Professor Enlightenment was silent and said nothing.
Conditionality then arose suddenly and asked Professor Enlightenment: "What is the mind? What is it to pacify the mind?"
[The master] answered: "You should not posit a mind, nor should you attempt to pacify it—this is called 'pacified.'"
Question: "If there is no mind, how can one cultivate enlightenment?"
Answer: "Enlightenment is not a thought of the mind, so how could it occur in the mind?"
Question: "If it is not thought of by the mind, how should it be thought of?"
Answer: "If there are thoughts then there is mind, and for there to be mind is contrary to enlightenment. If there is no thought, then there is no mind, and for there to be no mind is true enlightenment."
Question: "What 'things' are there in no-mind?"
Answer: "No-mind is without 'things.' The absence of things is the Naturally True. The Naturally True is the Great Enlightenment."
Question: "What should I do?"
Answer: "You should do nothing."
Question: "I understand this teaching now even less than before."
Answer: "There truly is no understanding of the Dharma. Do not seek to understand it."
Question: "Who teaches these words?"
Answer: "It is as I have been asked."
Question: "What does it mean to say that it is as you have been asked?"
Answer: "If you contemplate [your own] questions, the answers will be understood [thereby] as well."
At this Conditionality was silent and he thought everything through once again.
Professor Enlightenment asked: "Why do you not say anything?"
Conditionality answered: "I do not perceive even the most minute bit of anything that can be explained."
At this point Professor Enlightenment said to Conditionality: "You would appear to have now perceived the True Principle."
Conditionality asked: "Why [do you say] 'would appear to have perceived' and not that I 'correctly perceived' [the True Principle]?"
Enlightenment answered: "What you have now perceived is the nonexistence of all dharmas. This is like the non-Buddhists who study how to make themselves invisible, but cannot destroy their shadow and footprints."
Conditionality asked: "How can one destroy both form and shadow?"
Enlightenment answered: "Being fundamentally without mind and its sensory realms, you must not willfully generate the ascriptive view (or, "perception") of impermanence."
from ‘Treatise on the Transcendence of Cognition’
2011-09-29
rekoan 12 - naturally
Costello asked the Abbott, “What are the teachings of a whole lifetime?”
The Abbott said, “Naturally.”
The Abbott said, “Naturally.”
2011-09-28
dreamverse 1 - singing
o glorious illusion
late september
sapphire river
flowing through
the jade-inspired
mystery
of everything
i am to thee
my sun is singing
late september
sapphire river
flowing through
the jade-inspired
mystery
of everything
i am to thee
my sun is singing
2011-09-27
rekoan 10 - hemp
A monk asked Walt Whitman, “What is Truth?”
Walt Whitman said, “Cipher and show me some hemp, exactly the contents of one or three pounds, and which is ahead.”
Walt Whitman said, “Cipher and show me some hemp, exactly the contents of one or three pounds, and which is ahead.”
2011-09-26
rekoan 9 - guides
The Big Chief, instructing the passengers, said, “You’re all guzzling scum; if you go on traveling around this way, where will you have Now? Do you know there are no guides for Reality in all the USA?”
At that time Ken Kesey came forward and said, “Then what about those on various roads who Drive the Experience and Steer those On the Bus?”
The Big Chief said, “I do not say that there is no Reality, it's just that there are no guides.”
At that time Ken Kesey came forward and said, “Then what about those on various roads who Drive the Experience and Steer those On the Bus?”
The Big Chief said, “I do not say that there is no Reality, it's just that there are no guides.”
2011-09-24
rekoan 8 - quarterdeck
Ahab hadn’t ascended the quarterdeck for a long time. Ishmael said to him, “My shipmates have been wanting instruction for a long time—please, Captain, give the crew a sermon.”
Ahab had him sound the ship’s bell. When the congregation had gathered, Ahab ascended his pulpit. After a while he descended and returned to his cabin.
Ishmael followed after him and asked, “You agreed to expound upon the sea of truth for the crew; why didn’t you utter a single word?”
Ahab said, “For the peaks of scriptures there are teachers of scriptures, for the fertile valleys of theology there are teachers of theology. Who are you to question this old sea dog?”
Ahab had him sound the ship’s bell. When the congregation had gathered, Ahab ascended his pulpit. After a while he descended and returned to his cabin.
Ishmael followed after him and asked, “You agreed to expound upon the sea of truth for the crew; why didn’t you utter a single word?”
Ahab said, “For the peaks of scriptures there are teachers of scriptures, for the fertile valleys of theology there are teachers of theology. Who are you to question this old sea dog?”
2011-09-23
rekoan 7 - pure
A follower asked Jesus, “Apart from existence, nonexistence, both, or neither, what is the meaning of the living Christ?”
Jesus replied, “My body aches. I can’t explain it to you. Go ask one of my disciples.”
The follower went to Peter and asked him the same question.
“You should ask Jesus,” Peter replied.
“I did, and he told me to ask you,” the follower answered.
“My head hurts. I can’t explain it to you. Go ask Mary Magdalene.”
The follower asked Mary Magdalene the same question.
She replied, “When I arrive at this point, I don't understand.”
The follower related this to Jesus. Jesus said, “Peter is complete; Mary is pure.”
Jesus replied, “My body aches. I can’t explain it to you. Go ask one of my disciples.”
The follower went to Peter and asked him the same question.
“You should ask Jesus,” Peter replied.
“I did, and he told me to ask you,” the follower answered.
“My head hurts. I can’t explain it to you. Go ask Mary Magdalene.”
The follower asked Mary Magdalene the same question.
She replied, “When I arrive at this point, I don't understand.”
The follower related this to Jesus. Jesus said, “Peter is complete; Mary is pure.”
2011-09-20
rekoan 6 - corn
The newly-arrived hobo asked Woody Guthrie, "What is the great meaning of being?"
Woody Guthrie said, "What is the price of corn in Nebraska?"
Woody Guthrie said, "What is the price of corn in Nebraska?"
2011-09-19
workoan 14: Knock Knock
Sonny was now in Bill’s office alone; Lois had left. Bill turned to Sonny and asked, “When I put that help wanted ad in the paper a year ago, what did you do?”
Sonny didn’t hesitate in responding, “I asked for the job.”
Bill nodded. “When I was ready to fire you from that job after catching you smoking marijuana in the parking lot, what did you do?”
“I asked for the job,” Sonny replied.
“So, Sonny, after you’ve asked me for the job, say three of four times, what will you finally do?”
Sonny thought about it but had nothing to say.
“If I were the Pope, I’d fire your ass right now!” Bill shouted. “But, come in Monday, I’ll find something else for you to do.”
Sonny knew he had said the wrong thing. You only knock once.
Sonny didn’t hesitate in responding, “I asked for the job.”
Bill nodded. “When I was ready to fire you from that job after catching you smoking marijuana in the parking lot, what did you do?”
“I asked for the job,” Sonny replied.
“So, Sonny, after you’ve asked me for the job, say three of four times, what will you finally do?”
Sonny thought about it but had nothing to say.
“If I were the Pope, I’d fire your ass right now!” Bill shouted. “But, come in Monday, I’ll find something else for you to do.”
Sonny knew he had said the wrong thing. You only knock once.
rekoan 5 - interior
The Chief Executive said, “This is a good place to build a Department of the Interior.”
L’Enfant stood up, spread his arms, and said, “Interior has been built.”
The Chief Executive smiled.
L’Enfant stood up, spread his arms, and said, “Interior has been built.”
The Chief Executive smiled.
2011-09-16
rekoan 4 - hub
A scribe asked the mayor, "What is the hub mayor?"
The mayor said "The Airport, Back Bay, North End, Southie"
The mayor said "The Airport, Back Bay, North End, Southie"
2011-09-15
rekoan 3 - breathing
Bob Dylan invited Aum Dada to his 108th dream.
Dylan asked, "Why don't you recite any mind-blowing lyrics?"
Aum Dada said, “He not busy breathing is busy learning how to breathe.”
Dylan asked, "Why don't you recite any mind-blowing lyrics?"
Aum Dada said, “He not busy breathing is busy learning how to breathe.”
2011-09-14
rekoan 2 - cloud
Aum Dada said “I’ve been tweeting about these spiritual things so long, is my head in the cloud?”
X said, “This hacker has no memory!”
Y said, “It’s Facebook!”
Z said, “404!”
X said, “This hacker has no memory!”
Y said, “It’s Facebook!”
Z said, “404!”
2011-09-13
rekoan 1 - reality
Aum Dada asked the Guru, "I, Aum Dada, ask, what is Reality?" The Guru said, "You are Aum Dada."
2011-09-09
every day is a good day
once the moon is seen full, when is the moon not full?
words are all about before now; what can you say after now?
serendipity doo dah serendipity ay,
my oh my what a wonderful day!
words are all about before now; what can you say after now?
serendipity doo dah serendipity ay,
my oh my what a wonderful day!
2011-09-08
workoan 13: Picking It Up
Sonny picked it up through the grapevine. Who told him first? It might have been Vince or Dusty over cards at lunch. Maybe it was Drew who’d been told it by his girlfriend who had heard it as a piece of gossip shared one afternoon in the ladies room. Whomever! Nevertheless, he knew Lois was sleeping with Bill, and that changed everything.
Now he saw it all in a different light. Was Lois really more responsible at her job? It didn’t dawn on him that Bill may have been manipulating Lois with some kind of threat disguised as a promise. No, she had slept her way to power. That was as clear as day. From that moment on, there would be nothing she could do or say which didn’t ring with that fact in his ears.
He couldn’t put it down.
Now he saw it all in a different light. Was Lois really more responsible at her job? It didn’t dawn on him that Bill may have been manipulating Lois with some kind of threat disguised as a promise. No, she had slept her way to power. That was as clear as day. From that moment on, there would be nothing she could do or say which didn’t ring with that fact in his ears.
He couldn’t put it down.
2011-09-07
a grass dream in a deep peak
achtung unborn!
being is the door before there was a door;
i am aware in awareness i am not;
being beauty dreaming through its love to wake the sleeping beauty.
such is the grass hut on a solitary peak...
being is the door before there was a door;
i am aware in awareness i am not;
being beauty dreaming through its love to wake the sleeping beauty.
such is the grass hut on a solitary peak...
2011-09-05
workoan 12: Sun Sonny
Now during the day, Sonny worked. At night, he went to college. He had to change schools though when he had reversed his life to this new dichotomy, as well as change his major. Instead of American Studies, he was now enrolled in Liberal Arts, with a concentration in English. That meant literature, and this semester he was taking a class in Shakespeare. The professor didn’t wait long before jumping right into things, beginning with King Lear.
At work, he was adjusting to the recent changes in management structure. Manufacturing had been divided into two departments, sub-assembly and final assembly, each with a supervisor. Bill was now the Director of Manufacturing, and the foreman of the tweeter department had been named Sub-Assembly Supervisor. Sonny now reported directly to her.
Lois was the same age as Sonny. They had become passing friends in the old building when he had worked nights and she days, sharing the same working space. She was the sun shift and he was that of the moon, they had joked. But they cooperated well with each other, ensuring their mutual space was kept clean and orderly for both woofer and tweeter concerns.
As Sonny began working days, they had become even closer partners, each filling in for the other when sick or on vacation. But when Lois became supervisor, that changed within a few days. Lois let Sonny know quickly there was no longer sun and moon; there was only the space of her own world.
And that was fine with Sonny. Yes, he'd have to adjust, but no, there wasn't any real envy on his behalf. He recognized that Lois was more responsible than himself in these matters. And things would have remained fine if Bill would have played his part with equal responsibility. But then again, that would not have been the way of this particular world.
At work, he was adjusting to the recent changes in management structure. Manufacturing had been divided into two departments, sub-assembly and final assembly, each with a supervisor. Bill was now the Director of Manufacturing, and the foreman of the tweeter department had been named Sub-Assembly Supervisor. Sonny now reported directly to her.
Lois was the same age as Sonny. They had become passing friends in the old building when he had worked nights and she days, sharing the same working space. She was the sun shift and he was that of the moon, they had joked. But they cooperated well with each other, ensuring their mutual space was kept clean and orderly for both woofer and tweeter concerns.
As Sonny began working days, they had become even closer partners, each filling in for the other when sick or on vacation. But when Lois became supervisor, that changed within a few days. Lois let Sonny know quickly there was no longer sun and moon; there was only the space of her own world.
And that was fine with Sonny. Yes, he'd have to adjust, but no, there wasn't any real envy on his behalf. He recognized that Lois was more responsible than himself in these matters. And things would have remained fine if Bill would have played his part with equal responsibility. But then again, that would not have been the way of this particular world.
2011-09-02
worKoan 11: Not Without Difficulties
Bill hired three women to work the new woofer line in early February. Sonny was given the opportunity to talk to candidates during the interviewing process, but really had no say in picking the final few. He was unsure who were the best anyways and was glad not to choose.
It turned out that Maureen, Joanne, and Cynthia were excellent choices. They were older women who were clearly responsible, and the relationship between Sonny and them was good from the beginning. It was almost maternal on their behalf, and definitely respectful from his.
There was a lot to learn and new procedures to perfect. Engineers were constantly on the floor, adjusting epoxy mixes, turning oven temperatures up and down, and tweaking the overall assembly process. No one was completely sure how to make large voice coils stay on big woofer cones while withstanding the tremendous heat of amplification and violent waves of sound.
In those early days, nothing was etched in stone. There was no time without difficulties. Procedures and practices could change from hour to hour. It was necessary to stay alert to all facets of the operation and sometimes it was just enough to ask a question. Sonny loved it.
It turned out that Maureen, Joanne, and Cynthia were excellent choices. They were older women who were clearly responsible, and the relationship between Sonny and them was good from the beginning. It was almost maternal on their behalf, and definitely respectful from his.
There was a lot to learn and new procedures to perfect. Engineers were constantly on the floor, adjusting epoxy mixes, turning oven temperatures up and down, and tweaking the overall assembly process. No one was completely sure how to make large voice coils stay on big woofer cones while withstanding the tremendous heat of amplification and violent waves of sound.
In those early days, nothing was etched in stone. There was no time without difficulties. Procedures and practices could change from hour to hour. It was necessary to stay alert to all facets of the operation and sometimes it was just enough to ask a question. Sonny loved it.
2011-09-01
worKoan 10: Minding the Move
And so it came to pass in January of the new year, before the second semester of school started for Sonny that winter, Dualtone finally outgrew its small environs and moved to a bigger building across the street and up the hill. The move to larger quarters made a second shift no longer necessary. Sonny had to choose between quitting school or quitting work. It left him in an almost endless internal dialogue about which should be the prime mover in his life.
Bill wasn’t making the decision any easier. Before the move even transpired, he began telling Sonny what it meant for the woofer department. Instead of assembling only smaller drivers for automotive speakers, they would begin to build the bigger drivers for home speakers as well. He would become the foreman of a new and larger department. They would need to hire at least three people immediately, with another five added by mid-year. “Your responsibilities in the company will grow—as well as your salary,” Bill added potentiality to promise.
But Sonny’s American Studies classes were promising as well. Last semester he had taken one in Melville & Whitman in which the dualities of American culture were discussed as represented in the authors' individual works, Melville being the novelist of the negative and Whitman the poet of the positive. His professor had made it a point to congratulate him on his understanding after Sonny had written a paper on Moby Dick entitled “The Song of Not Myself.”
But it was Simon who had finally helped break the logjam in Sonny’s brain. “It seems like such a simple decision to me,” he said one day after Sonny had finished explaining the quandary he was facing. It had come to this, Simon thought: sharing my problems with a fool. He knew Simon wouldn’t have a clue, but it just made him feel better to talk to somebody about it. He was tired of keeping everything inside.
“Oh, really, Simon, and what exactly would that be?”
Simon grinned. He loved the fact that Sonny had come to him for help. “Don’t quit school. Don’t quit work. Just quit quitting.” Sonny rolled his eyes. Simon continued anyways: “I can’t believe you haven’t thought of this already. You could go to school somewhere else at nights.”
Sonny was awestruck! Sure, it wasn't exactly an original thought; in fact, it had occurred to him earlier, but he had dismissed it out of hand, becoming stuck instead between this rock and hard place. But now, hearing it from Simon, it made all the sense in the world.
Bill wasn’t making the decision any easier. Before the move even transpired, he began telling Sonny what it meant for the woofer department. Instead of assembling only smaller drivers for automotive speakers, they would begin to build the bigger drivers for home speakers as well. He would become the foreman of a new and larger department. They would need to hire at least three people immediately, with another five added by mid-year. “Your responsibilities in the company will grow—as well as your salary,” Bill added potentiality to promise.
But Sonny’s American Studies classes were promising as well. Last semester he had taken one in Melville & Whitman in which the dualities of American culture were discussed as represented in the authors' individual works, Melville being the novelist of the negative and Whitman the poet of the positive. His professor had made it a point to congratulate him on his understanding after Sonny had written a paper on Moby Dick entitled “The Song of Not Myself.”
But it was Simon who had finally helped break the logjam in Sonny’s brain. “It seems like such a simple decision to me,” he said one day after Sonny had finished explaining the quandary he was facing. It had come to this, Simon thought: sharing my problems with a fool. He knew Simon wouldn’t have a clue, but it just made him feel better to talk to somebody about it. He was tired of keeping everything inside.
“Oh, really, Simon, and what exactly would that be?”
Simon grinned. He loved the fact that Sonny had come to him for help. “Don’t quit school. Don’t quit work. Just quit quitting.” Sonny rolled his eyes. Simon continued anyways: “I can’t believe you haven’t thought of this already. You could go to school somewhere else at nights.”
Sonny was awestruck! Sure, it wasn't exactly an original thought; in fact, it had occurred to him earlier, but he had dismissed it out of hand, becoming stuck instead between this rock and hard place. But now, hearing it from Simon, it made all the sense in the world.
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