Zen Practice

[Xue Sheng]

Evening Gatha

Let me respectfully remind you
Life and death are of supreme importance
Time swiftly passes by and opportunity
is lost
Each of us should strive to awaken
Awaken! Take heed, do not squander
your life



[I just read this in a book written by John Daido Loori - Finding the Still Point]

 

[Sukerkin]

That resonates very strongly with me right now, as I am feeling I am most definitely squandering my life. To put it into similarly poetic form as above:

A slowly dying man, in a slowly dying nation,
Raises his eyes to the sky and asks,
"Where has my life gone? I had one once but it has withered.
I had ideals and plans and purposeful motion,
Energy and drive for my tasks.
Now what is left is an echo, a memory to which I am tethered."

More than a little mournful I admit - but that's where I am at present. What would be the zen way to turn that negativity around?

 

[Xue Sheng]

Remembering the past
Dreaming of the future
Forgetting the present
----Xue...from about 20 years ago

Live now.

 

[Sukerkin]

Very nice, Xue. That would server very well to describe the state of mushin - possibly why the only time I am at peace and happy is when I am practising my iai?