Tag: Mu-nan and Shoju

Tuesday August 4th, 2020

I set the clock for 7:30am last night and rose closer to 7:45am, which was earlier than yesterday. Doing exercises first thing in the morning is challenging. I confess I did a bit of sweeping to warm up. It is nice to have them out of the way early.

It’s street cleaning day. The old purple car is in the driveway rather than on the street, giving me a chance to take a few pictures of our house. Actually, if you stand across the street from our house, you don’t see much of the house. The camphor tree has filled out once more and looks like a lollipop tree. It is flanked on either end by large spider lilies, also dong well. During the drought, we almost lost that tree, and very little grew next to it. Now it’s lush.

Sensei taught class, and we had a “ripening” promotion for L. L and I traded off calling kihon. Her feet are still healing, so Sensei had given her some modified exercises to do. Her modified version of 4th kyu syllabus was really cool. We should ask her to teach the rest of us! She did pass her promotion with flying colors (green being the primary one in this case.)

F and I got in exercises with L, while she did her requirements. After class, I made up the rest I “owed” for my rank. I also got in some kata practice during my lunch hour.

I did some thinking about that “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones” story that I wrote about yesterday. The religious traditions I have studied more extensively, I admit, are heavily text-centered. Judaism, along with Christianity and, I believe, Islam, each put emphasis on their scriptures and written commentary. Writings may not influence so heavily other religious traditions. Some traditions emphasize the transmission of teachings or spirituality through experience and interaction. Zen Buddhism certainly seems to do this. So my bookish shock over the loss of old writings is probably a bias on my part. Shoju was intent on preserving another kind of tradition, and would not allow the honoring of things (old writings) to usurp the seeking and/or experience of enlightenment.

But I don’t disavow my love and appreciation for old texts. Writings are, after all, communications from people, however imperfect. Someone somewhere decided to write something down, and because of this, we can hear voices that are two thousand years old. How cool is that?

Monday August 3rd, 2020

Promotion week! In the past, the ichi kyu testing for shodan would do the “kata walk:” all the required katas, along with the flexibility test, on Tuesday night. Usually on Friday night, s/he would teach a course on self-defense, and demonstrate some techniques. Sensei is not likely to be on the Zooms for Tuesday for Friday night. T, however, could call on either TF, F or me to demonstrate techniques.

In the dojo’s distant past, probably under the IKO, I’m guessing, it could be the same day. So, after ten rounds of kumite, the ichi kyu may have to do the kata walk and break boards. Sensei seems to be planning something more along those lines, substituting a rigorous cardio work-out for kumite.

All the ichi kyus, after the dojo’s closure, have been teaching a lot over Zoom. None of us, unless we spar with family members, have really been able to practice kumite. Many of our students have little space for kata that travel, since they are doing what they can in bedrooms and living rooms. F, S and I are fortunate to have a back yard, and each other, for practice.

Once the pandemic ends, we hope to schedule a “make-up” ten round kumite match, or, in T’s case and possibly B’s case, a twenty-man or woman fight. I am not certain B will test for Nidan this Saturday, but I suspect she will help judge. I sure hope so. She is sharp.

This morning, I did exercises before cleaning. It was tough! My usual routine of cleaning first must get me moving and help my mind get going. For the next few days, I plan to get up a bit earlier, and start with exercises. Hopefully, by Saturday, F and I will be able to get up early and not have such a shock to the system. The actual test is scheduled early.

I also did jump-rope interval training and practiced the ura katas, along with Tsuki No Kata, Yonsu, and Gekisai Dai and Sho. D took the kids to the orthodontist, so they didn’t practice with me. Doing these kata in sneakers isn’t easy. I have better balance in bare feet. In the evening, I did my second set of exercises.

This week, I will also take some time off work, but not as much as I’d originally hoped. However, given I’ve been on reduced hours, and the reality that we may have more lay-offs, etc., I will work while I can.

Yesterday, we held our usual Sunday planning meeting for the martial arts club. One big topic of discussion: a Zoom sleep-over and movie being planned by the Youth Council. We also had a potential guest instructor join our meeting for a bit, and we spoke with him about teaching over Zoom.

D and I also had a bit of a debate over a story from “Zen Flesh, Zen Bones” on Sunday. The story is called “What are you doing?! What are you saying?!” In a nutshell, a Zen master, Mu-nan, wants to give his successor, Shoju, a book containing commentaries from masters going back seven generations. Shoju politely declines the book, saying he is satisfied with the way he received Zen from Mu-nan, which was orally. Mu-nan offers again and Shoju persists. Finally Mu-nan insists, saying Shoju can use the book as a symbol of receiving Zen teachings. Shoju thrusts the book into burning coals as soon as he receives it. Mu-nan shouts, “What are you doing?!” Shoju responds, “What are you saying?!”

Of course the lesson is non-attachment to things, regardless of the age or quality of the thing. I get it. But it’s a hard story to hear in the days when ancient Buddha statues have been dynamited by extremists of other religions. Also, in my American culture, burning books calls up all sorts of bad connotations: censorship, close-minded people, Orwellian societal mind-control–similar to our views of those who blow up ancient statues. Surely, Shoju, knowing that destroying that book would cause pain, could have figured out a way to be free of its possession without setting it on fire?