Question from a colleague: How can I make the benefits of practice remain with me throughout my day at the office? That is, how can I not become caught up in the tensions and frictions of (the working) life?
He then says that according to the Dalai Lama, « Buddhism » as such cannot « succeed » as such in this, our Western world, awash with greed (not to mention anger and ignorance).
True, I say. I think he doesn’t see the truth.
As he is moving on, I add: This desire for benefits, and this desire to prolong them, to make them permanent, is itself a manifestation of greed. (Clinging to the end of greed is greed.)
My colleague is given pause. After a moment he says, « That’s twisting a pretzel! »
No, I say, it’s untwisting it.
Untwisting a pretzel
About the Author: zenscribe
Enseignante Zen et poète, Sensei Amy “Tu es cela” Hollowell est née et a grandi à Minneapolis, aux Etats-Unis. Arrivée en France en 1981 pour étudier la littérature et l’histoire, elle y est restée, s’installant à Paris, où elle élève ses deux enfants et gagne sa vie en tant que journaliste.
The Zen teacher and poet Amy “Tu es cela” Hollowell Sensei was born and raised in Minneapolis, but came to France in 1981 to study literature and history and has lived in Paris ever since, raising her two children and making a living as a journalist.
“How can I not become caught up?” he asked as he put the rope around his neck.
You were so kind to him.
Coincidentally, today a colleague asked about the goal and benefit of meditation.
I borrowed from Vimalakirti and said: don’t talk about the goal and benefit of meditation. To be without goal and benefit is meditation.
Maybe some people advertise meditation as a contribution to health, happiness and success. They are not lying, but I think they hide (or miss) the point.
Can you blame them? They want to be looked up to as Teachers and hope to make a living out of that. They may be selling their books.
And who is going to pay for lessons in “just sitting” if it’s absolutely clear that this is exactly what it says it is?
He was kind of shocked.
I told him that it takes a few thousands of euros worth of lessons to come to the point where he would be told the truth, or where he would figure it out for himself. And that I had just given it to him for free.
I’m stupid, I said. People will never worship me and pay my bills.
He agreed on that.