Dokkodo #3 and 4

#3: Do Not Rely On Any Half Hearted (or partial) Feelings.





It is very difficult to enter into a world that is not your own. Education, experience, culture, language- there are a host of barriers to other worlds. Age brings it's own generational gap, as does financial positions in life.





The direct translation of the above would say: Don't harbor prejudice or have an attitude about everything. What is meant, is don't view the world with only your own knowledge and experience, or you will be able only to see what you are trained to see- that would be a 'half hearted feeling.' In order to understand others, we must not take sides or harbor preconceived notions.


We have all heard of the story of the university man that went to the zen master for instruction. He was very proud of his knowledge, and instead of listening, he wanted to impress the zen master with his learning. The zen master suggested tea, and when he poured he did not stop. When the university man told the master that the cup was full and to stop pouring, the master told him that his mind was like that- he had to empty his cup to absorb anything the master could teach him. So must we!


The 'stopping or abiding' mind is what prevents us from true understanding. We must, in Musashi's words, "Not stop the mind in one place but keep moving." Not becoming fixed, we can have empathy with others, and understand and enter into their world. By treating all people fairly and equally, we also are able to enter their world. Using simple, knee-jerk reactions and jumping to conclusions about people and thing we really know nothing about is acting without all the truth. A Warrior needs intell before he comits himself. Acting without knowing is not responsible.


#4: Think Lightly Of Yourself and Deeply Of The World

Most of our world veiws or philosophies are limited to our ability to anylize, our intellect. Thinking only with the mind is likely to give you false impressions because as humans we are embarrasingly limited according to our mindset. We meet people that seem balanced and focused, but this mindset seeps through. I have been shocked by the most seemingly nice people that make racist remarks worthy of an Eichman, or condone acts that are questionable or even illegal. This is because all their thinking is done with a shallow, self absorbed mind.

Musashi sees the flaws in depending on your own intellect to see the truth of the world and what is around us. Is is a delusion of egocentricity, where all is based on us and our experiences. It is the same for a maggot at the bottom of a slop pail- it looks up and thinks it sees the entire universe. (Harlan Ellison's metaphor, not mine!!)

The problem then is to see ourselves as flawed, and understand that our own sagacity is flawed, by corrupted data. So we must see beyond our own intelligence. Most people, in their daily affairs, use a certain ammount of discretion. This stems from a feeling of overconfidence in our ideas. By disconnecting the intellect, we can see past it, to veiw the world deeply. Otherwise, we wind up satisfying our own mind, or having excessive confidence in our ability and do not seek further.

The darker side of this is reflecting on your own limited mind- a complex of reliving your own mistakes and failures. When you do this, you give up your aims. Really, you forfeit you own life. Depression and regret follow. And, you are still obsessed with yourself!

The mind also tends to make cold comparrisons and criticisms about others. Labels and blame are the same as thinking with a shallow mind. We are still being selfish and greedy, and placing our trust in our ability to understand what we cannot with the active, thinking mind.

The tool to conquer this is meditation. To quell the mind, or at least to reign it in, is the first step to thinking deeply of the world and lightly of ourselves.