born under punches

THE 10 GRAVE PRECEPTS

with commentary by Bodhidharma & Dogen Zenji

The First Grave Precept:  Not Killing

Bodhidharma said, “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the realm of the everlasting Dharma, not giving rise to concepts of killing is called the Precept of Not Killing.”

Dogen Zenji said, “The Buddha-seed grows in accordance with not taking life.  Transmit the life of Buddha’s wisdom and do not kill.”

The Second Grave Precept:  Not Stealing

Bodhidharma said, “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the realm of  the unattainable Dharma, not having thoughts of gaining is called the Precept of Not Stealing.”

Dogen Zenji said, “The self and the things of the world are just as they are.  The gate of emancipation is open.”

The Third Grave Precept:  Not Misusing Sex

Bodhidharma said, “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the realm of the ungilded Dharma, not creating a veneer of attachment is called the Precept of Not Misusing Sex.”

Dogen Zenji said, “The Three Wheels are pure and clear.  When you have nothing to desire, you follow the way of all Buddhas.”

The Fourth Grave Precept:  Not Lying

Bodhidharma said, “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the realm of the inexplicable Dharma, not preaching a single word is called the Precept of Not Lying.”

Dogen Zenji said, “The Dharma wheel turns from the beginning.  There is neither surplus nor lack.  The whole universe is moistened with nectar, and the truth is ready to harvest.”

The Fifth Grave Precept:  Not Giving or Taking Drugs

Bodhidharma said “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the realm of the intrinsically pure Dharma, not giving rise to delusions is called the Precept of Not Giving or Taking Drugs.”

Dogen Zenji said, “Drugs are not brought in yet.  Don’t let them invade.  That is the great light.”

The Sixth Grave Precept:  Not Discussing Faults of Others

Bodhidharma said, “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the realm of the flawless Dharma, not expounding upon error is called the Precept of Not Speaking of Faults of Others.”

Dogen Zenji said, “In the Buddha Dharma, there is one path, one Dharma, one realization, one practice.  Don’t permit fault-finding.  Don’t permit haphazard talk.”

The Seventh Grave Precept:  Not Praising Yourself While Abusing Others

Bodhidharma said, “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the realm of the equitable Dharma, not dwelling upon I against you is called the Precept of Not Praising Yourself While Abusing Others.”

Dogen Zenji said, “Buddhas and Ancestral Teachers realize the empty sky and the great earth.  When they manifest the noble body, there is neither inside nor outside in emptiness.  When they manifest the Dharma body there is not even a bit of earth on the ground.”

The Eighth Grave Precept:  Not Sparing the Dharma Assets

Bodhidharma said, “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the genuine,

all-pervading Dharma, not being stingy about a single thing is called the

Precept of Not Sparing the Dharma Assets.”

Dogen Zenji said, “One phrase, one verse - that is the ten thousand things and one hundred grasses; one dharma, one realization - that is all Buddhas and Ancestral Teachers.  Therefore, from the beginning, there has been no stinginess at all.”

The Ninth Grave Precept:  Not Indulging in Anger

Bodhidharma said, “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the realm of the selfless Dharma, not contriving reality for the self is called the Precept of Not Indulging in Anger.”

Dogen Zenji said, “Not advancing, not retreating, not real, not empty.  There is an ocean of bright clouds.  There is an ocean of solemn clouds.”

The Tenth Grave Precept:  Not Defaming the Three Treasures

Bodhidharma said, “Self-nature is subtle and mysterious.  In the realm of the One, not holding dualistic concepts of ordinary beings and sages is called the Precept of Not Defaming the Three Treasures.”

Dogen Zenji said, “The teisho of the actual body is the harbor and the weir.  This is the most important thing in the world. Its virtue finds its home in the ocean of essential nature.  It is beyond explanation.  We just accept it with respect and gratitude.”

Merlin Mann | Oct 1 2006 If you’re a fan of Getting Things Done, you’re familiar with the Four Criteria Model for choosing tasks. It’s where the rubber meets the road in GTD, because it’s the way you decide, in the moment, how any one of those wonderful tasks you’ve been tracking in your big system actually gets done.

As common sense as it seems to GTD’ers, this model is one of the more controversial aspects of Getting Things Done for a simple reason: it posits that priority is not the only factor in deciding what to do at a given time. It’s just one of four factors, which include, all told:

1. Context - Where are you? What tools are available? What are the limits and possibilities unique to this moment?
2. Time available - Do you have, for example, 30 seconds, 30 minutes, or 30 hours available to you right now? What tasks could you accomplish given the time you have?
3. Energy available - Are you full of energy, is your ass dragging, or are you somewhere in between? Which of the tasks on your list could you finish, given that energy level?
4. Priority - If you had access to all the tools, opportunities, time, and energy you needed, what’s the most important or time-sensitive thing you could do right now?

more… http://www.43folders.com/2006/10/01/priorities-vacuum

So after a great, but long intense movie (Of Gods and Men) I was feeling anxious and stressed about work. I decided to do an experiment to see which of 4 activities would help the most and how much.  I would quantify my state of mind on a scale of 1 (good) to 10 (bad) and try 4 things for 15 min each:  writing in my notebook, writing on my laptop, meditating, and reading a spiritual book.
After 30 min of writing, 15 on paper and 15 on laptop, my anxiety level went from a solid 9 to 7 to 6.   writing on the laptop is more fun but seemed to have less effect. 15 min of meditation helped me to a 3, and reading a spiritual book took me to 1, pretty much.
The experiment starting at 9 anxiety/crazy level, writing in notebook for 15 min brought me to 7.  2 pts. Writing on my laptop for 15 min took me to 6, 1 pt.
15 min of meditation brought me down to 3, 3 pts.
reading a spiritual book for 15 min did not effect anxiety but I felt more sane, calm, and focused down to a 1. 2 pts.
Of course many factors could influence or change the possible outcomes so I would like to try different combinations in different orders. One cool thing is that they all had an effect, so the more different things you do you can still feel better.