DON’T WORRY by Shunmyo Masuno
Anxieties . Worries . Doubts
–
FWD: Fears . Worries . Doubts
–
Zengo: “Look carefully at what is under your own feet.”
–
Zengo: “Eat and drink with your whole heart.”
–
PART ONE
Reduce, let go, leave behind （放下）
–
<1. Don’t delude yourself>
–
Not to compare ourselves.
–
Zengo: “Delude not thyself.”- do not have delusions.
–
Selfish desire . Attachment . Envy . Self-doubt
–
Zengo: “Once enlightened (看破／看开）, there are no favourites.”
–
<2. Focus on ‘now’>
Zengo: “Dwell in the breath.”
–
Dwell in the three worlds: past, present, future.
–
A fixation on the past is an indication of a person’s lack of confidence in the present.
–
Even a chipped bowl can be a vessel for delicious soup to warm someone’s soul. Be the best chipped bowl we can be!
–
<3. Don’t burden yourself or drag yourself down>
Create a spot in your living space where your spirit can settle – ‘spiritual abode’.
–
Put your hands （双手合十）together in gratitude.
–
<4. Pare down your belongings>
Lighten both your mind and body.
–
Attachments cloud our minds.
–
Zengo: “Walking hand-in-hand.”
–
<5. Just be, as you are>
In Buddhism, we are guided by a force greater than ourselves.
–
<6. Take off your coloured glasses>
Zengo: “Don’t wear coloured glasses.”
–
Zengo: “All sentient beings, without exception, have Buddha nature.’ (人人有佛性）（kindness and understanding, warmth and magnanimity…)
–
<7. Be gracious>
Be quick to defer, regardless of your status or position.
–
”Pride leads to failure, and humility is rewarded.” ~ Confucianism
–
<8. Recognize limitations>
=
PART TWO
Concentrate only on things you can achieve here and now. By doing so, you’ll stop thinking about unnecessary things.
–
<9. Reconsider the obvious>
Happiness to be found in the present moment.
–
“There is an appropriate way to do things, at the appropriate time, and in the appropriate place.”
–
Cherish things -> grateful for everything.
–
<10. Don’t rush, don’t panic>
Once a day, make sure to stand still.
–
Zengo: “For every seven times you run, you should sit once.”
–
Being still is not a bad thing.
–
“May or may not.” ~ LG
–
Practice the pause. And practice to pause without worry.
–
<11. Respond positively>
No such thing as a flat, monotonous life.
–
<12. Cherish the morning>
Use time. Not being used up.
–
Not to upset rhythm of your days.
–
Rise early, at the same time every day.
–
Luxurious morning: Rise early, you will create space in your morning.
–
<13. Live by your own standards>
Don’t be swayed by other people’s values.
–
Zengo: “Spiritual enlightenment comes only through personal experience.” Zen prizes practice above all else.
–
You cannot develop standards from knowledge alone. It’s by practice and experience. Practice first and experience second.
–
Live freely on your own terms.
–
<14. Don’t seek out the unnecessary>
Stop bingeing on information.
–
Question your heart, and decide where to focus your efforts. Then gather information only necessary to it.
–
Without choice, efforts are focused. No room for worry, doubt and anxiety.
–
Focus your efforts. Concentrate on here and now.
–
<15. Shine wherever you find yourself>
If not now, when? There is no time but now.
–
Genuinely engaged with your work.
–
You cannot wait around for the life you want to arrive.
–
Change “I have to” to “I want to”, and “I want many” to “I have many”.
–
Zengo: “Change the great earth into gold.”
–
Make an impression. Create a presence.
–
Plant your feet firmly on the ground wherever you find yourself, and you will flourish.
–
<16. Don’t go against your feelings>
Be unfettered by things.
–
State of no-mindedness.
–
Do not calm the ripples. They gradually settle down.
–
Zengo: “The cloud is egoless, it is not undone by the ravine.”
–
A wooden sake vs a bamboo.
–
No need to be indifferent to intense thoughts and feelings.
–
<17. Make your evenings calm>
Quieten the mind before bed.
–
Make time for whatever makes you feel good and helps you relax.
–
=
PART THREE
Step away from competition and things will fall into place.
–
‘People are people, and I am who I am’
–
<18. Don’t fixate on victory or defeat>
It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose.
–
Zengo: “Even when the eight winds blow, do not be moved.”
–
Look inward, at our own heart. Do our best.
–
<19. Keep at it, slow and steady>
Before you envy others’ talents…
–
Learn to persevere and to steadily do your job to the best of your ability. Cultivating this habit will enable you to surpass your talents. Our body learns and remembers this habit.
–
<20. Experience gratitude>
What you can accomplish all by yourself doesn’t amount to much.
–
Okagesama de: Consideration and Thankfulness . Gratitude and Appreciation
–
要做大， 先感恩，先帮人
–
<21. Use the right words>
Kind speech. Seek out others’ good points, and praise them.
–
To feel that praising someone else takes something away from you is shameful.
–
<22. Let young people take charge>
Old awl: worn-down but can’t hurt. Comes in handy.
–
<23. Accept your circumstances>
All things must pass.
–
“Regardless of whether your circumstances are favourable or adverse, the important thing is to move through them graciously.” ~ Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic
–
When you live graciously, there’s no such thing as good or bad circumstances.
–
“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” ~ John Ruskin
–
Zengo: “Every day is a good day.”
–
Your circumstances should have no influence on the way you live your life.
–
The way you live your life will affect how you perceive your circumstances.
–
<24. Do today’s things today>
This is the secret to feeling unconstrained in life.
–
Obviousness puts things beyond your awareness.
–
“Serious matters only matter today.” ~ Dokyo Etan
–
<25. Don’t simply run away>
Zengo: “All things come from nothingness.”
–
<26. Be more tolerant>
“The sages, being sages, ought to be righteous with themselves and not with others. Ordinary people, being ordinary, ought to be forgiving of others and not of themselves.”
–
<27. Go with the flow>
Unwavering determination might appear strong and admirable on the outside, but it’s also associated with mental instability and rigidity.
–
<28. Don’t just talk for the sake of talking>
Opt for ‘cordial silence’ – it builds trust.
–
Zen garden: rock . sand . empty space: Profound stillness . Expansive calm
–
<29. Adjust your breathing>
It alleviates frustration and worry. Cultivates calm and quiet mind.
–
Zengo: “The ordinary mind is the way.”
–
Harmonise our posture, breathing and mind. We adjust our body, then our inhalations and exhalations, and finally our mental state. (Holy Trinity)
–
Zengo: “Do not allow anger to reach your head.”
–
“Mr. Thank You, Mr. Thank You, Mr. Thank You.”
–
“In victory, remember your humility, and in defeat, remember your fighting spirit.”
–
<30. Change the ‘air’ in your home>
Do this first thing, as soon as you wake up in the morning.
–
Zengo: “Return home and sit at ease.”
–
=
PART FOUR
Form good connections and let go of bad ones.
–
<31. Cherish your connections>
Ichi-go Ichi-e.
–
<32. Make good connections>
Create an upward spiral of good people in life.
–
“All sentient beings, without exception, have Buddha nature.” ~ Buddhism
–
Once you make a good connection, it will be linked to your next good connection, which will attract additional good connections.
–
Be prepared. Be engaged. Do your best.
–
Zengo: “Every step is a place to learn.”
–
天下没有白做的事情。~ LG
–
Everything requires discipline.
–
<33. Yield to others>
Best relationship secret: “After you.” (Osaki ni dōzo.)
–
The best position to be in is second place, where you have the ability (opportunity) to say, “After you.”
–
Most people are happy to be presented with the opportunity to go first, and it reflects well on you not to be jockeying for position. You assume a sense of ease and confidence.
–
Zengo: “Gentle face, loving words.”
–
Calm smile . Considerate remarks
–
<34. Don’t wield ‘logic’>
It’s important for everyone to save face.
–
Make someone feel our generosity of spirit.
–
The only thing you get from arguing someone into silence is an empty sense of triumph.
–
恕
–
<35. Spend ten minutes a day in nature>
Zengo: “When you see a flower, savour (品尝) the flower, and when you see the moon, savour the moon.”
–
Go nature. Go blank.
–
<36. Make people want to see you again>
己所不欲 勿施于人
–
<37. Admit errors right away>
Do not delay in making amends for your wrongs.
–
“To err and not change one’s ways, this is what it is to err.”
–
To make a mistake and not apologize – that itself is a mistake.
–
While you’re grappling with whether or how to apologize, the situation becomes only more complicated.
–
Apologise immediately and personally.
–
Zengo: “Face-to-face.”
–
True feelings can be expressed sincerely only in person.
–
The true depth of your feeling comes across physically – in your facial expression, the tone of your voice, and your deportment (仪态). And this can be seen only face to face.
–
<38. Don’t hesitate to ask for help>
Zengo: “Open the gate and you will find long life and happiness.”
–
Being open and honest will bring about many good things.
–
“Suffering, if it is accepted together, borne together, is joy.” ~ Mother Teresa
–
<39. Be a good listener>
Zengo: “The cool breeze sweeps away the bright moonlight, the bright moonlight clears away the cool breeze.”
–
Both the cool breeze and the bright moonlight are beautiful, they take their turn.
–
<40. Don’t base decisions on profits and losses>
Zengo: “The supreme way (path to enlightenment) knows no difficulty, only avoid picking and choosing.” (没得失）
–
Zengo: “Let go of everything.”
–
Surely the first thing we should let go of is a preoccupation with profits and losses.
–
=
PART FIVE
Change how you worry about things.
<41. Money>
The desire for more only makes everything harder.
–
We are constrained by it (pursuit of money), driven by it.
–
I have plenty. I am grateful.
–
”When awake, half a mat; when asleep, one mat; even if you rule the world, four to five bowls.” ~ Japanese maxim
–
<42. Getting Older>
The more you’re able to forgive, the happier you’ll be.
–
“Isn’t learning more about people one of the pleasures of aging?” ~ Seiko Tanabe
–
<43. Old Age>
Maintain your appearance, your posture, your breathing …
–
It’s important to be philosophical about old age.
–
Our appearance has an influence on our spirit. When we present ourselves neatly and tidily, we stand up a little straighter -> chest expands, breathe deeply.
–
Another thing to consider as we get on in years is the value of developing a sense of humour.
–
<44. Love>
Even in matters of love, moderation is just right.
–
“Love is beautiful misunderstanding, marriage is cruel understanding.”
–
<45. Marriage>
‘The only three words a husband would utter inside the house are ‘bath’, ‘dinner’, and ‘bed’.’
–
‘It’s best if the husband is healthy but out of the house.’
–
Being the one whom your partner can complain to shows that you’re trusted.
–
Announce “I’m home.”
–
Zen is about action and behaviour.
–
<46. Children>
‘Three poisons’ – greed (‘a covetous heart’), anger (‘a rageful heart’), and ignorance (‘a foolish heart’)
–
六毒 = 贪、嗔、痴、慢、疑、邪见
–
“To think that you have wealth because you have a child is what brings suffering upon the foolish. We do not own even our own selves, so how can we own a child or wealth?” ~ Buddhism
–
<47. Death>
‘Ah, the life that’s left (the remaining time) is like spare change.’
–
“When we are alive, we must live completely. When we die, we must die completely.” ~ Dogen Zenji
–
Zengo: “Do not judge the past or future.”
–
Each moment exists unto itself, with no relationship to that which came before it or that which comes after it. Life and death are each their own absolute. Life is not about moving towards death, and death is not about being the end of life.
–
While you are alive, dedicate yourself only to living.
–
There is no anxiety or fear of death inherent in doing that.
–
“People ask themselves when is a good time to die, and they think, After I’m enlightened. But that’s wrong. To live peacefully and with composure, that is enlightenment. It isn’t difficult to live peacefully and with composure. When it comes time to die, it’s best to die. While it’s time to live, it’s best to live peacefully and with composure.” ~ Ekiho Miyazaki
–
<48. One’s End>
What words will you be remembered by?
–
“I will not go with death.” ~ Priest Sengai
–
New Year Resolutions: what your hopes are for the year to come, how you would like to live out the new year
–
=
INDEX OF ZENGO, OR ZEN SAYINGS
Look carefully at what is under your own feet.
–
Eat and drink with your whole heart.
–
Delude not thyself.
–
Once enlightened, there are no favourites.
–
Dwell in the breath.
–
Walking hand-in-hand.
–
Don’t wear coloured glasses.
–
For every seven times you run, you should sit once.
–
Spiritual enlightenment comes only through personal experience.
–
Change the great earth into gold.
–
The cloud is egoless, it is not undone by the ravine.
–
Even when the eight winds blow, do not be moved.
–
The old awl comes in handy.
–
Every day is a good day.
–
All things come from nothingness.
–
A flexible mind.
–
Enlightenment is not dependent on words or writing, and spiritual awakening can be attained only through intuitive discernment (辨别力).
–
The ordinary mind is the way.
–
Return home and sit at ease.
–
Ichi-go ichi-e: Once in a lifetime.
–
Every step is a place to learn.
–
Gentle face, loving words.
–
When you see a flower, savour the flower, and when you see the moon, savour the moon.
–
Menju: face-to-face.
–
Open the gate and you will find long life and happiness.
–
The cool breeze sweeps away the bright moonlight, the bright moonlight clears away the cool breeze.
–
The supreme way knows no difficulty, only avoid picking and choosing. (没得失）
–
Hogejaku: let go of everything.
–
Do not judge the past or future.
–
END
