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HENG CH’AU: June 30, 1977. An old man in bib overalls and straw hat stopped and asked to take a few pictures. Real honest and straight. For a minute I felt like I was back in Wisconsin on the farm. Buddhism is like that, I feel, real common sense and true--not zany and exotic.
A garbage man who had been watching us for the past three weeks said, "Finally had a chance to stop. I have been really curious and interested." I gave him a release and talked briefly. He was genuine, bright, and sincere.
Both of these people and quite a few more are unpolluted and clear-faced like children. Sometimes makes me aware of my shadows and marks of "self" in comparison. Really good like straight honest mirror criticism. I came away feeling more determined to wipe away all my smudges and "marks" and be true and without coverings. Danger! Everywhere Danger! Danger Narrow Shoulder-Danger Attack Dog on Duty-Danger Electric Fence-Danger Armed Guards, Keep Out-Danger Falling Rocks-Danger Fire Hazard Area-Danger Slide Area-Danger Explosive Vehicles-Danger False Thoughts-Danger Greed, Anger, & Stupidity at Work-Danger Your "Self." Sign for the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas: No Danger, Everything’s Ok (if you cultivate).
I wish Heng K’ung were here to talk to all these surfers. Heng K’ung used to be a Hawaiian beach surfer. Now he is a monk at Gold Mountain. How do you get from the waves and parties to eight hours of meditation a day? In a monastery in the heart of the Mission in San Francisco? There are such a lot of surfers asking questions about Buddhism and the monastery.
A road answer for "What do Buddhists believe in, anyhow?"
"That all things are related. We are all one substance, one family."
"That it’s what you do that counts. What you give, you get--exactly. No one else but you yourself saves or smothers you."
"That true peace, real freedom, and happiness are inside, within your own nature. Removing the tangles and mixed-up thinking will allow it to appear. These things are not outside of yourself and no one else can find them for your or give them to you."
"Do you believe in Jesus?"
"It’s what you do that matters. If you believe in the Buddha and kill and lie and oppress people then that is what you get back. If you don’t believe in Buddhism and you do good then you get that back."
A man who read about us in the local news brought out two bags of vegetables from his garden and some kind words.
A man who spent a lot of time trying to end suffering and make changes through politics--quite articulate—said, "Let us say this: your is a long and arduous journey. But I know of no better way, no other way to do it. The political system never could and never will do the job. Good luck. May it go well with you."
If bowing once every three steps gets responses in ourselves and others and influences people to do good, then it is the Way, the Buddhadharma, the Triple Jewel that should be "praised." The best praise is practice, imitation.
If bowing once every three steps fails then it is because we did not cultivate sincerely and blocked the Way with our "selves." The blame is ours, not Buddhism’s.
What everyone recognizes as good--having merit and virtue--is without marks of self. So to praise individuals is not to truly recognize what really is happening: that by getting rid of afflictions of self, the Buddha nature appears. No one owns or achieves that. It is just there "level and equal, pervading the ends of empty space." Credit is empty and so is blame. Only practice and no self count.