I don't know when mothers (and maybe fathers) and teachers
started saying it, or whether they still do, but when I was young, I'd be told,
"If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all."
I'd like to amend that to, "If you don't have anything to say, don't say
anything." Better yet, "If I don't have anything to say, don't say
it."
Before the assembled monks, the Buddha held up a flower. The
vast majority of them raised one collective eyebrow (well, one each anyway),and
cocked their collective heads (again, one each) like a confused dog. But only
Mahakasyapa smiled. To him, the Buddha transmitted the wordless, formless
Dharma. One flower held aloft, one subtle smile. Before thought, Mahakasyapa
smiles. And so, the legend has it, Zen is born, beyond words and scriptures.
The talk this week started with noting the 70th anniversary
of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Bell is struck, no words, just silence.
Bell is hit again, talking may resume. If you listen, there's a bit of a gap
even after the second bell. I wanted to experiment with something, and I had to
go with what was at hand. I didn't have a flower. I did however have a big blue
Pilates ball. I held it aloft, and it elicited a smile. Correct response to the
stimulus. If I'd looked menacing, looking like I might throw it, cowering might
have been the appropriate response. But I didn't, and in return received a
smile. No words yet, just a big old grin.
The assembled Bodhisattvas try to explain the entry to
non-duality under the guidance of Manjusri. They take their turns, and do
alright. But Manjusri tells them that all their explanations are in and of
themselves dualistic. He turns to the layman Vimalakirti for his explanation.
Vimalakirti says nothing, which has since become known as Vimalakirti's
"thunderous silence". Great response. There was no explanation of
non-duality that wouldn't involve some duality, even if it were only to
juxtapose duality with non-duality. I've given this a shot when working through
kong-ans with my teacher; sometimes it's acceptable. Sometimes not (dammit!).
Huineng said he had one thing that had no name or form. He
asked if any of his monks knew what it was. Shenhui responds by saying
"It's my Buddha-Nature". Nope. Years later, Nanyue Huairang comes back
to Huineng and says, "To call it 'one thing' is not correct."
In Zen meditation, we sit and walk silently, the only sound
is the clap of the chugpi or bell, sometimes instruction from the meditation
leader, and chanting. The silence allows us the space to investigate ourselves,
to ask, "What is this?" that's doing the investigating. It allows us
the space to listen. The incessant chatter can distract us from hearing the
"cries of the world."
In the NYC subways, commuter rail lines, and most likely elsewhere,
since 2001, they've put up these signs, "If you see something, say
something." I'd like to amend that to, "If you see something, see
something Hear something, hear something".
I picked up the big blue Pilates ball again at the end of the
talk. I did throw it that time. A hearty laugh was had by all. Sometimes,
laughter, or a silent smile is the correct response. And sometimes, we need to
think silently, "Don't fill in the ___________".
Click this to listen to the talk:
