Thank you for your comment.

“I suppose no two people are alike eh?”

Thank God! Thank Buddha! Thank Jesus, Joseph, and Mary!

Peace,
Ted

I remember the story from reading it in Flatbed Sutra. Even so, it strikes me that Ted and Louie can still speak with different voices and so Ted might censor when Louie might not. I suppose no two people are alike eh?

Great to hear from you! Thank you for these potent, illumining poems–and for the link! I like this:

“…don’t wait for the man standing in the snow
to cut off his arm help him now

the crow’s caw was okay but one night with a lovely whore
opened a wisdom deeper than what that bird said

self other right wrong wasting your life arguing
you’re happy really you are happy

only one koan matters
you

Here is a little story from the Flatbed Sutra that was inspired by Ikkyu:

One time, when Louie Wing was walking home from a play with several students, a prostitute accosted him. She said, “There is something about you that makes me think you would be an interesting client. I think that you would enjoy it, too. I will give you a special price, what do you say?”

Louie Wing said, “My lady, it would be an honor.” Then he said goodnight to his students and wandered off with the woman.

When word of this spread among his students, many were astonished and Lee confronted him openly, saying, “We thought you were some kind of a wise sage. How could you indulge yourself in sexual pleasure with a hooker?”

Louie Wing said, “Ah! Even the memory of it quickens my pulse!”

Thanks again!

Peace,
Ted

I’d sniff you like a dog and taste you
then kiss your other mouth endlessly if I could white hair or not

Now you can choose to censor or not

“I will have to censor it a bit”

Sounds like a koan for you to work with. Here’s a link to an unabridged Ikkyu: Ikkyu poems (contains strong language)

…
why is it all so beautiful this fake dream this craziness why?
…
self other,right,wrong,wasting your life arguing,
you’re happy; really you are happy.
Only one koan matters
You

Thank you for your comments.

Yes, I agree. I remember Aitken Roshi once saying something like:

Ah! The worms in the night-soil bucket,
Are squirming with Buddha-Nature!

Thanks again.

Peace,
Ted

Great to hear you.

Thank you for this excellent Ikkyu poem!

I remember a poem by Ikkyu, but I will have to censor it a bit:

Koans and chanting,
What ****
But not the delicious *****
Of the ***** girls
I go **** **

Thanks again!

Peace,
Ted

Yet, there is practice-realization. Who is sitting in zazen? When it becomes clear that no one is sitting, what is left is just-sitting, shikantaza.

All the best,

Alex

Why are people called Buddhas
After they die?
Because they don’t grumble any more,
Because they don’t make a nuisance
Of themselves any more.

Best wishes for these sunny, cool autumn days!

Barry