A Direct Pointing Summary

The Buddha picked up one of the lotus flowers and held it up before the community. He did not say anything. Everyone sat perfectly still. The Buddha continued to hold up the flower without saying anything for a long time. People were perplexed and wondered what he meant by doing that. Then the Buddha looked out over the community and smiled. The white lotus in the Buddha’s hand had newly blossomed. There was nothing to think about. ”Friends, this flower is a wondrous reality. As I hold the flower, you all have a chance to experience it. Making contact with a flower is to make contact with a wondrous reality. It is making contact with life itself. Being lost in thoughts is one of the things that prevents us from making true contact with life. If you are ruled by worry, frustration, anxiety, anger, or jealousy, you will lose the chance to make real contact with all the wonders of life. The lotus in my hand is only real to those who dwell mindfully in the present moment. Be aware to see both the suffering and wonders in life. If we directly encounter life, we will understand its interdependent and impermanent nature. We will dwell in freedom and liberation.” - Inquiry - This article is a personal account of a Direct Pointing dialogue. It gives an idea how such a dialogue turns out in practice. The pointers within the Order reality, however, are numerous. Be it pointers in studies, in the Buddhist scriptures, ZEN poems, meditation (in its anapanasati, bhavana, vipassana aspects), in ‘just sitting’ and reflection, in Buddhist imagery. - The key - the Buddha’s last pointer - is awareness itself: “With mindfulness strive on” or “vayadhammā saṅkhārā appamādena sampādetha” - “all compounded things, all experiences (mental and physical), all phenomena by their very nature decay and die, and are disappointing: it is through being aware, not-blind-drunk on, obsessed by, or infatuated with, the objects of the senses that you succeed in awakening, or obtain liberation”. I hope this article may serve as inspiration for others, perhaps as an encouragement to share their own experience. - My account consists of the dialogue between me and my ‘guide’. I have added all too familiar passages from the Buddhist scriptures as well as a few ZEN poems for further elucidation and to show that the spirit of such dialogues permeates the whole of Buddhist tradition. - The ‘Direct Pointing’ exercise itself requires simple, uncontrived, honest looking. Responses are best from direct experience i.e. the physical evidence of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling, prior to the story or explanation about them. Long-winded, analytical and philosophical or stream of consciousness answers are best avoided and may even hinder progress. - To be put aside: all other teachings, philosophies etc. for the duration of this investigation. All your effort and attention goes into seeing this reality, as it is… - The continuation and complete summary can be found in the attached file.