Monday, November 21, 2005

"One should not see tolerance or patience as a kind of weakness, or giving in, but rather as a sign of strength. Patience and tolerance comes from the ability to remain firm and steadfast and not be overwhelmed by the adverse situations or conditions that one faces."
- The 14th Dalai Lama

The weather grows colder, the holidays approach, work gets even busier, and I head out to open the Zendo. Pulling up, I see no cars in the parking lot yet - it's still early, but could I be facing a second night of no-shows? I unlock the front door, light a candle and some incense, bowing in gassho as I humbly offer myself for the night's service.

Still setting up for the night, I hear a car pull into the lot- at least there's one other this evening. In walks T., one of our Monday night regulars. We talk for a few minutes; she wants to know the meaning of the Japanese sutra that's recited on weekend mornings, the Maka Hanya Haramita (or, as I irreverently call it, the "Hanya Makarena"). We talk, and a few more people arrive, and at 7:30 we start the service.

Sitting is for one hour (one hour of enlightenment), and we have a brief discussion afterwards (one hour of delusion). Bob stays behind for a while, as he usually does, and we have a nice conversation about careers and houses and things of the world, and also sesshins at other sanghas, other teachers, and news from elsewhere.

I lock the doors and head for my car, once again alone in the parking lot. The night has grown colder - the wind has picked up - but the moon still appears nearly full.

1 comment:

Mumon K said...

she wants to know the meaning of the Japanese sutra that's recited on weekend mornings, the Maka Hanya Haramita (or, as I irreverently call it, the "Hanya Makarena"). We talk, and a few more people arrive, and at 7:30 we start the service...


As Douglas Hofstadter might have said if he knew about the sutra and were asked the question (or me) "The source code is not very different from the object code."

Have a good Thanksgiving.