SO TO ZEN - Shasta Abbey

The Key to the Doctrines 79the True Nature of man, he was able to say, ÒBecome aBuddha!Ó We must incessantly practice serene reflectionmeditation and come to see that we are not ÒThe Buddha,Ó butthere is nothing in us that is separate or apart from the OriginalBuddha. The ability to see our own shortcomings and errors istermed Òconfession and contrition.Ó Although we feel that anybreakage of the Precepts is a loathsome thing, we may say thatthere is nothing quite so beautiful as a former error which isrepented. This urge to honestly look at oneÕs shortcomings firstarises as a result of deep faith. *Serene reflection meditation is the basic expression of areligion which emphasizes training. Once its foundation isfirmly laid, it may become an activity of the Buddha adaptableto our daily life. Since it is a practice which rests on enlightenment,it will transform our ordinary daily activities into sacredones and reveal the peaceful mind of original enlightenment.After Great Master D‡gen arrived in Ningpo, he lived for awhile in the boat which had brought him from Japan. One daythe chief cook from a temple on Mt. Ayuwan (J. Aiku‡) came* The word ÒsangeÓ which is translated as contrition and confessioncan be translated as Òcasting flower petals before the Buddha.Ó It is quitedifferent from accusing oneÕs self of having sinned and holding on toguilt. It entails embracing and accepting responsibility for all oneÕs pastbehavior and offering up the resultant suffering to the Unborn.