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A bodhisattva may never rest and he may rest. This type
ofreasoning has always confounded Western students of Buddhism.
Atface value there appears to be a contradiction. Yet,
eachstatement is absolutely valid on its own without contradicting
theother statement.
To thin that a bodhisattva may rest can condemn him to
theultimate "sin" in Buddhism, sloth. For the bodhisattva
"...shouldlive neither in control nor in indulgence of his mind.
Not livingin either of the two extremes is the domain of the
bodhisattva."(Vimala irti, 47) The ey to understanding resting and
not restingis in understanding the true meaning of the term
"rest."
To a bodhisattva, rest is not a time to put his guard down andta
e a brea from spiritual practice, sort of li e a
bodhisattvahalf-time. To rest means just to rest. This means
entering fullyinto the moment, putting all energies towards the
activity of rest.A rest performed with all of ones energy is a true
Buddhist rest.This is the "...domain essentially without underta
ing, yet whereall the roots of virtue are underta en without
interruption..."(Vim, 48) Similar to the Taoist doctrine of Wei Wu
Wei, actionthrough non-action, the bodhisattva acts by doing
nothing. This"doing nothing" is essentially, an action.
This type of practice, where every action is an expression
of
ones way of being in the world, is also an analogy
forenlightenment. Enlightenment can never be realized by
searchingfor it, it can only be realized by living an enlightened
life,expressing oneself in an enlightened manner. More than
thatthough, the practice of living in the moment, or mindfulness,
isenlightenment itself!
...it is impossible that I should attain the
perfectenlightenment of Buddhahood! Why? Because
perfectenlightenment stands upon the impossible. Because it
isimpossible, no one attains the perfect enlightenment
ofBuddhahood. (Vim, 62)
Whether one is helping the poor, driving a car or resting, if
theactivity is done one hundred percent in the moment with all
ones
being and without ulterior motives or the thought of reward,
thatactivity is enlightenment in action.Those determined to live an
enlightened life through
mindfulness and a detachment to the ego are destined
forenlightenment. According to the Vimala irti sutra,
"Buddha-qualities do not grow in those determined for the absolute
but dogrow in those who conceive the spirit of enlightenment..."
(Vim,66) By just living in the moment, or living life "just li e
this"to use the words of the Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn,
thebodhisattva avoids attachment to thoughts and feelings that
occur.When a bodhisattva wants to thin or listen to music, he thin
s orlistens to music. He doesn't listen to music while driving
hiscar, or thin while trying to listen to music. Actions are
performed with ones entire being, one at a time. Only in that
waycan one experience reality in the moment.
They (bodhisattva's) journey through all Buddha-fieldsIn order
to bring benefit to living beings,
Yet they see those fields as just empty space,Free of any
conceptual notions of "living beings"(Vim, 68)
This passage is an example of "just li e this." The
bodhisattvaperforms an action without conceptual thought
hindrances.
Actions performed with mindfulness in an enlightened manner
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might be thought of as sacred or spiritual. Li ewise,
everydayactions might be thought of as actions performed by those
not onthe bodhisattva path, actions that are performed by a
deludedindividual who does not follow the Dharma. However, both of
theseperspectives are wrong and right.
Actions are not sacred or secular, for that would be
anattachment to name and form. "To say, `this is mundane' and
`Thatis transcendental' is dualism. This world has the nature
ofvoidness, so there is neither transcendence nor
involvement,neither progress nor standstill...." (Vim 74) Yet to
notdistinguish a bodhisattvas actions from enlightened activity
anddelusive activity is to ignore the reality of the situation,
thatof bodhisattva actions and deluded actions. If this was a Zen
o-an, the Master would threaten to hit the student if he
answeredwhich one of these perspectives were right or wrong. So
what isthe answer? My answer is: "This paper is finished," just li
ethat.
