Shokai The Bondsman

I finally found a use for the Unsellable Condo in Vinings. I used it as collateral. To get someone out of jail. For racketeering.

As you can imagine, there's a long back story, but it doesn't matter and I won't tell it here. What does matter and what will be discussed here is that we should do what we can to help out others, without judgement, without expectation of a reward. If someone asks for your assistance and you can do that which is asked of you, then why not?

Zen Master Dogen once said that if someone asks a Buddha or a Bodhisattva for help, they are willing to offer their own flesh and limbs. So why turn someone away who comes to you and asks you for a reference or to assist in a legal matter? Because you are afraid of what people will say? This just shows how deep your attachment of the Self is. Even if people criticize your actions as unbecoming of a Buddhist, if you help others even a little bit and have no desire yourself for fame or profit, you are following the Way.

Dogen was asked what if the request might cause another person to lose his belongings or have something bad happen to them? Should such a request be honored?

Dogen replied, "It is not for us to decide whether the request is good or bad. Even if it appears to be wrong, if you have a friend who respects you and whom you do not want to go against, and he requests your support to do something possibly wrong and unacceptable, you should carefully listen to his request and tell others in your response that you are acting on the exact words that you have heard and that the matter should be dealt with reasonably. If you treat each situation in this way, no one will hold a grudge. You must consider things like this very meticulously in every encounter or situation. The primary concern is to cast aside the desire for fame and ego-attachment in whatever situation.”

Some people think that if they were to put the welfare of others first, their own benefits would be reduced. This is not true. Helpful conduct is the whole dharma. It is all-encompassing, and universally benefits both self and others. It is not that difficult to cultivate such an attitude, but to maintain it and follow through with it completely is difficult.