Lost Coin Class Notes November 18, 2008

Daniel discussed his Zen training at the monastery. It was extremely rigorous and he would do anything to be practicing. The greater the obstacles were the greater he would work to overcome them. Daniel wants us to push way beyond our limits to see what it is all about. He was one of the few people at the monastery who did everything. The more Daniel did, the harder his teacher made it for him, and what a great adventure it has been.

Daniel wants us to think this way. When we sit, we should sit very intently. Make it something that is hard. A challenge. Keep overcoming and keep going to a new level. Like an athlete: push yourself beyond your limits. Come to class every Tuesday and Thursday. Even if it is hard. Especially if it is hard. Don't fall short of it. Buddha left his family and caste system and spent 5 years to find his true nature. His main preoccupation was sitting. But he did other things too. Have to be the best of the best. We have to do what others are not willing to do. Attend. Sit. Don't dream or think while you're sitting. Really observe yourself.

Only those that pushed themselves a certain way have been really able to attain something. Daido (who is in remission and just got married) used to always say that this is about life and death. Once you hit 50 years old you begin to understand this more. This teaching can liberate us-can give us peace regarding life and death, but it is not easy. Some of us will push very hard at our achievement- not pushing hard is called failing. Barrier is there but we can't see it--if you can't, it means that you are not there yet. It's not visible except internally. Daniel sat up all night to figure out Mu.

**WE ALL NEED TO BE STRONGER**

In most things you can get around this: i.e. at work you can be charming, kiss a lot of butt, get involved in politics, etc. Basically, either the light inside of us burns more strongly or it doesn't. It's all up to you.

Questions:

1. Is everything from Daniel's journey relevant to us?

Wouldn't be bad if we knew how to do a Buddhist service. We don't need to live communally but we need to be close. We don't need sesshin every month but it would benefit us. He wants us to see what these 5 days would do to our mind We will like it (not during, but after). He would like us all to have a physical practice. Zen monk must leave home. We are also ready for longer sitting.

2.Can Koans be presented by email?

Yes. We need to be aggressive with Daniel; it is part of our practice. He is not going to make it easy for us. Daniel will work around what we need but we have to jump through some hoops. When our energy (as a group) is strong, then so is Daniel's, i.e. on Thursday Daniel will tend to have a discussion if there are 12 of us there instead of 5.

3. Is it ok to leave the group for awhile to tend to other important things in our lives or should we stay to practice?

When we forgo our practice, it suffers. Look at what you are really doing. It's so glorious to have the power to say, "This is what it's about. I'm doing what I believe." Standing for something, your personal ideal is liberating, like enlightenment. When this is what you are and this is what you do, then you will know more than all of the new-age folks. It's all about personal integrity.


A lot of us have the potential to be teachers. Daniel's teachers were like royalty: 3 people to clean your house, wash your car, etc. Destructive because of the power that it held. Student's wanted to be teachers because of the power they perceived teachers had. Daniel never wanted this. He was always very respectful, but didn't want this. Many people became teachers for status, not because they wanted to teach human beings. Have to enjoy teaching. There are a lot of really good practitioners who never teach, i.e. Karen (jumped through all of the hoops, clarity, kind, compassionate, strong, knowing who she is). Think of how good that is for the world.

Practice--doing what you can't do, not what you can do. Learning about what you don't know. As a teacher, Daniel had to learn to be firm which is not his natural bent. Doing what doesn't come naturally.

Koans: Koa -Public/ An- Judgement or case (like a legal or artistic precedent). Exchanges of the greatest Zen teachers that have lived and have been recorded. When you do Koan study, you are seeing directly into the mind of the greatest teachers that ever lived. To go through 500-600 Koans with a teacher and fail them is quite an ordeal. It was very hard in the monastery. Spirit is what we need from the monastic setting. Intensity, attention and spirit are all fundamental. We re too quick to not attend. This is really important as what we are receiving is such a precious teaching that's been kept intact for 1200 years. These Zen teachers were advisers to the Emperor and Samurai.

Integrity, spirit and consciousness are all one thing.
