NONDOING
by Sensei Robert Joshin Althouse (c) 2005

As Yunyan was sweeping the ground, Daowu said, "Too busy."
Yunyan said, "You should know there's one who isn't busy."
Daowu said, "If so, then there's a second moon."
Yunyan held up his broom and said, "Which moon is this?"
Book of Serenity, Case 21

A common term used in Taoism is "Wu-wei", which means nondoing. In Zen practice this nondoing arises from a quality of awareness which is not caught up in our thoughts, judgments or fantasies. When we bring awareness to our thoughts, they disappear. So nondoing is characterized by action which is free of any self-consciousness and is appropriate to whatever situation we find ourselves in.

It's easy to misunderstand the nature of Zen practice. We imagine it is a program for self-improvement or enlightenment. We turn everything we do into a project. We are a busy culture so it's easy to translate this into Zen practice. When I teach Inner Disarmament workshops, people often find it difficult to get past their attachment to outcomes. Our addiction to strategies prevents us from entering into wholehearted, intimate relationships because we turn people into the objects of our grand plans.

So we can appreciate Yunyan's activity and his statement "You should know there's one who isn't busy". Nondoing doesn't mean we don't do anything. Nondoing is awareness, free of thoughts involved in the activity of sitting, standing, walking or eating with no attachment to the outcome.

So naturally, we think, "OK, I must try to be more aware". But you already are aware, as you are. You can not manufacture awareness. Let go of your thoughts. Let go of trying to understand or control everything. You are caught in the prison of your own thoughts pushing and pulling at you through desire or aversion. Practice isn't about trying to be aware. It is more about letting go of your thoughts which prevent you from being aware as you are.

With practice you learn to trust nondoing which has no space, no time, no color, no form, no age, no birth or death, no identity. This awareness is who you really are. Resting in this awareness is trusting your awakened, Buddha nature. When you bring awareness to your thoughts, they disappear. When you bring awareness to your fantasies, they evaporate like a mirage.

None of us can have this awareness all the time. But with practice we can increase our awareness and lessen the time we spend in illusory thoughts and fantasies. Please practice in this way, in your relationships and in everything that you do.