Several recent events inspire me to write a, hopefully, short piece about our sangha here in the Mokurai Silent Thunder lineage. It feels timely, as we have just finished a three-day retreat at ASZC chanting the Zen liturgy and are focusing our online dharma study during 2024 and 2025 on teachings from our Uchiyama and Matsuoka roots.
The first nudge to write this was a member of our Atlantic Soto Zen group (Halifax, Nova Scotia affiliate sangha) mentioning that some branches of Zen seem to put more emphasis on helping others through formal social programs. Bernie Glassman’s work in feeding the hungry might be an example many are familiar with.
The second occurrence was an older member saying that the Tibetan practitioners feel that deep inside, people are good, but adding that he had his doubts as his observations did not support that idea. I was asked, “Do you really think people are good deep inside?”
The question itself is a problem as it reduces the fluid, ever changing compexity of multiple individuals into a static unchanging permanent “either or.” Perhaps this is why the wording in our second Pure Precept says, “Do Good,” rather than “Be Good.” As O’Sensei Matsuoka would say, “Zen is great action.”
The left logical side of the brain, often referred to as the discursive mind, likes symbols such as words and letters, likes things simple, and likes things to be controllable. It takes the intricate, fascinating complexity of dozens of varieties consisting of millions of individuals doing billions of actions, and reduces it down to D O G. No wonder our Zen ancestors cautioned their students that some things “…cannot be understood by discriminative thinking.” 1
That, “…too many words and thoughts do not accord with the Way.” 2
And to not get caught up in “…chasing words and investigating phrases.” 3
Had my brain functioned quickly, I might have responded that the Tibetans are likely referring to each individual’s original buddha nature while his observations were likely noticing the monkey mind’s hi-jinks or the beginningless greed and hate that are inherent to our human nature. 4
It didn’t respond quickly but may be forgiven as it is an old astronaut presently on its seventieth orbit around the sun. We’ll get to the eventual response, but first a little back story is needed.
About six months earlier, this second individual had returned from living on the other side of the continent in order to lovingly and meticulously care for a former partner who was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Our exchange took place in the middle of his stint of giving companionship and financial aid, purchasing medicines, providing transportation to medical appointments or treatment facilities in the city far away, cooking meals, etc.
As an old geezer, I have had the opportunity of seeing our sangha members act in similar selfless service again and again. During recent months, our guiding teacher and abbot of the Atlanta Soto Zen Center, our main training center, (Go There, You’ll Be Glad You Did) has been giving similar daily care to a man stricken nearly immobile from a deadly brain virus. This support is in addition to that given for addiction issues with this same individual, and others, for decades. Other sangha examples include everything from a mother giving loving care to children suffering with relentless mental health issues while at the same time tending to her critically ill husband, to a member serving on countless non – profit boards and writing a book on backyard ecology for the betterment of his local and provincial communities while struggling with his own and his wife’s health issues, and another devoting super human time and effort as a city councilor striving for governance that will benefit the community, on top of family commitments and holding down another job.
These are not big well-known movements. I happen to know of them not because the individuals were bragging, but simply because I happened to be at the right place and time to observe these acts of quiet hidden virtue. These are only a few examples of what I have seen, and I am just one sangha member. Add to this your own observations and the observations of hundreds of other sangha members. Tally in the half century of devotion, time, and money Abbot Elliston and the Atlanta sangha have volunteered in creating our main training center, then giving ongoing support to the large local and extensive affiliate sanghas, then finally heap on the efforts of our non-profit boards and the ongoing hours practice leaders and their sanghas put in, giving others the opportunity for regular instruction and practice…move over Mother Theresa!
So…the answer this aging grey matter brought forth several hours later and which was sent in reply said, “I find it interesting to be asked if people have goodness deep inside by someone who is presently fulfilling the role of a saint.”
Isn’t it amazing what our discursive minds can overlook. Now, where did I put my glasses?
- Eihei Dogen – Fukanzazengi ↩︎
- Jianzhi Sengcan ↩︎
- Eihei Dogen’s Genjo Koan, Actualizing the Fundamental Point speaks to this and is highly recommended. ↩︎
- If you don’t think people are driven by greed and hate, or infatuation and aversion to word it a bit more softly, look closer. Even atomic particles attract and repel. ↩︎
