"Simone Weil" number 72 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.
I had never heard of Simone Weil before Aitken Roshi mentioned her. Ms. Weil was quite a social and political activist, ultimately dying in an expression of her convictions. She was a writer/activist who "knew about the value of folk stories as purveyors of truth." Reading this miniature, I sense Aitken Roshi's affinity toward her and I can see how his practice parallels her's.
In each of our lives there are many unknown characters. These characters and their activities manifest Indra's Net. While we are interconnected in this way, it is still of value for a Zen student to explore, on a more relative level, some of these characters. We are often not aware of those who's activities shape us. Sometimes we underestimate or overestimate how much we reflect those who have influenced us.
Any teacher of my teacher's teacher is a teacher of mine. No?
Peppler, Gradizar, Hooper, Johnson - these men and their activities shape who I've become and contiune to work on me. These men will never know how their activities have panned out. Just as I will not know how my activities will pan out.
Any error or confusion created by my commentary on
Miniatures of a Zen Master
is solely a reflection of my own delusion and ignorance.
Any merit generated by this activity is solely the result of
Aitken Roshi's clear teaching and is dedicated to
all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time.
I had never heard of Simone Weil before Aitken Roshi mentioned her. Ms. Weil was quite a social and political activist, ultimately dying in an expression of her convictions. She was a writer/activist who "knew about the value of folk stories as purveyors of truth." Reading this miniature, I sense Aitken Roshi's affinity toward her and I can see how his practice parallels her's.
In each of our lives there are many unknown characters. These characters and their activities manifest Indra's Net. While we are interconnected in this way, it is still of value for a Zen student to explore, on a more relative level, some of these characters. We are often not aware of those who's activities shape us. Sometimes we underestimate or overestimate how much we reflect those who have influenced us.
Any teacher of my teacher's teacher is a teacher of mine. No?
Peppler, Gradizar, Hooper, Johnson - these men and their activities shape who I've become and contiune to work on me. These men will never know how their activities have panned out. Just as I will not know how my activities will pan out.
Any error or confusion created by my commentary on
Miniatures of a Zen Master
is solely a reflection of my own delusion and ignorance.
Any merit generated by this activity is solely the result of
Aitken Roshi's clear teaching and is dedicated to
all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time.
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