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Thread: Being of value to Sangha

  1. #1

    Being of value to Sangha

    Until recently I was attending regular sittings at a beautiful little Zendo. It was in a space rented by the Dharma Drum organization, and shared with the Son group I was sitting with. The landlord sold the building this past winter... and the group moved across the city where I simply could no longer get-to for regular Tuesday evening practice. The teachings of this group were the kind I have heard many times over the years, and to be honest... weren't the important thing. The important thing for me was the group practice.... chanting, bowing, sitting.....together. This was where the rubber hit the road, and it is also where I happened to be useful. Every time this mouth opens, a bull charges out and knocks over a china display. But when I just sit, I sit with, as, for, and by, everyone sitting with me. It is not only an amazing support of my own practice, it supports the practice of others. By being a rock of consistency, always being there, and always just doing it, with no melodrama, I contributed something solid and true....and I knew it. ...and it was a joy to be that rock. So.. here at treeleaf, with this forum board, and my own history of blabbing on boards, it is more important than ever, to contribute in the best way I can, and that is to be there/here ,always, for group practice and sit well... no muss, no fuss.

    I think we all contribute in different ways, everyone has a strength, and finding what it is makes a difference. Everyone is different.

    Just sharing with Sangha.

    Gassho/kojip
    Last edited by RichardH; 06-26-2012 at 02:30 PM.

  2. #2
    Thank you, K. You are now one of the pillars holding up the roof of this place via your words, non-words, non-actions and actions around here. We support each other.

    Gassho, J
    Last edited by Jundo; 06-27-2012 at 12:23 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  3. #3
    Thank you for that Kojip!

    Gassho,
    __/\__
    Mike
    To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
    -Dhp. 183
    My Practice Blog

  4. #4
    I wish I could find the quote again, but a teacher once observed how if you take tongs and set a glowing coal out by itself, it'll soon go out, but if you arrange the coals together, rather than loosing heat their mutual heat combines, and they soon burst into flame. That has certainly been my experience of sangha.
    Emmet

  5. #5
    Thank you Kojip,
    I much agree with your post,

    Quote Originally Posted by Kojip View Post
    I think we all contribute in different ways, everyone has a strength, and finding what it is makes a difference. Everyone is different.
    This cannot emphasized enough, in my opinion,
    Gassho
    Myoku

    ps.: About regular sitting, a number of us are pretty active at google+, feel free to mail me if you need some help to get that going; its pretty great to sit with your fellow treeleafers

  6. #6
    Thank you Kojip.
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  7. #7
    Thanks Kojip, I enjoy your blabbing, even when I don't understand your view it piques my curiosity. I also sit with another group besides Treeleaf and its all good. I like Piobar's hot coal analogy.
    _/_
    Rich
    MUHYO
    無 (MU, Emptiness) and 氷 (HYO, Ice) ... Emptiness Ice ...

    https://instagram.com/notmovingmind

  8. #8
    Thanks for sharing Kojip, and believe me, your posts and the posts of the other members of the Sangha are rock-solid pillars for my own practice. See you in G+

    Gassho
    Thank you for your practice

  9. #9
    Thank you, Kojip! I hope to get back on Google+ more soon to sit live with others. I miss doing that.

    P.s. Piobar, I believe that was Kodo Sawaki. If I remember correctly, Uchiyama related that analogy of Sawaki's in Opening the Hand of Thought.
    Gassho, Kaishin
    Thanks,
    Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
    Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.

  10. #10
    Thank you for your encouragement and support, Jundo. .


    I also agree with Piobair's coal analogy. Maybe It is more than the sum of parts, maybe it's alchemical.


    Hi Myoku. Another regular group sit along with the Fri/Sat Zazenkai would be great. An an evening earlier in the week perhaps. Can you let me know went you folks are doing it?


    Gassho, kojip

  11. #11
    Hi Kojip, I've occasionally sat the recorded version of zazenkais during the week from 2100-2230 EST on Google+. If that appeals to you, drop me a line and we'll put something on the calendar. I'm sure we could get a few more evening sitters to join in as well.

    Gassho,
    Shujin

  12. #12
    Thank you for your practice Kojip. I enjoy having you around as I always learn from what you share

    Quote Originally Posted by Piobair View Post
    I wish I could find the quote again, but a teacher once observed how if you take tongs and set a glowing coal out by itself, it'll soon go out, but if you arrange the coals together, rather than loosing heat their mutual heat combines, and they soon burst into flame. That has certainly been my experience of sangha.
    Thank you for sharing this(also to Kaishin for the reference to its origin)! This wonderful lesson will forever give more depth to my mind and actions whenever I am laying charcole for Tea!

    Gassho,
    Hoyu
    Ho (Dharma)
    Yu (Hot Water)

  13. #13
    disastermouse
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Piobair View Post
    I wish I could find the quote again, but a teacher once observed how if you take tongs and set a glowing coal out by itself, it'll soon go out, but if you arrange the coals together, rather than loosing heat their mutual heat combines, and they soon burst into flame. That has certainly been my experience of sangha.
    Without attributing any intent in this way, can I just say that this metaphor makes me very uncomfortable. Not because it doesn't point to a truth, but maybe because it does.

    Chet

  14. #14
    Mp
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Kojip View Post
    to contribute in the best way I can, and that is to be there/here
    Thanks for sharing Kojip.

  15. #15
    That's the great thing about Treeleaf...it's always there.
    Kevin France
    ---
    Breathe fully and effortlessly, like a child
    See who you are, without distortion
    (Tao Te Ching, ch 10)

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Kojip View Post
    Hi Myoku. Another regular group sit along with the Fri/Sat Zazenkai would be great. An an evening earlier in the week perhaps. Can you let me know went you folks are doing it?
    Kojip,
    check out either the local treeleaf calendar at

    http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/calendar.php

    or the Google+ calendar; I think these two are not yet synced automatically, but you find some regular sittings there.
    The Shokai/Myoku zazen is daily and has usually something like 2..5 sitters. The Myozan zazen on Wednesday is getting
    very popular now and overall the amount of sitters on google+ is steadily rising. Again, if you need some technical
    help feel free to ask in the forum or mail me.

    Gassho
    Myoku

  17. #17
    Kojip - I always enjoy your posts - they have a certain spark to them that makes those coals burn brighter.

    Gassho

    Willow

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Myoku View Post
    Kojip,
    check out either the local treeleaf calendar at

    http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/calendar.php

    or the Google+ calendar; I think these two are not yet synced automatically, but you find some regular sittings there.
    The Shokai/Myoku zazen is daily and has usually something like 2..5 sitters. The Myozan zazen on Wednesday is getting
    very popular now and overall the amount of sitters on google+ is steadily rising. Again, if you need some technical
    help feel free to ask in the forum or mail me.

    Gassho
    Myoku
    Thank you, Myoko. Sounds good, will do.

    .... BTW, I read "2..5 sitters" as "two point five sitters".. and thought ..Who is the point five?!

  19. #19
    Thank you , Willow.

    Gassho.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Kojip View Post
    .... BTW, I read "2..5 sitters" as "two point five sitters".. and thought ..Who is the point five?!
    I'm often not fully present ...
    _()_
    Myoku

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Shujin View Post
    Hi Kojip, I've occasionally sat the recorded version of zazenkais during the week from 2100-2230 EST on Google+. If that appeals to you, drop me a line and we'll put something on the calendar. I'm sure we could get a few more evening sitters to join in as well.

    Gassho,
    Shujin
    Hi Shujin. Thanks. My family is used to easing off the wifi on Friday nights (EST) so I can do the Live Zazenkai...
    .... especially appreciate the 4 hour monthly.

    Gassho, kojip.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Myoku View Post
    I'm often not fully present ...
    _()_
    Myoku
    ..........

  23. #23
    Hey Kojip,

    thanks for your post. You wrote: "But when I just sit, I sit with, as, for, and by, everyone sitting with me. It is not only an amazing support of my own practice, it supports the practice of others." I quoted you when sitting with my local zazen group yesterday (not mentioning your name btw. but saying that someone at Treeleaf had made a great comment). So thanks once more.

    Gassho,

    Hans Chudo Mongen

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Myoku View Post
    I'm often not fully present ...
    _()_
    Myoku
    That was hilarious
    Thank you for your practice

  25. #25
    Thanks Kojip...very wise words!

    Gassho,
    Dosho

  26. #26
    Kojip,

    I have the same feelings about having a sangha around...as it happens, within two weeks of my having decided that Soto Zen was the one for me, the local SZ zendo closed its doors for lack of funds to pay the rent. For a long time, I missed having the live presence of people though Treeleaf was there for me. Now that things are more developed, the ability to sit on Google + does a lot to recreate that feeling. Although my schedule seems to be at odds with the regular sittings, knowing they are there is a source of support as well.

    gassho,

    Julia s
    "The Girl Dragon Demon", the random Buddhist name generator calls me....you have been warned.

    Feed your good wolf.

  27. #27
    disastermouse
    Guest
    Just opening up a G+ hangout when I sit can make me feel more connected - even if no one joins....although I have to admit I haven't been using it in my daily sits since I've been in Savannah.

    Chet

  28. #28
    Kojip,
    Deep bows to your wisdom and teachings, with thanks.
    Myozan

  29. #29
    Treeleaf Unsui Shugen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Redding California USA
    Quote Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post
    Just opening up a G+ hangout when I sit can make me feel more connected - even if no one joins....although I have to admit I haven't been using it in my daily sits since I've been in Savannah.

    Chet
    That's how I feel as well (Other than the Savannah part )

    Ron
    Meido Shugen
    明道 修眼

  30. #30
    Chet wrote:
    Just opening up a G+ hangout when I sit can make me feel more connected - even if no one joins....
    +1

    Gassho,
    Hoyu
    Ho (Dharma)
    Yu (Hot Water)

  31. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by disastermouse View Post
    Just opening up a G+ hangout when I sit can make me feel more connected - even if no one joins....although I have to admit I haven't been using it in my daily sits since I've been in Savannah.

    Chet
    Most of the time I sit, it's alone. lol Well I'm still sitting with all of you. My sitting schedule isn't fixed, but lately it's been around 6pm EST after work.

  32. #32
    What really nice responses. This thread brings something to mind... sure, everyone is a teacher in a way, but at the same time there are teachers, those who have ordained, and who have been trained by generations of experience, so they can teach responsibly. ...and these conventional distinctions are important.
    But, there is also the idea that the Buddha does not speak from the "highest peak" (probably mount sumeru or something), but lets others speak from one peak down. I think that is where we are when we sit together... that place where the Buddha does not speak.

    Gassho, kojip.



    ..ed. I recall the text saying something like .."from the highest peak no ratiocination has ever been allowed".. maybe someone more savvy knows this? thanks.
    Last edited by RichardH; 06-28-2012 at 08:10 PM.

  33. #33
    Kojip,

    Thank you for your post. I have 'hung out' here a lot, mostly to sit. I have not really participated in the forums. I have missed much and I need to support this dharma here on the 'net. Thank you for showing how, even if this sangha is widely dispersed, the sangha can still be as close as the corner store.

    Gassho.

    Charlie

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