Chop Wood, Carry Water......

[Youch]

More completely, "Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.  After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water."

Thoughts?

 

[mark 45]

needs to be done no matter what you think.

[cuchulain]

The necessities of life are independent of what we think about life.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

12 hours ago, cuchulain said:

The necessities of life are independent of what we think about life.

That is so true.

 

[mererdog]

"Before technology, chop wood and carry water.

After technology, adjust thermostat and open tap."

Technology:1 Enlightenment:0

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

1 hour ago, mererdog said:

"Before technology, chop wood and carry water.

After technology, adjust thermostat and open tap."

Technology:1 Enlightenment:0

Things change.  Things don't change.

Now that technology is here --Do laundry.  Cook dinner.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

On 12/5/2016 at 5:25 PM, Youch said:

More completely, "Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.  After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water."

Thoughts?

 

I think what this speaks to, is our silly invisible assumptions about enlightenment.

We gain enlightenment.  Sparkles fall from the sky.  The mundane drudgery of daily life dissolves in wonder and joy.

No.  After enlightenment; do laundry, cook dinner, wash dishes.   Life goes on.

[Youch]

When hungry, eat. When tired, sleep. 

I think it's a zen thing about living in the moment, and the awareness thereof.

 

[cuchulain]

awareness of zen seems almost to be a contradiction to me   Maybe not, though.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

12 hours ago, cuchulain said:

awareness of zen seems almost to be a contradiction to me   Maybe not, though.

Yes.  It is.  Zen people thrive on contradiction.  As in the sound of one hand clapping.  Zen is the path, which is not a path.

[cuchulain]

Yeah...I love zen.  Which is also a contradiction.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

51 minutes ago, cuchulain said:

Yeah...I love zen.  Which is also a contradiction.

Not really.  For all the contradictions, it has a very human face.  My favorite zen quote is from a monk.  "I know that I'm already an enlightened master.  Why am I still miserable?"  That speaks to me.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

On 12/7/2016 at 11:36 AM, mererdog said:

"Before technology, chop wood and carry water.

After technology, adjust thermostat and open tap."

Technology:1 Enlightenment:0

An additional thought.

After technology, adjust thermostat, open tap, call plumber.       

[mererdog]

Zen is largely anti-rational. The koans are designed to change the way people problem-solve, getting them to adopt a more intuitive and less thoughtful approach. Of course, Zen is also largely experiential, so those benefits are supposed to come as a result of rigorous meditation, with the koans acting as a sort of checksum to keep you on the right path. As such, the point is not to try to understand the meaning of the words, but to follow the words down the rabbit hole....  

At least, that is how it has been explained to me...

Edited December 9, 2016 by mererdog

[Youch]

6 hours ago, mererdog said:

Zen is largely anti-rational. The koans are designed to change the way people problem-solve, getting them to adopt a more intuitive and less thoughtful approach. Of course, Zen is also largely experiential, so those benefits are supposed to come as a result of rigorous meditation, with the koans acting as a sort of checksum to keep you on the right path. As such, the point is not to try to understand the meaning of the words, but to follow the words down the rabbit hole....  

At least, that is how it has been explained to me...

Thx.

I find the quote to be, to/for me, a nice reminder to bring some important things into focus and proper perspective. Regardless of station or position, in the end life is broken down into simple acts.