Practice I Am Here

My main practice for many, many years has been Zen Buddhism. It includes sitting, silence and study. Over time and with the help and direction of my late teacher it changed and continues to change. All practices that include the body and mind suffer change. It’s the nature of the transient world.

Slowly, over a period of years I have withdrawn from the activities of the world in body, mind and speech. I continue to withdraw. It takes time to settle into solitude especially when we have been active in the world. My practice changed to a stillness that is without words. It is a new place where attainment no longer pushes or pulls the body and mind.

Although I am a Zen Buddhist, who is considered a master of the teachings, I often find Jesus Christ to be an exemplar and teacher of the Way. God in man, an incarnated divinity who showed up on earth in an impermanent form and suffered the changes of the human condition. He is kin as well as a teacher. Attainment in a worldly form was not important to him because he didn’t come here in a body-mind form to get anything; he came to show the Way.

His life pointed out the impermanence of the body and mind when he was killed by hanging on a wooden cross for many to see. Sometime ago one of my students went to Rome, to the Vatican and came back with a gift for me. When she gave me the gift she said, “I looked and looked for a gift for you and when I saw this, I knew immediately it was for you because I can’t imagine anything that exemplifies “letting go” as this.” She handed me a golden crucifix.

I practice remembering the crucifix as an icon of renunciation. I know Jesus Christ pointed out how confused our minds get over the things of the world. We put our heart and mind on getting the things of the world – and not on the Way which transcends the unreal, impermanent objects. When we become foolish in this manner, we invite fear and more confusion into our mind. I think Jesus knows this is our tendency so he pointed it out to us in one simple phrase: “Don’t be afraid, I have overcome the world.”

Yes. Don’t be afraid. The things of the world suffer change and scare us. Don’t go after the unreal, changing things – don’t get entangled with them. There is nothing to attain. In Zen Buddhism, it is said like this – with nothing to attain, the being of Light dwells in nirvana, a transcendent state where desire and suffering cease.

When I get here, people generally ask me, “How do I live then?” It always makes me smile. My first response is “Why do you worry about the future? The future has not yet come.” This answer usually invokes more questions and often worry. I know the worry is the very tendency in the mind that confuses us. It also shows a cloud over the mind of the one asking. The cloud of desire that wants to accomplish and attain and get something. Under this cloud it is very difficult to be still and practice “I am here.” Even an adept of longstanding may struggle with being I am here being fearless and generous with what comes.

There are many other teachings to help us follow the Way and renounce our ignorance but the one I will offer here captures both the mundane and the transcendent as well as the teachings of Zen Buddhism and Jesus Christ.

“Know all things pass away. Be fearless. And give, give, give.”

If only one is possible for you right now, choose give. If you knew how important giving is, you’d never miss an opportunity to give.

May we, with all beings realize the emptiness of the three wheels, giver receiver and gift.

OM