Mountain Sages (Diaz)

 



Full potential unfolds by abiding in a things own condition.

"Now" landscape actualizes "ancient" buddha expression.

Mountain walking looks different from human walking.

Lack of understanding might be because of the world of phenomena used as the standard.

Walking equals permanence.

Forward and backward movement never ceases and never obstructs.

Characteristics of walking, flowing, and birthing manifest form and life force?

Or is it the other way around?

"Pursue beyond the limit of pursuit"


As I look over my notebook entries at the things that jumped out of the pages at me and how I summed them up in my own words, a theme has emerged to me. It is also in light of our latest conversation about the possibility of water representing life or self. As I consider how life flows unceasingly, and how sometimes it feels like I am moving forward, achieving, and sometimes like I'm stuck, still, but not in the peaceful kind of still, or even times when I'm taking "two steps back", these sentences actually give me solace. There is a mountain and water that might be considered a kind of life force within me that cannot be understood simply by the phenomena or standards of my human experience. While my human experiences with mountains and rivers can certainly inform me of the health of this life force, I'm urged by Dogen to pursue beyond the limits of pursuit, or as I take that to mean: keep questioning, keep digging, keep exploring. There is more to this life force than I know at this moment and it is an ever changing, ever flowing thing with a whole world of walking mountains to reveal to me. Taking the time to observe outside of my normal human judgements, I may be able to see the mountains and waters within me as sources of learning and wisdom, "In this way, investigate mountains thoroughly. When you investigate mountains thoroughly, this becomes the endeavor within the mountains. Such mountains and waters of themselves become wise persons and sages." I am made of dirt, air, water, and heat as is the world of my experience. The mountains and waters, the landscape of "now", have much to reveal to me of the ancient world that is not concerned with time and if I am willing to open myself, allow myself to be caught by the things I chase, I wonder what will manifest!


Comments

  1. Krishnan VenkateshMay 7, 2021 at 9:14 PM

    And it won't necessarily be comfortable or pleasant. Do you think water is ever still? Even standing pools evaporate, even underground reservoirs have animals in them that make currents, or tiny leaks and drips. Your post is making me think that Dogen wants us to consider carefully literal things like waters and mountains, because what is true for them will be true for everything -- or conversely, if you consider yourself, you will understand mountains.

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