Comments for One Time, One Meeting

Comment on 48. Weathered wood by Barry Briggs

Barry Briggs — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:48:36 +0000

You know, people have sometimes described me as a “character.” But I’ve never felt that they were referring to me as a “quality” human being.

Mostly, I’m like Lord Fumai’s leaky vase. Even when the situation calls for an air-tight, leak-free window.

Comment on 48. Weathered wood by Uku

Uku — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:26:49 +0000

Interesting post, thank you! Yes, vinyl windows or old windows.. they are still just windows.

With best regards,
Markus

Comment on 47. The tempo of meditation by Barry Briggs

Barry Briggs — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:14:45 +0000

Zen Master Seung Sahn used to end his letters with these words: “Try, try try – 10,000 years non-stop; soon get enlightenment and save all beings from suffering.”

For me, this puts things in a different perspective – 10,000 years is a pretty long time in my life. And the emphasis on trying – trying non-stop – might offer a different way to approach hurry and patience.

Whatever tempo is required of us by the moment, we must try non-stop.

And, of course, soon get enlightenment and save all beings from suffering.

Comment on 7. Of fountain pens and emptiness by richard tillinghast

richard tillinghast — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:50:28 +0000

Ben,

I very much enjoyed your piece about the Sailor fountain pen and Zen. Frankly had no idea how you were going to connect the two, but you did it brilliantly. I don’t tend to think of my pens in terms of their components, but as it happens, I just took my Mont Blanc ballpoint, given me many years ago by Tom Lynch, to Dublin to get a new cartridge, and it was interesting to see how it all came apart.

Emptiness.

Comment on 18. The cypress in the garden by stillhere4u

stillhere4u — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:38:46 +0000

I think Zen can be contrasted with the modern culture of presumption. You might enjoy the short Zen tale I just posted at http://deligentia.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/empty-your-cup/

Comment on 46. Chazen ichimi by Barry Briggs

Barry Briggs — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:22:45 +0000

The best-quality green tea in Korea is known as *chak seol cha” or “sparrow’s tongue tea.” This tea comes from the tiniest new leaves that appear in the springtime and they have a wonderful flavor unlike any other green tea that I’ve tasted.

In the Chirisan Mountains at the southern end of the Korean Peninsula, the tea plants that monks brought to Korea from China 1,500 years ago have naturalized. There is a special version of chak seol cha that comes from these wild tea bushes. I can’t sense its uniqueness – my tongue isn’t that sensitive – but I appreciate its lineage. Sort of like my Zen training.

Those few Koreans who maintain the “old ways” will make “pan chan” (the traditional Korean side dishes served at every meal) out of used tea leaves. Quite tasty!

Comment on 45. Closing doors by Barry Briggs

Barry Briggs — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:00:09 +0000

Ben, this is another lovely post. Thank you for it.

Next Monday’s post on Ox Herding will refer to it (actually, your post is the subject of the entire post next week) and I hope people take the time to visit and read several of your essays.

Thanks again,
Barry

Comment on 44. A mighty wave by Barry Briggs

Barry Briggs — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:46:05 +0000

Big waves always come. Given that, I’d still be better off listening to my wife.

As for Zen meditation – it’s always struck me as boring, painful, difficult, and fairly ridiculous. Still, it’s not the only boring, etc., thing in my life. And I can deal with it.

Thanks, Ben!

Comment on 43. Awareness and conjecture by Barry Briggs

Barry Briggs — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:46:06 +0000

Hi Ben,

I was awake this morning during the wee hours and thinking about your post.

Earlier in the week my teacher had said to me that practice works to cultivate a question – and that “quest,” the spiritual path, is at the heart of all genuine questions.

So while I was awake and dreamy, I wondered about the differences between conjectures, which can appear as questions, and genuine questions.

Then I went back to sleep, the conjecture unanswered. And thus, perhaps, unsullied.

Thanks for this lovely post!

Barry

Comment on 43. Awareness and conjecture by Jasmine

Jasmine — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:43:35 +0000

This is a lovely post.