{"id":745,"date":"2009-09-15T02:50:17","date_gmt":"2009-09-15T02:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/treeleafzen\/2009\/09\/overturing-the-rice-bucket.html"},"modified":"2009-09-15T02:50:17","modified_gmt":"2009-09-15T02:50:17","slug":"overturing-the-rice-bucket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/treeleafzen\/2009\/09\/overturing-the-rice-bucket.html","title":{"rendered":"Overturing the Rice Bucket"},"content":{"rendered":"

( Dogen’s Instructions for the Cook – IV )<\/font><\/b><\/p>\n

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In this passage, the “six flavors<\/b>” are bitter, sour, sweet, salty, mild and hot. <\/p>\n

The “three virtues<\/b>” are to be light & gentle, pure & healthy, and prepared correctly. <\/font><\/p>\n

Life, like cooking, is sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet<\/b> and all the other flavors.<\/p>\n

With a bit of skill and attention, however, we may be able to fashion that into something balanced, healthy, nourishing and delicious<\/b>. A good meal.<\/p>\n

(and, of course, if we treat our life with imbalance, excess, inattention and a lack of care,
we may end up with a horrible, stinking, unhealthy<\/b> mess<\/i>).<\/p>\n

In the hands of a wise cook, even rough ingredients can be turned into a good meal …
while a fool will ruin even the finest materials. <\/p>\n

What is more, saying that it is “all the same, no matter<\/i>” from an absolute perspective is not right either … Some Buddhist theory may lead us to say that it is “all the same”, rice and sand, however we cook, because all is ultimately just ‘emptiness<\/b>‘.<\/p>\n

In this passage, say some commentators, “rice” is a metaphor for wisdom & enlightenment<\/b> – and “sand” for delusions & excess desires<\/b> (the dirt that must be cleaned away). <\/p>\n

Xuefeng’s overturning the pot, and his statement that “sand and rice are simultaneously removed<\/i>“, may be seen as a demonstration that all fades away into emptines<\/b>s<\/i>. <\/p>\n

But Dongshan, while not questioning Xuefeng’s point, still thinks it is a bit too much: “Wonderful, it is all empty<\/i>“, he implies. “But, now that you have spilled over the pot, what are we expected to eat for dinner, fella<\/b><\/i>?<\/b>” <\/p>\n

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