On the Essentials of Living
written by Danny Waxman

The Zen teacher, Prof. Masunaga Reiho said that every human being must sit Zazen every day after he or she wakes up. To sit 5-10 minutes Zazen, think about the day's schedule and then actualize it.

The whole of Zen can be summed up in 5 words: "The true inherent self and vital freedom". Every one that practiced and reached the true self and the vital freedom, understands what Zen is, and lives Zen to its utmost.

All that a person has to do is to turn towards one self. All the knowledge, all the answers are in you. Through the quiet sitting, day after day, morning after morning, the woman or the man penetrates the true self, reaching to her or him self, retreating towards yourself, the returning the consolidation is essential. But after that, and this is the Zen philosophy of Life, you come back, return to the world, vigor with strength, peaceful, very close to being in complete Satori, to act as a Boddhisatva for the sake of humanity, to benefit all human-beings.

Many times the student has to forge him (her) self through training, but everything must originate from love, and come with love. The greatest power is the power of love. The trainee has to endure until he or she is beyond everything. There is no limit to the ability to endure. The wife of Prof. Masunaga, my Zen teacher, once told me: "When you are sad, going through difficulties and suffer, and you meet other people, smile at them, maybe they have more difficulties than you do?"

Zen is the doctrine of contrasts, of clashing of oppositions. The foundation of Man is rooted in contradiction. Human beings are creations of contradiction. They are always bewildered, uncertain about the future. What will be in the end? The seed of contradiction is deeply implanted. If we understand the essence of Zen by practice, body and mind are united, and we can solve our problems. Every human being must solve his deep problems individually and independently.

Life and death are the vehicles of Enlightenment. I learn and learn; one can listen to thousand lectures and still not know what is beyond the words. If someone did not found him (her) self, he (she), then, must receive some kind of a proof of his existence. "I think - therefore I am", said the philosopher Rene Descartes. I do not think that this is enough. A person that finds his true self - this is the proof. Something must stand in contrast to something else. You need something extra. We need to stand on solid ground. It is essential to have a starting point. Otherwise, we wonder and wonder swimming and being drifted in space.

We must have a starting point. What is your starting point? Mine is Zazen. 'Za' is quiet, peaceful, comfortable, relaxed and vital sitting. 'Zen' is 'the truth'.

Everyone must know who he or she is. What role he (she) has in the world, what is his (her) destiny. Every one is destined to something very important. Satori - this is an original enlightenment of an individual person. Everyone is different and unique. Any one can control his (her) fate if he (she) finds his (her) true self, reach him (her) self and Satori. For most of the people, fate will control, but if we cultivate our selves, we can reach Satori and then work for the happiness and the benefit of all humanity. When in the zone of Satori, we can know our role, the place and destiny. Know what is your innate talent, in what you should excel.

We need that someone will let us grow, will tell us to advance, to prosper, and encourage us. We can not do it alone. One seldom dare to advance, one seldom finds the strength to step forward. The teacher, this marvelous tradition started with Buddha, enable you to live and understand the now, the current moment, to advance every moment, to make the move forward!

Even if we know who we are, we need someone else to tell us who we are, to give us confirmation and validation. However, there are few in an era that possess this virtue, and can do it for you. This is a major problem for those who want to practice. Needless to say that even those rare people, who can tell you who you are, will not tell you, immediately, on the spot, when you ask or demand an answer. Those unique persons must work with you, and you have to cultivate yourself a lot too.

We need a little bit of sweat. Our life must contain training, studying, and eating properly. When we have proper food, it is already Heaven. Emphasis must be set on the importance of appropriate atmosphere that encourages and enables studying and cultivation of oneself. We need around us people that create a good supportive and developing atmosphere. It is hard to brake through and overcome the difficulties, when there are people that hold us back, obstruct us, and do not let us get out of our limitations and be released of our bondage.

One must soften him-self. To let-go of its powers. Even if he is strong physically, either naturally or as result of practice, it is not the best of power. Through Zen and Judo training, the grand harmony develops. This Harmony eventually manifests itself, and no rival, no force can match and overcome it. However, to make this happen, we need that this harmony will take its place in our body. This does not happen immediately. A lot of practice is needed, meaning sitting Zazen every day, for varied times, doing thousands of Ukemi, participating in Randori training. Not thinking on winning or losing; to be beyond thinking, to think without thinking. As we go on practicing, the grand harmony is starting to develop within us, and its power embraces all.

One ought to be undefeatable by the powers of society. Actually, society is constructed from people, from individuals having certain power over others. In reality, there is no society, only human beings. Of course, there are establishments, governments and courthouses, but what society really is? Is it Gossip? Intrigues?

We are machines that have a limited span of work time. Like a tractor or a car. One day the hours of the machine has ended, and the machine stops operating. In the moment that we reach enlightenment, we finish to be a machine and become Human Beings.

It takes a lot of time. How long does it takes? Prof. Masunaga did not tell me.

Many people want to waste your time with arguments, to distract your mind. They do not want to cultivate them selves and they want that you too, will not cultivate your self and grow. They want you to remain behind, as they are. They love to impose their Karma on you. They do not understand, and think that career equals progress, that house and property is security, that to be in love is the prime happiness. All is needed; we need a place to lean our head on. Nevertheless, the true progress is none of the above ideas. There is no time to squander, says Prof. Masunaga Reiho. Prof. Masunaga almost never talked with me about death. Neither him nor I were occupied with this issue. There was no need for it. He was a vigorous man. He was not wasting his time asking all kind of questions about death, like what will be when we die, how we are going to die, when, do we continue somehow to exist in any kind of form or transmigration. I too, was not afraid to die; I was willing to do everything needed to find my true self. I was determined not to let anything withhold me in my quest toward my self. Prof. Masunaga did not have time for such kind of nonsense. He did not search for consolations, medicines or relief. He was adherent of the truth and a keen friend of all Human beings. He advocates training in the most direct way, the way of Zazen, the way towards your true self.

One must know to separate between his and other peoples’ problems, and not throw his difficulties on them; but many do not know that, they have no or little introspection, they are not aware. Time is valuable; someone who is idle and wastes time is of no worth. We are wide open to distractions and attacks from all around us. In Zazen, we overcome all obstacles. All the difficulties, all our limitations are within us. When we overcome them, we are enveloped and protected from hazards. It is hard to understand this just by hearing the words, but it is so. We must have faith that is manifested in practice. Then, and only then we can reach and understand, otherwise it is very difficult.

The principal law for humans is self-development. One must be organized. You can not be good in Judo without being kind to others, and beneficial to the society. It is not possible to be good in Judo or Ninjutsu without reaching humanism, to the humane heart that is within you. The origin of suffering lies in the separation between body and soul. In the separation - not in diseases, nor in financial or personal problems, nor in difficulties within the family, society and the world.

Everyone needs kind words. This is very simple but most important in one's life. Everyone needs to be treated fairly, be valued and be encouraged; especially when he or she does not get this.

True teacher always encourages and gives value to the student; elevates him or her. He (she) tells the student that she or he can progress, overcome and reach, that the student is important and its efforts are of value, and tell him kind words with love. The student and actually everyone need encouragement, to discover and develop its abilities and talents. We need support and validation; we need that someone else will tell us that we can do it, and that yes, we are good and worthy people. I, as a student and a human being must have someone that will tell me directly in my face that I am like that. Who I am, and what I am, and what is within my scope of achievement.

Every human being in every Galaxy is in the center. Where we stand, we are the center of the universe. Only we are not aware of it, because we did not yet found our true-selves. The human being is great like all the cosmos, so huge, so immense so marvelous.

One must strive to be independent and free. The methods that he or she choose to practice with, and the teachers that teach him (her) must be those who lead the student to complete independence. The student must grow to be independent of his teacher, to transcend the teacher and reach active creativity of his own accord. Prof. Masunaga, Dr. Hatsumi Sensei, and Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, each in his own way taught and explained this.

One must pass a shock or a crisis in order to progress; otherwise, he or she can live all its life without understanding; continuos training are essential for progress, and we must meet and practice with a true teacher.

Satori is beyond intellectual understanding, beyond the cognitive functioning of the brain. You do not need to be able to bring high marks at school in order to reach Satori. Everyone can reach Satori; so can the woodcutter. Everyone must experience that himself. It is not easy to explain this deep issue.

Even after we reach Satori, we keep on practicing and guarding what we gained. As closer we get to ourselves, it is easier to guard and maintain our progress within less amount of time.

Every day life is the Way. Why is that when someone is with the company of others he or she reacts in one way and in another way when he or she is alone? One must be independent, otherwise he or she will be subordinate to the will of others. My own way must be crystal clear: if everybody go up, I then go down, if everybody go one way, I go to the opposite direction, what is this unique direction? The direction of the true self, to penetrate true self.

An independent person is not afraid. One must elates and excels beyond all the ambitious strivers for power and fame, and brings his (her) own humane message. They ought not to limit your free movement and your efforts to make a living. They must understand who they are. Everyone must be put in his own unique place; everyone has a place as an enlightened being. Without original enlightenment, there is no self-identity. For this outcome we cultivate ourselves and train; for helping humanity. You do not know what lies ahead; who you are, what is going to happen as you progress, but your practice is for the others. A person that found his true self, his actions are organized, he or she does not waist time, focuses on the goal, pleased with what he or she is - happy. Those powers that are the outcome of the great harmony are there to benefit humanity. You do not know what is there at the end of the tunnel. Future is uncertain, but hope and curiosity exist, and there are people that saw the road and reached the summit and you can not turn the wheel back. The only way open for you is to advance.

Within us, there are infinite numbers of walls. For times, the holdups are mighty powerful; but if we break through them into Satori, there is no limit to the fountain of elaborate thinking and creativity that originate from us. Everyone aspires to this kind of breakthrough. To be released from the chains we are tied with. Like Chained Prometheus, to come out to freedom. This is the greatest freedom of all.

To return to our true self, to find it, is to kill the Ego. This is the counter answer to all the philosophical theories of the world, society and ordinary way of living. Otherwise, you do not have any chance of reaching true self. The Ego is the source of all the troubles in the world. Those who do not strive and work for finding their true selves, and have no time for training, have never concurred Time. In order to find what time is, one needs time.

One must be always prepared to face confrontation and combat situations. I am always vigilant during Zazen, very alert. In a flesh of a second, you can be prepared to combat. In this unexpected world, one must be prepared for anything, sometime it is confrontation, and sometimes it is the opportunity to help someone.

One must know who he (or she) is, what his true worth and value and be always himself. One must unite the disconnection between body and soul. To accomplish all this, one must participate in combat, while training in Judo, and in Zen practice, know one’s own true face.

July 2000

Dan Waxman