THE ZEN OF AN OLD SOCK
Rev. Hyonjin Sunim
Aquarius Magazine, February-March, 2013
How is an old sock the most valuable treasure of the world? In Zen, the most important thing for spiritual practice is to take refuge in the Three Treasures: the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. They are called treasures because they alleviate the suffering related to pain, old age, sickness, and death, since there is nothing more valuable than that which one finds right here, always right in front of us. It isn’t that instantly the pain and the difficulties of life are going to disappear, but rather we discover how to live in peace with life just as it is. We learn patience, acceptance, and self-compassion for this body and little mind, that which has to endure so much in each moment. The first teaching of the Buddha 2,500 years ago, right after his Enlightenment, was that life is suffering. So it is. No one can escape this fact. We all discover that this body is limited; it ages, becomes sick, and eventually dies. We wish that it were different. And this desire to change that which is inevitable causes us suffering. We become obsessed with plastic surgeries, make-up, vitamins, exercise, fine cloths, and all kinds of distractions, including sex, drugs, alcohol, entertainment, and sense stimulus. But sooner or later, life teaches us that none of this is a permanent solution. Resisting this fact, we suffer. But this suffering is not necessary.
Although we cannot eliminate the pain, the physical sickness, or death, we can, however, eliminate the suffering. Suffering is an aspect of the little mind, the part of us that wants to believe that it shouldn’t be this way, that we don’t deserve this experience, that it is unjust and horrible what we are going through. Of course, we have all thought like this at one time or another, but the consequence is more suffering, since we are not present with that which is arising in life right in this moment. Learning to accept exactly how things are, including the weaknesses of the body, its limitations, and its fragility, is when we learn the most important lesson of life, that one can discover peace and gratitude right here in the middle of the pain, that all is perfect just as it is, if we let go of whatever resistance to that which life is presenting us. But to reach this realization, it is almost beyond the little mind, that which is conditioned and habituated to the negative and damaging mental patterns. For this reason, when at last the little mind, which is always believing it is in control, that it can solve everything, as if it were the center of the universe, at last gives up, and opens itself to a more authentic and freeing consciousness inside of ourselves, our true self that is not born, does not age, and does not die, that which the Buddhists call our Buddha Nature. Thus sickness, ageing, and the pains and difficult moments can become opportunities to discover the inner treasure. It is only when we recognize that truly we need help, that at last we can fully take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha.
What does it mean to take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha? When we take refuge in these Three Treasures of Buddhism, we are opening our hearts and our minds to the innate peace and wisdom within us. All suffering is an aspect of the little mind, the mind of thought and mental impulses. How can we get beyond these thoughts in order to discover the true self? Ironically, using thought we can break our attachment to thoughts. The Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn recommended that we ask ourselves the most important question of our lives: “What am I?” Nevertheless, any answer based on ideas or concepts keeps us holding on to the little mind, that aspect of our personality that suffers. However, accepting that the little mind does not have the answer, one opens to the direct perception of the true self. Upon responding “Don’t know” we cut through all thought and return to the Mind before thought, the Mind of emptiness, wisdom, compassion of our Buddha Nature. This is our true Self.
“Buddha” in Sanskrit means “to awaken.” Upon asking ourselves “What am I?” and responding with the “don’t know” mind, we awaken to our true Mind, the cosmic consciousness, or rather, our inner Buddha. All that is limited, changing, and impermanent, is no our true self. This includes suffering, impatience, thoughts, and emotional and mental states. However, that which is inalterable while facing these changing thoughts is Buddha. In fact, all is Buddha, including our little mind and all phenomenal things. When we are unalterable, unmoving mentally, then all becomes one, all is beautiful and perfect just as it is. This is the Buddha Treasure.
It is like the time the Master Seung Sahn visited a museum in Paris some years ago and saw a curious painting of two old and worn out socks with holes in them. This painting was considered the best piece in the entire exposition, and the museum had paid a lot of money for it. The Master asked himself, “Why is this painting so important?” After contemplating it awhile, he understood its internal meaning. Although the socks were ugly, nevertheless, a human being had walked far in them. The person had passed through many experiences, spent much energy, which had caused many holes to appear in the socks, reflecting much suffering. This painting was teaching something important about human life: although they were dirty and ugly, that life that wore them was beautiful. This ordinary life, that which is normally ignored, is noble, beautiful and precious in itself, including with all it holes, dirt, challenges, and suffering. The beauty that one could appreciate in this painting is that which we come to appreciate in ourselves: this is the treasure of the Buddha.
That which blocks our appreciation of this beauty in us is our attachment to ideas, the idea that we desire something or we cannot tolerate something. When we learn to let go of attachment, accepting that all is transitory, we begin to see things as they really are, as if it were the first time seeing them, like a painting of old socks in a museum. Thus we discover the Dharma Treasure when the inner beauty shines forth without obstruction from desires or aversions, without fear, resistance, resentment, prejudice or discontent. The true Dharma is the inner perfection showing itself and expressing itself to the outer world. One can now understand by way of thought the supreme Truth, the wisdom that reveals itself free of preferences and aversions. This Dharma is that which the Buddha taught in his lifetime and it is that which one of us rediscovers in ourselves, that which is always inside us right here and now.
When we discover this Truth, then the natural aspiration arises to put this realization into the practice of everyday life, with our families, community and the society, which is called the Sangha. But how can we do this? The Buddha gave us a guide showing us how to live a balanced and harmonious life with others and with ourselves. It is a map of how to life a correct life, the Way of the Buddhas, revealed in a series of recommendations based on goodness, ethics, and morality, that which was outlined in the Noble Eightfold Path of the Buddha, and which became crystallized in the five first precepts of Zen: Don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t misuse sexuality, don’t lie, and don’t cloud the mind with intoxicants. When we follow these guidelines, combined with meditation, the little mind becomes calm, revealing its inner beauty, that which is called Enlightenment. When one discovers this inner beauty, the inner Buddha, compassion naturally arises to help other human beings. This calm and aware mind, this enlightened mind, allows us to live in harmony with the world and all beings in it everywhere. Therefore, we want to share this joy with everyone. We want everyone to experience this Enlightenment, this joy, and this liberation from suffering. This is the Sangha Treasure. Taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is to discover our true identity, our true behavior, and our true inner work for the world. We discover that our life is perfect, just like an old sock. Even though it may be old and worn, the life that wears it is noble and admirable, full of goodness, kindness, love and compassion, the Eternal walking the Way of the Buddhas.
Bibliografía
Sahn, Seung. (2002). La Brújula del zen. La Liebre de Marzo: Barcelona, España.
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