Become Your Own Monastery!

[Shi Da Dao]

Zen Master Dogen brought-back some very important lessons from his sojourn into Song Dynasty China. Many confuse the details of his Ch'an training - but a parallel of transmitted Chinese culture can be seen in the martial culture prevalent upon the Island of Okinawa - itself a distant part of China for centuries. Many practice the White Crane Fist Style found in Fujian - but even the most exact and loyal Okinawan Styles differ in structure from their Fujian progenitors - whilst remaining essentially correct. A genuine transmission (from one culture into another) often creates a new interpretation - the product of a new culture adapting to the unfamiliar. Dogen understood that the act of meditation "purifies" the mind, body and environment for the duration of the meditation event. The task is to secure this transformation both within the sitting practice - and outside of it. Quite often, practitioners become attached to the peace and tranquillity of the seated meditation practice - and understandably become attached to it. This is because the outer world often appears painful and avoiding it is a very logical reaction. However, attachment to meditation is a barrier on the path to Enlightenment.

The empty state realised only in the mind - must expand and embrace the entire environment - thus permanently transforming all and sundry. Things remain transformed both within and outside of the act of seated meditation. Genuine "monasticism" is nothing less than the ability to "transform" the mind, body and environment "here and now". Of course, an individual can visit a bricks-and-mortar monastery and enjoy the outer peace and quiet - but unless there is a permanent "inner" peace and quiet - nothing will change for the aspirant. The Mind Precept underlies all other Precepts. All other Precepts should turn the attention of the mind back upon itself - so that the empty mind ground is permanently realised and a "turning about" at the deepest recesses of the mind (see the Lankavatara Sutra). Monasticism is seeking "oneness" through inner and outer training. Both lay and ordained individuals can practice monasticism by adopting an inward-looing method which facilitates the comprehension of self-knowledge. Many monks live in monasteries but are NOT monastics as they lack inspiration, guidance and ability - whilst many lay-people (who live in the most trying and confusing of circumstances) practice an effective "inward-looking" method and are continuously generating "oneness". These individuals may be considered genuine monastics.