Five Serviettes

[deci belle]

This thread, or this single post, as most of my topics remain, is a little different than others in that it has an inordinate number of cultural and technical references relying heavily and almost exclusively on the readers' familiarity with the Chinese buddhist lexicon throughout a prolonged period of various cultural shifts taking place in its long history between A.D. 500 and the 1800s. Of course, there are ancient taoist references to contend with as well. My apologies.

I wrote this on four petite serviettes the other day at my café in town… there was one left.

 

Five Serviettes

Simply awakening is the selfless awakening to buddha-mind beyond the grasping mentality. It is knowledge of non-being’s open awareness constituting impersonal nonoriginated unification and clarification of the singular intent before the first thought.

There are people who just fall into this without any intention of doing so as a result of a long-nurtured countenance of open sincerity. "Falling into this" is harmony with the Constant, after which It is then possible to return and share oneself fully. In the mean-time, they see their own unified mind as the fulfillment of its own desire. Since it is not oneself, not other~ unified mind being the fulfillment of its own desire is the meaning of taking the forward step with open hands meeting situations as arrow-points meet, with no remainder.

Unity of primally open “intellect” is the properly incipient nature of one’s perpetually fulfilled desire. “Intellect” is the capacity for fulfillment where there is nothing to fill~ just openness.

The attainment is one’s penetrating reversion as the Source. The application of the term “intellect” is the substance of Mind’s open serene clear light. Mind’s function is its intent: ever sensitive and effective.

Sincere intent is Mind’s expression of oneself’s impersonal unity functioning through selfless desire passing through situations without lingering, without initiating.

The expression of the function is in terms of harmony— selfless harmony~ adapting impersonally and effectively to situations without sticking to appearances; neither seeking praise nor avoiding censure.

Affinity is the impersonal knowledge of harmony in terms of the Constant. It is not that there is anything to know… one's affinity is just the nature of the Constant, which is the application of an angelic harmony that can kill a buddha when it sees a buddha. It cuts right through in an instant with a precision that is equal to its appropriateness in terms of one’s inconceivable matching of potential to conditions which has never admitted one’s own strength.

Not admitting one’s own strength that can kill a buddha is the Celestial in action. Its power is due to the clarity of the Constant being the nature of Mind.

In one’s own gradual refinement, clarity being the nature of mind, it follows that its clarification is the effective harmony of the heaven and earth of the immaterial body of awareness whose heart is the Center. The Constant is the nature of this Center of open awareness being Mind mastering energy.

This is not a matter of energy-work. It is not even energy being other than Mind. It is a description of the mystical source of the impulse of one’s own life, immaterial beyond location.

Mind mastering energy being the Center having no location is the real totality of unity. Though it has no location, it is not apart from your pointed nose. There it is! Yet how could it be or have a place? Just this primordial Space with no inside or outside is not beyond this instant occasion.

Ignorance of the Constant is energy mastering mind; when conditioned yang peaks, it wanes, and evolution inexorably goes along with a cycle of creation, which is bound to birth and death.

The 55th chapter of the Tao te Ching concludes:

Quote

 

"When beings climax in power, they wane;
this is being unguided.
The unguided die early.”

They die before they even know it; they die before their time.
This is the result of habitual clinging to thoughts unawares.

 

 

[deci belle]

Quote

 

ibid (quoted above)

 

This is in terms of everyday ordinary cycles of yin and yang— not just a far-off glimmer of one's mortality. This is going along with creation and experiencing birth and death in terms of habitually following unconsciously arising thought unawares. This is going along with the habit energy of situations as if they exist— as if oneself exists in terms of ideas pertaining to an absolute identity of the personality.

Believing such to be the case is being arbitrarily subject (bound) by mundanity. The teachings of all the authentic traditions make it perfectly clear that being satisfied with this is karmic bondage to the creative impulse. That may sound sexy, but when your true nature is inconceivable, nonoriginated enlightenment, such bondage is anything but sexy. The point of all the authentic traditions is emancipation from this.

Seeing reality as is enables one to recognize potential in the midst of (polluted) mundanity. There is no where else to find potential but within the midst of ordinary situations. Seeing it is recognizing the real in the midst of the false.

In terms of the created cycles of yin and yang, where one's life hangs in the balance with people acting as if their next breath was guaranteed, one should have a constant subtlety of observation over one's mind at all times in order to recognize the arising of yang. When yang subsequently peaks, and yin's influence arrives like clockwork, one should immediately withdraw the potential and store it void of intellectualism. When the killing energy of the natural yin convergence culminates, one should maintain one's subtle concentration. Do not be confused and do not act prematurely (if at all).

This is guidance for those who are able to work with essence.

These words may seem crackpot, but roughly .02% of a given population (by my estimate), is able to recognize the thrust of teaching such as this. I know there are a few who would benefit from these words, so I risk divulging the Celestial mechanism from time to time.

 

 

ed note: typo, 2nd paragraph

Edited September 20, 2020 by deci belle

[Awayfarer]

I left this elsewhere, not seeing you had "retreated". I leave this here, again, with sincerity and openess.

"Please forgive the insolence of the last post. Your guidance has been more than remarkable! Last week, I believe a seed planted, bloomed, and then overwhelmed. Perhaps this is an instance of not withdrawing the fire? Perhaps I was "chasing a deer without a guide,  just going into the forest"? I most certainly did not recognize the Yin Convergence. As I posted and immediately after, I could sense the energy change, but was unable to adapt.

I continue to practice turning the light around, if I am correct in my understanding, that it is putting awareness on awareness and am working on focus/concentration. 

While in the park a last weekend, this came to me:

Every moment a first

Like walking in a painting

Perhaps this was "naïve innocence seeking me".

You have referenced that Art of War - I have not read it but recently found this in chapter 10 of Journey to the West and could feel its importance. 

"The way of chess exalts discipline and caution; the most powerful pieces should remain in the center, the weakest ones at the flanks, and the less powerful ones at the corners. This is a familiar law of the chess player. The law says: "You should rather lose a piece than an advantage. When you strike on the left, you must guard the right; when you attack the rear, you must watch your front. Only when you have a secure front will you also have a rear, and only if you have a secure rear will you maintain your front. The two ends cannot be separated, and yet must remain flexible and must not be encumbered. A broad formation should not be too loose, while a tight position should not be constricted. Rather than clinging on to save a single piece, it is better to sacrifice it in order to win; rather than moving without purpose, it is better to remain stationary in order to be self-supportive. When your adversary outnumbers you, your first concern is to survive; when you outnumber your adversary, you must strive to exploit your force. He who knows how to win will not prolong his fight; he who is master of positions will not engage in direct combat; he who knows how to fight will not suffer defeat; and he who knows how to lose will not panic. For chess begins with proper engagement but ends in unexpected victory. If your enemy, even without being threatened, is bringing up his reinforcement, it is a sign of his intention to attack; if he deserts a small piece without trying to save it, he may be stalking a bigger piece. If he moves in a casual manner, he is a man without thoughts; response without thought is the way to defeat. The Book of Odes says "Approach with extreme caution as if facing a deep canyon." Such is the meaning thereof".

 

I am thinking that I did not approach with extreme caution and fell in the canyon. Next time do I wait in darkness?

I thank you for your patience and your guidance. It truly has been eye-opening. "

[deci belle]

Don't worry~ that PM seemed to have run its course for me. You still have access to its contents, oui? You can still PM me, of course. I just shortened your address, that's all that was about. It took me the rest of the day to "Aha" about Mr E~ haha! You are a clever one, my dear… I might need to find out your Chinese horoscope.

Yes, the first reference to the way of strategy in the ancient historical accounts of taoist Chinese hagiography is attributed to one of the Yellow Emperor's three female teachers. Only much later, did Master Sun document a concise compilation of tenets of effective conflict management. Several such effective and competing military strategists during the "Warring States" period did the same. Alchemic self-refinement is carried out by the strict application of such strategy as a means to save energy by learning to assess objectively and adapt impersonally, using the lessons of the Art of War (especially its chapter on Types of Ground) in terms of psychological terrain.

You may have surmised that though I titled this thread "Five Serviettes", I admitted that though I had five, I only used four. I suppose if the slight you felt I had committed, had been let go (rather lose a piece than an advantage), you may have decided later that such was not the case (and no one would have been the wiser). It happens all the time, in terms of adapting to the timing of yin convergence. Bodhidharma said, "Don't know." It works wonders.

Quote

When yang subsequently peaks, and yin's influence arrives like clockwork, one should immediately withdraw the potential and store it void of intellectualism (not-knowing). When the killing energy of the natural yin convergence culminates, one should maintain one's subtle concentration. Do not be confused and do not act prematurely (if at all).

Let this serve as a "teaching moment" for you. Waiting in darkness is properly a reference to innocence, no different than the applied meaning of not-knowing, in the face of psychological impacts during the course of situational evolution. It is perhaps possible to avoid the consequences of conceiving views by forgetting them sooner than later, yet, correct and circumspect innocence before the point of illumination arises is alone considered to be "faultlessly" resting in the highest good.

 

 

ed note: add "(not-knowing)" in last (quote) paragraph; add "not-knowing" in penultimate and then add subsequent last sentence.

Edited September 22, 2020 by deci belle

[deci belle]

Those who wish to avoid "climaxing in power" are well advised to not use their power in the first place. The strategy used by adepts of spiritual alchemy is to recognize and intimately follow the inherent potential of any given situation they find themselves in. Doing so is elemental in providing the basis from which one can ride the energy of the situation itself without conjuring selfish modes of habit-patterned psychological projection for no reason at all. How this is accomplished is to "forget" to use the seat of the personality's psychologically habit-patterned energy before the first thought in the first place.

I mentioned that "forgetting" mind is the most effective way to avoid screwing up in the face of psychological impacts in the course of situational evolution as opposed to suppressing the mental processes, because stopping thoughts is actually impossible. Attempting to do so is a form of insanity and insisting on doing so over a prolonged period of time contributes to and results in possible permanent psychological damage including mental illness. The famous (perhaps even obscurely so) French dramatist, Antonin Artaud, is one such tragic casualty illustrating the result of such prolonged and deliberately forced afore-mentioned self-abuse by virtue of the rational capacity of mind. Studying a biography of his life may prove beneficial, regarding what not to do.

So, forgetting to think, or conceive views, before the first thought, is the most effective strategy of them all, in terms of self-refining practice. The giveaway is where to look, as in the practice of continuous subtle 24/7 observing and seeing thought arising; this is the place: just this is ground zero.

This is the place formally imitated by beginners as well as so-called self-described meditation experts whose qualifications amount to decades of silent "illumination" in the course of wearing out pillows as a matter of distinction over a lifetime with no other perceptive accomplishment or development to speak of. It's not their fault, because it is impossible to apply enlightenment to reality on the zazen cushion. Practice, per se, is the real deal. Formal meditation regimens are like simulating peer-group rehearsals— far removed from and lacking the power to match creation.

After a long time of such subtle accord in reality (not the zazen cushion) through practiced, continuous subtle observation in the midst of everyday ordinary situations, one achieves a stability of clarification at the incipient point of upwelling, in terms of the creative impulse— without going along with the creative. This accomplishment is a great reversal, wherein the conditioned karmic impulse remains unborn and the creative simply fails to arise as such at the incipience of the aperture of the Mysterious Female. The great Japanese Soto zen teacher Bankei, used the term "Unborn" exclusively in expressing authentic teaching during his tireless tenure as an exponent of the Dharma throughout all ranks of Japanese society.

It must be noted that the karmic impulse changing as the creative at the point of incipient upwelling is none other than mind itself. At no time is it some other mind. There are no two minds. Observing mind as itself Unborn by Mind itself is effective immortality in terms of authentic practice. There is no other immortality anyone should ever consider worthwhile. Why? There is no such one to consider it so. In terms of the absolute, there has never been such buddha. It's your own mind right now. There is no other mind. Just this mind alone IS you. Who knew?

Learning to see and develop an intimate accord with this potential without turning it into thought is how one "rests in the highest good." This is in effect the point of illumination where one turns the light around (before the first thought). There is actually no other place to "turn the light around." It's true, after you act, it's too late! Always come back to this incipient point of illumination in terms of observation, and you won't be far off. Otherwise, as ordinary people do, one will succumb to psychological momentum and will not be able to practice turning the light around. And will, instead, follow endless streams of thought unawares, going on to new thoughts before preceding thoughts have even developed.

 

 

ed note: italicize "before the first thought" in 1st paragraph; change "stasis" to "stability", add "Soto" and swap two words for one in 5th paragraph

Edited September 23, 2020 by deci belle