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Thread: October 31th-November 1st, 2014 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

  1. #1

    October 31th-November 1st, 2014 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

    NOTE: BECAUSE WE STARTED 20 MINUTES LATER, KINHIN PERIODS TODAY ARE EACH 10 MINUTES LONG. OTHER SCHEDULE IS THE SAME.

    NOTE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS HAS ENDED IN EUROPE, NOT YET IN US & CANADA

    Readings for today's Dharma Talk are below in this thread.


    Please 'sit-a-long' with our MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI, netcast LIVE 8am to noon Japan time Saturday morning (that is New York 7pm to 11pm, Los Angeles 4pm to 8pm (Friday night), London 11pm, to 3am and Paris midnight to 4am (early Saturday morning)) ... and visible at the following link during those times ...

    ... to be visible at the following link during those times and any time thereafter ...

    LIVE ZAZENKAI NETCAST at GOOGLE+ IS HERE:
    CLICK ON THE TAB ON LOWER RIGHT FOR 'FULL SCREEN




    FOR THOSE NOT ALREADY MEMBERS OF THE CIRCLE WHO WISH TO JOIN TO SIT LIVE WITH A CAMERA, INSTRUCTIONS are posted AT THIS LINK. WE ARE NOW LIMITED TO 10 INDIVIDUALS WITH CAMERAS, BUT ANY NUMBER CAN WATCH LIVE 'ONE WAY' AND SIT-A-LONG VIA THE ABOVE SCREEN. IF JOINING WITH CAMERA, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR MICROPHONE IS MUTED:

    The Sitting Schedule is as follows;

    00:00 - 00:50 CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA / SANDOKAI IN ENGLISH) & ZAZEN
    00:50 - 01:00 KINHIN
    01:00 - 01:30 ZAZEN
    01:30 - 01:50 KINHIN

    01:50 - 02:30 DHARMA TALK & ZAZEN
    02:30 - 02:40 KINHIN

    02:40 - 03:15 ZAZEN
    03:15 - 03:30 KINHIN
    03:30 - 04:00 METTA CHANT & ZAZEN, VERSE OF ATONEMENT, FOUR VOWS, & CLOSING



    Our Zazenkai consists of our chanting the 'Heart Sutra' and the 'Identity of Relative and Absolute (Sandokai)' in English (please download our Chant Book at the link below), some full floor prostrations (please follow along with me ... or a simple Gassho can be substituted if you wish), a little talk by me ... and we close with the 'Metta Chant', followed at the end with the 'Verse of Atonement' and 'The Four Vows'. Oh, and lots and lots of Zazen and walkin' Kinhin in between!

    Please download and print out the Chants we will recite at the following link (PDF):

    Chant Book (PDF)

    or

    Chant Book (SHORT VERSION HTML)

    I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU POSITION YOUR ZAFU ON THE FLOOR IN A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE NOT STARING DIRECTLY AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN, BUT CAN GLANCE OVER AND SEE THE SCREEN WHEN NECESSARY. YOUR ZAFU SHOULD ALSO BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE COMPUTER SCREEN WHILE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE ZAFU FOR THE CEREMONIES, AND HAVE ROOM FOR BOWING AND KINHIN.

    ALSO, REMEMBER TO SET YOUR COMPUTER (& SCREEN SAVER) SO THAT IT DOES NOT SHUT OFF DURING THE 4 HOURS.


    I hope you will join us ... an open Zafu is waiting. When we drop all thought of 'here' 'there' 'now' 'then' ... we are sitting all together!


    Gassho, Jundo
    Last edited by Jundo; 11-01-2014 at 03:34 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    Our Talk this time will be climbing up a passage of Master Dogen's Shobogenzo Hakujushi (the Cypress Tree)

    http://scbs.stanford.edu/sztp3/trans...anslation.html

    ... which centers on the "Cypress Tree In The Garden" Koan of Joshu, found in our Book of Serenity readings this week ...

    http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...NIMITY-Case-47

    Gassho, Jundo

    It can be found, with wonderful footnoting by scholar and translator Carl Bielefeldt at the following link. I also reprint below the passage I hope to cover ...

    -------------------
    Treasury of the Eye of the True Dharma
    Number 40

    The Cypress Tree

    ...

    The great master was once asked by a monk, “What is the intention of the ancestral master’s coming from the west?”
    The master said, “The cypress tree at the front of the garden.”
    The monk said, “Reverend Preceptor, don’t show a person with an object.”
    The master said, “I don’t show a person with an object.”
    The monk said, “What is the intention of the ancestral master’s coming from the west?”
    The master said, “The cypress tree at the front of the garden.”12


    This one public case, though it is said to have originated from Zhaozhou, is in the end something authored by the whole body of the buddhas. Who is “the one in charge”? [NOTE: "the one in charge", commonly used in Chan texts for the true self. ] The principle we should understand here is the point that “the cypress at the front of the garden” is not “an object,” the point that “the intention of the ancestral master’s coming from the west” is not “an object,” the point that “the cypress tree” is not the self; for [it is said,], “Reverend Preceptor don’t show a person with an object”; for [it is said,] “I don’t show a person with an object.” Which “Reverend Preceptor” is impeded by “Reverend Preceptor”? [NOTE: Impeded/Obstructed - Probably to be taken in the sense, “identified,” “defined”; a common usage in Dōgen’s writings.] If he is not impeded, he must be “I.” Which “I” is impeded by “I”? Even if it is impeded, it must be “a person.” Which “object” is not obstructed by the “intention in coming from the west”? For the “object” must inevitably be the “intention in coming from the west.” Nevertheless, the “intention in coming from the west” is not dependent on the “object.” “The intention of the ancestral master’s coming from the west” is not necessarily “the treasury of the eye of the true dharma, the wondrous mind of nirvana.” It is “not the mind”; it is “not the buddha”; it is not “not a thing.”13

    [NOTE: According to the Shōbōgenzō monge, the influential commentary attributed to the Sōtō master Menzan Dōhaku 面山道白(1636-1715), the key to this difficult passage is the understanding that the “the intention of the ancestral master” lies precisely in the abandonment of both the “object” (of experience) and the “person” (who experiences). Hence, Dōgen says that the point to be understood is that “the cypress tree” is neither an “object” nor “the self.” To say that the “Venerable Preceptor” is not “impeded” is to say that there is no “person” or “object” apart from him; there is only the “Venerable Preceptor” as “I.” Similarly, to say that, even when “impeded,” the “I” is “a person” is to say that, in the absence of a distinction between “person” and “object,” the person is not separate from this self. ]


    [The monk’s] saying here, “what is the intention of the ancestral master’s coming from the west?” is not merely a question; it is not merely that “both people can see the same.” [NOTE: Generally understood to mean that the monk and Zhaozhou share the same view. ] Precisely at the time he asks, he cannot see anyone; how much of himself can he get? [NOTE: generally interpreted to mean that, when the monk asks the question, there is no one to whom it is addressed and no one who is asking it. Though it is possible to read this passage as a criticism of the monk, most interpreters take it as an affirmation of his understanding.] Going further, [we can say,] he is without fault. Therefore, it is “mistake, mistake.” [NOTE: "Mistake" sometimes used in ironic praise—which, given the context, seems the most likely interpretation here. ] Because it is mistake, mistake, it is “taking a mistake as a mistake.” [NOTE: An idiom, found in Chan texts, meaning “to recognize one’s mistake” or “to turn a mistake to one’s advantage.”] Is this not “to accept the hollow and entertain the echo”?14 [NOTE: A Chinese idiomatic expression meaning something like “to take seriously what is vacuous.” Though the connotation is negative, most interpreters take it in a positive sense here; the Shōbōgenzō monge (CKZS 5:232), for example, treats it as the Buddhist vision of all things as empty of their “own natures” ]


    Because “the all-pervading spiritual root turns neither toward nor away,” it is “the cypress tree at the front of the garden”: if it is not an “object,” it cannot be a cypress tree; even if it is an object, it is [said,] “I don’t show a person with an object,” and “Reverend Preceptor, don’t show a person with an object.” It is not an old ancestral shrine. [NOTE: The rationale for this seeming non sequitur is not clear. Some interpreters have speculated that it is an allusion to the cypress trees traditionally planted at ancestral shrines in symbolic expression of eternal life; hence, the point is presumably that Zhaozhou’s cypress is not eternal.] Since it is not an old ancestral shrine, he goes on burying. [NOTE: Some interpreters take this to mean that Zhaozhou’s cypress tree is continually “dying” (and “being reborn”) in each moment. ] Since he goes on burying, it is “return my concentrated effort.” [NOTE: generally taken to mean “[The cypress tree] is my concentrated effort” — i.e, the spiritual effort of teaching by the “I” (go 吾) in the statement, “I . . . show a person.” ] Since it is “return my concentrated effort,” it is [said,] “I don’t show a person with an object.” Then what else does he use to “show a person”? It must be “I’m also like this.”15 [NOTE: Dogen's point might be, at least in part, that Zhaozhou’s cypress tree is not a memorial to the Chan ancestor Bodhidharma but what he is using to “bury” (i.e., teach) people.]

    * * * * *
    Last edited by Jundo; 11-02-2014 at 03:43 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  3. #3
    Mp
    Guest
    I will be there live, thank you Jundo. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

  4. #4

  5. #5
    I'll be there, but perhaps not live. It will be trick-or-treat time.
    _/\_ Shinzan
    Last edited by Shinzan; 10-31-2014 at 02:50 PM.

  6. #6
    I'll either be handing out candy or taking the kids around the neighborhood for Halloween, so I'll have to sit with the recorded version.

    Gassho,
    Dosho

  7. #7
    Be there/here at delayed/virtual/actual time.

    Gassho
    John

  8. #8
    I'll be there with mokugyo and bell ready!

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  9. #9
    Shinyo
    Guest
    Heart Sutra and mokugyo? Sounds great!

    Gassho,
    Shinyo

  10. #10
    I'll be helping my son with his "Galactic Overlord" costume and driving him to at a party, so I may come in late or sit Zazenkai on Sunday.

    Gassho
    Daizan

  11. #11
    Shinyo
    Guest
    Not sure if I'll make it. I'm waiting to be accepted on Google +. Also, my work schedule changed again.

    Gassho,
    Shinyo

  12. #12
    Let me mention that, the night before the Zazenkai, our Zendo becomes our neighborhood "Haunted House" for about 30 of my son's school chums and their parents!

    (Well, at night, with the wooden rafters, candle light and creeky door ... it makes a good one! ).


    Gassho, J
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  13. #13
    I'll be practicing trick-or-treat chauffeur Zazenkai with all of you tomorrow. Sitting later this weekend

    Gassho,
    -Jeff

  14. #14
    I'll be there. Hope the G3 (Google+ Gatekeeper Gremlins...!) don't hide the door to the Zendo again this week...!

    Gassho,

    Bryson

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Shinyo View Post
    I'm waiting to be accepted on Google +.
    Shinyo,

    Did you send either me or Myoku a request as outlined here: http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...E-for-Zazenkai

    If you did, my apologies for misplacing it; please send it again.

    Gassho,
    Dosho

  16. #16
    Shinyo
    Guest
    No. I got an error message with the link, so just requested on google+.

    Gassho,
    Shinyo

  17. #17
    Will be there with you guys, but since DST already changed in Mexico City, I may arrive a liiittle late form work as Zazenkai will start at 17:00 local time ...anyway, see you soon

    Gassho
    Thank you for your practice

  18. #18
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    See you all soon. Thank you for your practice!
    Gassho.
    Sekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.

  19. #19
    Joyo
    Guest
    I will be not be able to make it, as I'll be out, watching my kids collect an insane amount of sugar and artificial food colouring. Have a wonderful zazenkai everyone

    Gassho,
    Joyo

  20. #20
    Participating.


    Gassho,
    Myosha
    "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Shinyo View Post
    No. I got an error message with the link, so just requested on google+.
    The link works just fine for me. Try going to the main forum page, then scroll down until you find "TECHNICAL FAQ". Click that and the Google info is a sticky right at the top.

    That will tell you the procedure to get on G+.

    Gassho,
    Dosho

  22. #22
    Shinyo
    Guest
    Okay. I only tried from the app on my phone. Will have to try again later when I get to my laptop. I'm guessing that might be the issue. Thanks.

    Gassho,
    Shinyo

  23. #23
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Nothing on google plus yet for me. Anyone else having an issue?
    Gassho.
    Sekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.

  24. #24
    Almost always!

  25. #25
    Mp
    Guest
    I am not seeing anything either.

    Gassho
    Shingen

  26. #26
    I don't think it has started yet, or the standby screen would be on this page, yeah...?

  27. #27

  28. #28
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    There are issues and then there are issues! ^_^
    Gassho.

    Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
    Sekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.

  29. #29
    Mp
    Guest
    If nothing yet, please just sit in the meantime. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

  30. #30
    Could be a daylight savings time thing.

    _/\_

  31. #31
    Starting 20 minutes late
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  32. #32
    Mp
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    Starting 20 minutes late
    Thank you Jundo, will continue to sit until then. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

  33. #33
    Thanks Jundo,


  34. #34
    My camera seems to be not working. I'll sit along.


  35. #35
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Beautiful. Thank you everyone. Gassho.
    Sekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.

  36. #36
    Mp
    Guest
    Thank you everyone, wonderful to sit with you. =)

    Also, my apologizes on my chicken scratch chanting ... a deep thank you to Jundo and all of you for allowing me to learn and practice. Hopefully in time I won't be so shy and nervous when on stage. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

  37. #37
    Thanks for a great session, even though I had to look in from outside (that Google+ door appears to be firmly closed to some of us... Oh well; we were still there...!)

    Gassho,

    Bryson

  38. #38

  39. #39
    Oh, and I see my 100th post makes me a 'Senior Member' of the forum... I certainly feel very 'Junior' in this company...! Wonderful to be a part of such a great group of people...

    Gassho,

    Bryson

  40. #40
    Shinyo
    Guest
    Looks like I was still able to see the live video via a link on the treeleaf sangha google+ public page.

    Gassho,
    Shinyo

  41. #41
    I apologize for the 20 minute later start. If Zazen begins at 8am, never set the alarm clock to wake one up at 8:10!

    We transcend time, no long or short or late ... yet .... Zazen must start on time!

    Gassho, J
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  42. #42
    Quote Originally Posted by Bryson Keenan View Post
    Thanks for a great session, even though I had to look in from outside (that Google+ door appears to be firmly closed to some of us... Oh well; we were still there...!)

    Gassho,

    Bryson
    This week, can some of our GooglePlus wizards figure out just why some folks are having trouble to get in? There were plenty of open spaces.

    Gassho, J
    Last edited by Jundo; 11-01-2014 at 04:03 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  43. #43
    Thanks to all.


    Gassho,
    Myosha
    "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

  44. #44

    October 31th-November 1st, 2014 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

    Info for the Google plus wizards: I use a Mac and have been able to participate in tea parties but have had trouble participating in the Friday evening festivities.

    Gassho, Jishin
    Last edited by Jishin; 11-01-2014 at 04:53 AM.

  45. #45
    All hail the Google+ wizards!

    I am also on a Mac, but had no problems until 3-4 weeks ago. My last successful time 'in' the Zendo was Oct 4; I still have a list of "You were in a video call with Dosho, Michael Shingen..." messages in the hangout (") dropdown, but have not had a hangout notification since Oct 4...

    I have been able to follow along on the youtube screen that is embedded in this page (and can go to a Google+ live view from there, as there is an embedded link on the live youtube screen...), but still can't get 'in'.

    I am not fretting, as I can still follow the session, but it does feel a little more interactive (yes; even when we are 'just sitting'!), as there is at least some moments of face time with Jundo and the rest of you fine folk! I'm just hoping it is something simple....(??)

    Gassho,

    Bryson

  46. #46
    I had to look in from outside
    I know watching this struggle.
    In my case, real technical reasons only kept me from joining once (after going to bed at 7 PM and preparing to join, that was sad).

    But I am still busy with the thought that people joining, and joining regularly, are "better", more commited, than me.
    Like Jundo wrote on another occasion "If it was really important to you, you would get up."

    Plenty of time today to sit with that thought.
    Thank you.

    Gassho,
    Danny

  47. #47
    Quote Originally Posted by Danny B View Post
    I know watching this struggle.
    In my case, real technical reasons only kept me from joining once (after going to bed at 7 PM and preparing to join, that was sad).

    But I am still busy with the thought that people joining, and joining regularly, are "better", more commited, than me.
    Like Jundo wrote on another occasion "If it was really important to you, you would get up."

    Plenty of time today to sit with that thought.
    Thank you.

    Gassho,
    Danny
    Well, yes, but you are on the other side of the world. So, please get some sleep. Rohatsu next month will cover many time Zones, so please join then.

    Gassho, J
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  48. #48
    Hi guys!

    Thank you all who sat and who will sit.

    We are one inside and outside the cosmic apple pie

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  49. #49
    Hi again,

    About the technical difficulties...

    Google Plus is going through some changes. New people, new servers and services. There have been a lot of errors in the network. This has been going for a few weeks now. I guess we just have to be patient with them.

    Now, are you guys part of the G+ Community and G+ Page? When we post a live Hangout (either zazen or zazenkai) we usually broadcast it to everyone who follows the group and page.

    To follow the page go here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/116930448607190706458/posts

    To join the Community go here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/communit...18127851430086
    Please remember that the Community is only for joining zazen sessions, not for discussion.

    Also, if you are in a Linux, Windows or MacOS, I strongly suggest you use the Google Chrome browser. Makes it a lot easier to join Hangouts. Of course you can also do it from Firefox, but I have found it easier and faster in Chrome.

    From Android, the Hangouts app works like a charm.

    I don't own an iPhone or iPad, so I'm sorry I can't help there.

    Hope this helps. If not, please let me know

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  50. #50
    "Mistake, mistake - you all with your pimples..."

    Thank you so much for making me laugh.
    What a great talk, I'll try cutting an MP3 of that and listen to it whenever I forget ("often encountered, but rarely perceived").

    "Get some sleep" - an unexpected thing for a Zen Teacher to say, and a very compassionate thing to say to pipmple-faced me.
    Thanks.

    Gassho,
    Danny

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