en-so 4

pine straw calligraphy

dialing for dharma

getting busy
signal
when calling
Universe?
turn off
self-phone!


......

tea time

"..... to maintain mindfulness for as long as it takes to drink a cup of tea accumulates more merit than years of practicing generosity, discipline, and asceticism." Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

"In the instruction of students under his charge, the master did not lay down any rules or establish any regulations. Yet a silent, respectful atmosphere always prevailed in his temples - an example of 'Not governing, yet having no disorder; doing what is right without being told.'" (The Unborn: The Life and Teachings of Zen Master Bankei)

motion

when studying Pa Kua
important to enjoy
going around
in circles.

Bankei and the Unborn Mind

A layman: Master, I've heard that you can see right into people's minds. Right now, what am I thinking?

Bankei: You're thinking that.


......

universe

scientific experimet # 3243

measure the effects
to the environment
of 7 billion people
suddenly
taking one
deep
breath.

why say

Epigallocatechin gallate

when you

can simply

drink

TEA?

think of bell
does image of bell in mind have self?
when bell rings
does sound of bell have self?
when mind hears sound
does mind have self?

mind, bell, sound -
one
   or
     many?

BONG!


......

10,000 thoughts
ZAP!

time for tea.

mind
   is
wind
   in
trees.

at Shaolin Temple
a cold monk
wears
electric
shoes.

(for Andy Ferguson)

to find pot of gold

seek end of rainbow.

to find peace

seek end of war.

to find big fortune

seek winning lottery ticket.

to find answer to meaning of life

seek enlightened guru.

to find yourself

seek nothing. 

Gary Snyder, 1970s, Alabama

old mind,
thought jumps in -
plop!

when reaching 100 years old
best to have doctor
who makes house calls.

snow tree

"I attain all my knowledge through observing the mind within.... Thus all my thoughts become the teaching of the Dharma, and apparent phenomena are all the books one needs." Milerepa (in One Dharma, Joseph Goldstein)

meatball koan

200 Zen masters gather for Big Mind meeting at Hilton Hotel.
hotel's top chef is from Argentina and speaks no Dharma.
somehow Zen diet instructions become lost
in translation and chef serves meatball sandwiches
to 200 Zen masters.

master from Shaolin bangs table with fist,
says, "meatballs bad for kung-fu!"
master from Daitokuji waves whisk in air,
says "only hungry ghosts eat meatballs!"
master from Marin County draws enso on napkin,
says, "not-eating meat is vegetarian no-mind."
master from Korea slams stick on table,
says "only don't know meat!"
master from Vermont clasps hands in gasho,
says, "meat is emptiness, emptiness is meat."

200 Zen masters begin debating karma of ingesting meat.
soon a food-fight spontaneously arises from the Void.

Master Kong walks into hotel kitchen and says to chef from Argentina,
"very good meatball sandwich! I'll have another one to go."

chef bows to Master Kong and Hilton Hotel disappears.

time flies
when
you're
taking
 a nap.

sifr = zero.

zephirum = zero. 

shunya = zero.

0 = zero.

mu = zero.

one 
zero

or 
many? 

video

silent wind chimes

vanishing calligraphy 5

so many 

opinions,

so little

 time.

vanishing calligraphy 2

Jumping from the
bucket into the world -
frog in the well.

Fukuda Kodojin (aged 5)

U = 5

fire calligraphy

Old Man listens to mind: big noise.

Old Man says, "big noise is big nuisance!"

Old Man calls Zen Master, "mind is nuisance, need cure."

Zen Master  says, "zazen."

Old Man calls Pope, "mind is nuisance, need cure."

Pope says, "Jesus."

Old Man calls Taoist Immortal, "mind is nuisance, need cure."

Taoist Immortal says, "qigong."

Old Man calls Sigmund Freud, "mind is nuisance, need cure."

Sigmund Frued says, "psychoanalysis."

Old Man calls Big Lebowski, "mind is nuisance, need cure."

Big Lebowski says, "abide."

Old Man calls Master Kong, "mind is nuisance, need cure."

Master Kong says, "bring mind to my house, I will cure."

Old Man drives to Master Kong's house.

Master Kong hands Old Man a shovel, "sewer problem, dig here."

Two hours later Master Kong says, "must plant tree, dig here."

Two hours later, Master Kong says, "need to build bomb shelter, dig here."

Two hours later Old Man is very tired, no more noise. 

Master Kong says, "mind now cured!"

Coyote Buddha goes to Wal-Mart

Coyote Buddha watches automatic doors
open and close by invisible habit energy,
shoppers search aisles for meaning of life,
big sale on disposable diapers,
free antibiotics,
two-for-one bedroom slippers.

man in blue vest says, "Can I help you?"
Coyote Buddha laughs and hands man a magic rock:
"Rub rock and get enlightened!"

man rubs rock and Wal-Mart disappears -
no more automatic doors
no more shoppers
no more meaning of life
no more disposable diapers
no more free antibiotics
no more bedrom slippers
no more man in blue vest.

Coyote Buddha shakes head and says,
"Must have given man wrong rock."

soon - year of snake

                  2013
 New Year's Resolution

put ego
on
  Bikini
     Diet!