Zen Words for Everyday Life Vol. 2

Usually, the word buji has two meanings. In everyday usage it means “all is fine and well.” It is also a term used in Zen which was taught by the Zen Master Rinzai, the founder of the Rinzai Zen sect; he described buji as a state when you have realized that you have the Buddha nature within yourself, and your mind ceases its outward seeking.

In 2020, the WHO declared a state of emergency following an outbreak of novel coronavirus infections. After more than three years, the WHO finally recommended ending the state of emergency, and we are now returning to our ordinary peaceful routines. As you look back on the COVID-19 pandemic, was there anything you learned or noticed?

Take a moment to think about that time.

・・・

“I realized how fortunate I was to be alive in each moment.”
“Nothing could be taken for granted. Ordinary life was precious.”
Perhaps such answers came to some of you.

People say that modern humans live in a world of excess.
Excessive information, excessive eating, excess in relationships...

As everything goes back to being ordinary and our schedules fill up, our minds constantly wander from one place to another, becoming increasingly exhausted and anxious.

But as I realized during the pandemic,
“I'm fortunate to be alive right now.”
“Nothing can be taken for granted. Ordinary life is precious.”
There is, in essence, no such thing as “ordinary.”
Everything is extraordinary.

However, to be honest, this truth is not yet ingrained in our bodies. The fact is that even if we know this in our heads, we tend to forget it as we go about our daily lives.

That is why we need to stop thinking and let things go.
For example, when you focus on cleaning, your mind gradually calms down.

Zazen is also the practice of ceasing to seek for outward things. Separate yourself from your ordinary life, sit comfortably, and pay attention to your own body and breathing.

After all, zazen is something you can only do when the things you normally take for granted are there.
You can breathe because there is air.
You can sit because there is a floor.
There is a floor because the ground is there to support it.

Experiencing the preciousness of the ordinary things, I will strive to do my best today and every day. I give thanks again to nature and all the people who give me to power to be alive in the world today.

Saihoji　 　 FUJITA Ryuko