The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem. - Theodore Rubin, American psychiatrist |
Showing posts with label problems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label problems. Show all posts
Monday, August 16, 2021
Problems
Monday, December 31, 2012
The 84th Problem
September 4th, 2011, 5:00 pm from Timothy Dukes
“There’s an old story about a farmer who went to the Buddha seeking help for his problems. Either droughts or monsoons make his work difficult, he complained. What’s more, he grumbled, even though he loved his wife, there were certain things about her he wanted to change. Likewise his children – yes, he loved them, but they weren’t turning out quite the way he wanted.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you, “the Buddha told the farmer.
“What do you mean?” railed the farmer. “You’re supposed to be a great teacher!”
All human beings have 83 problems,” the Buddha replied. “A few problems may go away, but soon enough others will arise. So we’ll always have 83 problems.”
The farmer asked indignantly, “Then what’s the good of all your teaching?”
The Buddha answered, “My teaching can’t help with the 83 problems, but perhaps with the 84th problem.”
“What’s that?” asked the farmer.
“The 84th problem is that we don’t want to have any problems.”
Bayda, Ezra (May/June, 2002). Facing you monsters. Body and Soul, p. 44, 46, 48.
Are the situations that present themselves in our everyday life meant to be challenges or inspirations? If you were the farmer who complained to the Buddha about his crops, his wife and his children, you would soon learn that it is only by truly understanding the solution to the 84th problem that one can rest harmoniously in life.
Although any problem can present as an obstacle, impediment, difficulty, or challenge, its ultimate gain is the manner and method in which one rises to inspire resolution. If we were to change the word “problems” to “teachings,” and if we were to take delight in their daily offerings, we could actually greet the day in hopes of seeing ourselves inspired.
Are the situations that present themselves in our everyday life meant to be challenges or inspirations? If you were the farmer who complained to the Buddha about his crops, his wife and his children, you would soon learn that it is only by truly understanding the solution to the 84th problem that one can rest harmoniously in life.
Although any problem can present as an obstacle, impediment, difficulty, or challenge, its ultimate gain is the manner and method in which one rises to inspire resolution. If we were to change the word “problems” to “teachings,” and if we were to take delight in their daily offerings, we could actually greet the day in hopes of seeing ourselves inspired.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Why did Buddha (Siddarhta Gautama) say we always have 83 implacable problems?
Why did Buddha (Siddarhta Gautama) say we always have 83 implacable problems?: "Here is a thought:
The Buddha said, ?Everyone has 83 problems. Sometimes we fix one, but it is guaranteed that another will pop up in its place. It?s just life. I can?t help you with your 83 problems, but I can fix your 84th problem.?
?What is my 84th problem??.
?Your 84th problem is that you don?t want to have any problems.?
Buddhism helps you with the 84th problem, which is suffering over the other 83 problems. If you can approach your other problems without the computational overhead of suffering over them, you can see them more clearly and act on them with more wisdom.
http://www.phpsolvent.com/wordpress/?p=135"
Monday, November 2, 2009
Chick? Yes...right here.
Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by the founder of San Francisco Zen Center, Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, is one of the undisputed classics of American Buddhism. First published in 1970, the book's simple approach and plainspoken language have made it timeless.
From Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind, p 81:
Right attitude: To Polish a Tile ...
Zuikan was a Zen Master who always used to address himself. “Zuikan?” he would call. And then he would answer “Yes!” “Zuikan?” “Yes!” Of course he was living all alone in his small zendo, and of course he knew who he was, but sometimes he lost himself. And whenever he lost himself, he would address himself, “Zuikan?” “Yes!”
If we are like a frog, we are always ourselves. But even a frog sometimes loses himself, and he makes a sour face. And if something comes along, he will snap at it and eat it. So I think a frog is always addressing himself, and I think you should do that also. Even in zazen you will lose yourself. When you become sleepy, or when your mind begins to wander about, you lose yourself. When your legs become painful – “Why are my legs so painful?” – you lose yourself. Because you lose yourself your problem will be a problem for you. If you do not lose yourself, even though you have difficulty, there is actually no problem whatsoever. You just sit in the midst of the problem; when you are part of the problem, or when the problem is part of you, there is no problem,, because you are the problem itself. The problem is you yourself. If this is so, there is no problem.
Norman Fischer comment:
This practice is literal, and really useful. Call out to yourself, out loud. And then answer yourself. Although Zuikan did this practice in the presence of others sometimes, probably we would want to do it when we are alone. “Norman?” “Yes!” “Be awake, be aware, don’t goof off.” “OK!” If you do this, with sincerity, getting over your self-consciousness about it, I think you will find it a valuable practice. It really will cut through your dreamy self-knotting mind and bring you back home to your life.
So try this for a few days. It would be great to have some reports about what you experience when you do.
What Suzuki Roshi means about problems becoming you and therefore not being problems, is a little counter-intuitive, but in actual life really true. A “problem” is outside of you, it is not you, it is exactly some external thing getting in your way. You are over here, your object of desire is over there, and the problem interposes itself between you and your object of desire causing frustration. Even if the object of desire is something internal, like compassion, and the problem say, your selfishness, is also seems to be internal, the truth is, you think of it as external, as something not you. If I can return to where I am (“Norman?” “Yes!”), and feel the problem for what it is – not an external obstacle, but an experience, my experience, my life – then even though I may still have a problem to take care of, I no longer view it as a “problem.” It is just my life. Just something to take care of.
About Zoketsu Norman Fischer:
Zoketsu Norman Fischer is a poet and Zen Buddhist priest. For many years he has taught at the San Francisco Zen Center, the oldest and largest of the new Buddhist organizations in the West, where he served as Co-abbot from 1995-2000. He is presently a Senior Dharma Teacher there as well as the founder and spiritual director of the Everyday Zen Foundation, an organization dedicated to adapting Zen Buddhist teachings to Western culture.
From Zen Mind Beginner’s Mind, p 81:
Right attitude: To Polish a Tile ...
Zuikan was a Zen Master who always used to address himself. “Zuikan?” he would call. And then he would answer “Yes!” “Zuikan?” “Yes!” Of course he was living all alone in his small zendo, and of course he knew who he was, but sometimes he lost himself. And whenever he lost himself, he would address himself, “Zuikan?” “Yes!”
If we are like a frog, we are always ourselves. But even a frog sometimes loses himself, and he makes a sour face. And if something comes along, he will snap at it and eat it. So I think a frog is always addressing himself, and I think you should do that also. Even in zazen you will lose yourself. When you become sleepy, or when your mind begins to wander about, you lose yourself. When your legs become painful – “Why are my legs so painful?” – you lose yourself. Because you lose yourself your problem will be a problem for you. If you do not lose yourself, even though you have difficulty, there is actually no problem whatsoever. You just sit in the midst of the problem; when you are part of the problem, or when the problem is part of you, there is no problem,, because you are the problem itself. The problem is you yourself. If this is so, there is no problem.
Norman Fischer comment:
This practice is literal, and really useful. Call out to yourself, out loud. And then answer yourself. Although Zuikan did this practice in the presence of others sometimes, probably we would want to do it when we are alone. “Norman?” “Yes!” “Be awake, be aware, don’t goof off.” “OK!” If you do this, with sincerity, getting over your self-consciousness about it, I think you will find it a valuable practice. It really will cut through your dreamy self-knotting mind and bring you back home to your life.
So try this for a few days. It would be great to have some reports about what you experience when you do.
What Suzuki Roshi means about problems becoming you and therefore not being problems, is a little counter-intuitive, but in actual life really true. A “problem” is outside of you, it is not you, it is exactly some external thing getting in your way. You are over here, your object of desire is over there, and the problem interposes itself between you and your object of desire causing frustration. Even if the object of desire is something internal, like compassion, and the problem say, your selfishness, is also seems to be internal, the truth is, you think of it as external, as something not you. If I can return to where I am (“Norman?” “Yes!”), and feel the problem for what it is – not an external obstacle, but an experience, my experience, my life – then even though I may still have a problem to take care of, I no longer view it as a “problem.” It is just my life. Just something to take care of.
About Zoketsu Norman Fischer:Zoketsu Norman Fischer is a poet and Zen Buddhist priest. For many years he has taught at the San Francisco Zen Center, the oldest and largest of the new Buddhist organizations in the West, where he served as Co-abbot from 1995-2000. He is presently a Senior Dharma Teacher there as well as the founder and spiritual director of the Everyday Zen Foundation, an organization dedicated to adapting Zen Buddhist teachings to Western culture.
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