Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

A nice little book on the topic of Zen Buddhism.

Quite repetitive though.

Also relatively hand-wavy in a metaphysical sense, I feel like a lot of the spirituality talk is just playing with words and bending definitions out of shape.

This is probably just my mind speaking.

On the other hand it is true that the point that is being made is beyond a certain rigorosity of parlance, and the misty phrases, if you feel them, still convey something that can be felt and done.

I did learn quite a bit from this one, albeit in a different way than what I usually do from books.

1. p. 108

   Dogen-zenji said, “When you say something to someone, he may not accept it, but do not try to make him understand it intellectually. Do not argue with him; just listen to his objections until he himself finds something wrong with them himself.”

   This is very interesting. Try n ot to force your idea on someone, but rather think about it with him. If you feel you have won the discussion, that also is the wrong attitude. Try not to win the argument; just listen to it; but it is also wrong to behave as if you have lost. Usually when we say something, we are apt to try to sell our teaching or force our idea.

2. p. 149

   Dogen-zenji saidm “Although everything has Buddah nature, we love flowers, and we do not care for weeds.”

   This is true of human nature. But that we are attached to some beauty is itself Buddha’s activity. We should know that. If you know that, it is all righ to attach to something.

   If it is Buddha’s attachment, that is not-attachment. So in love there should be hate, or not-attachment.. and in hate there should be love, or acceptance. Love and hate are one thing. We should not attach to love alone. We should accept hate.

   We should accept weeds, despite how we feel about them. If you do not care for them, do not love them; if you love them, then love them.