SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: Doubt Faith

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There are times in this Practice when any of us may feel some powerful doubt. Perhaps a Buddha is beyond each and every doubt ... but some say that even he, at times in his life, was given to some doubt. To doubt is human, and faith or trust might be needed to carry us through.


And there are times in this Practice which are beyond all doubt.


It is sometimes said, 'Great Doubt, Great Awakening'. But I say 'Great Awakening, Great Doubt'. "Great doubt leads to Great Awakening in which the is No Doubt" ... but also "Great Doubt and No Doubt" can come at various times in life, at various moments in a single Zazen sitting ... and truly piercing the meaning of that is Great Awakening!


Today’s Sit-A-Long video follows at this link. Remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells; a sitting time of 15 to 35 minutes is recommended.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ldhd8OF9BI[/youtube]
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Hitting the proverbial nail on the proverbial head, I think. Thank you for this.

I think we, and by me I speak only for myself, manifest this doubt because we think that Buddha should feel like THIS!. But when Buddha feels like this, well that's not Buddha, right? THIS! not this. But when we are like this it's still Buddha, just slightly tilted Buddha and when we're like THIS! IT'S JUST BOLD BEAUTIFUL OPEN BUDDHA. Still Buddha, still complete, just our perception of what Buddha should be doesn't match our expectations (don't get me started on underlines Buddha...).

Anyways, life doesn't meet expectations 100% of the time, and neither does Buddha. But does that mean that we still aren't living life, that we still aren't Buddha? A reminder for myself on a moment to moment basis.

Quote:

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Jundo wrote:
To doubt is human, and faith or trust might be needed to carry us through.

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To faith and trust in times of doubt _/_

That is why the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are so vital. Even in times when there is doubt of any 1 of them, there are always the other 2 to get us through!

Gassho,
John

Thank you Jundo.

Gassho,

Shawn


PS - Posted to podcast. Should show up in iTunes shortly.

Thank you Jundo. I hope you and your family have a very enjoyable holiday.
Gassho

Thank you Jundo Sensei.

You nailed the way I sometimes feel. Mind to crowded to concentrate, but I just sit with what is.

Thanks Jundo

Jundo,

I have found myself feeling like this of late, so thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

And so I just go sit.

Deep bows.

Gassho,
Dosho

Gassho Jundo,
Peter

One can say that doubt is "seen through and through" although it arises, just as we see though all obstructions.

I'd like to post an excerpt of one of Daido Roshi's dharma talks that deal with the subject of doubt. Although he speaks about it in context of koan practice I think it's still applicable here.

Quote:

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Most of the work [in Zen practice] takes place while sitting zazen, because in reality there's nothing anyone can give us. There's nothing that we lack. Each one of us is perfect and complete. That's why it is said that there are no Zen teachers and nothing to teach. But this truth must be realized by each one of us. Great faith, great doubt, and great determination are three essentials for that realization. It is a boundless faith in oneself and in the ability to realize oneself and make oneself free, and a deep and penetrating doubt which ask: Who am I? What is life? What is truth? What is God? What is reality? This great faith and great doubt are in dynamic tension with each other, and work to provide the real cutting edge of koan practice*. When great faith and great doubt are also accompanied by great determination (the determination of "Seven times knocked down, eight times up"), we have at our disposal the power necessary to break through our delusive way of thinking and realize the full potential of our lives.

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http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Buddhis ... Doubt.aspx

Thank you Andy,
I somewhat believe its not only the cutting edge of koan practice,
but also the cutting edge of shikantaza practice.
_()_
Peter

Gassho,

Risho

Andy, this quote of Daido is just wonderful.
We could All work in this direction. There is nt any other anyway.

Gassho

Taigu

Thankyou Jundo and all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chugai

Thank you Sensei -- your talk led me to reading this: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... ening.html
and in turn this: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

It came in a time that my faith in Buddha's awakening, specifically that he awakened to the truth of all things, is being sorely worked over in my thoughts ...

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chugai,

i need this

thanks

gassho
Greg

Thank you Jundo gassho2

Gassho
Lisa
sat today

gassho1

Thanks Jundo. And thanks Lisa and Danny for resurrecting these very good words.

Gassho

Randy
sattoday