Mondo Text for July 2013 - KUSEN: Oral Teaching Number 1, by Robert Livingston Roshi

The discussion text for July is Robert Livingston Roshi's KUSEN: Oral Teaching Number 1 (New Year Sesshin 1997 at the New Orleans Zen Temple). 26 pages. Copies are available for purchase ($5) or for loan.

Excerpt from December 29, 1997, 3:30 pm ...

People think too much, have too many ideas, concepts in the brain. Always thinking about this, that and the other. True Zen, the satori of zazen, has nothing to do with concepts, nothing to do with words. These things are the fruits of man's complicated brain, thought patterns. If you hang on to ideas and definitions, you are taking a position, you are opposing the cosmic order.

You must understand that the basic law of the universe, of the entire cosmos, is mujo, constant change. From one moment to the next, nothing in the entire cosmos remains the same - nothing. So if there is constant change in the reality of the cosmos, what good is hanging on to some idea or definition or concept going to do you? If you hang on to anything, attach to anything, the result is going to be problems, pain and suffering.

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