How to make a true champion? (Part 2)
From the book: Encounters with the true dragon, forthcoming
questions and answers
How can we find a true master of Buddhism?
you must find him and listen to him.
But when we encounter a Buddhist teacher, how can we know that he is a true teacher and a true champion?
Buddhist masters are very different and have distinct personalities. They like thick or be thin, boring or good looking, jovial and serious. Therefore, there is unfortunately no specific physical characteristics or simple guidelines to help distinguish a true masterpiece by a skilled imposter. When we meet a good teacher, we should be able to recognize in him a certain seriousness. We should have an intuitive feeling that his teachings are true. Once we find someone from whom we feel that he is a true teacher, the next step is to open ourselves to even for those teachers and really what he says, the very record. Some of his statements may sound rather strange or even outrageous.
The master might, for example To say that Buddha is the weeds in the garden or a falling leaf from the tree. We must be ready to take these statements seriously and engage with them: Yes, maybe Buddha is the weeds or a falling leaf. If we then consider the lessons of the master with an open mind, we must examine its lessons for our own lives. This is an important phase of Buddhist studies. At the beginning of the Buddhist life, we are normally subject to a process of trial and error. We must then find out through our own efforts, what is true and whether we can trust the teacher.
Sensei, in your presentation you have in your early introduction of Buddhism spoken. But I'm interested in your life as a whole. I have read some of your life on the back of your books. I have learned that you have studied at the University of Tokyo that you have for the Government in the Ministry of Finance and later worked for an insurance company. We combine professional activities are not generally those with the life of a monk or a priest. But I know that you were ordained later in life, in fact, as a priest. What differences have since been felt in your life, after becoming a priest? How has it changed you personally and your behavior towards other people influenced?
basically it was all because no major differences. My life was basically the same thing, before I became a priest. Before I became a priest, I lived my life as a Buddhist. After I became a priest, sat down on this life as a Buddhist life. I lived my Buddhist life from day to day, moment to moment - sometimes in my office, sometimes at home and sometimes in the temple. In every situation there was only my Buddhist life. By a certain ceremony to become a priest. But this does not change the fundamental way of life and this is the Buddhist life here and now. This does not change.
Did you have in your youth, the Feel like a monk to be?
What do you mean "the feeling of being a monk?
Well, some people seem special skills and to have a special relationship to life.
Yes, I think I had the feeling of a monk. But in addition I also had the feeling of a layman. I had the feeling of a man at work, a father, etc. All at the same time. I had the feeling to be human.
How was it that Master Kodo Sawaki has made such an impression on you? Why he was such a good teacher?
I think it was because His teaching was so pure. When a person normally does anything in particular, he has it mostly a special motivation or a particular interest. Often, a partly conscious and partly unconscious desire behind it to get something in return for their own expenses. But with Master Kodo Sawaki, I could not detect such motives. He taught simply because it was natural for him to do so. His teaching was clear and his theory clear and simple. He taught that zazen is the essence of Buddhism - yes, that zazen is the same as Buddhism itself.
When I heard the words of Master Sawaki, I still had the tendency to doubt and to be critical, but I could be Words do not really put into question. When I met him, I touched something deep in his behavior and his words. It was a kind of intuitive sense. I felt that the teachings of Master Kodo Sawaki were true - that he was an incarnation of truth itself.
Did not you feel that you were so ready to shoot through a special assessment for Master Sawaki? You must have been a special student.
Yes, I suppose, that I was particularly curious. Did you say that?
clueless?
Yes, limited in their literal sense. People generally have little time to philosophical questions such as the relationship of body and mind or the basic essentials of religion, etc. But such questions for me were of the utmost importance. In a sense I was too serious to be straightforward and easy-to my mind. But I think it was these qualities that made me receptive to the truth when I heard them. I therefore believe that it does not matter how smart we are, but that we believe in the existence of truth and seek it in earnest.
Why emphasized the importance of Master Kodo Sawaki zazen so strong?
Master Kodo Sawaki estimated the practice Zazen extraordinary and often told us how it happened that he recognized the importance of zazen. He was still a teenager when he decided to become a monk. He wanted to enter the great monastery Eihei-ji, which was founded by Master Dogen. But at that time it was only young men from wealthy families able to be included in the temple as a novice. Unfortunately, the young Kodo lost his parents early and was very poor. To enter
at all to the temple to be able to, he was forced to work as servants for the older monks. Such was his life in the temple, very hard and not very inspiring. His Supervisor was an old, stern woman who held her subordinates from morning until late evening with cleaning and minor requirements for the monks on their toes. Their long scolding and cursing the day he sounded in his ears and he realized that he had no time to practice zazen, or other religious activities of the temple teilzunehmen.Einmal was a special holiday when all the monks left the temple to visit their families or spend time with friends.
Thus was the young servant Kodo alone again in the temple and decided that it was for him a good opportunity to practice zazen. He went into the great hall and sat quietly in a corner on a pillow. It was dark and peaceful. After some time came the old cleaning woman, his boss in the room and sang softly to himself. First, she had the presence of the young Sawaki not detected. But when her eyes had to get used to the darkness of the room, she saw him suddenly sit in the corner.
She fell in surprise to his knees and bowed again and again before him. As recognized master Sawaki, that zazen has a special power, a truly mystical quality that makes even a poor young servant respect and dignity. This experience had a central role in the life of Master Sawaki . At every opportunity, now, he practiced zazen. The more he practiced, the lower was his confidence in the power of zazen.
His daily practice enabled him to develop a solid foundation of Buddhist teaching, and he was an extraordinarily good masters. When he began to teach the true understanding of Buddhism and Zazen in Japan was already in decline. Many priests practiced zazen, if at all, only as a formal requirement, but Master Kodo Sawaki recognized the natural and fundamental importance of zazen practice. He taught us the joy of the practice. He led the Zazen in Japan again.
0 comments:
Post a Comment