Humane Antennae

"Humane Antennae", number 164 of 188 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Today's miniature is contains a cute story of the Roshi being caught parked in a no parking zone. Aitken was a bit obtuse and acted the cranky old man. The security guard played along. A humane human.

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This little tidbit was in my email this morning. Looking through my email and also at twitter is like opening thousands of sweet notes to the heart.

This is from Tricycle's Daily Dharma. 

The Teacher in Everything 

In taking up Zen Buddhism, we find that the life of the Buddha is our own life. Not only Shakyamuni's life, but the lives of all the succeeding teachers in our lineage are our own lives. As Wu-men Hui-k'ai has said, in true Zen practice our very eyebrows are tangled with those of our ancestral teachers, and we see with their eyes and hear with their ears. This is not because we copy them, or change to be like them. I might explain Wu-men's words by saying that in finding our own true nature, we find the true nature of all things, which the old teachers so clearly showed in their words and actions.

But the authentic experience of identity is intimate beyond explanation. And it's not only with old teachers that we find complete intimacy. The Chinese thrush sings in my heart and gray clouds gather in the empty sky of my mind. All things are my teacher.

- Robert Aiken Roshi "The Teacher in Everything," Tricycle, Fall 2001

Read the complete article on tricycle.com

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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.