One should not imagine oneself to be one with the eye or
independent of it or the owner of it.
The same with ear and all the other senses, including the mind.
Nor should one imagine oneself to be identical with the world or
contained...
continue...
z . e . n
STORIES, BOOKS & MEDIA » koans, stories & words» zen readings» recommended books» book reviews» art & prints» audio, videos, DVD's IT WAS REALLY A TRIAL
A Japanese Zen trainee monk named Nantembo who was highly praised by the Zen master Mokurai - an abbot of the Kennin-ji temple in Kyoto - as a good example of sheer force of will in zazen. Nantembo had raging erections whenever visions of beautiful women appeared before him during Zen meditation. Nantembo cursed the erections and suppressed the enticing fantasies by sheer force of will. Nantembo himself told this tale: "Once I was traveling on a ship, and at one port my fellow passengers summoned a bevy of whores to entertain them. They got a girl for me, too, but I paid her off and told her to leave. The quarters were very cramped, and I had no choice but to place my self right in the center of the orgy and do zazen. It was really a trial!"
Edited by John Stevens
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