If you stir soiled potatoes in a pot, they clear one another. Jane McLaughlin-Dobisz on the bumps and advantages of being with others.
Picture by Jonathan Kemper
In the future on the Windfall Zen Heart, a scholar was washing potatoes in preparation for the night meal. Simply then, Zen Grasp Seung Sahn occurred to stroll into the kitchen.
“What are you doing?” he requested.
“Washing the potatoes for dinner,” replied the coed.
“Oh! One after the other? This type may be very sluggish!” exclaimed Seung Sahn. “In Korea, we put all of the potatoes collectively in a giant pot of water, after which stir them with an extended stick. This fashion, every of the potatoes rubs towards the others, rubbing the dust off all of them on the similar time. It’s a lot quicker this fashion! Additionally, you employ much less water.”
“Ahhh,” stated the coed. “That is sensible! I’ll attempt it that method subsequent time.”
This washing-potatoes analogy illustrates the effectivity and energy of what Seung Sahn at all times known as “collectively motion” or “sangha,” the neighborhood of fellow non secular seekers dwelling and working towards collectively in a steady method. Sangha is our nice treasure. Of Buddhism’s three jewels—Buddha, dharma, and sangha—it’s usually thought of probably the most helpful.
One other method to have a look at “sangha” is illustrated in Thich Nhat Hanh’s lovely educating, “Within the paper there’s a cloud.” With out the cloud there isn’t a rain. With out the rain, there isn’t a tree. With out the tree, there isn’t a paper. This interpretation of sangha consists of the interdependence of all beings, from the tiniest microscopic organisms to the mountains, rivers, and stars. From the common perspective, the one that features the good matrix of all issues, we are able to by no means actually be impartial.
In a sangha, we stumble upon numerous different soiled potatoes, as a result of, by definition, every potato is soiled, having emerged from the identical earthy floor. It follows then, that whenever you put all of the potatoes collectively, you get much more dust. Simply as none of us is ideal as a person, no sangha is ideal both. With establishments come forms, power-grabbing, money-chasing, hypocrisy, politics, drama, and typically prison or abusive exercise. The considering is, “My path is true. Your path is unsuitable.” Individuals are killed and wars are fought over spiritual ideology, Buddhist or in any other case. We now have solely to have a look at the historical past books, and even learn as we speak’s newspapers, to see myriad examples of organized faith gone awry. This may depart some practitioners disillusioned, wanting to go away their neighborhood to discover a new non secular house.
Simply be sure to hold your personal path clear, and all the pieces will resolve itself.
What are we to do if our spiritual group or establishment has allow us to down? In some circumstances of true corruption, leaving is the one alternative. However what then can we do with the wariness and mistrust of organizations that come from that? Are we doomed to without end miss out on neighborhood if we’ve parted methods with a company? Leaving our sangha will be terribly lonely, even when it’s for all the proper causes. How can we construct a bridge, connecting to the pure and true essence of the Buddha’s educating?
Years in the past, after I was a brand new trainer, I ran right into a minor interpersonal state of affairs that felt politically motivated, in no way just like the Zen best I anticipated to see. Disillusioned, I introduced the case to the American Zen grasp Su Bong, in search of his steerage. He gave me a few of the greatest recommendation I’ve ever obtained: “There’ll at all times be politics and issues in each group. Simply be sure to hold your personal path clear, and all the pieces will resolve itself.”
For the one who has determined to half methods with their neighborhood, I’d comply with that very same recommendation I obtained from Zen grasp Su Bong: “Hold your path clear.” Return to your authentic “don’t know thoughts”—the thoughts that’s earlier than considering. This can lead you to the true method, similar to water at all times flows to the ocean, or inexperienced grass sprouts up in spring. It may imply a interval of working towards on a solitary retreat, by your self at house, or with only a dharma good friend or two, or it may imply attempting out some new teams.
Discovering your non secular house in a sangha is a bit of bit like purchasing for footwear. Some footwear are fairly lovely, however they might provide you with blisters or be troublesome to stroll in. Different footwear are snug and fit your needs good. These would be the footwear you attain for. Perhaps they aren’t probably the most elegant, however they’re those that can help you as journey in your journey.
Whether or not we apply alone or in a bunch, all of us find yourself with the “bitter with the batter.” A lot of life’s studying and certainly probably the most profound teachings come from bumping into one another, from coping with our likes and dislikes, and from letting go of our opinions to which we cling so dearly. It’s a bit like voting in a world filled with social injustice. It’s not good, however we do our greatest to make it higher. This is the reason, within the ten ox-herding footage used to explain Zen coaching, the tenth stage is known as “returning to {the marketplace} with serving to palms.” We’ve traveled at instances alone, at instances in teams. We’ve been via the fun and the struggles and not attempt to bypass our true interdependence. Now we’re merely able to share the present of ourselves, in no matter method which will imply, grateful for all that we have now been given by those that went earlier than.