In Zen Women male Zen Masters show their more playful human side with female disciples. Zen women challenge Zen teachers differently, and we learn about the many aspects of wisdom’s expression. “A nun asked Joshu: What is the deeply secret mind? Joshu squeezed her hand. The nun asked: Do you still have ‘that’ in you? Joshu answered: It is you who have it.” What is this “it” and how do we express it? This “IT,” is the basis for our human connectedness and is at the heart of our practice.
This “IT” is vividly expressed between teacher and student and we get an intimate glimpse especially in the stories of male Zen masters and their female disciples. Often we think our practice is about getting rid of “it.” But that won’t do, we need to be intimate with “it” and not become imitations of Zen people.
Let’s leave “it” alive and well while deeply respecting the Buddha,Dharma and sangha. We are not imitating Zen saints, we are expressing Buddha nature in this very person, very personally. Easy to allow “it” and easy to just imitate practice, but more difficult to integrate our humanness while following the precepts and the practice.
By Abbess Myoan Grace Schireson
Source: sweepingzen
