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Awakening Hands: Compassion in Action

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Talk by Unclear on 2008-04-03

AI Summary: 

The talk explores the emotional life of awakening within Zen practice, emphasizing kindness and compassion towards oneself and others. A conversation between Aungan and Dogo is referenced, pondering the significance of the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion having numerous hands and eyes. The speaker connects these ideas to the practice of being present and responsive to personal emotional realities.

  • Referenced Works:
  • Philip Whalen's Epigram: "The hand foresees what the eye cannot foretell," reflecting the intuitive and anticipatory nature of compassion.
  • Poetry Mention: Discusses the expressive power and relief found in poetic companionship, suggesting its role in understanding emotional complexities.

  • Dialogues/Scenes Discussed:

  • Aungan and Dogo’s exchange: Analyzes the metaphor of reaching for a pillow in the night as a way to understand the purpose of the Bodhisattva's hands and eyes.
  • Dream: A personal allegorical narrative involving an elevator dream, symbolizing choice between confined comfort and conscious awakening.

AI Suggested Title: Awakening Hands: Compassion in Action

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Transcript: 

Good morning. February 9th to April 4th, winter 2008 practice period.

[01:16]

A thousand arms, a thousand eyes, leading no one behind. We will study the emotional life of awakening through the practices of kindness and compassion to self and others. The emotional life of awakening, wow, what a radical idea. Aungan asked Dogo, what does the Bodhisattva Great Compassion have so many hands and eyes for? Dogo said, like someone reaching for a pillow in the middle of the night.

[02:22]

Aungan said, I understand. Dogo said, how do you understand? All over the body are hands and eyes. He said, quite a bit, but you've only expressed 80%. What about you? Throughout the body are hands and eyes. Are you awake or are you asleep when you reach for a pillow in the night? It's hard to tell. My body keeps saying, what about me? There, there. What about me? I think I have to listen to my body a little bit.

[03:33]

At least a little bit. Tim, could you help me? I'm going to go with the Cesar. who, This is what we need so many hands and eyes for.

[05:03]

A cushion. this will have to be a short lecture. Nothing helps. But when we try standing up,

[06:06]

Stand up. I just took that. No, no, no. No, thanks. This might have to go on there, because it's all enough to go down. Where can I put this? No, we'll be the best person.

[07:12]

Hey, so I... I don't think you know. Kablins. This is an unusual lecture, isn't it? Philip Whelan wrote a searching epigram which went, the hand foresees what the eye cannot foretell. The hand foresees what the eye cannot foretell.

[08:23]

The emotional life of a practitioner is something we don't talk about, but it's something we deal with all the time. If you think you don't have an emotional life, then I'm sorry for you. If you don't feel your emotional life too much, it's not so good. This is stupid stuff. Tell us this is stupid stuff. You eat your victuals fast enough. There can't be much amiss. It's clear to see the way you drink your beer. But oh good lord, what's first you make? It gives a chat bellyache. The cow, the old cow, she is dead. It sleeps well, the horned head. We probably asked his our turn now to hear such tunes as killed the cow.

[09:43]

Pretty friendship tis to rhyme your friends to death before their time. Roping melancholy mad, come pipe a tune to dance to, lad. Why if to dance you would be, there's brisker pipes than poetry. Say, for what were hawkyards meant, or why was Burton built on Trent? Or many appear of England Brew's Wabblier liquor than the news. Envolved us more than Milton can to justify God's ways to man. Yeah, man, ask the stuff to drink for fellows whom it hurts to think. Look into the pewter pot to see the world as the world's not. In faith is pleasant till it's past. The mischief of it will not last. Oh, I have been to Ludwig there and of mine make time God knows where. and carried halfway home or near pints and quarts of Ludlow beer.

[10:49]

Then the world seemed none so bad, and I myself a sterling lad. And down in that lovely muck I've leaned, happy till I woke again. Then I saw the morning sky. I heard the tale was all a lie. The world that was the old world yet, I was I, my things were wet, and nothing now remained to do but begin the game anew. Therefore, since the world has still much good, but much less good than ill, and while the sun and moon endure, leaps a chance but trouble sure, I'll face it as a wise man would, and train for ill and not for good. Tis true the stuff I bring for sale, is not so brisk a brew as ale.

[11:50]

Out of a stem that's screwing the hand, I wrung it in a weary land. But take it in the, take it if the smack is sour, better for the endittered hour. It should do good to heart and head when your soul is in my soul's stead, and I will friend you, if I may, in the dark and cloudy day. There was a king reigned in the east, there when kings will sit to feast. They get their fill before they think, with poisoned meat and poisoned drink. He gathered all that springs to birth from the many-venomed earth, first a little, thence to more. He sampled all her killing store. An easy, smiling, seasoned sound sate the king when healths went round.

[12:58]

They put arsenic in his meat and stared aghast to watch him eat. They poured strychnine in his cup and shook it to see him drink it up. They shook, they stared as white as their shirts. Then it was their poison hurt. I tell the tale that I heard told. Mr. Guides, he died old. This has something to do with sashim, but I don't know what. Excuse me, I'm gonna shout. that much more to say.

[14:05]

This too is a dream. When I lived in the building a while ago, I had a dream that there was an elevator in the building and I was moving. that there was a fire or something. And I know you're not supposed to go in an elevator in a fire, but this is my dream. And the elevator was full of my stuff. And I went into the elevator, and I could only get in there by being stooped in a terrible posture. And I said, and I thought to myself, I could stay in the elevator this way or I could wake up. And I sort of woke up.

[15:08]

The practice period is almost over. This is the last lecture of the practice period. And we found some things to do with our eyes and hands and arms. But I hope we've been introduced to the emotional life of a Buddha. of your emotional life, of you as Buddha. development.

[17:35]

should bow you know it works

[18:38]

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