Different Graces

 

Reflecting upon the "different graces" and such, of Merton's insights into any book of meditations. There is a strong link to some words of the 13th century zen master Dogen, to be found in his "Genjokoan" (variously translated, but I like "The Actualisation of Reality")

Dogen's words:-

Conveying oneself toward all things to carry out practice-enlightenment is delusion. All things coming and carrying out practice-enlightenment through the self is realization.

Living within a concrete, presumed "self" as the centre, I think we simply impose ourselves upon the world around us. We are virtually seeing a reflection. Yet "if a grain of wheat fall into the ground and dies", if we are "empty" and receptive, the grace of Reality can come to us, as it is, in and of itself. A constant advance into novelty. And although such can be thought of as passive, it is not so.

Correspondances can be found throughout our world of Faiths. The Christian mystic Meister Eckhart speaks of true obedience in his "Talks of Instructions".

Here is Eckhart:-

In true obedience there should be no ‘I want this or that to happen’ or ‘I want this or that thing’ but only a pure going out of what is our own. And therefore in the very best kind of prayer that we can pray there should be no ‘give me this particular virtue or way of devotion’ or ‘yes, Lord, give me yourself or eternal life’, but rather ‘Lord, give me only what you will and do, Lord, only what you will and in the way that you will’. This kind of prayer is as far above the former as heaven is above earth. And when we have prayed in this way, then we have prayed well, having gone out of ourselves and entered God in true obedience. But just as true obedience should have no ‘I want this’, neither should it ever hear ‘I don’t want’, for ‘I don’t want’ is pure poison for all true obedience.

Seeking to distinguish between theism and non-theism seems often a pointless pursuit, at least within the mind/heart of experience.

The Great Way of the Hsin Hsin Ming:-

The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. When like and dislike are both absent, everything becomes clear and undisguised. Make the smallest distinction, however, and heaven and earth are set infinitely apart. If you wish to see the truth, then hold no opinions for, or against, anything. To set up what you like against what you dislike is the disease of the mind. When the deep meaning of things is not understood, the mind's essential peace is disturbed to no avail.

Anyway, as said elsewhere, I tend to waffle.

Getting back to the "different graces" found in Thomas Merton's words, for me Grace is fundamental. Understood on a wide spectrum - as a gift from "Him up there", to the insight that we do not attain emptiness but are empty from the very beginning (an insight drawn from a dialogue between Merton and D T Suzuki) Such a spectrum takes in all, from the most literally minded to the most "mystical", from those who live in an "I-Thou" relationship with the divine to those who can say "Not I, but Christ lives in me"

So grace is one, yet differentiated in how it manifests.

It also relates to the true prayer spoken of by Eckhart, which is more a giving up of ourselves, rather than making requests. More seeking to allow God/Reality to play in us, rather than playing God ourselves.

So we can plan and anticipate, have our techniques for "gaining" salvation/enlightenment, look for our own justifications, seek to make our "self" a suitable case for the receipt of any gift from the divine. Or actually seek to be receptive to what is given, when given. Not recognised or known until given. So always new, and not what we may have expected. Never ours, only ever to be reflected back into the world, as gift and grace to others. Shared but never divided.

May true Dharma continue.
No blame. Be kind. Love everything.