Recently I was asked the question, "What do I need to do to be a better seeker? How can I get the best result?" An all around silly question, but I thought it might be interesting to go into.
The audio for this video was recorded in Chichibu, in Saitama.
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14 comments, since Octo
Thank you, Ju.
This is something you'll want to explore on your own. Go into it without acceptance or rejection. To see one's nature is important, but let's not use it as an excuse to be lazy (I am not saying you are, by the way).
Most will use that phrase, "It's my nature," to not upset whatever is the status quo of their own lives. They'll say "It is in man's nature to be violent," for example, but that just gives them an excuse to go on with violence. After all, they might believe, if it is in human nature, what can you do?
However, human nature does not equal inevitability.
In your explorations you'll want to be clear on how you see this. Are you coming to it with an inevitable conclusion? Or are you willing to see whatever might be there?
Hi Takuin,
My husband always says that one follows one's nature. ('Don't fight your nature' he always tells me!!) Like in the story of the scorpion crossing the river on a frog's back. The scorpion stings the frog and then drowns. It is the scorpion's nature to sting. It is the frog's nature to help him cross. What do you think of that? Is ii like 'seeing oneself' as one really is?
Takuin,
I think Life is funny. I work two part time jobs which makes it a full-time job more or less. (due to the recession). The other day I was told by my former boss, "Don't bother coming in now, there isn't any work for you to do." Life is so unexpected but what can you do? I suppose I just have to sit for a while and figure out what to do next? The hard part is being comfortable in the uncomfortable - as I don't know what will unfold or where one is going.
Thank you, Ju.
I am not sure how difficult it is to sit with nature. I cannot see the difficulty, because it is such a simple thing. Even for a fifth grader... ;)
Certainly, the problems of life went on after I returned from the river. But those problems only continued to be problems through the conflict I had in fighting to be free from them.
The search for the result, the demand for the result, is far different from looking for whatever might be present. But people are not so interested in seeing themselves as they really are...they would rather pine for what they think they should be...
...then they wonder why there is so much suffering in this world.
You know, some people can't stop their brain for long enough to 'sit' and be with oneself. It's a posture of the brain that's not easy to unlearn. So i understand the questioner. Few people, in reality, can touch nature in the way u described. Most have problems recognizing real from mind-function.
As regards seeking, we are almost all seekers and on the path. By the very act of asking, a person is 'seeking'. Most of us are basically still going round in circles. A few have become aware of the circuit and stepped out of it, and are watching from the wayside (among the dragonflies...) the ones still trudging along on the path.
The problem (if u can call it that) with the question is that the person who asked it is demanding a result. The thing is...love does not require (much less demand) a result or an answer.
Sorry for being obvious. But I needed to spell that out to myself :)
Thank you, Donal.
Tough love :)
*IS*... smiles _/\_
Takuin: I know exactly what you mean, in spite of my daily struggles. How do I explain this? In a sense it is perfect. Nothing to do as this moment is perfect, no need to change it. But the question how does one learn the lesson?
Thanks, Mits.
There are things you can do to take care of physical problems in daily life. Finding new work, making money, or whatever it is, can be taken care of physically, meaning you can go out and do something to change it. This is clear and obvious, and hardly warrants investigation for most.
Your own seeing of how you relate to uncertainty may be valuable, but it is not something you can force your way into. It is not a problem to be solved, as it is beyond the physical. It may feel very real because it is the self (or whatever you might call it) and its interaction with the object of uncertainty, but it has no real weight.
No one can tell you how exactly to learn the lesson. A pointer might be helpful, as this could be a case of not knowing that you don't know, but a solution will never satisfy you. In this case, it might be far better to have an idea to work from, rather than a ready solution to move toward, if that makes sense to you.
Takuin,
Is this the same as stopping your thoughts for a brief moment? I try to go between the space that exists between thoughts and there I find peace of mind. My job is pretty mundane, thoughts of boredom alwas irratate me, come up from now-where. This technique makes my 2 part-time mundane jobs more enjoyable.
Thanks, Mits.
I understand what you mean. But there is always a lesson hidden in our daily struggles. I find it interesting that human beings only feel uncertainty when it is personal. Yet, there is far more uncertainty in this universe than any singular struggle we might feel from moment to moment.
It is a far more beautiful thing than I can explain with my limited capacity...
Well, the fact is that a few months ago I got married as well. I realize that a single part-time job will not be enough to be able to support both of us. I think this is why it seems more immediate and deeper.
Thank you, Mits.
This is a tricky thing, and we must be sure of what we are saying here. Is it the person hoping to stop the thoughts to achieve a result? In other words, is the doer suppressing thought in order to gain the benefits of being without it? If this is so, it is a case of thought trying to free itself of itself.
There is a center in thought that thinks it is different from the rest of thought; higher, in control, etc. But this is just a part of the limited whole. It is no different from what it hopes to be free from. It believes it has autonomy and authority and operates separately from its brothers and sisters.
In order to see if this is true or not one must sit deeply within this chaos, casting aside the hope for a right answer and the avoidance of a wrong answer, and let the truth breathe beyond what one might wish.
The kiss will touch your cheek, or the arrow will pierce your flesh, and you must be ready to greet either of them immediately.
With a smile. :)
Thanks, Mits.
It is interesting...
...in every moment we cannot know what will happen next. It is a constant uncertainty. But your particular circumstances seem more immediate and deeper. Why do you suppose this is?