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| Buddha House 16" 20" on display at The Naam |
How many problems do you have? Do you have 83 or 84? Or perhaps you have more? No matter how many problems you have, the Buddha thinks that your real problem is the 84th problem?
Do you know the story of the 84th problem? I know you do, I mean in your everyday life. I'm guessing that if I know it well, you probably have had a little dust up with it yourself. In fact I spend a lot of time wrestling with the 84th problem and I never manage to get it into a figure 4 leg lock, or is that a head lock? So much for my wrestling skills. Whenever things go "wrong" according to how I think they should be the 84th problem has got me down for the count.
Here's a short version of the 84th problem. A farmer goes to see the Buddha because his crops have failed. He's heard that the Buddha is very wise and the farmer is hoping for some help. He tells the Buddha his story and the Buddha tells him he can't help him with that problem. The farmer then complains a little about his wife. "Sorry," the Buddha says, "can't help you with that."
My kids, they don't listen to me or respect me enough."
"Sorry, can't do anything about that."
The farmer offers a few more problems and then laments about the Buddha being so unhelpful. Finally the Buddha offers a little help, "Everyone always has 83 problems, one goes away, another one appears. What I can help you with is your 84th problem."
"What's that?" asks the farmer.
"That you don't want to have any problems."
Now if we could just get over the 84th problem, we'd be fine with things as they are, whatever that happens to be. To just give up our wrestling match with life, that's the simple task. The simple task that's so hard to remember when things don't go "our way". It doesn't mean we never take action or that we don't work for change. It just means we don't argue with what is. We don't need to reject this moment. And we don't even need to reject our rejection of this moment (a particular favourite of mine). We can just feel what it's like to reject, to wish for something else. "Oh, that's how it feels."
This instruction "to just feel what it feels like" was part of our work from the retreat with Howie Cohn on "calming the restless mind" and is a good antidote to the 84th problem. And I had opportunity to to do a little of this work yesterday.
We're building a gate like structure to cover the entry to our open carport. The gate will hide our winter fire wood and other messy bits. I started the morning innocently enough, drinking my coffee and browsing through a design book for ideas. Before I knew it I was admiring all the beautiful homes and wishing mine looked like that, or that I lived in this one, and so on and so on. (I am a recovering design junkie).
This simple pleasant task of sitting in the sun looking at a book morphed into "wanting" and spilled over into an agitation, leaving a subtle unrest and dissatisfaction as I went about my day. In the past I might not even have noticed this domino effect but just felt vaguely unhappy. But now I could clearly see it's origins in the craving for a magazine house, one staged and crafted for a picture in a book. And yet the hangover of craving lingered. And I got to notice, "this is what craving and unrest feels like". I followed it's trail, as it had me looking for a snack, long before I was hungry, had me looking through a slightly darkened lense as I headed to my studio. But I digress from the 84th problem. Or do I?
Surrender to what is. Do not resist. It is what it is.
ReplyDeleteDSG
Zenpresence.com
It is hard to walk this log in the lake of life and to "remember what we already know", as an abbot of thai forest monastery recently said to me.
DeleteNot only do I not want to have my problems, I want to fix them. Where this hits the wall is with this bipolar disorder, which has been so bad this month, worse than ever. A psychiatrist Zen master answered my plea for some Zen-shrink advice with a note that included mention of "abandoning fantasies of escape and control." Gee, and he's never even met me. :) Thanks, I liked this. Maybe it will lead me to a post.
ReplyDeleteI have had a major illness myself, as well as a chronic one that went on for years and so I too know the feeling of "wanting to be rid of this". And my kind Zen teacher would say "of course" and yes it is fine to look for solutions but as you say "fantasies of escape" which we get caught up in are so not helpful. It is hard to be a human!! :)
DeleteYou paint an uncomfortably accurate picture of morphing from 'everything's fine' to 'everything better stay fine' and 'what if things aren't fine anymore?' and 'I wonder what I can do to distract myself from thinking about what if things stop being fine' ...
ReplyDeleteI'm chuckling at your succinct run down of the process! and yes the distraction that's a big player in the process. sheesh, you would definitely think it's a lot easier to just be with what is, wouldn't you?
Deletethe 84th question indeed!! put so well! it actually is the thing I'm working on for this year - being present and knowing that is enough - I choose one thing each year to focus on and I have to say I don't always succeed but on the days I do, it feels like a victory and that wonderful peace settles in. such a good post!! xo
ReplyDeleteHi Jeane, the story is such a wonderful way of showing us how we constantly pull away from what feels uncomfortable. It helps me really get that in very succinct kind of way.
DeleteOUCH... that domino effect really snags & tears, doesn't it... The other day I was thinking about how so much of modern day "entertainments" really just seem to be designs to make us hide from what might ail us, a temporary patch to sooth the uncomfortable. You illustrated so many points on this topic so well, Carol. You should write a book, you know?! ;o) But my fave solution to problems is either tea and sit on my cushion and "sweat out" the uncomfortable/pain/fear... and a long, refreshing walk comes in a close second. Just thinking about that I feel better already...LOL! Lovely to catch up with you after a brief hiatus! Happy Weekend ((HUGS))
ReplyDeletegood to see you back. it's true about the entertainment. occasionally I will see something, a while back it was a giant pleasure craft being pulled down the highway, and it will strike me of how great our inclination to escape really is.
Deletehad one of those lovely walks yesterday. happy blue moon weekend to you!
On the good days I embrace my problems, the growing edge that they bring closer and all the ways that they have taught me to remember the Buddha's teaching,
ReplyDelete"How wonderful!
How wonderful!
All things are perfect just the way they are."
Of course I keep this jewel posted at eye level on my desk. Otherwise it's amnesia time...and DANG that happens just when it's time to breathe in...calm down...and get help with my 84th problem.
Lovin' your MT bowls.
I am learning that hug of the difficult, moving in and out of it, like a strange little dance.
ReplyDeleteLove your inspired phrase that you keep above your desk.
Bowling with the MT?
[And I got to notice, "this is what craving and unrest feels like"] Yes! Notice! My chiropractor once said to me... Let go of needing to be in control, let go of resistance. While I can't remember the other 2 or 3 things, those have stuck with me. Excellent post!
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how those pithy bits of truth stick with us over the years. One of those things I remember is from a university prof who said, "when you read or hear something, always consider the source.". It's kind of interesting that true wisdom shines through the corridors of time.
Deletelove this; so true!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane!
ReplyDeleteI have taken some summer time off from studio time and blog world and just about everything in my studio.. so am slowly getting back into the blog world... I have had some health problems that I let take over my life.. so I like the idea of the 84th problem.. I am going to aim for that one!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you back. I was just thinking of your wonderful, thoughtful posts and wondering when you would be doing your next one!
DeleteYes, health can be one of those all consuming challenges. Ah, these bodies, as my friend the Zen monk says.
A break for whatever reason can offer time for things to digest and percolate and return with renewed vigour.
Just had a wonderful chat with a Dharma friend tonight about preferring the pleasant experiences over the difficult ones. My highest aim is to welcome them with equal openness of my heart, not so easy to do.