What is lost thought or enlightenment?

Thank you for always learning about life. Thanks to that, I became interested in Buddhism, and little by little, I am reading books and learning. Among them, there are things I think about my ancestors and life, and I would like to ask you questions.

I've heard that many of my ancestors during their lifetime have accumulated virtues in Buddhism. For example, my late grandfather, who I know, experienced war, and while blind, spent his life contributing to society, leaving large donations to the community and shrines, and completed his life. I tend to be controlled by material greed and place importance on what is visible, but now I think my grandfather was able to see and feel well what was invisible to the eye. You told me something really important. I am grateful and proud of my ancestors, and at the same time, I am so immature that I think again about life. Someday I will grow old and die, but I spend my days wondering what I can do in this world.

Instead of an egocentric point of view, I thought the status quo could be broken by looking at it from a different point of view, so I investigated “enlightenment,” and tested the viewpoint seen from the moment of death, the perspective seen from the entire universe, meditation, etc. I can't seem to see an answer I'm satisfied with. I would like you to tell me if there is a way to get even a little closer to the Buddha's point of view.

The story changes again, but recently, I started walking because I really wanted to climb a nearby mountain. I noticed a sign saying it was a sacred place later. It's a mysterious act in the midst of this kind of thinking, whether they just woke up healthy or were they led to something.
Another thing, I found a square of about six square meters with a stone sign saying “500 koku” written on it at a place off this mountain path. What is this?

I'm sorry for asking so many questions in a disorganized sentence. I have thoughts that I can't find an answer for. As an immature person, I would like you to guide my future lifestyle and lost thoughts in the right direction.

3 Zen Responses

The Buddha's point of view is one more step.

Hello, Nana.

What a great grandfather.
An ancestral memorial service is a way to know, learn, and appreciate the way of life of one's ancestors. The person I am entering now is the way my ancestors lived, so I am thankful for my ancestors and grandfathers who took their lives, and I am doing an ancestral memorial service to aim for a way of life that my ancestors can be proud of. Every time I think about my struggling father, grandfather, and grandfather who were doers, I feel the immaturity of my way of life sink into my body. That's why we are devoting ourselves to hoping that our ancestors will watch over us.

It's great that you're studying to get the Buddha's point of view. After studying a lot, it's time to put it into practice. Practices range from religious practice to the practice of everyday life. Let's take on the challenge to the extent we can.
I'm putting a lot of effort into cleaning the toilet. When my first feeling was “wow dirty,” there is still a lack of training. I think it's my loss. It still doesn't look the way it is. They make judgments based on appearance. Then I changed my mind and cleaned the toilet. I'm doing toilet training so that I can feel happy from the beginning when I see a dirty toilet and say, “Oh, it's worth cleaning.”

Let's do our best together! Gassho

※I don't know 500 koku. Maybe it's a place name.

enlightenment

Enlightenment is not a special power. What the Buddha saw was not from a mysterious world; it was real, reality, fact, truth, truth.

Our lives are actually as clean and clear, without hesitation, as the Buddha saw it. Nevertheless, it is ordinary people who do things that cloud their appearance.

It's important not to do anything special, not to do anything. It's not about doing nothing. It really doesn't do anything. It's like Buddha meditating under a Bodhi tree. You notice that you don't do anything.

My wife hates creatures such as caterpillars and earthworms. Just looking at it was “disgusting!” It's called. When children see that figure, they learn that it's disgusting, and they become scared.
When I take it for granted, I gradually become able to accept it as it is without looking at it that way. The kid is very honest. I don't look with colored glasses. There are just bugs. I'm not afraid. There's nothing uncomfortable about it. I'm just here. What makes things problematic is an opinion that clouds things up.

Don't use your own opinions; once you touch things, just the way they are. That's what being saved looks like. It's the Buddha's world of enlightenment.
Zero value judgments. Don't you think that the simple way of life before thoughts such as likes and dislikes, good and bad, should be like this, scary, and disgusting, occurred, is a way of life that has been saved?

There is a saying “ignorance”

　Enlightenment is about acquiring skills that can take a bird's-eye view of things, nor is it like leaving the astral body.
Unfortunately, I have never been in such a situation, but I am aware that what I see and feel is a two-way transition between what I see and feel, and consciousness. It's not strange, it's realistic.

Dogen Zenji, the founder of the Soto sect, says “ignorance.” It means “not seeking enlightenment.” If you start talking about this, it will get long, so if you say it simply without fear of misunderstandings, it means that you can abandon the idea of being enlightened and do something about yourself, and think that each and every one of your daily lives is ascetic practice. Try eating when eating, and cleaning when cleaning, without looking away. Master Somekawa also said, but in order to get closer to the Buddha's point of view, I think the first step is to work hard on what is right in front of you.

Also, as for “500 koku,” I did a lot of research here, but unfortunately I didn't understand it. There are such place names, but they are far from where you live.
Since it is close to the sacred site, I also thought it might be a mistake to misread “Baidu Stone.”
I think it would be a good idea to go to a nearby library and look it up. If you don't know how to look it up, ask someone at the library.

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