Lost Coin Class Notes:  January 29,2008

Daniel returned from Amadaan and reflected on his self-observations.  He discussed the White Plum lineage and the teachers present there.  As a group, nightly they became self-reflective and revealed their perceived vulnerabilities to each other.  This openness resulted in greater intimacy and bonding among the group of teachers.  The most prominent theme for discussion was about the teacher-student relationship.  The role of the teacher in the lineage is having the student submit to the teacher in order to forget the self.  One needs to forget one's own opinions and internalize the mind of the teacher.  The teacher becomes the only one; the teacher is the Way.  To identify with the teacher is to identify with the Way.

This surrendering to the teacher to forget the self is a form of intimacy; a form of love- two human beings blending.  Daniel (as teacher) represents your true mind.  Now he (Daniel) understands his teachers approach to teaching. The approach grates on our egos where our egos are stuck.  Daniel understood on a deeper level that it is important to teach the Way the way it needs to be taught as done by the lineage.  This is a noble thing.

In the future, please don't bring anyone or do anything without getting prior
permission from Daniel.

What is it to forget the self?
The self is a constant flow of thoughts over and over again, habitually repeating.  These thoughts can be suspended.  We can identify with no self. Our daily actions become an act.  All these thoughts/identity is our drug. It doesn't let you be the big wonderful thing you are.

To study the Way is to study the self.  To study the self is to forget the self.  To forget the self is to be verified by all things.  To be verified by all things is to let the body and mind of the self, and the body and mind of others, drop off.  There is a trace of realization that cannot be grasped.  We endlessly keep expressing the ungraspable trace of realization.
							-Dogen

When 'you' are not there, it allows everything else to be there.  Start not
knowing.

Deep Buddhism is not in the realm of birth and death.  Birth and death are in the world of ideas.  Mind is vast and holds everything.  There are no qualities or substance.  It gives rise to everything else, is not in conflict with anything.  Mind is empty space and includes everything.  Mind is you in its deepest form.  To forget the self is enlightenment.  When, for a moment you are able to experience that, to see it clearly enough, the next step is to embody it.

An example:  Daniel reflected on a moment for him of deep penetration, a moment when he experienced no self?  he looked around at the room of people sitting meditation, the person next to him, and saw how much suffering there was because they were so attached to the Self.  He thought, 'That's what suffering is; having the Self.'

Practice consists of three parts:
   1.  Sitting (forgetting the self)
   2.  Becoming conscious in daily life (in vitro practice of forgetting the self)
   3.  Practice with a teacher, they will try and steal your blockages from you.

Work on this week: 	Breaking habits: Try to be aware what you are saying to people.  Be quiet and recognize the thought habits'what is it that happens when I do or think that?

Right speech. Kind words.  One needs to be real to feel its truth.  Our thoughts are often projected onto others.  Be quiet and look with compassion for self, for others.  Step back and do not be analytical.  We are often embarrassed to be nice, as we believe it makes us vulnerable.  The truth is that we are least vulnerable when nice.

If you are in your personal power there is a natural affinity to be nice. More so than not, when we are not in a place of power, we revert to mechanical responses and may not be nice.  If we own our personal power, the likelihood is greater of naturally being a nice person; if we don't own our personal power, being a manipulative person is more likely.

Often we are afraid to love freely because we think it is embarrassing.  The greatest courage is to uphold something better, to be open, to be willing to feel, to be willing to be intimate with other people.

Next week's assignment:  In your notebook, make a study of the various selves. Place your emphasis on the disowned self.  Look carefully at parts disowned. Every part of you is worthwhile and good.  Only when these parts aren't acknowledged they start doing nasty things.  Look at the things you are doing in an indirect way.  What are you fearful of?  Diagram the whole self.  Look for the disowned self.  Look for the shadow (Jung).

Shikantaza:  Sitting with non-grasping, non-attaining mind.  Sit this way: non-grasping mind, non-attaining mind. It takes effort.  When you want to do something, you need to try hard (to get somewhere).  Try hard and then double your efforts.  Do your best.  It is important to take (practice) seriously.  Put some heart into it.
