Talk from OzZEN Zazenkai in Sawtell 2nd March 2025. Intimacy in Zen is discussed in terms of two aspects of 1. presence with all of life, and 2. emotional availability and vulnerability. A complete offering of ourselves, unmasked.
This brings forth the character of the Bodhisattva as: simple, joyful, and open to life’s possibilities.
We mention “Intimacy and Commitment” from Ordinary Mind Zen teacher Elihu Genmyo Smith’s book “Everything is the way”. We mention three koans: The Hands and Eyes of the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion (Blue Cliff Record Case 89), The National Teacher’s Monument (Blue Cliff Record Case 18), and Dizang’s “Not knowing is most intimate” (Book of Serenity Case 20).
Where: Sawtell CWA Hall, 21 Elisabeth St, Sawtell NSW
An opportunity to deepen your practice together with the OzZen community. There will be a talk and discussion at 10:40am. Please bring a packed lunch. People with chronic illness are warmly encouraged to attend for as much of the day as manageable.
Whilst we won’t be meditating on the beach we will be NEAR this beach and, for those who would like to, gathering afterwards at a nearby local venue beside the beach for a chat.
Rev. Zenko Jack Wicks will guide the day of practice and community.
This talk centres on Case 42 of the Mumonkan, “Manjushri and the Young Woman in Samadhi.” Here we see a drama played out in which the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, Manjushri, is unable to wake a woman from samadhi and is seemingly trounced by the Bodhisattva of Delusive Wisdom, Momyo.
As an appetiser, Case 1 in the Record of Empty Hall, is mentioned. Again we see Manjushri play the fall guy in, “The World-Honored One Breaks Through Inside and Outside”.
Given on the 4th day of Twining Vines Rohatsu Sesshin at Silver Wattle Quaker Centre. Dec 4, 2024.
I am using ChatGPT to kick off preparation for a guided meditation I’ll give in a few hours. I’ve used it before to kick off something that ends up being quite different. It is interesting to see what it comes up with, because it 1. opens up useful lines of thought, and 2. reveals what we might say when we are spinning on predictable ideas we’ve likely heard before from others. ChatGPT will, by dint of how it is created, feed back to us an average of what people would tend to say.
This is the prompt I gave chatGPT “create text for a 30 minute guided meditation based on the content of the vimalakirti sutra” and this is what it came up with:
Guided Meditation Inspired by the Vimalakirti Sutra
Introduction (5 minutes)
Welcome to this meditation session. Today, we will explore the themes of the Vimalakirti Sutra, a profound text in Mahayana Buddhism that highlights the essence of non-duality, the importance of compassion, and the realization of the inherent purity of all beings.
Find a comfortable position, either seated or lying down. Allow your body to settle, and gently close your eyes. Take a deep breath in through your nose, feeling your chest and belly expand. Hold it for a moment, and then exhale slowly through your mouth, releasing any tension. Let’s take a few more deep breaths together, inhaling deeply… and exhaling fully.
As you breathe, allow yourself to arrive in this moment, letting go of any distractions from the past or worries about the future. With each breath, feel yourself becoming more present, more grounded.
Setting the Intention (5 minutes)
Now, let’s set an intention for our meditation. Reflect on the teachings of Vimalakirti, who embodied the principles of wisdom and compassion. Perhaps your intention could be to cultivate compassion for yourself and others, or to deepen your understanding of non-duality.
Silently repeat your intention to yourself, allowing its meaning to resonate in your heart. Feel the warmth of this intention as you breathe in… and breathe out.
Guided Visualization (10 minutes)
Imagine now a beautiful, serene landscape. You find yourself in a lush garden filled with vibrant flowers and trees. The air is fragrant and the sounds of nature surround you. This garden symbolizes the pure nature of all beings.
As you walk through this garden, notice the colors of the flowers—each one unique, yet all part of the same ecosystem. Reflect on how each being, like these flowers, has its own beauty and purpose, interconnected yet distinct.
You come upon a calm pond, its surface reflecting the sky above. Sit by this pond and observe the water. Notice how it reflects the world around it without judgment, simply showing what is. In this reflection, see your own essence—pure, unblemished, and at peace.
As you sit here, allow feelings of compassion to arise. Imagine sending out waves of compassion from your heart to all beings—your loved ones, acquaintances, and even those with whom you have conflicts. Visualize these waves gently touching each being, bringing healing and understanding.
Contemplation of Non-Duality (5 minutes)
Now, shift your focus inward. Reflect on the nature of self and other. Feel the interconnectedness of all life. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing in the essence of the universe. As you breathe out, visualize sharing your own essence with the world.
Contemplate the idea that there is no true separation between you and others. Notice any thoughts or feelings that arise—acknowledge them without attachment. Just as the pond reflects the sky, allow your mind to reflect the truth of this unity.
Closing Reflection (5 minutes)
As we prepare to close our meditation, bring your attention back to your breath. With each inhale, feel a sense of gratitude for this moment, for the teachings of Vimalakirti, and for the wisdom within yourself. With each exhale, release any remaining tension, any thoughts of separation.
Slowly begin to bring awareness back to your body. Wiggle your fingers and toes, gently stretching. When you’re ready, open your eyes.
Take a moment to notice how you feel—perhaps a sense of calm, connection, or clarity. Remember that the teachings of the Vimalakirti Sutra are always available to you, guiding you toward compassion and understanding.
Thank you for joining this meditation. May you carry this peace and compassion with you as you move through your day.
It’s not terrible, not at all. The structure is good, helpful. It contains helpful elements. It comes off as canned, because it is. It is created using data of what people have tended to say in guided meditations. Our goal in giving a guided meditation is to not be canned. Being present is, by definition, not being canned. A good guided meditation comes from a vividness and an awareness of what is appropriate and fitting. It is a product of what speaker themself brings to that meeting — of all their strengths and weaknesses — as well as a response to what will serve the listeners in that precise time and place. The import and potential of that moment and the opportunity it furnishes cannot be overstated. If we are caught up in what we think we think we ought to say to sound good then ChatGPT can give us that, no problem. It cannot give genuineness, aliveness and authenticity.
This guided meditation explores the connection between romantic love and loving kindness. Romantic love hints at the universal love we can experience and embody whether or not we are in love romantically with someone or not.
Both in love songs and romantic poetry we can get a taste of something that is beyond our individual selves, beyond existence in a certain place and time, beyond the usual way we experience life. Universal love can flavour our lives and be flavoured by the qualities of romantic love.
The four immeasurables are: loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. These are qualities we aspire to in buddhist practice and people appreciate them generally. I think this is because they are part of being human. They emerge naturally with a long standing and committed meditation practice since they are the inherent qualities of awakening.
Some people use the cultivation of them to direct themselves toward awakening. This ‘fake it till you make it’ has never been my style personally because all I could focus on is what is actually true and genuine and trusting that practice could reveal that. I didn’t want to add anything that might be false or artificial or untrue. After practicing for many years now I can finally feel into them and explore them without feeling phoney.
The qualities perfected by the Buddha are the paramitas: generosity, ethics, patience, effort, concentration, wisdom. We see these qualities in the Pali Suttas on right speech, and helpful here are two suttas in the Middle Length Discourses, MN58 and MN41. The Buddha is the embodiment of the perfections and so when he speaks of, for example, right speech, he is describing himself.
Then we look at speech and silence in the koan collections. The trifecta of koans in the Blue Cliff Record, Cases 70, 71, and 72, all revolve around the koan: “How can words be spoken when your mouth is sealed shut?” And, finally, we venture onto Case 3 of Record of Empty Hall – “The World-Honored One Finally Pays Attention.”
Here we go from St Francis of Assisi’s Prayer for Peace, to the Zen Koan “I have already become like this”1. From there we accompany “Seven Wise Women in the Charnel Grounds”2 and then see what thirteenth century Zen priest Eihei Dōgen has to say about “Birth and Death” in his fascicle of that name.3
1 Susan Murphy’s take on Case 41 of Transmission of Light from her book Red Thread Zen
2 Case 9 from The Hidden Lamp collection edited by Florence Caplow and Susan Moon
3 “Birth and Death (Shōji)” translated by Arnold Kotler and Kazuaki Tanahashi from Moon in a Dew Drop edited by Kazuaki Tanahashi.
This Zen meditation guides you in and takes you tripping along, riding on the breath, through some old Zen stories. Where will you go?
The first is a re-telling of “A Parable” from Zen Flesh, Zen Bones by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki. This story sets up a persuasive set of circumstances which leads someone (and that someone is us) to discover the completeness of the simple act of enjoying eating a strawberry.
Two koans are featured, both are from The Gateless Gate by Koun Yamada (adapted below).
Case 30 “Mind is Buddha”
Taibai asked Baso in all ernestness, “What is Buddha?” Baso answered, “The very mind is Buddha.”
VERSE
The blue sky, the bright day.
It is most detestable to hunt around;
If, furthermore, you ask, "What is Buddha?"
It is like shouting your innocence while holding the loot.
Case 36 “Meeting a Person Who Has Accomplished the Way”.
Goso said, “If you meet a person on the path who has accomplished the Way, do not greet them with words or silence. Tell me, how will you greet them?”
VERSE
Meeting on the path a person who has accomplished the Way,
Do not greet them with words or silence.
It is right in your face;
If you want to realise, realise on the spot.
“It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken with a mind of good will.” — Anguttara Nikaya 5.198
From the Saleyyaka Sutta: The Brahmans of Sala MN58
“Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be untrue, incorrect, and unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter.
Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true and correct but unbeneficial, and which is also unwelcome and disagreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter.
Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true, correct and beneficial, but which is unwelcome and disagreeable to others: the Tathagata knows the time to use such speech.
Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be untrue, incorrect, and unbeneficial, but which is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter.
Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true and correct but unbeneficial, and which is welcome and agreeable to others: such speech the Tathagata does not utter.
Such speech as the Tathagata knows to be true, correct and beneficial, and which is welcome and agreeable to others: the Tathagata knows the time to use such speech.
Why is that? Because the Tathagata has compassion for beings.”
Tim Minchin being honest about the temptation to cheat and realising it isn’t worth it.
"I’ll take lonely tonight Your offer is kind And I must confess that I find Your casual caresses and that pretty dress Pretty hard to resist And Christ what a night I think you’re pretty high I know I’m pretty pissed
But I’ll take lonely tonight Though I’m not denying I hate being alone Even so I know regret in the making You’re one of those others I swore I’d forsake And although this extraction is taking A great act of will I got a girl has my heart in a house on a hill So though I am hungry and tempted I’m sorry I’m not going to bite I’m gonna take lonely
I’ll take lonely tonight Though I know I might well Have future regrets That I didn’t more often take up these chances For what is life for but to shag, drink and dance And teenager me would be screaming his pants off Begging me to stay But my girl has my heart in a house half a planet away And I’d rather murder than hurt her So sorry though it feels so right I’m gonna take lonely tonight
Odysseus wasn’t strong enough To endure the Siren song and so He made his sailors tie him to a mast And Jesus spent forty days and forty nights And he stood his ground and fought his fight And the devil tried but couldn't break his fast If this is true The devil should’ve offered him you Goddammit
I’ll take lonely tonight In my three-point-five star Boutique hotel Where I will spend Twenty-five bucks On minibar snacks And pass out on my phone
And wake in four hours or so Soaked in relief to find I am alone
With only the wrappers Of Pringles and Snickers For which to atone
Our dog was forever barking. We’d tried everything, but to no avail.
One day he heard the words of the Buddha —
“Life is suffering.”
He thought to himself, Oh, that must be why I’m forever barking — I’m suffering!
The humans in his life would often say to him “who’s a clever boy?” He had no idea and wondered why they were asking. But seeing himself acquire this understanding of Buddhism, he thought to himself, I must be the clever boy! I must be a real thinker.
So, when he heard the famous words of Descartes, the Cogito,
“I think therefore I am,”
he saw that this must mean “I am.”
This really blew his socks off. It led to his discovery of the work of Indian guru Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, and his book, I am that. He wasn’t sure exactly what ‘that’ was, but didn’t let it bother him.
He appeared to be a genuine seeker making real progress on the spiritual path. So a spiritual teacher offered to give him shaktipat, the direct transmission of divine energy leading to spiritual enlightenment.
The teacher called him over, “come here boy,” and touched our dog’s third eye. He wagged his tail, barked happily, and trotted off.
The teacher commented,
“There’s not much going on in there, is there.”
“Probably not,” we replied.
Undeterred, our dog continued his study of Nisargadatta. He particularly liked the quote, though he hadn’t a clue what it meant —
“Love says: ‘I am everything’.
Wisdom says: ‘I am nothing’.
Between the two my life flows.”
Finally, our dog discovered the Tao Te Ching. He found he couldn’t put it down. He carried it everywhere between his teeth.
One day, he read —
“He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.”
I don’t know if he got enlightened but he never barked again after that.
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