There was an occasion when I was invited to give a teaching at a Buddhist temple, focused on the topic of 'inclusion versus exclusion.' As I traveled to the center using public transportation, I dressed in Western street clothes to blend in... 'Along this Way goes no one' intention, so to speak. Entering the temple, something happened that could be jarring for some, but every day for one with my skin color, so not unfamiliar.
Before I even had a chance to speak, several people approached me, their expressions and behavior marked by suspicion. They questioned my presence, and there was a noticeable lack of kindness in their manner and tone. I experienced the vibe and weight of their assumptions. I quietly made my way to the changing room and put on my monk's robes.
When I emerged, wearing my O-kesa, the transaction in their demeanor was obvious. Suddenly, the very same people who confronted me 10 minutes prior, Now bowed deeply with an elegance and reverence they hadn't shown before. Ahhh 'consumerist dharma dot com.'
This experience points toward something vital: they lost sight of their vows and forgotten the deeper truth that underpins our practice. All beings, animate and inanimate, great and small, regardless of the clothes we wear, are embedded with Buddha-DNA—Universal Loving Presence DNA. It's THIS essence, not outward appearance, that is worthy of esteem.
Given the above, as an aspect of personal practice, I regularly strip away the conveniences and comforts of my outward robe and kesa. This voluntary deprivation brings me face-to-face with culture without the varnish. Living without certain amenities, embracing what Zen calls Wabi Sabi—the beauty of imperfection and impermanence—has been an honest teacher. It offers a clearer understanding of people's personality before principle in its rawest expression.
One does not need to be a Zen monk to learn from this. Anyone can allow these experiences to unfold and reveal the truth of things as they are. To know the vulnerability of others is to know the vulnerability of others, and cultivate empathy.
On 9/11 THIS shared vulnerability was clear. because of far too many 'conveniences' and selectivity, we have forgotten our Reality.
一Empty Flow, Clear Peak
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