“When
anatta matures, one is fully and completely integrated into whatever
arises till there is no difference and no distinction.
When
sound arises, fully and completely embraced with sound yet
non-attached. Similarly, in life we must be fully engaged yet
non-attached” - John Tan/Thusness
“[6:44
PM, 5/1/2019] John Tan: The 8 worldly concerns are the places you
practice. That is why I told you engage in situations and events. Karmic
propensities will not manifest without conditions. They remain hidden.
Therefore last phase is always the market place. If you did not enter
the marketplace, realization is not actualized.”
"There is the self that arises from conceptual reification, seeing through that with anatta insight is entry point.
There is the self that arises in marketplace, in day to day activities, anatta of that is graduation." - John Tan, 2018
“the
degree of openess and effortlessness are a matter of wisdom in seeing
through... and this seeing through is only actualized in moment to
moment engagement.
We do not know how much residue is left until we meet conditions" - John Tan
“Andre
posted another good article today about how the 8 worldly concerns in
daily engagements relate to agentless-action, dependent origination and
emptiness and all these play their inevitable bits in wearing off our
obscurations. As the sutra explained, habitual obscurations are
exceedingly subtle like scent left behind a container hence there is no
short-cut to liberation -- it’s all step by step and bit by bit erosion
of the nuances and subtleness of “inherentness” in one’s ignorance.” –
John Tan, Connecting dots, authenticating DO
“To
me, actualization of one's insights is like a lotus, pure, mature and
beautiful wherever is. Peace is not sitting [with] nothing to do [while]
appreciating sunrise and sunset
… it is entering hellish conditions [while] not being affected like a lotus.” - John Tan, 2019
[12:04 PM, 4/12/2020] John Tan: I hope this pandemic ends quickly, it is world war III in actuality.
[12:05
PM, 4/12/2020] John Tan: But it is extremely touching to see some
people showing care to those that needs them. Even hawkers are showing.
[12:05 PM, 4/12/2020] John Tan: ‘I’m losing money, might as well do good’: The hawkers helping the helpless
[12:06 PM, 4/12/2020] John Tan: It is extremely warm to read these kind of stories.
[12:08 PM, 4/12/2020] John Tan: You see, I want you to look into these in practice.
[12:09
PM, 4/12/2020] John Tan: Practice is not just non-dual. But to dirty
your hand and still rising above them like the symbol of a lotus. Not
disassociating.
“IMO
there is no further, it is the depth of how deep and how much the self
is released regardless of what path is taken. I am not a teacher, there
may be other ways… … Dealing with the mind, energy and awareness is a
complex journey. There is the safe way and the dangerous way. The way is
quite straightforward but the mind uncontented will look for shortcuts
as it wants more. But that is usual… lol. There are those that want
others to know about it and wrote about it and there are those that are
not into this.
Soh has written a lot and visited many masters that can probably share with you better.
As
for me, my path is simple. It is just plainly and simply opening myself
in my work, seeing my family and children enjoy… ever tasting these
natural expressions. I find them miraculous yet ordinary, others may not
and look for more. So I am unable to tell them anything further.” -
John Tan, 2019
“Actually
there is no forcing. All the 4 aspects in I AMness are fully expressed
in anatta as I told you. If aliveness is everywhere, how is one not to
engage… it is a natural [tendency] to explore in [various] arena[s] and
enjoy in business, family, spiritual practices... I [am] involve[d] in
Finance, business, society, nature, spirituality, yoga...
. I don't find it efforting… You just don't have to boast about this and that and be non-dual and open.” - John Tan, 2019
“Just
met a friend yesterday who recently started meditating. His girlfriend
joked that he might be becoming a monk. I told him that besides the
daily sitting meditation, practice is mostly and very much in daily life
and engagement rather than in some remote region in the mountains, it
is about living a life in the marketplace that is spontaneously
beneficial for oneself and others around, and joyful, rather than one
that is miserable. It is fully engaged and free.
At
its deepest, most basic level, Zen—or any spiritual path, for that
matter—is much more than a list of what we can get from it. In fact, Zen
is the realization of the oneness of life in all its aspects. It’s not
just the pure or “spiritual” part of life: it’s the whole thing. It’s
flowers, mountains, rivers, streams, and the inner city and homeless
children on Forty-second Street. It’s the empty sky and the cloudy sky
and the smoggy sky, too. It’s the pigeon flying in the empty sky, the
pigeon shitting in the empty sky, and walking through the pigeon
droppings on the sidewalk. It’s the rose growing in the garden, the cut
rose shining in the vase in the living room, the garbage where we throw
away the rose, and the compost where we throw away the garbage. Zen is
life—our life. It’s coming to the realization that all things are
nothing but expressions of myself. And myself is nothing but the full
expression of all things. It’s a life without limits. There are many
different metaphors for such a life. But the one that I have found the
most useful, and the most meaningful, comes from the kitchen. Zen
masters call a life that is lived fully and completely, with nothing
held back, “the supreme meal.” And a person who lives such a life—a
person who knows how to plan, cook, appreciate, serve, and offer the
supreme meal of life, is called a Zen cook.”
“But
why does a venerable elder such as yourself waste time doing the hard
work of a head cook?” Dogen persisted. “Why don’t you spend your time
practicing meditation or studying the words of the masters?” The Zen
cook burst out laughing, as if Dogen had said something very funny. “My
dear foreign friend,” he said, “it’s clear you do not yet understand
what Zen practice is all about. When you get the chance, please come and
visit me at my monastery so we can discuss these matters more fully.”
And with that, he gathered up his mushrooms and began the long journey
back to his monastery. Dogen did eventually visit and study with the Zen
cook in his monastery, as well as with many other masters. When he
finally returned to Japan, Dogen became a celebrated Zen master. But he
never forgot the lessons he learned from the Zen cook in China.”
- Zen Master Bernie Glassman” - Soh, 2019
“In
Zen, enlightenment implies full integration into activities. Any lack
of such insight is not 'enlightenment in Zen'.” - John Tan, 2010
“My daily activities are not unusual,
I'm just naturally in harmony with them.
Grasping nothing, discarding nothing,
In every place there's no hindrance, no conflict.
Who assigns the ranks of vermilion and purple?
The hills' and mountains' last speck of dust
is extinguished.
[My] supernatural power and marvelous activity—
Drawing water and carrying firewood.” - Layman Pang
For more: ATR Guide - Entering the Marketplace, Actualizing Daily Life
Posts
