Realizing Heaven on Earth
We at the Missouri Zen Center are frequently invited to talk about Buddhism and Zen at schools and other institutions. This Civil Religion site provides a forum to engage in interfaith dialogue and discussion. While we enjoy and seek out opportunities to have these discussions, we also note the paradox of the situation. An essential characteristic of Zen Buddhism is the recognition that, ultimately, human language is incapable of expressing the truth. Language is like a finger pointing to the moon of truth. By practicing zazen, or meditation, we seek to witness truth by going beyond language and other human creations.
Language is just one of the many things that humans create. We dwell in things – cities, civilizations, castles in the air – and then we hold onto things such as money, matter, and mind. Ultimately, we are shut in and bound by these things, becoming separated (selfish, sinful) and disintegrated from holy life (wholly wholesome life system). It is through religion (Latin: religare) that we are reunited with the holy, creating a wholesome whole.
When separated from holy life, humans engage in wishful thinking and wayward actions such as just wars, holy wars, wars for peace, the war on terror, the conquest of nature, and the destruction of life systems. This is why we strive to stop karmas – actions or habits due to past actions – by becoming like trees. Trees are truthful and peaceful, harmonious with and beneficial to the eco-system. Significantly, the words tree, true, and dharma (a Sanskrit term for the law of all phenomena) share the same linguistic root, dhree (durable).
Anyone who sits calm and clear – like a tree, stopping desire and delusion – can become truth and peace anywhere, anytime, beyond conceptualization, emotion, volition, fear and doubt; before discrimination of religion, race, gender, generation, age, area, heaven, earth and death. Anyone can directly witness and work for limitless life, light, liberation and love. Would you taste amrita (ambrosia, immortality)? No words can hit the truth. No karmas can fit it.
I understood the whole thing except “pointing finger of the moon of truth”. Say what?
Dear Sunjo1,
Thank you for your visit and understanding.
Regarding your question about pointing finger to the moon.
The relation between language and truth is like that of pointing finger and the pointed moon. We argue about language (ideas, images, icons, etc.) and even fight for it. We should rather directly see the moon (truth) and live it. If finger does not lead to truth (and peace, joy, happiness not only for self but also for all others = wholesome whole = holy), it is useless and often harmful. We must see how practitioners witness (truth, peace, etc.) and work for all, not what they argue and fight.
rosan
We do not know the language of the trees.
Dear Another,
Do you see the brilliant yellow and red leaves?
“Wow” we exclaim. Trees manifest their beauty.
Because they don’t talk, they reveal truth, beauty, peace, etc.
When we close our mouth and open our mind, truth reveals itself.
Let’s go out and directly see and feel golden wind!
rosan
Rosan, Thank you for the blog. Zen insights will benefit the Civil Religion blog zone. This is my favorite Zen meditation, I learned it from reading the work of Alan Watts. “The sound of rain needs no translation.” I might also add,D.T.Suzuki’s “What is it that exists between two thoughts?”
The power to “be” with another begins with the power to “be.”
The mind speaks to itself in the language. When we open ourselves we go beyond the mind.
Dear Edward, Thank you for your comment. Language is media. Truth is im-mediate. The sound of one hand clapping has no media. The entire world in ten directions is a clear crystal ball!
Dear Another,
“The body exposed: the golden wind” The mind bare: the cystal world”
ah
Rosan — This is why we strive to stop karmas – actions or habits due to past actions – by becoming like trees. — Rosan
Become like the tree. . . I like this very much. And yet it stabs at my soul a bit.
At Vesak Day, there was a guess speaker who talked about how every individual has to take responsibly to change his/her behavior in order to move away from the destructive forces currently present. She talked about not buying as much. Not expecting that we should get raises at our jobs. Not using our cars and other such things.
I don’t really disagree with all this, but I found myself getting extremely angry at this talk. I had to leave so that I could sit and think about why I was so mad.
I think I got this way because I am getting very fed up with all the talk of ‘individual change’ in regards to dealing with world problems. I feel that people often have the discussions about the need to recycle their trash, the need to use energy efficient light bulbs, the need to car pool, ect. What I feel is missing from all this discourse is ‘How are we going to stop the destructive intuitions’? In essence, I often feel like the focus on individual change draws attention away from the larger ‘industrial’ change that needs to occur. Basically, if I’m patting myself on the back for recycling and accepting that as doing my part. . . I’m ignoring the 1000s of gallons of industrial waste the factory is dumping in the river.
This question is playing out in my life in real ways. I think the reason I was getting so angry at Vesak Day was just that I know that I can put all those swirlly light bulbs all over my house, recycle all my trash, and not buy a thing. . . and it doesn’t mean anything once that stupid Columbia Bottoms Casino goes in and negates all my effort. And it made me mad that a person would continue to focus on MY negative behavior when there’s bigger sinners out there.
Months later I realize that I’m not really angry with what our Vesak speaker was saying. I’m mad because a Casino developer is going to kill the trees in my neighborhood.
I wonder if the trees would warn us against becoming like them. At least we have legs to help us run from the threat.