Thich Nhat Hanh
ISBN: 978-188837557-25
In this fresh translation and commentary, Thich Nhat Hanh exploress the essential teachings Master Linji, one of the founds of Zen Buddhism and the Rinzai school. Linji’s unorthodox teachings remind us that insight is better reached through our own experience and practice than by following others. With humor, skill, and compassion, Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how we can get closer to being the person within us, the person who simply is, with nothing to achieve and nowhere to be.
3 Comments
April 29, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Hi Kenley,
I have been enjoying Thay’s book about our ancestor Lin Chi very much. The businessless person embodies aimlessness. To act without a goal or agenda. Just to act without adding anything. This is not an easy practice, nor is it difficult. It just is. Like our lives.
Many of us, if not most, have been drawn to Thay because of our commitment to social action, to protecting the environment, to working for peace, disarmament and the prevention of war. If we look at the many troubling situations in the world we can feel quite disheartened and burned out by our efforts to help, especially when things aren’t going our way. From my experience this happens most when I have particular goals and preferences in mind, which is most of the time.
I am very happy to finally see a broadening awareness in America of our environmental destruction and some actual actions and even discussions in high political levels. It has been a long time coming as I’ve been pretty active in this area for many years as was my dad. So, after forty years or so, things are finally looking up in several ways. But I have no idea whether this will last. Next year this could just be old news, and the streets will be filled with even larger and less sustainable SUVs. When I have a picture of how I want things to be and then they turn out to be the opposite of that picture, I can be pretty unhappy. But lately I’ve been trying to let go of those goals and pictures more and more. To still do the work, but without focusing so much on a goal, image or preference. It’s not easy for me to do this. But from my meager successes in this practice, I can see how much healthier it is. I’m carrying this on to my art practice too. Little by little. It’s challenging. But when I can really let go of the results, every day is a good day. I usually add a head onto my head, as the Zen story goes. That’s what creates suffering. When I say it is difficult to do this practice, I’m adding something that isn’t really there, except in my mind. But I haven’t seen through that yet.
Here’s a question for discussion: How have you practiced businessless or aimlessness within your activities? Also in what ways do you add another head onto your own head?
Peter
True Sangha Virtue
April 29, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Dear Kenley and Sangha,
You have posed some very interesting questions. As I look into the issue of busyness, what arises for me is more questions. In looking at the motivating forces behind being busy I ask, are we busy so as to avoid some sort of uncomfortableness with just being with the emptiness of existence? Or are we busy due to some ingrained ethic that says we are of no value unless we are engaged is some sort of productive activity?
An affirmative answer to either of these questions may denote a state of being where we feel we have to always cling on to something that will either fill the space or try to give you some ground under your feet. But the practice is all about having the rug pulled out from under us and learning to relax with the emptiness.
Having said this however, being at peace in the present moment does not exclude being engaged in activities. I guess the point is that as long as you are mindful of your actions than I believe the quantity or quality of your actions is a very personal decision. You just need to see clearly how it effects the people in your life, especially those closest to us, and then I’m sure you will find the Bodhisattva path of loving kindness.
Thank you for the discussion. By raising this issue it has helped me to look deeper into my intentions.
With gratitude,
Ben Marcune
Truly Holding Vows
April 29, 2008 at 7:00 pm
I’ve made a new post on my blog that may be of interest to some OI friends and I welcome you to join in this conversation. I’m exploring the joys of being busy and taking a close look at the commitments in my life.
What does it mean to be busy? To have commitments? Is it possible to have to many?
Kenley,