April 26, 2010 Lost Coin Group Notes

 

Doen told story: I was very interested in studying martial arts as a young man.  I was an artistic, bohemian type and wanted to learn more discipline and improve my health.  While I was here in San Francisco visiting a friend, he took me to see O Sensei and his aikido class.  I was impressed.  I started aikido in Boston, but got to a certain point and became like in Zen disenchanted- the atmosphere was critical and cultish.  So I moved from one to another martial art.  Later I ended up in a Kung Fu class- Tiger Claw- in Kingston, N.Y. It was taught by a Chinese American IBM programmer/kung fu teacher.  He was geat:if you missed a class he didn’t reprove you, he just ignored you. The class was grueling- our black uniforms often turned crusty white from sweat salt.  One time I was really struggling though fist push-ups and finger push-ups and he leaned down to  my ear and whispered sincerely, “you can do it” I cried- it touched me deeply.

The teacher needs to support each of us, we need to support each other: You Can Do it! Nothing is easy, but you can do it.

Recommend book: Bounce- about how practice is the major component of success rather than talent, although of course there is a basic talent necessary, otherwise you wouldn’t do it.  You need to strive above your level- sit a little longer, relate more closely to the teacher, read more, but do no be down on yourself for not- so EFFORT with SUPPORT

Mu is key to the world of Zen: It is the key to the Gateless Gate.

New story: (koan)- about Tokusan- famous teacher who started as a Diamond Sutra scholar and was nicknamed Diamond Shu.  He carries the Diamond Sutra on his back as he travels to go to see a teacher he has heare about in the North who is not a scholar- he wants to meet him, and prove to him that you need to be a scholar to be realized.  The teacher is Ryutan.  On the way he meets a tea lady service tea and sweets on the road.  He asks her if he is going the correct way.  She says yes.  HE asks for a snack9light meal) which sounds like enlightenment/play on words- She says she will give him some food if he can answer her:

Past mind is ungraspable, Present Mind is ungraspable; Future mind is ungraspable, with which Mind wil you take this meal?

He is confounded and astonished and cannot answer.  She is of course, more than a tea merchant: she is an senior student of Ryutan’s

He gets to Ryutan’s place and talks a lot to him about the Diamond Sutra, gets exhausted.  Ryutan sees him to the door with a candle lit.  It is black outside: Ryutan blows the candle out as Tokusan leaves for the darkness and Tokusan has a large opening experience- ends his intellectual phase.
