BUDDHACARITA 13.29: A Time for Blind Faith?

−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−¦¦−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−   Upajāti (Sālā)

viṣvag vavau vāyur udīrṇa-vegas tārā na rejur na babhau śaśāṅkaḥ |

⏑−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−¦¦−−⏑−¦−⏑⏑¦−⏑−−

tamaś ca bhūyo vitatāna rātriḥ sarve ca saṁcukṣubhire samudrāḥ || 13.29

13.29

From every direction the wind blew in wild gusts.

The stars did not shine, the hare-marked moon did not show itself,

And Dark Night covered herself in an extra layer of darkness.

While all the oceans churned.

COMMENT:

Gusts and churning in today's verse, of wind and of ocean waves, can be read as metaphors for emotional upheaval.

So the implicit teaching point might be that the physical act of sitting still can be a good means for allowing to happen at the unconscious level whatever change needs to happen.

Today might be a good day to be reminded that some forms of suffering – like for example a hangover combined with sleep-deprivation – are likely to be helped less by psychological counselling or by philosophical consideration of the Buddha's teaching and, more under the cover of darkness, just by blind sitting, or indeed by sleep.

Speaking of sleep, in SN Canto 14 the Buddha tells Nanda:

To neglect the reptilian faults, as if ignoring snakes in the house, / And thus to slumber on, does not befit a man of wisdom who wishes to overcome the great terror. // SN14.29 // For while the world of the living burns with the fires of death, disease and aging, / Who could lie down insensibly, any more than in a burning house? // 14.30 // Therefore, knowing it to be darkness, you should not let sleep enshroud you / While the faults remain unquieted, like sword-wielding enemies. // 14.31 //  But having spent the first of the three night-watches actively engaged in practice, / You should, as one who is pulling his own strings, go to bed to rest the body. // 14.32 // On your right side, then, remaining conscious of light, / Thinking in your heart of wakefulness, you might with peace of mind fall asleep. // 14.33 // Again, by getting up in the third watch and going into movement, or indeed just sitting, / You might renew your practice, with mind refreshed, and power of the senses curbed. // 14.34 //And so, upon acts like sitting, moving, standing, looking, and speaking -- / Being fully aware of every action -- you should bring mindfulness to bear. // SN14.35 //

In this passage the Buddha seems to show a certain ambivalence towards the darkness of sleep. On the one hand the darkness of sleep is unconsciousness, and unconsciousness is the refuge of the foe-like faults. On the other hand, the unconscious processes that take place during sleep refresh the mind and thus prepare the practitioner to carry on with renewed enthusiasm the war against the forces of darkness.

The words of Zen Master Dogen quoted yesterday thus seem appropriate to be quoted again today:

Sit in lotus (unconsciously) with the body.

Sit in lotus (consciously) with the mind.

Sit in lotus as body and mind dropping off.

VOCABULARY

viṣvak: ind. on both (or all) sides , sideways

viṣvañc: mfn. (fr. 1. viṣu + 2. añc) going in or turned to both (or all) directions , all-pervading , ubiquitous , general

vavau = 3^rd pers. sg. perf. vā: to blow

vāyuḥ (nom. sg.): m. the wind

udīrṇa-vegaḥ (nom. sg. m.): mfn. impetuous in its course (as a torrent) , violent

ud-īrṇa: mfn. issued out , excited , increased , elevated ; self-conceited , proud

vega: violent agitation , shock , jerk ; a stream , flood , current (of water , tears &c ) ; rush , dash , impetus , momentum , onset

tārāḥ (nom. pl.): f. a fixed star, asterism

na: not

rejur = 3^rd pers. pl. perf. rāj: to be illustrious or resplendent , shine , glitter

na: not

babhau = 3^rd pers. sg. perf. bhās: to shine, be bright ; to appear (" as " or " like " nom. or instr. of an abstract noun) , occur to the mind , be conceived or imagined , become clear or evident

śaśāṅkaḥ (nom. sg. m.): the 'hare-marked' moon

tamaḥ (acc. sg.): n. darkness

ca: and

bhūyaḥ (acc. sg. n.): " becoming in a greater degree "

vitatāna = 3^rd pers. sg. perf. vi- √ tan: to spread out or through or over , cover , pervade , fill ; to unfold , display , exhibit , manifest ; to cause , effect , produce

rātriḥ (nom. sg.): f. night , the darkness or stillness of night (often personified)

sarve (nom. pl. m.): mfn. all

ca: and

saṁcukṣubhire = 3^rd pers. pl. perf. saṁ- √ kṣubh: to shake about violently , agitate , toss , excite

samudrāḥ (nom. pl.): m. sea, ocean

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