We will talk about ignorance and suffering in the coming days, but I wanted to jump right into “old age and death” …

The’re not there … and they never cease!

No/ ig/no/rance/, no/ end/ to/ ig/no/rance/;
No/ old/ age/ and/ death/,
No/ ces/sa/tion/ of/ old/ age/ and/ death/;
No/ suf/fer/ing/, nor/ cause/ or/ end/ to/ suf/fer/ing/

Master Dogen wrote in Shobogenzo Shoji (Birth & Death) …


Just understand that birth-and-death is itself nirvana. There is nothing such as birth and death to be avoided; there is nothing such as nirvana to be sought. Only when you realize this are you free from birth and death.

It is a mistake to suppose that birth turns into death. Birth is a phase that is an entire period of itself, with its own past and future. For this reason, in buddha-dharma birth is understood as no-birth. Death is a phase that is an entire period of itself, with its own past and future. For this reason, death is understood as no-death. In birth there is nothing but birth and in death there is nothing but death. Accordinly, when birth comes, face and actualize birth, and when death comes, face and actualize death. Do not avoid them or desire them. Birth and death as the experience of nirvana.

And he wrote in Shobogenzo Genjo Koan

Birth is an expression complete this moment. Death is an expression complete this moment. They are like winter and spring. You do not call winter the beginning of spring, nor summer the end of spring.

NOTE: THE SIGNAL DROPPED DURING THE SITTING,
SO THERE IS NO CLOSING BELL …
PLEASE KEEP TRACK OF YOUR TIME.
FITTING THAT OUR SIT HAS NO END!


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