The opposite of monkey mind is not doing one thing but effortless activity - no one doing no thing. In cutting carrots each muscle, nerve, knife and plant goes on just as it is, no need to do anything.
The 10,000 things take care of them selves with no effort and no boundary. Thanks, --Chris 301-270-6524 On Apr 21, 2013 8:29 AM, "Merle Lester" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > bill...many thanks..yes single minded would you not say?..devoted to the > task at hand...question: why is multi tasking and multi thinking regarded > as "the enemy"? > > > Merle, > > This is a very common occurrence. Zen literature refers to this as the > 'monkey mind' because it seems to just go on and on without end and > out-of-control. > > Zazen (and other zen teaching techniques) specifically target 'monkey > mind' and try to calm it down until it eventually ceases all activity. Then > you can have a direct experience of reality (Buddha Nature). > > When you do things like weeding or probably painting you may focus your > whole being on just weeding or just painting. If you do this it is just > like zazen in which you may start by concentrating on your breath. This > single-mindedness concentration is what is meant by the zen saying, "When > sit, just sit. When walking, just walk. Above all don't wobble." That means > when your doing anything, just do that. Don't try to do many things at > once, and especially don't do something while thinking about something > else. Like painting while thinking about what you're going to fix for > dinner. Or when fixing dinner not thinking about what you're going to paint > after eating. When painting, just paint. When fixing dinner, just fix > dinner. > > And yes, it's much easier said than done... > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@...> wrote: > > > > > > > >  > >  bill..yes i understand..thank you..yes i agree with you..the intellect > chatter..that is constant with me and i find it so tiring to the point > where i get a headache..i go out and do weeding to freshen my brain.. i am > constantly asking questions mostly ones one cannot answer anyway..round and > round in circles i go... chewing it over and over... i am a bit of a > problem solver..that's what happens at night and i cannot turn my mind off > so i can't sleep..yes and then there is the emotions rocking me around like > a boat...i need to go watch a show on telly now..back later..thank you > bill!..i appreciate this post..merle > > > > > >  > > Merle, > > > > You are definitely on the right track. > > > > You can't just turn these things off. Daido talked about that. You just > let them come and go. The zen story about that (there's a zen story about > everything) is it is like when you are busy doing something and someone > comes to your door. You can answer the door, tell them you'r busy right now > and that they can come back later. What you don't do is invite them in for > tea and a lengthy chat. > > > > You can begin to quiet your mind down by doing what Daido said (or by > chanting or bowing or koan study, etc...), and when you do reach the point > to where all these thoughts have been turned off (I use the word 'quiesce' > or 'paused' or 'temporarily halted') THEN you will experience Buddha Nature > - which is the direct experience of reality WITHOUT all the intellectual > and emotional chatter going on. > > > > And basically that's it! Then it's just a matter of 'practicing' so you > can keep all that chatter at an absolute minimum - not cease it permanently > but only use it (your intellect/your rationality) when it's appropriate. > Your intellect (logic/rationality) is just one of the many tools you have > in your human tool bag and you shouldn't treat it like it is the only one. > Like I've reminded people on this forum of the old saying which I apply to > the intellect, "When all one has is a hammer, everything looks like a nail". > > > > I call all this intellectual chatter 'illusion' and I call only the > direct experience of reality (Buddha Nature) 'real' - and that's where the > major difference of opinion (or at least terminology) between Edgar and me > - at least IMO. > > > > Enjoy...Bill! > > > > --- In [email protected], Merle Lester <merlewiitpom@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > >  bill! yes i know the scoreboard..sometimes it's hard to turn off > the mind and experience non thought..and basically it's feelings that get > me into a knot...i get so many different feelings flooding me..from joy to > utter despair...all bubbling away like a volcano... this is what i find > difficult to turn that switch off..however i note in my study..i just let > them pass as they come and then they go like a log floating down a > stream..am i on the right track?..merle > > > > > > > > >  > > > Merle, > > > > > > I agree with what Mike says below and would reinforce that in the > statement you quoted, 'you are your best teacher'... > > > > > > If 'you' means your self, your ego, your intellect, your dualistic, > rational mind - then it is definitely not your best teacher (for zen). > > > > > > But if 'you' means experience, Buddha Nature, the absence of ego, > itellect, dualism, etc... - then it is definitely your best teacher (for > zen). > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > --- In [email protected], uerusuboyo@ wrote: > > > > > > > > Merle,<br/><br/>Depends what you mean by "you". If 'you' means your > ego, then absolutely not because the mind will colour things to suit > itself. If by 'you' you mean reality, then absolutely yes! And by reality I > mean the immediacy of direct experience. Buddha said, "Be a lamp unto > yourself". Only you will know if the tea is hot or cold (remember that > topic!). A teacher is only a guide and friend. Ultimately only you can > workout your own salvation. <br/><br/>Mike<br/><br/><br/>Sent from Yahoo! > Mail for iPhone > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
