Moon by the Window by Shodo Harada

Author:Shodo Harada
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wisdom Publications
Published: 2011-06-09T04:00:00+00:00

Kasa wa omoshi goten no yuki

My bamboo hat is weighed down with Wu mountain snow

This line, from Hakuin’s Kaian Kokugo, is a couplet with “My shoes are scented with flowers from fields in Ch’u.”

In winter, the bamboo hats worn in the country of Wu become heavy with the fallen snow. In spring, the straw sandals worn in the country of Ch’u carry the scent of myriad flowers. For monks and people of training, there are good times and bad times along the Path. It was Daitō Kokushi who taught that people of training should always go in one straight line without stopping. We are born into this world to realize our True Nature. There is nothing but this in which to take refuge.

The Japanese Emperor Hanazono was training with Daitō Kokushi when he clarified the One Great Matter. Daitō Kokushi confirmed Hanazono’s awakening and shared his great joy. Hanazono had not lightly attempted a year or two of practice but had done sanzen every day, never missing a chance. Finally he encountered his True Nature, seeing with the eyes and ears of the Ancestors.

Can you express that place with not a speck of duality? Everyone initially responds, “How can I express something that isn’t there?” But one who has truly died and been reborn can easily and abundantly express that. When we actually return to our Source, we resolve the matter of life and death on the spot. There’s no need to wait until our physical death to know this. We weren’t born to live a life of confusion and melancholy. Every day we have to live with responsibility and serve people in society. This is the value of our being born, and in this we can find our true joy.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.