On Today's "Top Ten" Countdown of the  "Pure Virtues of the Bodhisattva" ...

... we come to No. 5 ...  Meditation .. Dhyana ... (not to be confused with the 50's song 'Diana' ...

 Hold me, darling, ho-ho hold me tight  Squeeze me baby with-a all your might

Oh, please stay by me, Diana  Oh, please, Diana  Oh, please, Diana  Oh, please, Diana)

Anyway, we spoke about this just a few days ago, in looking at Master Dogen's 'Bendowa" ... how 'Zazen' may thus appear to be well down the list ... just one of many Buddhist practices ... ... but is better seen as the very center of all ... Zazen as the heart & foundation of the Bodhisattva Virtues.  Zazen is the spindle which makes the whole record spin, baby! (for those old folks who remember 'records') And if you think too that Zazen's just some narrow form of 'meditation' ... a little tool, bit of a mind trip, some one hit wonder ... ... change that tune!

Like that song says ...

You and I will be as free  As the birds up in the trees  ... Dhyana

Last time, in our discussion of the Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" (Paramitas) of the Bodhisattva path ...

we talked about "Patience" ... ... and today we will talk about the Perfection of Effort and Diligence (Virya Paramita). All the perfections go hand-in-hand, each supporting and nurturing the others. Each is part of the Bodhisattva's vow to "Save All Sentient Beings". But "Patience" and "Diligent Effort" have a special bond ...

Our way might be called "patience in effort", "stillness in motion" "quiet in action" ...

... for, with the latter alone, we are always running headlong through life, trying to find the end of a rainbow which we never reach, rarely at ease, unsatisfied, never arriving at the ultimate goal  ...

... while the former alone leads to passivity, inaction, complacency and resignation.    Thus, remember that our teachings emphasize, not just stillness ... but stillness in, as and amid the motion. Yes, we are like a stone Buddha in the garden, sitting with come what may, not budging if it rains or if the sun comes out. It is all the same

. ... yet the stone Buddha rises, dances and lives life!

This is the reason I repeatedly emphasize that our Way is stillness in action ... effort without effort ...

Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" (Paramitas in Sanskrit) are fundamental to the Bodhisattva path. Today, we will discuss the Perfection of Patience  (Kshanti Paramita) If the video does not work today ...  please consider it a perfect chance to put this Perfection into Practice!

Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" (Paramitas in Sanskrit) are fundamental to the Bodhisattva path. Today, we will discuss the Perfection of an ethical life,  in keeping with the Precepts  (Shila Paramita)

Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" (Paramitas in Sanskrit) are fundamental to the Bodhisattva path. Today, we will discuss Generosity (Dana Paramita)