I put aside the newspaper and its endless accounts of economic failure and accusations of fraud and deception, of war and oppression, of hunger and despair, kidnapping, trafficking, loss and gain, plans to save and plans to punish, refusals and denials, rejection and division, glory and infamy, victory and defeat, getting and spending, falling and rising…
Then, opening Dogen’s Instructions to the Cook at random, I find this: Where there are no attachments, how could there be hostility?
The simplicity is dazzling.
Simplicity is dazzling
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.
This is where I stare at you. Dumbfound.
How is the "smashing," "crushing" and "exposing" accomplished?
What is compassion?
Smashing doubt.
Crushing faith.
Exposing Buddha.
what is compassion?
– “Give up your attachment.”
– “Good point, you do that first.”
– “This is not about me, this is about you.”
– “Why me and not you”?
– “Don’t think so divided. This is about your conflict coming to an end. You will be much happier if you let go.”
– “I think you are manipulating Buddhist concepts to your own advantage.”
– “Concepts? Me?”
– “Yes, you. You are getting something out of this, am I right?”
– “Maybe that’s your projection.”
I could go on for some time with this lovely dialogue. And it describes a real dilemma.
What is wisdom? Being a doormat?
I suppose it all depends on compassion.
Sometimes letting go and moving on are the compassionate things to do.
At other times making a stand and persisting are the best ways of helping others and helping yourself.
So I would like to instruct the cook differently:
Where there is compassion, even in forceful actions, there is no hostility.