"Vows" 7 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniature of a Zen Master.
This miniature points to how in all times practitioners are just me. Same struggles with confusion, same work on the cushion, same practice of being skillful and sometimes slipping. In fact we sit on our cushion together, the whole universe together.
Sound pretty?
Well Aitken Roshi admonishes us to get up off our cushions and work with vows. It is not spelled out completely what is meant by vows but for me my vows are my precepts and the Shiku Seigan Mon (Vows of a Bodhisattva). Wow, what a huge challenge.
A big part of my challenge with my vows is keeping them in my attention. Skillful life is directly proportional to the focus of attention. How skillfully and on what I place my attention either actualizes my vows or if I'm lucky enough to catch it, I get a pointer on where I can work and practice so as to do better next time.
When I know better I'll do better. This has alway been my experience.
To paraphrase Aitken Roshi, now it is your turn. What is your plan to save the many beings?
This miniature points to how in all times practitioners are just me. Same struggles with confusion, same work on the cushion, same practice of being skillful and sometimes slipping. In fact we sit on our cushion together, the whole universe together.
Sound pretty?
Well Aitken Roshi admonishes us to get up off our cushions and work with vows. It is not spelled out completely what is meant by vows but for me my vows are my precepts and the Shiku Seigan Mon (Vows of a Bodhisattva). Wow, what a huge challenge.
A big part of my challenge with my vows is keeping them in my attention. Skillful life is directly proportional to the focus of attention. How skillfully and on what I place my attention either actualizes my vows or if I'm lucky enough to catch it, I get a pointer on where I can work and practice so as to do better next time.
When I know better I'll do better. This has alway been my experience.
To paraphrase Aitken Roshi, now it is your turn. What is your plan to save the many beings?
I'm doing it!
ReplyDeleteJordan, thank you for your kind comment. Keep up the good work.
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