Haiku

Hot and Cold

Talk by Jim Matson

In 9^th century China there was a man who practiced zazen by the name of Tozan.  He became known later as the founder of the Soto Zen sect of Buddhism, although I’m pretty sure he had no intention of doing such a thing.
 
There is a record of a conversation Tozan had with someone.
 
A monk said to Tozan – “Cold and heat descend upon us, how are we to avoid them?”
Tozan said, “Why don’t you go where there is no cold or heat?”
The monk said, “Where is the place where there is no cold or heat?”
Tozan said, “When cold, let it be so cold that it kills you.  When hot, let it be so hot that it kills you.”
 
This story, this 9^th century story has something to say to us.
 
The world we live in – this 21^st century world that we live in – is not so much different from Tozan’s world.  We certainly have come a long way technologically.  We have advanced in an incredible way in this area.  But at base, at root, I think Tozan would find this age not so much different from his own.
 
We live in a world of opposites, of polarities.  Hot and cold, surely Good and Evil, Life and Death, Balance and Imbalance - and especially today, Fact and Fiction; Truth and Falsehood.
 
And these opposites descend upon us.  Our lives are caught in these polarities. 
 
Certainly, if you give any attention at all to the world, to what we see as the external world - there is conflict -  between nations but even within one’s own relationships we find these opposites descending upon us.  War and the hope for peace – Hatred and the idea of brotherhood – Anger and the thought of tranquility.
 
And if someone suggests that there is a way out of these opposites – of these opposites that descend upon us – we listen.  Because we long for that place – call it ‘peace of mind’ or ‘Truth’ or ‘enlightenment’ – that secure place where we are not buffeted by these waves of contradiction.  We long for that place where these opposites don’t tear us apart.
 
And if you look at the world, I think you will find that the more we cling, the more we grasp hold, the more conflict you find.  It’s very strange.  If you look at the religions of the world, at the philosophies of the world that present us with a very clear picture or image of Good, you will find that the clearer their picture of Good, the more they see Evil.
 
In our instruction for zazen, we say that in Zen we realize that there is no division between body, breath and mind.  The word division comes from the Latin meaning to see apart.  We also say in our instruction that we can make a distinction between the body breath and mind.  The word ‘distinction’ coming from another Latin base meaning to mark apart.
 
We can mark hot and cold on a thermometer and make a distinction, but we must realize that hot and cold arise together, they are not divided.  If you make hot, you automatically create cold.  If you make Good, you automatically create Evil.
 
We see this most apparent in politics certainly.  If you are a Democrat, then the Republicans are seen to be the screwiest people that you can imagine and you can’t even begin to imagine how anyone could be so foolish as to belong to that other group.  Of course the Republicans see the Democrats in exactly the same way.
 
So this old story resonates with us.
 
This young monk [one supposes that he is a young monk] is asking Tozan “How do I get out of this?  How do I avoid all of these opposites and conflicts that descend upon me?” 
And Tozan says “Why don’t you go to a place where there is no cold and heat – where there are no opposites?”
 
And then the monk asks “Where is that?  Where is the place where there is no cold or heat?  Where is the place where these opposites, these conflicts do not descend upon me?”
 
He has created another opposite.  He has created a place in his mind where these opposites can be avoided.  He has created a place separate in his mind.  So the question that he asks sets the whole thing in motion again.  He has created another opposite – someplace to go to – someplace where he will be safe from these conflicts that descend upon him.
 
And Tozan takes pity on him and gives his final response, “When cold, let it be so cold that it kills you.  When hot, let it be so hot that it kills you.”
 
The important thing, the essential point is to find the source of these opposites.  We see them as descending upon us, these opposites.  We see them that way and we struggle and we try to avoid one or we try to grasp the other.  And this grasping and avoiding activity is what we do. 
 
When hearing Tozan’s words.  It sounds rather drastic.  Rather severe.  To kill myself?  But that is only because we treat this I, this me as a noun – as solid and real – as some thing.
 
This I, this me is a verb, not a noun.  It is an activity, something being done, not a doer.
 
Can that activity come to rest?
 
Huang Po was another 9^th century Chinese man who practiced zazen.  And he said, “It is only in contradistinction to greed, anger, and ignorance that abstinence, calm and wisdom exist.  Without illusion, how could there be enlightenment?”
 
Illusion and Enlightenment, hot and cold, Good and Evil, Balance and Imbalance.  These things arise together.  And to cling to one or to avoid the other is suffering.
 
So when hot, before hot.
 
When cold, before cold
 
When balanced, before balanced
 
When imbalanced, before imbalanced.
 
This is not something to avoid or grasp.  This is something to be realized.

April 1st
May 6th

April 15th

Introduction to Zen Meditation Workshop

Regular Services

Three Regularly Scheduled Services are held in Evanston each week.