Become One With the Moment
by Ki Bong Sahn

Living 100% in the present moment is really all Zen Buddhism teaches us. And understanding how we are to function within this very moment-is very, very important. It is more than possible for an individual to use these Zen teachings in unproductive manners - where theoretically they can become one with a lot of bad actions. This indicates that a correct understanding of just what your correct function is - is so very, very important. Without it, maybe you have a false understanding of the teachings. Maybe one says, since I am one with this moment, and there are no opposites like good or bad, then any action is OK.

If one does not understand the bone of practice, the Bodhisattva Way-then they still live in that opposites world - good and bad. Although ultimately yah, such things do not exist. Someone may come to the conclusion that since good and bad do not ultimately exist, that robbing someone on the street is no problem. That is a complete perversion of what Zen Buddhism is about. Because they are missing the most important teaching of all. Help all beings. Without this understanding at the core of all our practice - becoming our very center - the hara - we all will still live in that world of good and bad karma.

In Japan and China, occasionally some Buddhist practitioners will use karma as an excuse to do as they please. They sometimes subscribe to the ideology that, "Any action I do, stealing, violent acts, hatred toward another - is this other persons bad karma, and so I am free to act however I like." This is a very bad sickness, polluted thinking. What of this individuals karma they create for themselves? It is so very clear that if I were to pollute such and such a lake enough times-and yah, this world is a small lake; that sooner or later, that pollution will affect my own drinking water. So anyone whom pollutes the lake of all beings, ends up actually poisoning themselves. All one has to do to realize this is to theorize and contemplate on the mechanics of cause and effect.

If I toss a cigarette on a forest floor, there is a very good chance the entire forest will be annihilated. Completely and utterly destroyed. And that's the condition this world is constantly drowning in. So many toxic and poisonous, mindless actions being spewed out like vomit from the bellies of ignorance. So we must change this condition. The entire world needs every bodhisattva bird it can get it's hands on. It's like the bird flying into that forest vowing to save all beings again. Not complicated, very simple. These flames seem so very enormous, and impossible to put out! But we try anyway, not trying proves less responsible and effective than trying, yah? Cause and effect are so very, very clear. Maybe one week I yell at my spouse every single day, always complaining, always angry with them! We can see immediately how their attitudes towards us change, and maybe even towards others outside of your home. Maybe they become more agitated at work for that week, maybe even yelling at a co-worker- or even a boss. then maybe they will get fired. So they come home and yell at your son or daughter, or kick the dog. Now every one of these new actions, trigger another cause and effect. So moment to moment-what are you doing?

This is what is happening all over the world, constantly. There really is no good or bad karma, but it is a teaching which is useful in that if we look deeply into our actions - we see a lot of possible results. So that's why in Zen we post that great question, `what are you doing?" Are you acting responsibly or irresponsibly in your day to day lives? Are we poisoning the lake, or cleaning it up? Adding more salt, or bringing some sugar? Some human beings claim they do not care, others really do not. That is why it is so very important we become that bodhisattva bird with a droplet of water in our beak. If nobody tries, then this world has no hope. We may as well nuke it all now if no one tries. But people are trying - everywhere there are those trying - moment to moment. So right now, are you trying? Again, what are you doing right now - and are you clear on that?

Being one with the moment is not at all special. Not hard, not easy. Not if you just do it. Always try, try, try to do it. In Zen we have a saying, "If you fall down 7 times, get up 8 times." That teaching is very, very clear-always try. Children at soccer games a lot of times understand that-someone maybe trips them, or they slide in the mud and fall down. But WOOOSH! - they get right back up again. These children have very strong try minds. They are very determined, and so they just do it - they want to keep playing the game, and the game is not played lying on your back-get up get up! A good Zen Master, and a good inner master is that coach on the sidelines screaming that over and over - get up get up! If you want to lead a simple life, a relaxed life, a beneficial life - then really be there. If you cannot really be there, you are already dead. You have already become a ghost.

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