Disclaimer: I'm not good with words. That being said, I think you have the idea. If we're washing dishes, for instance, we should be washing dishes --not washing dishes, trying to balance our checkbooks in our head, planning dinner, etc. Like a smoky fire which doesn't burn effectively (it's just as much NOT burning as it is burning -- there's still wood everywhere), the person who is trying to do more than one thing at once isn't really doing any of them.
I can remember times when I was so absorbed in an activity that "I" didn't exist. There was no "me" doing anything. It's hard to put into words. On the flipside, however, the more I "try" to do this, the more aware of myself I am. It's really just something that happens when I'm fully with what I'm doing. When I let go, I'm fully in the moment without even realizing it, but if I try to force it, I'm all over the place. I probably made no sense. Thank you for your time. Mike On 5/2/06, Eugene <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I am the one that posted this question and I think some explanation is > helpful. The text I meant is the following: > > "In order not to leave any traces, when you do something, you should > do it with your whole body and mind; you should be concentrated on > what you do. You should do it completely, like a good bonfire. You > should not be a smoky fire. You should burn yourself completely. If > you do not burn yourself completely, a trace of yourself will be left > in what you do. You will have something remaining which is not > completely burned out. Zen activity is activity which is completely > burned out, with nothing remaining but ashes. This is the goal of our > practice. That is what Dogen meant when he said, "Ashes do not come > back to firewood." Ash is ash. Ash should be completely ash. The > firewood should be firewood. When this kind of activity takes place, > one activity covers everything." > > I can understand one does everything with full commitment... Is that > what is meant? It seems more complex than that.. > > > --- In [email protected], "Eugene" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I am reading the book Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, of Shunryu Suzuki - > > an excellent book. It goes into depths while being understandable. > > > > However, there is a concept in it I don't understand. I would like > to > > have some explanation... > > > > It is about going fully into an activity, leaving nothing of > yourself > > behind. So you are like ash afterwards... who has read this book and > > can explain? > > > > thanks! > > > > > > > > > > Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are > reading! Talk about it today! > > > ------------------------------ > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > > - Visit your group "Zen_Forum<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum>" > on the web. > > - To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED]<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > - Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of > Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>. > > > ------------------------------ > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
