The Religion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and JapanNukariya, Kaiten
Religion
The Religion of the Samurai: A Study of Zen Philosophy and Discipline in China and Japan
Nukariya, Kaiten
Buddhism -- China; Buddhism -- Japan; China -- Religion; Human beings -- Origin; Japan -- Religion; Zen Buddhism
In the next place we have to strive to be the master of our bodies.
With most of the unenlightened, body holds absolute control over
Self. Every order of the former has to be faithfully obeyed by the
latter. Even if Self revolts against the tyranny of body, it is
easily trampled down under the brutal hoofs of bodily passion. For
example, Self wants to be temperate for the sake of health, and would
fain pass by the resort for drinking, but body would force Self into
it. Self at times lays down a strict dietetic rule for himself, but
body would threaten Self to act against both the letter and spirit of
the rule. Now Self aspires to get on a higher place among sages, but
body pulls Self down to the pavement of masses. Now Self proposes to
give some money to the poor, but body closes the purse tightly. Now
Self admires divine beauty, but body compels him to prefer
sensuality. Again, Self likes spiritual liberty, but body confines
him in its dungeons.
Therefore, to get Enlightened, we must establish the authority of
Self over the whole body. We must use our bodies as we use our
clothes in order to accomplish our noble purposes. Let us command
body not to shudder under a cold shower-bath in inclement weather,
not to be nervous from sleepless nights, not to be sick with any sort
of food, not to groan under a surgeon's knife, not to succumb even if
we stand a whole day in the midsummer sun, not to break down under
any form of disease, not to be excited in the thick of
battlefield--in brief, we have to control our body as we will.
Sit in a quiet place and meditate in imagination that body is no more
bondage to you, that it is your machine for your work of life, that
you are not flesh, that you are the governor of it, that you can use
it at pleasure, and that it always obeys your order faithfully.
Imagine body as separated from you. When it cries out, stop it
instantly, as a mother does her baby. When it disobeys you, correct
it by discipline, as a master does his pupil. When it is wanton,
tame it down, as a horse-breaker does his wild horse. When it is
sick, prescribe to it, as a doctor does to his patient. Imagine that
you are not a bit injured, even if it streams blood; that you are
entirely safe, even if it is drowned in water or burned by fire.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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