Utterly releasing: Awareness

The nature of rivers is to flow down, towards the ocean.

The nature of conceptual mind is consciousness.

The nature of rain is to fall down.

The nature of non-conceptual mind is awareness.

Both rivers and clouds are made out of water.

Mind is both conceptual and non-conceptual.

What do you see: consciousness or awareness?

Zen 10 Ox-herding pictures: 6- Getting free of hindrance

Traditional poem:

Sleeping contentedly under the sky,
the buffalo needs the whip nevermore.
The boy, sitting under the pine tree,
starts to play a peaceful, happy tune.

My words:

Mushotoku,
the old Patriarch is HERE,
right NOW, by the pine tree;
NOW, you are HERE too.

Insight has turned into WISDOM,
and mind is CALM and CLEAR,
FREE from hopes and fears,
no longer fettered by CLINGING
and CRAVING.

This is a stage where SATORI
has been polished, and mind
dwells in PEACE and BLISS,
even in the midst of turmoil.

Mind rests in a SELFLESS state,
which is its natural state,
fresh, artless and unbound.

This is the old Patriarch,
NOW, beyond past, present
and future, right HERE.

Watching: "I" and "Mine"

Stick a bunch of memories,
together with some hopes and fears,
using the craving-clinging glue
and the heap called "I" appears.

This "I" has some likes and dislikes,
and labels as "Mine" some objects and ideas,
clinging to and identifying with them,
so "not-Mine" is also born.

Take a closer look at this ghostly "I",
and his fellow shadow called "Mine",
and tell me what you find,
if there is anything left.

Not Now: Now

Neither NOW,
nor Not NOW.
Neither NOW and Not NOW,
nor none of them.

Cracking the clinging to words,
facing the wall of the screen,
full of tweets and written thoughts,
while listening to Enya.

A perfect mirror of alaya consciousness,
reflecting atavic hopes and fears,
empty of self entity:
MUGA

Wisdom: Now

There is no such thing as ancient wisdom.

Wisdom is a quality of the mind established
in the NOW.

It is freshness, sharpness and clarity.

Ancient knowledge is a dim shadow of Wisdom,
pointing out to it.

Now: Pond of manifestation

Diving into the pond of emptiness,
No-self comes out.

Diving into the pond of clarity,
spontaneous action takes place.

Now, at this no-moment,
the diver is self-liberated.

Jump without fear,
into the pond of nowness.

Right Now,
the only existing moment.

Well: Washing the bowl

Wash the bowl of consciousness
into the well of awareness.

Wash it time after time,
until it vanishes into clarity.

Wash it again and again,
so it disappears into emptiness.

Then, and only then,
you can take the kesa off.

Mushotoku

Flowing: Down

The water of pure awareness,
is always flowing down,
down towards the lake of calmness,
down to the ocean of clarity.

There is no river without water,
there is no life without flowage.
Consciousness is the flowage,
the flowage of the unborn mind.

When there is clinging and fixation,
mind is freezing,
and suffering comes up;
Flowing down.

Walking on the edge: Hell´s peak

Keep full attention,
as if you were walking on the edge.

In fact,
we are all always walking on the edge.

If you slip down,
you are stuck either in samsara or nirvana.

Every step,
must be a clear step.

Mushotoku: Climbing

Climbing up the mountain,
enjoying the view,
and then going down.

In fact, there is nobody
climbing up, enjoying the view
and going down.

There is not even a mountain;
only an ascribed climber
climbing an ascribed mountain.

Mushotoku

Taking vows: Yes you can

Are you ready to take the vows?

Buddha Mind is the only witness.

If you say yes, that is a YES.

The bodhi Tree is waiting,
patiently, so make sure you
are ready to renounce to
samsaric view.

Wrath: eliminating obstacles

If there is wisdom, there is dharma.

If there is ignorance, there is karma.

Choose.

Wesak: Enlightenment

Full Mind,
empty and clear.

Full Moon,
you can see it.

Gautama, you reached it
without a rocket.

NOW,
here you are.

Satori: Beyond the three times

Past is Now.

Present is Now.

Future is Now.

Now is the essence of mind.

Mumonkan: Go

Can you cross the No-gate to the No-mind?

Zen 10 Ox-herding pictures: 5- Tamed

Traditional Poem:

Under the green poplar, by the ancient stream,
the buffalo moves in harmony with nature.
Returning at sunset over the fragrant meadow,
the buffalo follows the boy, who has dropped his rope.

My words:

Now your karmic imprints are being quickly cleansed,
and there is no need to use artificial mindfulness.
Mind is free from the impulse of bad habits,
even though a few of them still remain.

Life becomes spontaneous practice,
while satori manifests effortlessly.
There is a sense of natural freedom,
and boy and bull become one.

As long as we follow the stream of the lineage,
we can never get lost in confusion again.
The stream leads us towards the patriarch,
under the shadow of the tree of compassion.

Eating the grass of bliss,
mind is already tamed.
Mushotoku,
Hishiryo.

Mindfulness: clarity

Looking at the words coming out,
silently and clearly,
from the depths of the empty mind,
how blissful it is!

Looking at the unborn words passing by,
harmoniously,
vanishing into clarity,
what a joy!

Looking at the looker,

and seeing only Mind,
non-dual empty Mind,
amazing!

Vimalakirti: Doubt and certainty

Look into the nature of doubt:
isn´t it like the nature of certainty?

Who is this one who doubts?
isn´t it the same one that feels certain?

When doubt shows up, let it pass:
it is just one form of clarity.

When certainty arises, let it go:
it is just another form of clarity.

If there was no doubt,
there would be no certainty.

Do not refuse the doubting mind;
do not cling to the certain mind.

Hishiryo

Shingon: Kongo kai mandala

Shingon: Mikkyo

Hui Neng asked to Kukai:

- Are the eight One and the same?

Kukai replied:

- One is the eight.