Jundo
04-09-2015, 04:33 AM
I encourage looking at these threads, topics and posts today ...
For those who like to party! ... Celebrate Buddha's Birthday (April 8th in Japan) with you family ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13358-Celebrate-Buddha-s-Birthday-%28April-8th-in-Japan%29
Please sit with our April 3rd-4th, 2015 - MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! ... featuring a little talk on Bendoho and all the great and small rituals in our daily life ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13345-April-3rd-4th-2015-OUR-MONTHLY-4-hour-ZAZENKAI%21
... and note that the time of our weekly 90 minute Zazenkai will be an hour later from this week ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13334-Changing-up-length-of-zazen-time
Reflections continue in the "Grass Hut" ... this time, on true Enjoyment ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?55-BEYOND-WORDS-LETTERS-BOOK-CLUB
Balancing Practice ... not too loose, not too tight ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13339-Balancing-practice&p=151708&viewfull=1#post151708
Does Zen Practice require us to shoot for perfection? Well, Yes! No! Yes-No! ... Steve Jobs and Buddhism ...
I sometimes say that, when undertaking a Ceremony [or the like in life], we shoot for the undertaking to be flawless ... yet inevitably, there are always mistakes and flaws ... yet we shoot for the flawless nonetheless ...
... and holding all is a kind of Buddha-Perfection, a "Big F" Flawless that holds and dances both small human "little f" flaws and no flaws, small human judgements of perfection and imperfection.
...
So, striving without striving, effort without effort, perfection amid imperfection, achieving without achieving, goals free of goals ... losing oneself and finding oneself in the dance ... such is the Zen Way.
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13356-Steve-Jobs-and-Buddhism&p=152113&viewfull=1#post152113
Life is easy..... (But I, Jundo, am going to take a Middle Way on what this guys preaches, cause not THAT easy!) ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13357-Life-is-easy
Should Buddhists earn a living from selling Buddhist goods and, if so, what is the right way? A debate and personal reflections, maybe no clear answer ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13335-Japanese-characters-wanted
A Re-MINDer on SIMPLICITY:
In a Zen Monastery, SILENCE or A FEW WISE WORDS are cherished over MANY WORDS. Thus, I advise folks to restrain the need to speak unless the heart truly calls. If you find yourself posting many times each day, maybe consider what truly needs to be said ... and when it is best just to answer with silence and an inner Gassho.
SILENCE OR A FEW HESITANT WORDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT OFTEN SPEAK MOST PROFOUNDLY. Post when it is truly important to you and needs to be spoken from the warm heart.
(too much silence or shyness can also be excessive ... so take the Middle Way!)
Also, to those who may get lost among the many threads and conversations in our Forum, please think of a monastery made of wood or brick, with 100 monks holding 10,000 conversations in the hallways, kitchen, Abbot's rooms and library (I assume no chatting in the Zendo where people sit Zazen).
Would you need or want to hear or join in all or most conversations? Of course not! You would, at best, pick and choose the conversations relevant and helpful to you.
So here too in our Sangha, NO NEED TO READ EVERY CONVERSATION: Try to note the ones that seem helpful to your Practice or interests, leave the rest. The above threads are a few suggestions.
Oh, and we do ask folks to note that they have SAT ZAZEN THE PREVIOUS DAY BEFORE POSTING IN THE FORUM (please read about that here):
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?12995-Signing-SatToday-Please-Sat-before-Forum-Chat
Gassho, Jundo
SatToday!
For those who like to party! ... Celebrate Buddha's Birthday (April 8th in Japan) with you family ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13358-Celebrate-Buddha-s-Birthday-%28April-8th-in-Japan%29
Please sit with our April 3rd-4th, 2015 - MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! ... featuring a little talk on Bendoho and all the great and small rituals in our daily life ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13345-April-3rd-4th-2015-OUR-MONTHLY-4-hour-ZAZENKAI%21
... and note that the time of our weekly 90 minute Zazenkai will be an hour later from this week ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13334-Changing-up-length-of-zazen-time
Reflections continue in the "Grass Hut" ... this time, on true Enjoyment ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?55-BEYOND-WORDS-LETTERS-BOOK-CLUB
Balancing Practice ... not too loose, not too tight ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13339-Balancing-practice&p=151708&viewfull=1#post151708
Does Zen Practice require us to shoot for perfection? Well, Yes! No! Yes-No! ... Steve Jobs and Buddhism ...
I sometimes say that, when undertaking a Ceremony [or the like in life], we shoot for the undertaking to be flawless ... yet inevitably, there are always mistakes and flaws ... yet we shoot for the flawless nonetheless ...
... and holding all is a kind of Buddha-Perfection, a "Big F" Flawless that holds and dances both small human "little f" flaws and no flaws, small human judgements of perfection and imperfection.
...
So, striving without striving, effort without effort, perfection amid imperfection, achieving without achieving, goals free of goals ... losing oneself and finding oneself in the dance ... such is the Zen Way.
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13356-Steve-Jobs-and-Buddhism&p=152113&viewfull=1#post152113
Life is easy..... (But I, Jundo, am going to take a Middle Way on what this guys preaches, cause not THAT easy!) ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13357-Life-is-easy
Should Buddhists earn a living from selling Buddhist goods and, if so, what is the right way? A debate and personal reflections, maybe no clear answer ...
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?13335-Japanese-characters-wanted
A Re-MINDer on SIMPLICITY:
In a Zen Monastery, SILENCE or A FEW WISE WORDS are cherished over MANY WORDS. Thus, I advise folks to restrain the need to speak unless the heart truly calls. If you find yourself posting many times each day, maybe consider what truly needs to be said ... and when it is best just to answer with silence and an inner Gassho.
SILENCE OR A FEW HESITANT WORDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT OFTEN SPEAK MOST PROFOUNDLY. Post when it is truly important to you and needs to be spoken from the warm heart.
(too much silence or shyness can also be excessive ... so take the Middle Way!)
Also, to those who may get lost among the many threads and conversations in our Forum, please think of a monastery made of wood or brick, with 100 monks holding 10,000 conversations in the hallways, kitchen, Abbot's rooms and library (I assume no chatting in the Zendo where people sit Zazen).
Would you need or want to hear or join in all or most conversations? Of course not! You would, at best, pick and choose the conversations relevant and helpful to you.
So here too in our Sangha, NO NEED TO READ EVERY CONVERSATION: Try to note the ones that seem helpful to your Practice or interests, leave the rest. The above threads are a few suggestions.
Oh, and we do ask folks to note that they have SAT ZAZEN THE PREVIOUS DAY BEFORE POSTING IN THE FORUM (please read about that here):
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?12995-Signing-SatToday-Please-Sat-before-Forum-Chat
Gassho, Jundo
SatToday!