In each and every hobby, every sport, every action you have the potential for enlightenment. Through the repeated practice of an art, hobby, etc ., you can realize the principles behind Zen Buddhism. All of that stands in the form of the practitioner’s Buddhist enlightenment is his own perception of the practice and of the earth around him. Until he comes to recognize that everything can be interrelated, that may be, until this individual understands that nothing at all exists without being defined by simply something else, enlightenment will forever be placed safely out of the way. Upon the realization that all things shortage their own-essence (because nothing at all can are present without being defined by a thing else), he can come to determine that: the bowler will not seek to topple down the buy-ins, the mixture does not keep pace with hit the ball, as well as the archer would not seek to pierce the target. All are looking to find “real insight into the greatest state to be, ” (Onuma 26) simply by realizing and understanding how they themselves connect with the goal of all their sport of preference.
No-mind (mushin)
The concept of no-mind rests in the middle of Yoga Buddhism. Person who possesses this kind of quality is completely aware of almost everything. And yet, there is nothing able to disrupt him, inspite of his total awareness (Salgado, April 11). He perceives things because “neither 3rd party substances nor dreams or perhaps illusions¦. with no denying the forms found in daily life [he], however, does not hold on them or perhaps take them to be the only reality” (Kasulis 44). This person examines situations having a non-dualistic point of view (an understanding objects are interrelated with other things). He understands that basketball pins just exist as the bowler defines them, targets only can be found because archers define all of them, and so on. The reverse is valid as well, a bowler simply exists because he has bowling pins to fell, as well as the archer just exists because he has a target to capture at. Mainly because these objects, lacking their very own own-essences, require someone/something to define their very own existence, it can be said that the objects are interchangeable. The archer is the target, and vice-versa. Therefore , in a way, once shooting in the target the archer is definitely shooting at himself.
This state of total consciousness brought on through enlightenment caused by the continual practice of a specific art form, is some thing only a select few are privy to. The vast majority of people see items as being dualistic. In other words, persons see the archer only as the archer, and the goal as only the target. They can be unable to start to see the interrelatedness of objects. One’s own thoughts lead to all their downfall in this area.
Thinking/Not Thinking/Without Thinking
If perhaps one is going after Zen enlightenment, one should be prepared for his or her own thoughts to betray them. Because we think in language, and language is inherently dualistic, our thoughts too happen to be dualistic (Salgado, April 18). As humans, everyday we think about wherever we must go and whatever we must do. In our thoughts we all put brands to items, places, and situations irrespective of the interrelatedness that results in their existence. In addition to this, if one is obsesses about the best way to do something, this means that on the other hand there is a wrong way to do that. Looking at items in terms of correct and incorrect, good and evil, etc ., is dualistic and will just serve to sluggish, stop, and even reverse a person’s progress as one seeks enlightenment.
In his publication Zen inside the Art of Archery, Eugen Herrigel reports on his pursuit of Zen enlightenment through learning archery. He describes a point in his mission where, after a long amount of training beneath his learn, he grows a method of dislodging his grip of the arrow. Because this method allowed him to fire the arrow within a manner this individual considered to be very good, he continued to utilize it. After seeing his disciple’s fresh technique, the master believed he had recently been cheated and “declined to instruct [him] any kind of further” (Herrigel 50). Got it not recently been for his friend who have consulted with the master in Herrigel’s part, his trip to discover Yoga would have ended there, almost all a result of his thinking.
By developing a unique technique for the sole purpose of loosing the arrow, Herrigel was thinking dualistically in a few different ways. This individual separated his own lifestyle from that with the bow associated with the arrow. And he was thinking simply of what he must carry out in order to fire a correct shot. He was certain this was what needed to be performed. This is the loss that thinking will bring to visit discover Yoga.
In addition to thinking of what one should do, thinking of what one should never do may also inhibit their spiritual development. “Not thinking” and “thinking” are merely two sides of the same coin. “Not thinking” motivates the same dualistic perspective that “thinking” stimulates. An example of this kind of comes from the writings of T. S. Kasulis, who have describes an encounter between two Zen monks and a woman.
The woman is in need of help crossing a river. The first of both monks diminishes to help her, thinking that as a result of his position as a monk, he must not really touch women. The second Yoga monk would not hesitate to handle her across the river. He can later chastised by the 1st monk intended for doing so and responds by saying, “as soon even as had crossed the lake I put her straight down. But you! You have been having her all of this time” (Kasulis 46). The mistake that the first monk produced was distancing the notions of guy and female. He was thinking dualistically. The second monk’s actions yet , represented the right Zen Buddhist reaction to this case. He served without thinking.
To behave without thinking is only to act. Not having thought of potential consequences (either positive or perhaps negative), a single only will what is thought to be right, after which moves on to something else. Living life in this manner does not always mean that one can never experience thoughts. Rather, one does have thoughts, but an person thought hardly ever leads to another (Salgado, The spring 11). By simply always acting “without considering, ” one particular lives via action to action, which is not susceptible to the dualistic pitfalls developed by both equally “thinking” and “not considering. “
Conclusion
To be able to reach enlightenment in Yoga Buddhism, one is not limited only to training activities just like bowling and archery. An almost infinite number of hobbies may act as a pathway for this understanding. For example, even the mastery of a computer game can promote the growth of Zen rules. By playing Super Mario World several for example , anybody can learn to act without thinking. Following going through the amount enough instances, playing them well becomes almost second nature. One will no longer aims to attain points through various strategies within the video game, or considers the benefits collecting bonuses, extra-lives, etc . 1 just takes on the game. Thoughts occur, yet do not connect. The experience is really Zen.
