Heaven and Hell
Posted on May 27th, 2008
by 
Zummy Bear
Zummy Bear
At my last visit to the Santa Monica Zen Center, Yoshin Sensei told the famous story of Hakuin and the Samurai. (The version below is the one I originally read in "101 Zen Stories" in Paul Reps' Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.)
A soldier named Nobushige came to zen master Hakuin, and asked: "Is there really a heaven and a hell?"
"Who are you?" inquired Hakuin.
"I am a samurai," the warrior replied.
"You, a soldier!" exclaimed Hakuin. "What kind of ruler would have you as his guard? Your face looks like that of a beggar."
Nobushige became so angry that he began to draw his sword, but Hakuin continued: "So you have a sword! Your weapon is probably much too dull to cut off my head."
As Nobushige drew his sword Hakuin remarked: "Here open the gates of hell!"
At these words the samurai, perceiving the master's discipline, sheathed his sword and bowed.
"Here open the gates of heaven," said Hakuin.
We create our own hells and heavens. And even though it is our internal thoughts and attitudes that determine the quality of our life experiences, we tend to spend a disproportionate amount of time and energy fussing endlessly over our external circumstances-----our appearance, our jobs, our belongings, our activities, our acquaintances, etc., as if they are the means to happiness, to heaven.
Given the same circumstances, two different personalities can conjure up two radically different experiences. I received a wonderful lesson on this out here on the streets. Most of the homeless sort of muddle through life with a certain amount of grim determination and acceptance of their lot. But there are some who occupy the extreme ends of the attitude spectrum, the heavens and hells of homeless life.
Donna recently became homeless, being one of the few who actually chose to live on the streets. She approaches homeless life with an upbeat attitude, seeing it as an adventure and even as a form of entertainment. She's quick to laugh at the little absurdities we all face out here on the streets (e.g., dodging the cops) and she attracts friends easily.
Ron also recently became homeless, but his outlook is all doom and gloom. Of course, the homeless lifestyle is that much more challenging when you're a bit obsessive-compulsive. He refused blankets from the homeless center, saying that they weren't clean enough, and so spent a recent cold weather snap walking around during the nights to stay warm. (I gave him my fleece vest.) He even manages to complain about the delicious (free!) meals that we are served at Bread and Roses Cafe, saying that they could never compare to the food he used to cook when he shopped at Whole Foods. While most of the homeless do indeed struggle, Ron takes it a big step further and turns his life into misery.
But I guess most things tend toward the middle after a while. Donna still smiles easily, but she's looking a little more tired these days, perhaps because she's working on her fourth boyfriend by now. Ron has gotten into a residential program and is looking for a job. And he's decided that a better attitude would help a lot too. They are my teachers. (Of course, everyone is my teacher if I just look closely enough to see the lessons they offer.)
So yes, I understand the well-worn homily "Attitude is everything." And then there's "Happiness lies within." Simple, yes, but not so simple to integrate deeply into my programming, my being. There's a lot of wiring that needs to be ripped out first-----all sorts of conditioning that tells me that happiness is just around the corner or on the greener grass or just over the horizon if I would just do or say (or write!) the right thing.
So I try to remember that the glass is half empty or half full depending upon my attitude. And of course, just when I think I'm making some progress, those annoying wise guys come along and offer me another sip of Absolut. The zen master pushes me over the edge, whispering "The glass is totally empty!" And the Taoist sage catches me, laughing "The glass is totally full!"
If I'm lucky, some day I may truly realize that they are drinking from the same bottle, singing the same song. And then paradoxes will reconcile, as they eventually must, right? (As they already are!) And I will see that yin and yang are merged in this perfect shiny moment. Total. Clear. Stunning. Forever.
Scattered. Hazy. Terrifying. Temporary.
Broken and Beautiful.
Come drink with me?
"Every place is beautiful and horrible. It depends upon what you are looking for."
---Maria Teresa, Carol's mother
"A great truth is a truth whose opposite is also a great truth."
---Thomas Mann
"I can make a phone call and be home in no time, but why would I want to do that? It's a freak show out here 24/7! You can't pay for that!"
---Donna
"I'm trying to stop whining. It doesn't help any."
---Ron
"We are disturbed not by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens."
---Epictetus
"I must die. Must I then die lamenting? I must be put in chains. Must I then also lament? I must go into exile. Does any man then hinder me from going with smiles and cheerfulness and contentment?"
---Epictetus
"I don't want an open mind. I want my mind closed. The path to heaven is narrow."
---Derrick, a homeless Christian guy who constantly harangues me about the righteousness of his faith
"I think God can wear more than one hat."
---me, responding to Derrick
"In Buddhism, hell isn't where we might be going, it's where we're coming from."
---Yoshin Sensei
Access: Public
August 2008 
I bow very deeply to you. And to Donna and Ron and Derrick and Yoshin Sensei. My eyes are filled with tears at the beauty and suffering in life, intertwined. Your words are more than enough right now.
You mix a nice cocktail.
: )
What a great post about the complexity and power of perception.
Thanks, ALL.
And Centria, your bowing comment inspired the bowing references in the following entry, “Marionette's Dream”.
I bow to you ALL.
Now where did I put my drink?…..