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Ekyo's Blog Sharing form the heart
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Good voice, good man |
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February 19, 2008 I remember that some time ago Eido Roshi made a comment in teisho: man with a loud voice is a good man. This statement was fascinating to me. For years whenever I did meet a person with loud deep voice I felt: “Oooo! This person I can trust…” It was not a conscious judgment but the body was absorbing a particular energy which felt good and true. Now I know that this voice is a hara voice… When I meet a hara voice as opposed to throat voice, or brain voice, I know that this is a friend… We are now in election year and there is a flood of articles on Internet about all candidates. Recently I found one by Associated Press about small town of Obama in Japan where people are fascinated with Barak Obama. They share the same the name. I am sure these town people do not understand English and do not know much about him, but they do listen to speeches. This is what one of them said: “Obama gives good speeches and has a good voice, so I want him to do well.” Obama town in Japan has been known to me for many years. I have been there twice. This is where small temple Bukkoku-ji is and big one Hosshin-ji. Number of years ago a Polish Dharma friend went to Bukkoku-ji for sesshin.After return I asked him how it was. He said that the most powerful and inspiring experience for him have been listening to Tangen Roshi teisho. He did not understand the word, but the depth of the voice was penetrating the air and entire zendo. Tangen Roshi did not have anything on paper prepared in front of him. He seemed to be in deep zazen with eyes down, and just spoke… I recall listening for the first time to teisho of Tangen Roshi in Japanese which Nyogen send me few years later. Even from the tape I could sense this extraordinary energy… This energy moved my deeper being. Recently a monk friend sent me and Bukkoku-ji Sangha a photo of Tangen Roshi giving a Dharma talk last fall during Jizo ceremony. He is now 85 years old. Looking at this picture I can sense the intensity and attention of lay people listening…
Perhaps people of Obama are sensitive to be able hear a good voice of Barak Obama… I wonder.
About two months ago I did see a movie “In God’s name.” Spiritual leaders from twelve major religions were trying to comprehend the reasoning behind 9/11 terrorist attack. One of them was a head of Shinto tradition in Japan. He talked about aspects of a good man. Because it was so different from other traditions and because the honesty was on the top, I remember what he said, and made a note. Good man has these qualities: honesty, contentment, compassion, righteousness, patience. They seemed to be so universal and transcending all believes that nobody can disagree. We all have so many ideas about what is good man/woman. The voice of hara cannot miss the mark, the action of hara cannot miss a mark. It has nothing to do with our ideas of good and bad. How can you get there? Zazen and Honesty…
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