The Fireplace Records, Chapter 18
Sozan's "Flowers or Seeds?"
Sozan was trying to decide between doing a painting of a branch of chrysanthemum blossoms or a display of various seeds. He was drawn to the different sizes and colors of the seeds. Seeds had a special meaning for him: Beginnings and Endings.
Then, he recalled many old discussions about how differences and distinctions and preferences are rooted in how we think; and, how statements can be true or false at different times. He was a Zen man and a dedicated painter.
While painting the seeds, his thoughts rambled:
Flowers and seeds both here and now, for the time being.
Flowers blooming then seeding.
Blooms beautiful, blooms not beautiful.
Seeds not beautiful, sees beautiful.
Flower seeds growing into plants with flowers blooming.
Flowers before seeds, seeds before flowers.
Flowers after seeds, seeds after flowers.
You must have seeds before you can get flowers.
You must have flowers before you can get seeds.
Fruit often comes in to cover the difference.
Wishes are like seeds, few growing.
And, on and on, for a few moments more,
then stopping thoughts, not thinking, just doing,
just painting.
A Student's Considerations:
What came first: the flowers or the seeds?
Some questions are poorly or incorrectly asked.
Understand the question before formulating an answer.
How does temporal specificity for statements effect truth?
Our very lives, our existence, our being-time,
depends on these flowers, fruits, and seeds.
Endless interconnections carrying on, carrying on.
Get to work, don't think and fret so much.
just wondering
“Plucking chrysanthemums along the West fence.
Gazing in silence at the East Cascade foothills.
The Canada geese flying in formation overhead,
Through the soft valley air of morning―
In these things there is a deep meaning,
But when we are about to express it,
We suddenly forget the words.”
- My rephrasing of lines from an unknown Chinese poet
from verses found in 'The Wisdom of Insecurity,’ by Alan Watts, 1951
Related Links, Resources, References
Dogen says, " Mind Here and Now is Buddha" [Soku Shin Ze Butsu #6 Book 1]
Refer to my Cloud Hands Blog Posts on the topic of Koans/Dialogues.
Pulling Onions Over 1,043 One-line Sayings by Mike Garofalo
Chinese Chan Buddhist and Taoist Stories and Koans
Fireplaces, Stoves, Campfires, Kitchens, Pots, Firewood
Brief Spiritual Lessons Database Project: Subject Indexes
Time in Dogen's Thoughts:
Each Moment is the Universe: Zen and the Way of Being Time. By Dainin Katagiri. Shambhala, 2008, 256 pages. VSCL, Paperback.
Being-Time: A Practitioner's Guide to Dogen's Shobogenzo Uji. By Shinshu Roberts. Wisdom 2018, 321 pages. VSCL, Kindle E-Book.
Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen's Shobo Genzo. Translated, edited, comments, notes by Kazuaki Tanahashi. Shambhala, 2013, 1280 pages, Hardcover.
Sparks: Brief Spiritual Lessons and Stories
Matches to Start a Kindling of Insight
May the Light from Your Inner Fireplace Help All Beings
Taoist, Chan Buddhist, Zen Buddhist, Philosophers
Catching Phrases, Inspiring Verses, Koans, Meditations
Indexing, Bibliography, Quotations, Notes, Resources
Research by Michael P. Garofalo
The Fireplace Records
By Michael P. Garofalo
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