Buddha-Basics (Part IV) — Viewing Right

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/atta...2&d=1685057418 The first branch of the ‘”Eightfold Path is Right View (sometimes called Right Perspective or Right Understanding)…
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That is: to study and to come to understand the world through fundamental Buddhist perspectives and philosophies, and to make those ways of seeing a natural part of one’s life. The Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, The Precepts, Impermanence, the Middle Way, Non-existence of the “self,” Cause and Effect, Dependent Co-Origination, Buddhist views on time, life and death, the workings of the senses and mind… the words and insights of the Buddha and later teachers… the list goes on… (In fact, all that’s the subject of this “Buddha-Basics” series!) Our Zazen Practice brings life to these doctrines, while each doctrine helps give shape and meaning to our Zazen.
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But “Zen” is also said to be “a special transmission outside the scriptures, not dependent on words and letters,” with legends of old Zen masters burning their Buddhist philosophy books. So: which view of “right view” is right?

CLICK HERE for today’s Sit-A-Long video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-02f...layer_embedded

Remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells; a sitting time of 15 to 35 minutes is recommended.

Attachment 8452

Dear Jundo,

which book would be a right one for a beginner like me?
promise too keep making splashes in then water gassho2

eugene

Hi Eugene,

We have a recommended book list for books about Shikantaza, Soto Zen, Zen and Buddhism. The ones with ** are recommended for new folks. One might just pretty much read right down the list of those.

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...REELEAF-SANGHA

Gassho, Jundo

I was wishing for a book list....and there is one :)

gassho2

Thank you dear teacher Jundo .
Very right . Buddhism is like swim . You can't learn swim from books you need to get to the water .

Gassho

Gassho,

Shugen

#sattoday

gassho2

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

Gassho


..sat2day•

gassho1

Thank you Jundo. Another great video.
I will continue to see the others on this topic.

Gassho
David

Sattoday

Thank you Jundo! This video really helps my view on some questions.

It sounds like Zazen isn't all I need to do, and perhaps enlightenment won't arrive simply by picking up a leaf of grass. I might need to (un)learn a thing or two.

Gassho,
Jason
SatThisDay


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Thank you Jundo,
on another great Talk
arm Chair Philosopher Been Guilty thats the past


Gassho
Cyd
Sat2day

Thanks, Jundo.

Sat today with this.

gassho1

This is definitely something that I have been working on. Trying to get off my phone and open a book. I am looking to read down the list of books hopefully I will find them affordably.

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I really enjoyed this one. Thank you Jundo.

Gassho,
John Miller
Sat Today

wisdom.org publications has decently-priced ebooks, SeaChel.

Jundo,
How much does a command of Japanese or Chinese help with learning the teachings? And do you need to study the old dialects, the way one would with Beowulf or struggle with Chaucer?
Gassho
Tom
Sat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tom

Jundo,
How much does a command of Japanese or Chinese help with learning the teachings? And do you need to study the old dialects, the way one would with Beowulf or struggle with Chaucer?
Gassho
Tom
Sat.

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Oh, no! There is more available in English now, and better translations, then in the entire history of Buddhism for 2500 years. I do not exaggerate. The old Chinese, Japanese, Sanskrit or Pali words are good to look up the odd bit of history now and then, but these days one can find the translation for most things already artfully done.

I am glad I speak Japanese, but I would not call it necessary. Maybe 99% of the Zen Teachers in the west these days do not.

Gassho, J

SatToday

Still, it must be nice to look up old Japanese sutras and texts and be able to read them. As for the translations in English, my what times we live in and my what a debt we have to the first generation of teachers and translators in the last 200 years.
Tom
Gassho,
Sat today.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tom

Still, it must be nice to look up old Japanese sutras and texts and be able to read them. As for the translations in English, my what times we live in and my what a debt we have to the first generation of teachers and translators in the last 200 years.
Tom
Gassho,
Sat today.

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Before Nishijima Roshi translated the Shobogenzo into English, he first had published a translation into Japanese! (Yes, from classical Japanese which is almost impossible for Japanese to read today, into modern Japanese). Classical Japanese for modern Japanese folks is even harder than a modern American reading Shakespeare without footnotes, and even in modern Japanese Dogen is ... well ... not a walk in the park. And, of course, even back in Dogen's day, the average Japanese struggled to understand Chinese in much the same way that you and I might struggle as English speakers with French (have to guess at the words which are vaguely similar). That assumes, of course, that folks were even literate in their own language! What is more, almost nobody in Japan or China understood Sanskrit or Pali, so they could only read mediocre translations of the few Indian texts available.

And they didn't have big libraries of cheap paperbacks, not to mention the internet to download!

In other words ... you and I have it so much better than Buddhist monks of the past ever did.

And, of course, there is that whole Face of our Way that is beyond words and texts anyway. :buddha:

Gassho, J

SatToday

Is it OK to keep a note book? I'm writing things down to better learn and remember these lessons for future reference. Once again...thank you!

Dan

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Budo-Dan

Is it OK to keep a note book? I'm writing things down to better learn and remember these lessons for future reference. Once again...thank you!

Dan

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Of course!

In Zen, we "burn all the books." But that just means that there is a time to study and read them, a time to put them down and just sit or work, days to burn the books, days to reconstitute the ashes and read them again.

Even when reading or studying, do not get trapped in the words and philosophy, making it just an intellectual idea. See through the words and live the Practice.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

gassho1

SatToday

Funnily enough I came across something about learning how to play the guitar yesterday. There are basically two kinds of ways on how to learn to play. One is the “classical” way. You learn mostly by and through music theory and sheet reading. The other one is to learn by ear and what others show you. Both will learn how to play the guitar eventually. However, both will probably be limited in how to express themselves on the guitar. The classically trained players may have problems to improvise, the others may lack the ability to tackle things they’ve never encountered before and cannot teach themselves by reading sheet music and so on. The most accomplished players are those who can do both. They know the theory behind what they hear and play and therefore can express themselves much better than any of the aforementioned.

I think it’s the same with reading books on Buddhism and “just” sitting. Reading gives depth to what you do.

Sorry for the long post...

Gassho
Teiro

Sat/Lah

Nice analogy Teiro. As a self taught guitarist who after years of stubbornness decided to learn a little theory I can very much relate to what you said.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Thank you Jundo.

I have read sometimes the word "Upaya" used to describe Buddhist teachings which is translated as "expedient means" but which I interpret as "useful fictions". That is, ideas and concepts valuable not because they are truths but because they provide a framework to make sense of our experience while remembering that making sense is "making", not "discovering".

Gassho,
Mark.

Sat today and LAHed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mark-Andrew

Thank you Jundo.

I have read sometimes the word "Upaya" used to describe Buddhist teachings which is translated as "expedient means" but which I interpret as "useful fictions". That is, ideas and concepts valuable not because they are truths but because they provide a framework to make sense of our experience while remembering that making sense is "making", not "discovering".

Gassho,
Mark.

Sat today and LAHed.

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We just recently had a discussion of this and, in a nutshell, my opinion is that "Upaya" is any method ... poetry or dance or parables or wondrous images or simplified versions and similes and metaphors ... that help to get the message across and encourage folks:

How much of dharma is upaya?
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...l=1#post268446

I like your very flexible outlook, Mark.

Gassho, J
STLah

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jundo

We just recently had a discussion of this and, in a nutshell, my opinion is that "Upaya" is any method ... poetry or dance or parables or wondrous images or simplified versions and similes and metaphors ... that help to get the message across and encourage folks:

How much of dharma is upaya?
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...l=1#post268446

I like your very flexible outlook, Mark.

Gassho, J
STLah

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Thanks (I think) for pointing me to that discussion. I learn from that that seems best not to over-analyse or over-intellectualise but to validate? on the zafu. Now I have to read "On ‘A Picture of a Rice Cake’". This site is like wikipedia.

Gassho,
Mark.

Sat today & lah.

Thank you for this you for this teaching.

Thank you Jundo,

Sat Today

This is very useful, cleared me some things about Zen's typical controversy :rolleyes:

Thank you fot the teching Jundo,

Gassho
Sat Today

I used to learn and practice budo and I thought of my earlier training when I watched this video, we used to speak about the three stages of learning a discipline, they are (roughly) "following" (shu), "breaking" (ha) and "leaving". (ri)

The first stage is about learning and memorizing the rules, forms, techniques and so fourth (beginner), the second is about becoming sufficiently proficient that you begin to go deeper and question the underlying rules and techniques to start developing your own touch and interpretation (adept) and the final stage is all about mastering your understanding and proficiency in such a way that you can utilize the school as self-expression, teach it well to others, be creative and "transcend forms" (expert).

I think this offers a good perspective on the issue of "learning words" or "transcending words". You have to learn the basics, or else if you skip to the transcendence part you will hurt yourself (for example, if you don't learn to fall correctly and instead go about "transcending form" you will hurt yourself when you try to invent your own way of falling). It is necessary to grind the basics and memorize names, concepts, ideas and the like, in order to have a basis for questioning and deeper inquiry, and later in order to be able to "let go". You also don't get to the final stage (or maybe it is the first stage of a new path? ;) ) by just memorizing and learning, you need to practice and put what you learn into action to make it truly part of yourself. Both have their time and place, but they are both important!

Those are my two cents, thank you for this lesson

Gassho,
Will
SatLah

Thank you Jundo.

Sitting with right view in mind I realized that to practice right view means/includes to let go of older/previous, "not-right" views. Letting go of other paths to follow the Way of the Buddha.

[emoji120]
Gassho
Alina
st+lah

Edit: I realized today that my comment probably sounds like "duh" to anyone reading it... what I meant was that right view as a practice means actively letting go of our old ways of understanding, catching ourselves when we fall in the trap of negative thinking/views and actively coming back to "right view", to choose right view in every day life, until it is a part of it. I had never thought of Right View as an active practice, it felt almost like the "theory" side of Buddhism for me.

Gassho


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