Who doesn’t want to live a long life if they are healthy and happy? If we live with confidence in our self and in the world around us, if we have trust in the goodness of others, their Buddhanature,” if we do our best in each moment to be kind and generous (practice of the perfections), yet also hold fast to our values (the Bodhisattva Precepts), then we can live and die without regrets, grudges, and resentments. There is one element on the periodic table, number 79, that sums up these good qualities of life: gold. Gold is lustrous and attractive to the eyes and, yet, in its pure form doesn’t tarnish, it’s practically indestructible yet soft at the same time. These characteristics are analogous to a life well lived and loved into old age.
People can be likened to gold. Just as we are attracted to gold for its physical qualities, we are naturally attracted to those people with certain bodily qualities. Taking care of one’s external appearance is a vital part of Zen practice. Our external appearance gives an indication of our internal state of mind. We “brighten” our body by keeping it clean and pure, washing our hands when needed, eating foods that keep us in good health, exercising, cleaning our teeth, grooming ourselves, and dressing appropriately for the occasion. Practicing smiling is also an important part of the practice of a Buddha. Buddha transmitted the Dharma to his students through a smile.
Some people think that spiritual practice is not concerned with physical appearances. There’s the cliché that what’s inside of you that really matters. That’s not true. One who carries a disheveled façade, offensive smells, or a reluctance to smile because they don’t “feel” like it or don’t want to be “fake” misunderstands, in my humble view, what practice is. This is not to say that we avoid getting dirty or disheveled or wear a perpetual smile. I am continuing to learn about how to take care of my external appearance, especially in relationship to who I’m with. However, in the practice of Zen great efforts are made to take care of appearance, because it is the “face” we show the world and is the vehicle within which the Buddha transmits the Dharma. Our appearance tells other people how seriously we wish ourselves to be taken.
When I was a child, my mother was very strict in making sure I wore certain clothes to go to school. If I did not wear the “right” shirt or pants she would make me change them. They had to match. She also made sure that I cleaned my face, wore deodorant, and brushed my teeth so that I would not smell. I resented her for this at the time, as I felt it was excessively nagging. Consequently, I make sure to give my own son choices in what clothes to wear to school, trusting that he’ll figure it out. I insist on him being clean and eating well but am not overly demanding as my mother was with me. Today, however, I’m coming to appreciate my mother’s insistence on taking care of my appearance. Even monks are expected to keep themselves and their robes clean, to prevent robes from being disheveled, and, when sitting in meditation, to organize the placement of kimono, koromo (long sleeved black robes), and Buddha robe. In becoming a Buddhist priest, I learned to become mindful of my physical appearance, something my mother prepared me for long before. My teacher said that with Zen we start from the outside and work our way inside.
This is not to say we ignore our mental state. Pure gold does not tarnish. This is likened to a state of mind that remains pure and unmoved even when insulted or harmed in some way. Through practice we learn not to accept abusive behavior but to be willing to learn from teachers who are further along the path than we are, or from friends who have our best interests at heart. Meditation helps us see our mind and prune behaviors and attitudes that no longer serve us or the wellbeing of others. We learn to let go of clinging to the past or grasping after a future that is not yet here, and to be genuinely and immediately present with and for the people right around us. We come to pay attention less to our own self-absorption, and more to the needs of those around us in a way that allows for loving connection. In behaving this way, in practicing in a way that assumes we are “gold” on the inside, people come to see the “gold” in themselves.
Admittedly, it’s easy to forget about the discipline of putting our practice at the center of our lives every day, however that may look. Practice doesn’t always have to be formal meditation with a group, as helpful as that might be. It also means we are physically and mentally upright in whatever activity we happen to be engaged in. We will inevitably hit pitfalls that we need to be willing to be okay with, and to turn into an opportunity for practice.
When my father passed away, I had to postpone my formal Zen activities, including teaching, to be present for my family. That being present for and grieving with my family became my Zen practice. Helping my mother get her financial affairs in order was Zen activity. We don’t need to be in a special place to practice. It’s always right now, right here.
Zen Master Dogen said when questioned about the fruits of practice, “nyu nan shin,” or “a flexible heart/mind.” Gold is malleable. When heated, it forms into whatever shape one desires. This parallels the fruits of Zen practice. We learn to be flexible in the heart and mind, being able to adapt to whatever the situation calls for, not afraid to let go of long-established patterns of behavior, even if they might be considered “good.” There’s a certain degree of spontaneity in practice that allows one to change, accepting whatever discomforts might be present. When we recognize that gold is, metaphorically, a part of our hearts, there’s no fear in change. Zen practice, especially zazen, helps us connect with our innate flexibility, even if we don’t recognize the gold metaphor. Outward signs of this inner gold include self-discipline, being grounded in the here and now, and a display of fortitude (as opposed to bravado), and a flexible attitude.
This calligraphic phrase is intended to be a blessing. It says, “May you have longevity like that of a gold rock.”
To see ourselves as having the qualities of a gold rock is to treasure our self, to value our self, to love our self. But in our world people will spend a lot of money to find these qualities outside themselves, not valuing their own life. This calligraphy is reminding the observer to value themselves as they would value their weight in gold. While our true value has no price tag, nevertheless this restless part of ourselves is always making comparisons and value judgments. We don’t have to get rid of our restlessness, but direct it, or redirect it towards something worthy of our veneration. “May you have longevity like that of a gold rock.”