Zen mind beginners mind

In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.

If you discriminate too much, you limit yourself. If you are too demanding or too greedy, your mind is not rich and self-sufficient. If we lose our original self-sufficient mind, we will lose all precepts. When your mind becomes demanding, when you long for something, you will end up violating your own precepts: not to tell lies, not to steal, not to kill, not to be immoral, and so forth. If you keep your original mind, the precepts will keep themselves.

In the beginner's mind there is no thought, "I have attained something." All self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind. When we have no thought of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. Then we can really learn something. The beginner's mind is the mind of compassion. When
our mind is compassionate, it is boundless. Dogen-zenji, the founder of our school, always emphasized how important it is to resume our boundless original mind. Then we are always true to ourselves, in sympathy with all beings, and can actually practice.

Zen mind beginners mind (full text pdf)

a reply to: dfnj2015

I'm afraid that this short piece does not translate with the true, intended meaning to the largely uninitiated.

There are 4 levels of thought.

#1) and the 'lowest level' is "negative thought" which includes feelings of anger, fear, sadness, regret and unease. Negative thought makes Us egotistical and lazy.

#2) This is wasteful thought, when We waste our time worrying about things that might not happen, or about things that are outside of Our control

#3) Necessary Thought, such as "I must not forget to pay the rent" or "I must remember to send a Naming Day card"

#4) and 'Highest Thought' this is 'positive thought' which encourages peace, harmony, creativity, Love and happiness...

I'm also going to recommend a book I picked up here in Scotland. "The Sound Of The One Hand" - 281 Zen Koans w/answers. Translated by Yoel Hoffmann

In other words, "do not be a slave to your own prejudice."

Funny enough, after the Renaissance in Europe pride and prejudice became the food of the day. Which points us to the paradox that enlightenment can turn sometimes to fictitiousness and pure blindness...

a reply to: JimNasium

#1 can also lead to a "I show you and will become xy." Depends on the level of defiance the person still has.
#2 can be life saving thoughts and given any situation, like chose of your home, you should some figures in consideration. Worry about a few things.
#3 there are various ways to do that automatically so you waste your time not on such triviality with a life and death mentality like you seem to do.
Necessary a "name day card" what? No.
#4 or "the comforting band aid you get from time to time".

a reply to: JimNasium


Nice list. If I may, I will add one more type of thought: "Reversed thought." A thought that after conceptualizes itself goes backwards from where it began.

This brings strange but very useful mirror image of its conceptual form. A thought of love when reversed will evoke hate. A thought of compassion - indifference.

After the mirror image appear, the thought should not wander in its direction, but just stay there where it was reversed. If so, human thought reaches the harmony between nirvana and samsara, and can raise to its full potential.

A very useful tool for all people engaged in art.
A great tool for engaging in conversation as well, or waging a military affair. Depends where the true desire leads you.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few.

If you discriminate too much, you limit yourself. If you are too demanding or too greedy, your mind is not rich and self-sufficient. If we lose our original self-sufficient mind, we will lose all precepts. When your mind becomes demanding, when you long for something, you will end up violating your own precepts: not to tell lies, not to steal, not to kill, not to be immoral, and so forth. If you keep your original mind, the precepts will keep themselves.

In the beginner's mind there is no thought, "I have attained something." All self-centered thoughts limit our vast mind. When we have no thought of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. Then we can really learn something. The beginner's mind is the mind of compassion. When
our mind is compassionate, it is boundless. Dogen-zenji, the founder of our school, always emphasized how important it is to resume our boundless original mind. Then we are always true to ourselves, in sympathy with all beings, and can actually practice.

Zen mind beginners mind (full text pdf)

Thanks for this thread Dude From New JerDogzenjy.
A beautiful depiction of the innocent mind.

Unfortunately: the opposite is happening in this society, all around us. Has been for some time now.
From this point of view: So many are seeking knowledge, and trying to deny ignorance, but are these ego-traps?

A common analogy is of a young man at the base of a mountain, and as he climbs, he gains knowledge and ages. At the peak of the mountain: he is old and wise.
But folks are not seeking wisdom these days: they all want knowledge, and then use that to boost their ego, and put people who do not share the same morsel of knowledge, down. The ATS boards are rife with it.

Referring to your story: they begin to view themselves as experts, and that is now somehow highly valued in this society.
The higher up they climb on the mountain, the more self-righteous they become.

But the higher up they climb on the mountain: there are less and less different paths, shelters, food, options, etc...
Less because bridges have been burned, and the arrogant man slowly becomes like an island in the sea.

Deep down: all still know that ignorance and innocence are more beautiful than arrogance.
Our egos admire knowledgeable folks, but the pureness inside us all adores the beautiful innocence of babies.

Observing all of this in society around us, helps us to understand. We can then turn our focus inside, and contemplate the suggestions from the OP, and get a view of where we are with these concepts.

Peace.

I tried, my brain keeps images that override ,even my sleep ,when I get an idea.
Gabapentin drops me ,but meditation isn't really a capability.
I can ZONE or use the VOID in the ninja system sort of holistically by instinct ,however I don't make hard decisions on these.
I do have a rudimentary synthesis of synchronicity I can almost grasp.
But it's all so damn nebulous and hard to explain anyway, to me.

a reply to: Argentbenign

You may indeed Sir, either We will end up with "the more, the merrier" or if someone steps on their Johnson they can alibi out with "too many chefs ruin the stew..." What is the worst that can happen?

namaste

Stay Hydrated....

Zen has helped me achieve more accuracy in the shooting sports...

"The Zen of Shooting" - Paul Schoch

www.shootingillustrated.com...

That's why I think the best way for me to practice Zen is not to think about it.

Zen Buddhism isn't this complicated.

The main tenet is to "be, in the moment." To be completely mindful of every waking second. To acknowledge that which is happening right now, around you, to you, and in you, that is the goal.

But the goal is also not to chase these things. Because when you search for it, you cannot find it. But when you stop searching, then it will be found. And once you realize you've found it, it is lost again.

The more I know, the more I don't, but the less I know, the less I care. The more I say, the more I don't pay attention, but the less i use my big mouth, the more i see.l, but the less I do.

The more I do, the more I ask, .

I can ask how an why all the time, but that wouldn't be the point, and me waking up with a hangover a great way for grounding an awakening.

It not complicated, or is it?