talking about here.

• Favorite Food: The souls of nice Buddhists and societal norms
• Example: The Reformed Buddhist
  
  

The Scholarly Complainer/Avenger/Compromiser - This blogger of many talents graduated from any Community College Divinity program or mail-order degree factory. Most of their posts will consist of whining about how "commercial" Buddhism has gotten and then quickly run to the closest Borders to pick up the newest Brad Warner rag and read Tricycle from cover to cover. The professional mediator - this blogger will attempt to relieve any tension in the community by flinging Dharma quotes around as if they were magical, thought-provoking Frisbees.

• Favorite Food: Anything made of tofu...as long as it tastes like hot dogs.
• Example: The Buddha is my DJ, Wandering Dhamma, The Reverend Horton Heat
  

The Know-it-all - No text is too obscure or phrase too boggling. This Buddhist blogger will go on and on about people and places you have never heard of. The fantastical stories weaved would leave H.P. Lovecraft frightened, weeping in a corner and flipping through a thesaurus. Unlike their pupea stage, The Scholarly Blogger, this butterfly flings Dharma quotes as if they were hand-grenades of Unsurpassable Light plopped from Buddha's own arse and will, by definition, have a sweet, sweet mustache. As sensical, sometimes, as an ancient Chinese koan translated into ancient Greek by a toddler.

• Favorite Food: His own self-worth
• Example: The Zennist *pause* whew! No grenades.

The Professional Writer - Ugh! Posts that last at least two kalpas and have been proofread by the Virgin Mary, herself. Immaculate! These year long treatises will weave in and out of consciousness (or at least you will be weaving in and out of consciousness while reading them). Be sure to read the review that they have written on EVERY book on Buddhism they ever read and comments on everything their teacher ever said.

• Secret Aspiration: To publish their blog in book form or to sell it to rich Swedes (Swedes love Buddhism)
• Example: Dangerous Harvests, Home Brew Dharma, American Buddhist Perspective, DigitalZendo

The Saint - You would think that following 5 precepts is enough or maybe 10 but this blogger will follow all 108 and then add 50 more that the Buddha "probably just forgot". Be prepared to be regaled by stories of beautiful temples in far-off places that you will never visit because you are probably just not serious enough a Buddhist. Oddly enough, this blogger's shit does actually smell like jasmine and ginger due to their insane daily amount of tea intake. You may think that there is a halo surrounding their heads but it is actually just the aftereffects of acquiring so much awesome merit.

• Favorite Food: Nothing. Bodhisattvas don't need to eat.
• Examples: Marcus's Journal
  

Thanks for posting folks. My growth would be limited without your insight and audacity.

Cheers,

Re-Branding Buddhism and Buddhism for Beginners

I was going to continue the previous discussion on Asian vs. Non-Asian sanghas by pointing out the Chuck Norris could easily take down Bruce Lee in a fight but I realized that...

1. This perpetuates the horrible stereotype that white folk love Chuck and Asian love Bruce. When we all know that EVERYONE loves Chuck.
   
2. This has already been decided in "Game of Death" and Chuck lost.
   

So I am going to go with a discussion of the "Branding of Buddhism" that was brought up on Barbara's Buddhism Blog as well as on Angry Asian Buddhist. So why not weigh in on it, right? I'll list some of the talking points and my (humble) take on them.

But, following up on my post two weeks ago about how to bring the incredible benefits of regular meditation practice to a larger contemporary audience (i.e. beyond the velvet roped circle of artists and smart people that seem to mostly practice in the West) it's time to talk about Brand Buddhism.

Ok, first off the "velvet rope" of Buddhism? Do we also reside in an ivory tower? Is there a moat? (I am fucking approachable and don't forget it). Buddhism has been branded already by publishers and "quick fix" marketers and is accessible in many forms to anyone who wants to wander into a bookstore or library and get the flavor they like.

So as a culture and as a society we have already picked up this banner and ran with it. I don't think there is any reason to skim anything off of it as a matter of principle. Personally the idea presented by Jerry of an "inner circle" of artist/smart people practicing Buddhism tells me that he has little experience in the actual practice of Buddhism. Sanghas are popping up in rural and urban areas as well as in jails, youth centers, adult learning centers and college campuses. They can consist of primarily Asian, primarily white or a diverse mix of cultures. Practitioners in my own sangha range in vocation from gardeners and roofers to judges, and politicians as well as retirees and lowly civil servants like myself. Indeed, we do have a bouncer at the door though to keep out the intellectuals (we don't like their kind here).

When most folks see Buddha, they see a foreign and unfamiliar face that speaks of mysterious eastern religions - oooooo, Buddhists. Buddhism in America is at the long end of the initial boom sparked in the 60's among intellectuals and artists who craved that elite connection with the east.

When "most folks" see the Buddha they see many things. I see a sublime figure who own striving led to a realization that was both simple and obtuse in understanding, both easy and hard in practice. Rather than rebrand to remove the "foreignness" of the Buddha, how about just some good old education on his life and practice (a great and accessible book is Buddha for Beginners by Asma)? Once you see the human side of someone it no longer seems so foreign. I would much prefer the education and presentation of Buddha to be realistic rather than completely throw away or turned into another White Christ (you know what I am talking about. Christ looks like he walked out of a J Crew advertisement in many modern representations).

Buddhism in America began way before the 60's. If we ignore the earlier (and current) Asian practitioners we ignore a large and important part of Western Buddhism. Even the popularity of Buddhism among a non-Asian audience was spearheaded by Asian practitioners that came over to the States to primarily serve as the religious guides of Asian congregations (personally, though, I believe that anyone that took on such a task probably also had a desire to "spread the Dharma", as it were, to the culture of the West). The Hippies and the Beatniks and the acedemes of the time that originally ran with those Buddhist concepts and practices by no means did the lion's share of the work. They helped build some of the bridges but by no means build the foundation of Western Buddhism.

Buddhism can be presented as the ultimate lifestyle accessory.

It has been already (sometimes well and sometimes horribly). Look at any "Religion/Spiritual" section of the bookstore or the "Self-Help" section and you will see a plethora of books on Buddhism (or more specifically on Buddhist practice) that are obviously slated towards Western audiences that have no prior experience with Buddhism. Hell, I pick up t-shirts with Buddhist iconology from Old Navy.

To secularize Buddhism is fine. It has been done in the past and sometimes done very well. But to almost insist that the flourishing of Buddhism in the West can only be achieved by cutting off all of the Asian roots to the religion (or non-religion) is foolish. Buddhism is primarily an Asian religion with plenty o'history both ancient and contemporary. To ignore those teachings is to take a massive backstep in the history of Western Buddhism.

But this is just my opinion.

The introduction of Buddha for Beginners sums it up well:

...the fact that Buddhism seemed deeply misunderstood in the West. Unlike most other religious scriptures, which are comprised of parables, legends and allegories, Buddhist teachings also contain actual philosophical arguments that were advanced by the Buddha himself...so skewed is the Western view of Buddhism that it will come as a surprise to many people that the Buddha gave rational arguements and empirical evidence in his teachings...

...[many] had gathered [their] wisdom [of "Buddhist" teachings] from American television shows, commercials and movies, which offer a cadre of mystical monk characters - usually helping some confused Westerner pick the right soda or cell phone service or some such consumer quandary. Stereotypes die hard... and the tendium of consumer culture may always lead us to romanticize exotic monastic traditions. But it is my hope that this book will give searchers a little more grasp on the ethics, metaphysics, epistemology and logic of Buddhism.

Maybe Jerry should start with this book and stop watching commercials before assuming that Buddhism needs a rebranding. If we need to rebrand anything it is the way that Buddhism is portrayed in popular media.

Cheers,

Weekly Dharma: Day 6 - Sweeping

My capping phrase for the week of 9/13

In Zen there are only two things: you sit, and you sweep the garden" - Oda
Sesso

This statement, short though it is, has always spoke volumes to me. In fact the last three words "sweep the garden" could stand alone in its sublime subtleness. To me it says that any of our actions through out the day are a form of Zen meditation regardless of what they seem to others around us or whether or not we realize that they are ourselves. From a distance, it may seem that I am cleaning out my car or washing dishes or sweeping but in my mind I am staring at a wall, following my breath - even if I don't realize it.

I may only have 15 minutes in the morning to actually sit and meditate but my entire day is one long sesshin with countless opportunities to follow the Way - countless opportunities to be engaged - countless opportunities to live the Bodhisattva ideal (this is not to say that I am successful, only that the opportunities are there for me to attempt it). One doesn't need to attend extensive retreats or teisho or talks or even be well-read in the Dharma. We really don't need much more than we already have in front of us to practice correctly and seriously. So when sitting no longer helps you to realize your Buddha-Nature; sweep the floor. When the floor is clean then wash the dishes. Some of us sit for our entire lives. For some the floor never gets clean.

...and just like with my floor; neglect leads to more dirt, more dust. Wonderful! More Sweeping!

Cheers,

[ I am currently doing a 100 day "virtual" retreat with Wild Fox Zen. Practice will consist of daily sitting, chanting of the Heart Sutra, explorations into the Genjokoan as well as occasional webinars and weekly posts. I previously did something similar with Chalip's 108 Days. I would recommend this sort of retreat to any rural or isolated home-practitioner that would like some more intensive practice. Posts will be short and blunt. Feel free to comment. Any insight will only help further my practice and will be much appreciated.]

Smile, Sit, Eat Curry!

There is no way of avoiding cultural difference within the Buddhist practice. At whatever shores Buddhism arrives, differences are bound to arise. New perceptions of Buddhist practice will bloom and older ones will fade away. Some are resilient while others do not fit into a new, emerging framework.

Like a curry whose ingredients remains unaffected by the added spices to the recipe (that's right, I'm hungry), Buddhism will adapt a new flavor but nourish all the same. Just like curry, Buddhism gets adapted into new cultures. Indian, Japanese, Thai and even American (the place by me in South Dakota pretty much goes the meat and potatoes route) cultures enjoy the taste without arguing which is more or less authentic than the curry they had in Philly or New York (or Bangkok or Kyoto). We may like certain styles better but brother, in the end, curry is curry and Buddhism is Buddhism.

Each culture will have specific ways of approaching practice - from the rites and rituals, scents and clothing to the language and cultural make-up of the sanghas. Its a whole lotta differences with the same ideal and pay-off in the end. Some people will fret over the changes that occur (or will occur) and others will take it on without a thought. Some people complain and fret over labels and constructs. They deconstruct rather than create.

Labels and constructs are, for the most part, a waste of time. Some of us attempt to use them to structure our thoughts (far from being perfect) other use them to categorize and pigeon-hole others.

If you want to hit the keyhole with the arrow, here is what you do:

• Practice - That's it just practice.


• Welcome - Invite others - If someone wants to practice with you, welcome them.


• Repeat - There. You are a sangha. Now repeat.

Cultures are different, yes. Religion is intertwined with culture, yes. Some sanghas will be primarily one ethnicity rather than another. Some will be a mix. As an example, Greeks will congregate at a Greek Orthodox Church, that Church will be full of Greeks. That church is serving two functions; one religious and one cultural. Greeks learn about their heritage and their language and history as well as about their religion. These are both important. I can't express how important they are. Someone - a non-Greek - walks in and sees a bunch of crap (and there is a bunch of crap in a GO Church) and figures that it detracts from the core teachings. There is nothing inherently racist in this situation. The congregation will accept a newcomer and a newcomer will get used to (or learn the significance of) the "crap".

OK, back to Buddhism. Huge difference is that any Convert Buddhist has no cultural attachment to the religion. They switched over purely (usually from my point of view) for doctrinal reasons. As such the outlook between a White/Black/Hispanic/Asian (many Asian do fall right smack into the "convert" camp, lest we forget) Convert and an Asian Buddhist w/cultural affinities will differ. This is not inferring one is better than the other or that one is a more "pure" form of Buddhism. It is simply stating that those cultural ties lead to a much deeper involvement into the religion. For example, I am still Greek and am tied culturally to that Greek Orthodox Church no matter what I call myself or what path I take spiritually.

So to anyone that cares enough to read this, let me make one more suggestion - Ignore those last two paragraphs - they are full of crap. Go back to the beginning and practice, welcome others and repeat. That should be enough ( if it isn't now then it will be evenutally). Then smile, sit, chant nembutsu, read sutras, drink tea, have a beer and laugh.

Nothing else is needed. Everything else is worthless. If someone calls you "homespun" or stupid or racist or ignorant then just sit, welcome them to sit with you and repeat. Don't offer the beer until after you know where they stand on the 5th Precept, however - that can get ugly too - but tea is just as good.

Cheers,

Big Buddha in NJ

Ah! The Garden State! I miss you so much. Why couldn't you build a 30 ft. Buddha while I was there? A brief from the article:

New Jersey Governor John Cozine will open the largest Samadhi Buddha Statue in USA which is 30 feet tall at New Jersey Buddhist Vihara on September 26.

Ambassadors from Sri Lanka, India, South Korea, Nepal, Laos, China, Japan, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Bangladesh will light lamps around the Samadhi statue. An overnight Pirith chanting by Bhikkus followed by a dane by devotees of the Vihara to 50 monks will also be held.

Chief Incumbent of the Viharaya Ven. Hunhampola Siriratana Nayake Thera initiated the project. The statue is similar to the one in the Mahamevuna Uyana in Anuradhapura. This received the generous support of Americans and Sri Lankans in the United States.

Thanks to Barbara for posting on the two things closest to my heart; The Garden State and ridiculously large statues! I plan to stop by the next time I am in Princeton to pay my respects.

Cheers,

[not to be crass but with the two million dollars that it cost to put up the statue, you would think they would have a nicer mock-up of the thing.]

Buddhism, Race and Class in the West

Well, Nathan addressed that 500 pound gorilla in the room in his recent post on encouraging youth engagement in Buddhist sanghas. Well, if he's gonna throw it out there, I might as well comment on some of it. It was a very large post so I am just going to touch on...

Large Issue 1. Collectively, Buddhist communities in the "West", especially "convert" ones, need to address issues of race and class more head on.

Ok, yes, I suppose we do but I do have to admit that when this is addressed "head on" it gathers so much momentum that we begin and end with discussing race rather than Buddhism. So while this needs to be an ongoing discussion "in-the-flesh" and on-line, it really needs to be contained somewhat into a discussion that actually produces results. So, other than arguing back and forth, what do we do?

A. We need to change the way our sanghas appear in the physical world.

I just think it is funny that all of the points that Nathan brings up here...

that people of color don't attend these sanghas in great numbers is that they have had "no say" in the space itself, and do not feel at home in it. For many of you, this might be pretty abstract sounding, but lets bring it into the concrete right now. Have you ever been in places where you felt something was off, but couldn't put a finger on it? Or maybe a place where you almost instantly felt "out of place" right away, despite how the people there acted towards you? In our busy, distracted lives we forget how much physical space effects us. We forget, for example, that one of the main reasons we love our homes (when we do) is that we were able to create it in a way that expressed ourselves, who we are and what brings out the best in us.

..are the exact reason that I don't utilize a mostly Asian congregation as my primary place of practice. I love and respect the Asian culture but sometimes (actually, most of the times) I feel "out of place, right away" even though the practitioners are friendly and proactive towards the fact that I am (sometimes) the only white person there. So how much say should I have in the way a primarily Asian congregation chooses to organize their practice space? Holy Shit, I can just imagine if I went in and suggested that there should be less golden Buddhas or a more "comfortable" space for me. Would I have an equal say? We always assume that "western" Buddhism does not include Asian congregations and it does. So would a Jodo Shinshu sangha in a Japanese community alter their appearance or layout easily because a few White folk (or any person of color) don't feel comfortable? [I do understand that some Shin temples have changed at great amount of tradition to accomodate Western palates (mostly for meditation) but I sit back and wonder...why? B/c of a few whiny non-Asian practitioners a long tradition is altered? It seems to me to be sad. Or was it to drum up more enrollment? Either way, and my personal opinions aside, it was a difficult choice to change the standard and one I am sure was not taken lightly.]

I agree with the statement that the layout of a sangha will turn away some people and not others but I am somewhat at a lost concerning what should be changed. My sangha meets and practices in the backroom of a yoga studio. Four walls, a ceiling and some shelves for mats. Is this too "white-washed"? Most of the sanghas I have sat with (with the exception of my current one) have a distinctively Asian motif. Usually the standard reductionist, austere Zen set-up. How is this "white-space" other than the fact that white people are present? For the most part it seems to be an "Asian-space".

Perhaps my experience is limited or perhaps I am just lucky but any experience I have had in any sangha has been welcoming regardless of my race or the racial/social make-up of the sangha.

B. We need to address the costs of practice better.

Ah! No argument there. I love my small sangha just for this reason. I work two jobs and weekend shifts so the chances of me getting to a retreat is almost none but the sangha will provide financial help to anyone that needs it. Unfortunately my issue is half with money and half with time so I'm screwed either way.

But just looking at the "dues" that are required at some places exclude me from ever practicing there. So I can imagine that they do limit the practitioners at those specific temples or Zen Centers to a certain racial and economic bracket. This also excludes many "casual" practitioners. People that are only able to practice once or twice a week or month due to family or work obligations. Obligations that do take precedence (despite what others may infer) over any time staring at a wall or chanting.

On-line retreats like the ones offered by Wild Fox Zen is a great way to supplement your practice without having to shell out huge amounts of cash or time. While not the same as an intensive weekend or wekk-long retreet, this medium of practice is much more palatable to those pesky youngsters thateare trying to finish college, start a career or a family.

C. We need to diversify how the dharma is structured and taught.

Dharma does not need to be particularly dense or structured in order for it to be understood. The reason why many of us are attracted to Zen, whether college educated or not, is because we are not primarily interested in the scholarly pursuit of Buddhist teachings and thought. Rather, we are interested in the practice and experience of it.

I think the emphasis on retreat and extensive meditation practice is a huge barrier for many people, and could be one the things that keeps Buddhism in the "West" a small, marginal movement.

I agree completely. We are committed to the aspects of Buddhist practice that we can fit into our daily lives not into the aspects that alienate us from our family, friends and livelihood. A few days ago I had the option of practicing one morning with the local sangha or sitting at home with a beer and my little samsara baby. The choice was easy and obvious. The beer was delicious and samsara baby and I had a great time at the park.

Cheers,

Practicing our Faults in Zen

In a recent post by Jaye over at digitalZENDO he mentioned that...

1. There's only one barrier to not Awakening the Mind. Ourselves. Intellect can be a nice prize, but it doesn't work out to well in Zen. I'm not sure if I mentioned this but it's possible to be "too smart," in Zen. Sometimes we are so intellectual that it makes it impossible to connect and express our intuitive, non-analytical nature. Put another way, intellectualizing is like having a hurricane force wind and then trying to shoot an arrow though a keyhole that's 300 feet away. Good luck with that.

...and while Jaye had a myriad of good points over there and I would love to comment on all of them, I am going to stick with just the concept of over-intellectualizing Zen practice.

When we read too much and attach to much to the philosophy of Buddhism I think we lose touch with the practical, day to day practice of Zen. This is not to say that study is bad or detrimental but it can not be our sole understanding of Buddhism. If we only understand Buddhism through the written record of the sutras or recent commentaries we are limiting ourselves to the understanding of how others practice rather than how we practice.

So...how do we practice? [I am taking a quick break to play in the dirt with Eliza] The quick answer is - we strive. That is it. We strive to be better parents, neighbors, workers, bosses, spouses and offspring. How we do that is completely up to the individual and that individual's history. When people start tossing out terms like "enlightenment", "Luminous Mind" or "Buddha-Nature" they are over-intellectualizing it. We need to move away from the actualizations of those concepts and more towards the actions we take. Those actions will be determined by our faults. If we need to intellectualize anything - we should intellectualize how much we suck in the Three Worlds (I sucked in the past, I suck in the present and in all likelihood I will suck in the future).

To borrow the metaphor introduced by Jaye: We need to stop staring at the keyhole and start paying attention to the actual crafting of our arrows and the stringing of our bows. Without which we will never even have a ghost of a chance of hitting that keyhole.

In the words of Suzuki Shosan:

I don't know the value of the Buddha Way but when it comes to my faults, I know them all too well...you'll have to be prepared to hear over and over about my regret...I know of nothing else of value. You may think that I'm just being humble, but I'm actually sinking into the lowest pit of hell.

I agree. All I know are my faults and those faults craft my present and future practice. I am striving to better myself and remove those faults. Only then can I fashion an arrow to hit that keyhole.

Cheers,

Booze and Buddhism

Since everyone had so much fun discussing the topic of the 5th Precept - I thought that I would line up some of the articles for easy reference (in somewhat lazy chronological order):

• Compassionate teaching of Zen with Beer - Sweep the Dust, Push the Dirt
• Suramerayamajja-pamadatthana-veramani - Marcus's Journal
• Dharma Drinks - Sweep the Dust. Push the Dirt
• Booze and suramerayamajja pamadatthana - The Reformed Buddhist
• Discipline of Sobriety - Marcus's Journal
• Comments of the 5th Precept - Dangerous Harvests
• To Brew or not to Brew - Home Brew Dharma
• One more thought on the 5th Precept - Home Brew Dharma
• To Drink or not to Drink - Barbara's Buddhism Blog
• Proud Fundamentalist Buddhist Scholar - American Buddhist Perspective
• Comment on the 5th Precept - Angry Asian Buddhist
• Dharma Police - The Buddhist Blog
• You're No Buddhist - Love of all Wisdom
  

I don't really have anything more constructive to add on the subject. I thought that the opinions provided in the above posts varied from a literal and concrete interpretation of the precepts to a more adapted view to complete and utter drunkenness.

If I missed any interesting contributions; feel free to include in comments along with your favorite drink (with or without the alcohols).

Cheers,

Zen Inklings

Just a few recent interactions that got my Buddha-Mind rolling...

To a roaming couple of Mormons:

• Mormons: You're Buddhist?


• Me: Yes. You're Mormons?


• Mormons: Yes.


• Me: Wonderful! [hands raised in air for hug] We now understand each other!


• Mormons: [laughing] Is it that easy?


• Me: [hug not received] Should it be more difficult?

The Middle Way:

• Seated at a Booth at a college Community Resource Fair between previously mentioned Mormons on one side and on the other side the local Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Alliance. The Mormons' table had pamphlets and Bibles. The GLBTA table had flavored condoms and purple tubes of something (they were promoting an AIDS fundraising walk). My only thought was that I truly AM the middle path in this case. [No offense to either GLBT or the Church of the Latter Day Saints. Both groups were delightful.]

Twitter conversation with a Viking:

• @ZendirtZendust: Ok, Ironic that a buddhist would talk about moderation while getting blotto.


• @PaganViking: Everything in moderation, including moderation. [of course pagan viking is an alias. Why welcome anyone else on board a sinking, depraved ship such as this?]

Hope you learned something.

Cheers,

Secular Meditation and Youth

With some recent talk about how to attract the younger generation to Buddhism, this article popped up with a great, new, innovative approach. Actually advertise what Buddhist practice does and what results one can expect to find from intense meditative practice. Then present it to that age group in an easy-to-access manner (example - Read The Zennist and then do the exact opposite). No dramatic alteration of the Buddhist canon needed, no comments on how "Hardcore" it is - just simple, direct meditation and results. A few examples from the article:

• the Insight Meditation Society, a Buddhist nonprofit, introduced the retreat specifically for 18- to 32-year-olds in 2004, the number of young adults attending to practice vipassana has steadily risen, said Bob Agoglia, the organization’s executive director.


• The Cambridge Insight Meditation Center, a nonresidential nonprofit, has also seen a stream of curious young adults at its weekly vipassana, or “mindfulness,’’ meditation sessions for beginners, said Peggy Barnes Lenart, the center’s operations coordinator.


• Harvard’s Humanist Chaplaincy, a community for agnostics, atheists, and the nonreligious, started a free, open-to-all group this year that practices different forms of meditation, including Buddhist and Quaker.
  

In all of these examples, Buddhist practice is presented as a process-based, inclusive and/or secular in nature. And it should be presented as such to those who are unfamiliar with the basic practice of Buddhism. If anything, most of the presentation of Buddhism is far too complex and steeped in ritual, philosophy and dogma for most of those completely new to it.

Nothing turns off a person from something new more than the feeling that they don't belong [disclaimer: this is not targeted at Asian congregations or temples. Rather, I am talking about any congregations that have a regular and sometimes intricate liturgy that can make a neophyte feel uncomfortable. That is all]. So rather than bemoan the state of youth or insist that the young are not spiritually ready for the Path that Buddhism sets in front of us, we should be adjusting the presentation so that it is actually useful to that demographic.

In the words of one retreat goer:

“No one’s asking me to profess anything or asking me to call myself Buddhist,’’ said Beckmann, a public health researcher at Boston University who was raised Catholic. “I really appreciate the opportunity to explore.’’

An opportunity to explore the benefits is what needs to be provided. A chance to delve briefly into a practice that while strange or unfamiliar may be able to provide a positive outcome . How do we do this? By providing a secular and inclusive environment for which people of any age can "open up this new way of being". The secular aspect is not meant to take away from Buddhism but rather to provide a more comfortable atmosphere to those of different faiths or no faith what-so-ever. From there one can walk away with a better understanding of Buddhism and a healthier outlook.

Secular meditation - The gateway drug of Buddhism. I started out this way as I am sure many of you out there did as well. The biggest mistake I ever made in my practice was to actually take a class in Buddhism in college. All the heady philosophy and rules thrown at a beginner turned me off from organized practice for almost 5 years.

Cheers,

Homebrewing Sake Mindfully

The following is a beginner's recipe for making sake. There are other, more difficult recipes but this one will produce a nice, smooth, cloudy sake.

What You Need

• A Sieve


• A big, deep brewing pot w/a lid


• A primary fermenter (old glass wine jug. You know the ones...cheap stuff. I like to make my own. The instructions are simple. Purchase cheap jug o' wine. Drink jug o' wine. Save empty jug.)


• Some sort of airlock (you can buy one from whatever store near you that sells brewing supplies)
  

Ingredients

• A little more than 3 lbs of rice (I like Jasmine but any medium or short grain rice will do)


• A little less than 1 lb of Kome-Koji (Some call it Malt-Rice but in reality it is rice with mold growing on it). Some can make it themselves but I usually get the pre-made variety (kindly provided by a friend when she visited Denver) and available at most Asian markets.


• One teaspoon of citric acid (lemon juice) or 4 grams of hops (I have never tried with the hops)


• Almost one gallon of purified (chlorine-free) water


• 5 grams of yeast (wine/champagne yeast or brewers yeast)
  

Process

• Wash all equipment with sanitizer


• Wash rice (NOT with sanitizer) in water until water runs clear. Soak rice for 1-2 hours. Steam rice. When done, let rice cool to 80-90 degrees F.


• Dissolve citric acid in one gallon of water in your brewing pot.


• Add your Komi-Koji. Mix.


• Add steamed rice. Mix.
  
• Transfer to primary fermenter (wine jug). But in rubber stopper and valve (valve will let gasses escape).
  

I should mention that fermentation will be vigorous. I was unprepared for this on my first attempt. I placed even mixtures into mason jars and then sealed them. The resulting build up of gas caused several of the tops to bubble up and eventual pop in a glorious explosion of semi-fermented rice, fungi, yeast and abandoned practice. The resulting smell, while not really bad, was however...strong and pervasive.

Just like ultimate realization, fermentation needs to be allowed to release some pressure.

Imagine each grain of rice as containing a small Buddha. A whole brew pot full of small, identical, unrealized, oblong Buddhas. Each deserved to be treated with the same amount of reverence and respect. Without the fermentation process changing each of those starches to sugars and then those sugars to a fermentables and those fermentables to alcohol the realization of the rice would be unfulfilled and would spend their existence as a starchy side-dish. Thus, I like to think of the fermentation process as the process of each grain of rice realizing their innate Buddha-Nature. Only when the bubbles begin to rise and the rice begins to release that nature do we see the extent of the transformation. If too many fermentables the process stops; if too much yeast the result is murky; if contaminated then the result is ruined. But of main importance is time and balance.

Back to the recipe.

Once secured at room temperature and in a dark cabinet, you need to agitate the mixture daily. You could open your fermenter and stir it with a sanitized spoon but I would rather not take the chance at contamination. I usually just shake the fermenter enough to get the mixture inside to move around a bit. After two days, the rice-Buddhas forget about their individual natures and meld into a chunky white slurry. Small bubbles of Buddha-nature will peculate through the slurry and in approximately two weeks the fermentation will cease.

Strain the resulting slurry into a decanter or if you would like to preserve it for long-term storage you can pasteurize it by slowly heating the liquid in a saucepan for 5 minutes at about 130 degrees F. It will stay for up to 3-5 years bottled at this point if remained unopened. I usually put my whole bunch into one large bottle and then store it in a dark place for a month to age. (unpasteurized is by no means a bad sake. It will be cloudier, smoother and yeastier when unpasteurized and will need to be refridgerated.)

Just remember how many grains of rice realized their true nature through this process and respect their months of striving and diligence. I use my homebrew sake for toasting ancestors, offerings to the Three Treasure as well as offerings to the six directions. Feel free to do the same or something different.

Cheers,

Dharma Drinks

Marcus was nice enough to let me know that he mentioned me in a post about drinking and the Precepts in Buddhist practice where he quoted a past post of mine. Which is fine. It is a well written post and, as with all posts of merit, it made me think. I would recommend everyone check it out. Here is the quote about me...

Just two weeks ago, in an otherwise excellent blog, a zen practitioner wrote, beneath a photo of two people at a bar, that "sometimes 'skillful means' requires oyster shooters and grotesque amounts of wheat beer". Maybe. But this sounds less like 'skillful means' than 'a skillful excuse' to me. I prefer the advice of Master Thich Naht Hahn: "To persuade one person to refrain from drinking is to make the world safer for us all."

First off, thank you for the complement. "Excellent" is a descriptor I rarely get to hear. But my post was mostly on compassion and positive teaching and very little on beer or drinking so I take some exception on the "otherwise" part of your comment.

Actually, the comment about drinking was simply meant to express the need to expand our understanding of teaching beyond temples, zendos, monasteries and meditation halls. We need to approach all aspects of our lives through a lens of compassion. That even includes drinking and celebrating (which are occurrences in any householder's life) and which are, frankly, aspects of the lives of many Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike so why not apply the same lessons of the Dharma to those situations (Hell, seems like they would be right at home there). I still go to a happy hour every once in a while and sometimes even meet up with some Buddhists and talk Dharma. It is non-traditional but hardly bad. But this does punctuate some points recently made by some other bloggers - That much of our practice is up to our own interpretation and insight rather on what others insist as the proper or "real" way of practicing. The 5th Precept is a great example.

While some approach the precepts from the view of prohibitions I prefer the following view:

The Precepts
The precepts are a condensed form of Buddhist ethical practice. They are often compared with the ten commandments of Christianity, however, the precepts are different in two respects: First, they are to be taken as recommendations, not commandments. This means the individual is encouraged to use his/her own intelligence to apply these rules in the best possible way. Second, it is the spirit of the precepts -not the text- that counts, hence, the guidelines for ethical conduct must be seen in the larger context of the Eightfold Path.

The first five precepts are mandatory for every Buddhist, although the fifth precept is often not observed, because it bans the consumption of alcohol. Precepts no. six to ten are laid out for those in preparation for monastic life and for devoted lay people unattached to families....

The above phrasing of the precepts is very concise and leaves much open to interpretation. One might ask, for example, what exactly constitutes false speech, what are untimely meals, what constitutes sexual misconduct, or whether a glass of wine causes heedlessness (from the 5th precept to not take intoxicating drinks and drugs causing heedlessness.).

I prefer Buddha's conversations with householders as opposed to the ones to monks. These conversations revolved around the need to be moderate and careful in the indulgences of worldly life. If you need to drink, at least drink to the benefit of all sentient beings (OK, I made that one up but it makes a great toast) and keep your wits about you. If you decide to make the choice to not drink as a part of your practice then great, but remember that your choices are not meant for everyone. There is a fine line that we walk between the reading and interpreting the Dharma and fundamentalism. The moment you say that someone is not a "real" Buddhist for some reason - you start straddling that line

Much of what the Buddha taught to the Householder revolved around happiness in this present life:

There are four things that lead to the welfare and happiness of a family man in this very life. What four? The accomplishment of persistent effort, the accomplishment of protection, good friendship and balanced living...and what is balanced living? A family man knows his income and expenditures and leads a balanced life, neither extravagant nor miserly, so that his income exceeds his expenditures rather than the reverse...by so much the scale has dipped down by so much it has tilted up, so the family man knows a balanced life.

The wealth thus amassed has four sources of dissipation: womanizing, drunkenness, gambling and evil friendship. Just as in the case of a tank with four inlets and outlets, if one should close the inlets and open the outlets, and there would not be adequate rainfall, a decrease rather than an increase of the water could be expected in the tank so that these four things bring about an increase...

For me this reads less of prohibition and more along the lines of balancing out one's life. The sources of dissipation are negatives when brought to a specific extreme. The analogy of rainfall and the tank infers (to me at least) that there is a definite balance to be struck with the vices listed. "Womanizing" doesn't preclude sex and neither does "drunkenness" preclude anyone from drinking. Instead it serves as a lesson in the balancing of extremes. A warning to keep things moderate. While these dissapations are hardly positive (they are framed as something that dissapates happiness, after all) in nature they are only viewed as a negative when they are abused or harm others.

So the point from my original post...

So what happens after we spend all that time gaining knowledge and staring at a wall? Someone comes to learn from us and what do we do? We grab all that knowledge and force it upon the person. We toss quotes and terms and postures and chants. That is not teaching. That is throwing information and hoping that some will get lucky and stick. A good teacher needs to approach a student and determine his/her ability, intent and drive. Then from that assessment we teach to the individual and not at him. That is compassionate teaching and that is Zen.

With those thoughts in mind try to focus how you can practice from day to day without implicitly stating that another teaching is incorrect or unbalanced...and that sometimes "skillful means" requires oyster shooters and grotesque amounts of wheat beer.

If you drink, ensure that you do no harm to others or to yourself when you drink. It is as simple as that. If you wish to take the precepts of a monk and renunciate all worldly pleasures and attachements, then by all means take those on yourself. For me, I am a householder and I try to keep the balance.

Cheers,