Question in Response to This Week's Reading:
The Zen Master seemed to repeatedly make reference to "removing" the human attachment of performing a task. With any task, there is a set goal. If the goal is not met, failure, and if it is achieved, success. With no human interaction with the objects required to perform that task, how can their be failure or success? I believe that the Zen Master means that his student has removed themselves from the action of archery. The bow and arrow are interacting without any interference from the human mind (even though for the task to physically take place, the human must be present). The bow "cuts through him" for it is as if he is not longer there after the arrow is let loose from the bow. In this way, we allow the objects to pierce through our existence--giving the objects meaning instead of giving ourselves meaning. With no goals in mind, things can just be done instead of meant.
In attempting to perform this sort of mindset with my daily practice, I think I became too caught up in the literal action of letting the objects do the task. I concentrated so hard on removing myself, removing myself became the goal. Not only did I have the goal of counting, but now I had the goal of attempting to remove myself form the counting (which seemingly counteract each other). The frustration of this week's author seems a lot more relatable. It seems as if our mind's ability to fail or succeed surrounds every mental decision we will ever make--which makes removing it nearly impossible.
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