ED, My responses are embedded below:
> > Three questions for clarification: > > In Zen are there any experiences of the student which a Zen Master would > call 'not-maya' or 'important', or as needing to be paid attention to? Only sensory experience is 'not-maya'. As far as it being 'important' or 'needing attention', I wouldn't put it that way. It's all Buddha Nature and doesn't really 'need' anything, just awareness. > If in sitting shikantaza (clear mind sitting) there is no goal, why is > there any concern as to what the student experiences or does not > experience? If you are indeed sitting shikantaza there is no goal. If however you are TRYING to sit shikantaza, or LEARNING to sit shikantaza there is a goal - to sit shikantaza, and that is to empty your mind so it is 'clear'. 'Clear' means no thinking, no concepts, no trying, no goals; just raw, unfiltered, uncensored, unaugmented, unjudged, unqualified sensory experience - and that is Budda Nature. Just THIS! > Why the discursive and judgmental prouncements of 'maya' and > 'importance/unimportance' when students could be told once and for all > that all experiences concepts are just that - experiences concepts that are impermanent; and > therefore, whatever is experiences conceptualized, the student should just keep on > sitting? Students are indeed told just what you say above - but please notice I've changed your word 'experience' to 'conceptualize' to differentiate between sensory experiences and conceptual experiences. This is a very important distinction because we casually use the same English word 'experience' to describe both and that is very misleading. Now, the reason they are told this over and over again is they forget, or don't really believe it, or think that they've just experienced something REALLY IMPORTANT, or SIGNIFICANT, or HOLY. One of the most important roles of a zen teacher is to keep reminding the student of what you've expressed above (with my wording clarification). Once they have actually been able to sit shikantaza (clear mind) there is much less of a need to keep reminding them, although it still may be required. At least after kensho (a short period of clear mind) they can be pointed back to that as a reference point. Before kensho they have no experiential reference point - only faith in their teacher. ...Bill! > Thanks, ED > > > > --- In [email protected], "Bill!" BillSmart@ wrote: > > > > JMJM, > > > > When I was beginning my zen training and sitting shikantaza (clear > mind) I 'witnessed' several color phenomenom. A bright white light which > seem to emanate from the people sitting around me and surround them like > an aura, and a golden light which enveloped me as if I were surrounded > by and suspended in honey. > > > > In both cases my teacher at the time told me these were just 'maya' > and unimportant, and told me to pay no attention to them, let them slide > away and 'just sit'. > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > --- In [email protected], Jue Miao Jing Ming jmjm@ wrote: > > > > > > Good morning to All, > > > > > > Perhaps if you would, please allow me to share with you some of the > > > labels used by my Teacher to interpret the witness of Juemiao > Miaoming, > > > recipient of Buddha Heart Imprint. > > > > > > The lineage of Chan is passed on two routes, the form and the > formless. > > > One without the other, is incomplete. Let me explain some of the > details. > > > > > > The lineage of Chan is passed through and in sync both in archived > > > lineage chart(form) as well as the Buddha Heart Imprint(formless). > > > > > > As we know the conversion to Chan is to convert to Buddha, Dharma, > > > Sangha (form) and the Trikaya (formless). Buddha is the Nirmanakaya. > > > Dharma is the Sambhogakaya and Shangha is the Nirmanakaya. > > > > > > Juemiao Miaoming's witness of the three color lights, as taught by > my > > > Teacher, are -- Gold is the Nirmanakaya, Red is the Nirmanakaya. > Green > > > is the Sambhogakaya. These are also the logo of our lineage. > > > > > > Juemiao Miaoming's witness of the intense white light in the Heart > > > Chakra is the Kensho, which does not fade away. Which I have > mentioned > > > off and on throughout the years that I am on this forum. > > > > > > Juemiao Miaoming's witness of thousands of lights is what Buddha > > > witnessed under the Bodhi tree before his enlightenment. As stated > in > > > our Master's Diamond Sutra DVD, these lights are not in the night > sky, > > > but inside our body. > > > > > > Juemiao Miaoming's heart felt connection of compassion and truth > upon > > > recipient of this transmission is what it is. > > > > > > I am grateful to have participated in witnessing this event and > > > communicating to everyone. > > > > > > In short, a true transmission of Buddha Heart Imprint, from a > > > non-English speaking master to a non-Chinese speaking desciple > requires > > > no word and only requires a single meeting of hearts. > > > > > > As Juemiao Miaoming said, "this is an auspicious day." > > > > > > Thank you for your attention. >
