April 9-10th Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai - CELEBRATING BUDDHA'S (and Shokai's) BIRTHDAY!

REMINDER: Time Change for Daylight Savings

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/4..._5326_JPG.webp

Our Zazenkai today is also in CELEBRATION of BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY, traditionally APRIL 8th in Japan!

MORE INFORMATION on CELEBRATING AT HOME HERE - LINK

Dear All,

Please sit our Treeleaf Zazenkai for 90 minutes with Zazen, Heart Sutra and more:

10am Japan Saturday morning, NY 9pm, LA 6pm Friday night, London 2am and Paris 3am Saturday morning, or any time thereafter here:

https://youtu.be/RuUD3cnqtVU

However, "one way" live sitters are encouraged to come into the Zoom sitting, and just leave the camera and microphone turned off: Join live (with or without a camera & microphone) on Zoom at: TREELEAF Now OR at DIRECT ZOOM LINK, password (if needed): dogen

00:00 – 00:15 CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA in English) and Dedication
00:15 – 00:45 ZAZEN
00:45 – 00:55 KINHIN
00:55 – 01:25 ZAZEN
01:25 – 01:30 VERSE OF ATONEMENT & FOUR VOWS
01:30 - 01:45(?) Informal Tea Time (All Welcome)

Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLah



PS - There is no "wrong" or "right" in Zazen ... yet here is a little explanation of the "right" times to Bow (A Koan) ...

https://youtu.be/GR6POpsXh9Q

Chant Book is here for those who wish to join in: CHANT BOOK LINK

The other video I mention on Zendo decorum is this one, from our "Always Beginners" video Series:

Sit-a-Long with Jundo: Zazen for Beginners (12) - Basic Zendo Decorum At Home
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...093#post189093

I also recommend a little Talk on why small rituals and procedures are so cherished in the Zendo:

SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: Small Things in the Zendo
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...s-in-the-Zendo

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aD_fZn4t5a...CD288735_l.jpg

I found I a lovely quote from Homeless Kodo Sawaki Roshi that references the legend in an open minded, poignant way in his "Commentary on the Song of Awakening" (p. 28). I will talk about it a little today. He wrote:

Quote:

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The Buddha himself had a life, a birth, and a death. I don't know whether a celestial dragon made it rain sweet nectar or whether springs gushed from the earth. Perhaps he said: "Above heaven and below heaven I along am the honored one." I don't know, but I do know that if he had a death, he also had a birth. I care little whether he died from eating poisoned mushrooms, salt bacon, or something else. The fact is, he is well and truly dead. If we examine his life, we find there no shadow, not the slightest blemish, each moment was lived fully. Thus we say that Shakyamuni is perfect and his virtues infinite. At each moment, his self was one with the universe, each of his acts filled the universe, his self was time eternal.

---

I would just add that the same is just as True for us, but a Buddha realizes so and lives accordingly, while common folks are blind to the fact.

Gassho, J

STLah

Beautiful quote, thank you, Jundo gassho2
I will be there with the Buddha bells ready [monk]

Gassho,
Washin
stlah

Happy Birthday, Shokai!
Gassho,
Naiko
stlah

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Naiko

Happy Birthday, Shokai!
Gassho,
Naiko
stlah

---

Thank you
gassho, Shokai

Thank you, Jundo, Washin, and everyone. Happy Birthday Buddha and Shokai, today and every day! Have a great weekend.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat/lah

Thank you Jundo, Washin and all who sat or will sit

Gassho, Shokai
stlah

Thank you Jundo, Washin, and all for this wonderful opportunity to practice together. gassho1

Gassho,
Seikan

-stlah-

And for our friend who is slightly younger than Shakyamuni ...

https://happybirthdaycakepic.com/pic...-for-S.H.O.jpghttps://www.funimada.com/assets/imag...ig/kai-m-1.gif

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

Happy birthday Buddha, happy birthday Shokai! Have a great new day everyone!
Gassho, Nikolas
Sat/Lah

Thank you Jundo, Washin, Sekishi, and all. I sat pre-dawn in Calgary.

Gassho,
Kevin
Sat Today

Thank you everyone. I sat with you this morning.

Happy Birthday Buddha and Shokai.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

Thank you everyone! Sorry I did not stay for tea, I was just a little under the weather that day.

Much appreciated Jundo and Washin gassho2 (and of course everyone who sat/will sit).

Gassho,

Ryan
SatToday

Sitting this one now.
Gassho,
Matt

Many thanks to you all for the communal sit. After Daylight Saving in the UK it is a little tricky for me to join live.

But of course I have been live sitting it today, instead. Lovely to hear some Kodo Sawaki......and of course.....Happy birthday Buddha.

Gassho,

Ryokudo

SAT/LAH

Happy birthday Buddha, Happy birthday Shokai! gassho2

With all best Dharma wishes, gassho2
Gassho

Always love the Buddha birthday talks each year. Thank you one and all. Thank you Homeless Kodo Sawaki Roshi.[monk]

Sat

I very much enjoyed this birthday talk so thank you all for making it happen.

That said, the sound of Jundo's voice woke the baby up... (there's a joke in there somewhere about awakening.)

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Heiso

I very much enjoyed this birthday talk so thank you all for making it happen.

That said, the sound of Jundo's voice woke the baby up... (there's a joke in there somewhere about awakening.)

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

---

I often make children cry. :(

Gassho, J

STLah

This though only a man’s approximate image of the Buddha is in honor of his birth.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e1dda4fe14.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Gassho
sat/ lah
Tai Shi

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jundo

I often make children cry. :(

Gassho, J

STLah

---

I prefer to think of it as you encouraged a great awakening in a small Buddha.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

Lovely! Thank you all.

Gassho
Kokuu

Very lovely to sit this recording, happy belated birthday to both the baby Buddha and Shokai!

Gassho,

Bokuchō
SatToday/LaH

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

Thank you everyone!
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.