morning gifts

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

 

Just begun, this day. But hey, man oh man, what a day it seems to be,

unfolding its various layers of play. Hey! It's a Playday! It's a

Payday! Paid in Light and Love to play, to be gay and free from

limitations and projections of one thing and then another. Hmmm. So.

 

This evening at 5:30 pm i'll be sitting in dokusan with my Zen

teacher, Adyashanti. Primordial Peace, eh? Sounds good to me. i've

been fortunate to attend many satsangs with Adyashanti. His clarity

and depth is astonishing. He does indeed radiate a harmonious peace.

It's a wonderful opportunity for me to talk with him one on one. I

somehow managed to get the very last appointment with him for this

year. Sounds fabulous and a blessing to not be passed up. One would

think so, wouldn't they. Again withn the hmmmmm. So.

 

But here i sat all morning trying to devise reasons why i should make

a break from responsibility, turn and not look at this moment, avoid

leaving this home filled with warmth, comfort and security. i came up

with numerous reasons, all valid in my skewed perception of this

opportunity. The body is in tremendous pain from arthritis. The

fatigue is deep and exhausting. The trip is long, about four hours

each way, it's raining and cold with much wind gusting about, and

with cab getting and location finding and walking and standing, and

uhhggg! You get the picture of why that one was so handy, so easy to

toss before my reasoning mind. Oh, it's all VALID, but will i allow

my perceived weaknesses and fears to keep me from this marvelous

journey which lays ahead, this exquisite chance to meet with a

beautiful and brilliant zen teacher whom i Love and honor, one whom i

have come to know is a great, treasured boon from the Beloved? Hm. So.

 

i'm listening to Nawang Khechong, a Tibetan musician playing the most

lovely strains of music, flute and chant, and the sky is lightening

now, my Heart is lightening, and the mind is letting go of the

projected disaster-scenario to allow this moment to unfold without

interference or fear or trepidation. The ego-filters have dissolved

in Blissful gratitude for all of this, everything, everything as it

is now. God is Gracious. He is playing with us, Sabu.

 

An interesting article i read this morning at darkzen.com -

 

The Basis of Dark Zen

Question: What is the basis for your teaching?

 

Dark Zen: Our basis, if you wish to call it that, is Mind's luminous

originative power which can also be characterized as an intelligible

light. Its other name is Buddha who is a "light-maker."

 

Question: I've read that the mind is luminous. But I am afraid that I

have never heard that the Buddha is a "light-maker". Is this

mentioned in the Buddhist canon?

 

Dark Zen: Yes. In the earliest scriptures, for example, the Buddha is

sometimes described as "the bringer of light". In one account, he was

described as a "newly arisen sun" who has a "corona around him." It

is also said that the Buddha could "make the world bright." Now, if

you strip away all the poetic imagery, what is left? I can only see

an originative power which is prior to all things.

 

Question: Permit me to back up. I think I understand what you're

saying. But what I had originally in mind to ask you is what is the

historical basis of your teaching?

 

Dark Zen: From the corpus of old manuscripts discovered at Tun-huang

around the turn of the last century, it is clear that Zen transmitted

the 'dark principle.' The term is used a number of times in these old

documents. In one of the oldest transmission documents found at Tun-

huang it mentions the dark principle. In fact, the title of the

document is as follows: Former Worthies Gather at the Mount Shuang-

feng and Each Talks of the Dark Principle . I should also point out

that in this same document there is no indication that there is a

transmission going back to the Buddha. Nor, is there a

master/disciple succession. But what is clear is that each Zen master

is such in virtue of his insight into the dark principle.

 

Question: But what about the fact of a Zen lineage going all the way

back to the Buddha as found in the book, The Transmission of the

Lamp?

 

Dark Zen: It is, I think, a tall tale. It's a non-scriptural creation

by Sung Dynasty Zennists who took selections from older works and

made a singular work befitting of their theory. But it all falls

apart when we compare it with the Mahayana Sutra entitled The End of

Transmitting the Dharma Basket upon which The Transmission of the

Lamp is largely based. The Sutra provides us with a list of 23 Indian

ancestors, beginning with Mahakashyapa and ending with Simha Bhiksu.

There is no mention of Bodhidharma or his master, Prajnatara. In

fact, the Sutra is about transmitting the canon (Dharma)--it's not

about Zen. It is also noteworthy that in the Avatamsaka Sutra (the

Gandavyuha chapter) it is mentioned that great disciples such as

Mahakashyapa "were not capable of perpetuating the lineage of

Buddhas." Obviously, something is wrong. This passage doesn't square

with the later Zen theory that Mahakashyapa was transmitted by the

Buddha. Why then would the Buddha transmit to Mahakashyapa if he were

incapable of perpetuating the lineage of Buddhas? As I read between

the lines, Mahakashyapa is only worthy, like Ananda, to transmit the

canon. Nothing more. He was incapable of transmitting the Buddha

lineage which is the dark principle.

 

Question: Can you describe this so-called 'dark principle' of which

you speak?

 

Dark Zen: It's an intractable subject, I must say. If I describe it

by saying that all constructed things flow from this dark principle

while it, itself, remains unconstruced and unmoved, what can such

words really explain? At this stage it is a far off goal, like some

great mountain seen in the distance. You, as a person, must still

make the journey on your own.

 

Question: Isn't this just the problem of our need to think too much?

 

Dark Zen: Yes, of course, over-thinking can be a problem. On the

other hand, some Zennists teach that we should repress our thoughts

and be like a dead tree. This is wrong. But I happen to think that

right thoughts are useful, especially those which give us right

information. Information can help guide us in the right direction.

Sometimes it leads us in the wrong direction. Often, it is true, we

have to reconsider our former thoughts and question this information.

We may find that they weren't much after all.

 

Question: Yes, I tend to agree with you. But back to the dark

principle. Could you at least sketch it out?

 

Dark Zen: I will try although I am hesitant to say too much about it.

I can't promise you miracles! [laughing] First of all, each of us has

access to this dark principle. All of us can tap into it. This is a

given. However, owing to our habit of following appearances, we have

lost the ability to communicate with it even though it is coexistent

with us. Now, in the case of the Buddha, with regard to the dark

principle, when he reached complete enlightenment he entered into

what might be called primordial light. But more than just mere light,

it is sheer productive power, or the same, sheer potentiality.

Naturally, it is free and independent of phenomena although without

it, phenomena would not be. With that I can't say much more.

 

Question: How does this apply to Bodhidharma's teaching?

 

Dark Zen: When Bodhidharma spoke of the Two Entrances, one was called

the entrance by principle. This principle, of course, is the dark

principle. To realize it was by means of wall-contemplation (biguan).

Wall-contemplation means to turn to the real by rejecting phenomena,

so as to abide in the primordial light. In this light there is

nothing further to cultivate. This light, or I should say, this dark

principle, is a sheer productiveness and is equally self-knowing. In

Zen we call this the Great Perfection of the Path which was first

mentioned in the work, the Records of the Lanka Masters.

 

Question: When the Buddha converged with this dark principle, as you

allege, could he influence the weather or change the economic

conditions of his country? [laughing]

 

Dark Zen: We are talking about two different worlds. The Buddha's

world is the unconditioned world of potentiality before our senses

cut it up and our brain conceptualizes it. The one of which you speak

with its weather conditions and poverty is the highly conditioned

human, samsaric world. Here sentient beings choose to look at this

mysterious, unconditioned world in a certain, predetermined way,

assembling it into a plurality of things and conditions. Furthermore,

they crave this particular exotic view which ironically ends with

their suffering. But if beings elect to transcend the human world,

eventually reaching a higher plane of being, then, in such another

world, sure they can influence the weather! [laughing]

 

Question: Well, I'm not sure I understand you. I only see the human

world. It is the one I care about. But let me ask you this question:

How do you understand all this in your daily life? This is what

really interests me.

 

Dark Zen: When we tap into this dark principle, what little we can at

first, it leads us to its fullness in time. As a result, one becomes

blissful as this light gradually de-conditions unwholesome states of

being. Even if you are in pain, for example, this light is at work

aiding you to win your freedom. It is like an angel who insures that

part of you will join the Buddhas.

 

Question: That is interesting. I like what I hear you saying. So,

this is not some intellectual exercise after all. Something actually

happens in one's inner being that helps them in their ordinary lives.

 

Dark Zen: Oh, but of course! It is most extraordinary. Let me also

say that one senses at all times an illuminating energy present

within them. In my case, as I turn to it, I become more of this dark

principle. All the human gloominess fades away, you might say.

 

Question: Why is it that we don't experience this within us right

now?

 

Dark Zen: I think it is because we are glued to appearances, both

sensory and mental. Worse, the glue is like Crazy Glue! [laughing]

When one faces the world of appearances, one is actually looking away

from their true source. One is, in fact, merging with the world of

birth and death only to suffer in proportion as they cling to this

world. The Buddha said it is like a great king, who spending too much

time with his subjects, forgets he is a king. Well, in our case, we

have total amnesia! [laughing] This is why we don't experience it.

 

Question: So, by engaging with phenomena we become conditioned by it

and get amnesia?

 

Dark Zen: Yes. And then we get hooked even more as we act towards our

conditioning.

 

Question: Like a vicious circle?

 

Dark Zen: Yes! As the Buddha pointed out, humans are always

dependently linked with phenomena—they almost never get free.

However, for Buddhists, they must learn to de-link with phenomenal

arisings. But this is a hard road to travel.

 

Question: Yes, it sounds like it. From all that you have said, at

least it is encouraging to know that within me is the potential for

liberation. I get the impression that if I could only merge with the

dark principle of which you speak, my problems would melt away.

 

Dark Zen: Yes, that is true. At least your problems would be seen to

not be such a big deal. But until that time, one must follow the

Buddha's teachings to make this possible.

 

Question: To change the subject, does Dark Zen have a sangha? Most

Zen groups that I am familiar with have a congregation. Do you have

one?

 

Dark Zen: We have a different view of sangha. For us, sangha is made

up of those who have experienced the Buddha's true Dharma. These

beings have become a witness to his pure teaching—or the same, the

dark principle.

 

Question: So, this is not a community then, am I right?

 

Dark Zen: Let's say that it is a community of like minds. In the

Avatamsaka Sutra it tells us to "observe the Buddha's power of

energy" which is his true Dharma. In observing it, we at once become

members of his sangha.

 

 

LoveAlways,

 

Mazie