December 20-21st Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai - A Merry Rohatsu & Happy New This Moment!

TODAY WE WILL CELEBRATE AN "ALL THE HOLIDAYS" ZAZENKAI
with a Gospel Choir CAROLING HEART SUTRA (video below)

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0b/c1...2440f14730.jpg

Hello All,

Please 'sit-a-long' with our weekly FRIDAY/SATURDAY 'LIVE FROM TREELEAF' 90 minute ZAZENKAI, netcast from 10am Japan time Saturday morning (that is New York 8pm, Los Angeles 5pm (Friday night), London 1am and Paris 2am (early Saturday morning)

... and to be visible on the following screen during those times and sit-a-long-able any time thereafter ...

LIVE ZAZENKAI NETCAST IS HERE:

ZAZENKAI BEGINS 12 MlNUTES FROM START OF THE VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByBH2gBujcQ

FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO JOIN TO SIT LIVE WITH A CAMERA, A LINK TO JOIN WILL BE POSTED BELOW IN THIS THREAD. JUST CLICK AND JOIN BEFORE START TIME. 'TWO WAY' REQUIRES INDIVIDUALS WITH CAMERAS, BUT ANYONE CAN WATCH LIVE 'ONE WAY' AND SIT-A-LONG VIA THE ABOVE SCREEN. IF JOINING WITH CAMERA, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR MICROPHONE IS MUTED::

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

As you can see, our Zazenkai consists of chanting the 'Heart Sutra' in English (the words are at the link below), some full floor prostrations in sets of three (please follow along with me ... or a simple Gassho can be substituted if you wish), followed by our Dedication, Zazen twice for about 30 minutes each, with 10 minutes of Kinhin in between, and we end the sitting with 'The Verse of Atonement' and 'The Four Vows'.

Please join us in the Chanting of the Heart Sutra (although please keep your microphone muted). You can download and print out the Chants we will recite at the following link (PDF):

Chant Book (PDF)

or

Chant Book (SHORT VERSION HTML)

Not everyone realizes that they can join in the Chanting of the Heart Sutra, Verse of Atonement and Four Vows (although we ask that you keep your microphone down). Please follow along with the Chant Book, and let your voice ring!

So, please join us as soon as you can, and we will keep a Zafu open for you.

Remember, when we drop all thought of 'here' 'there' 'now' 'then' ... we are sitting all together!


Gassho, Jundo gassho1

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

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 stumbled on a Japanese Gospel Choir's performance of the Heart Sutra in Japanese, and if you are wondering about the melody ... it is the Chorus from Beethoven's 9th Symphony (which, in Japan, is considered to be a Christmas song).

The lead singer is, I believe, Hiroshi Tsunoda, a former rock star in Japan

Quote:

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Hiroshi Tsunoda (real name: Hirotami Tsunoda , August 1, 1949 ) is a Japanese singer , drummer , lyricist / composer ... In 1971, he made a long hit with " Mary Jane " as a singer, and his soulful singing voice drove the spotlight. In 1972 he joined the original Sadistic Mika Band and in the same year formed a space band with Captain Hiro ... He is a Buddhist and worships Shinto. On the other hand, he does not have the idea of ​​denying Islam or Christianity .

https://translate.google.com/transla...8D&prev=search

---

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lis3luV2ZUQ

another version...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB-bYJoqvQQ

We are being visited today in Japan by our Treeleaf member Dustin/Mui (aka "Science Abbot") who is around Tokyo with his family on vacation. I will be going to pick them up at our local train station shortly. https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...l=1#post234456

Let me also post this picture of Santa Colonel Sanders ... I'll explain in today's talk ...

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f7/79...2be04aa563.jpg

Gassho ho ho, J

STLah

Hi Jundo!

I'll be there with my instruments ready :)

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

I may have to join one-way, as family is visiting. :) Merry Holidays!

Gassho
Sat today, lah

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I will also go ahead an post this from a few years ago ...

A Shingon priest in Japan presents this Ceremony to honor Santa Bosatsu (散多菩薩) or “Santa Bodhisattva” ... "Christmas Buddhist Offering (of Merit) to Santa" ...

https://youtu.be/A0CGOFqRM3U

Gassho, J [claps]

STLah

Hi everyone,

You can join the Zazenkai two-way in the Scheduled Sitting Room using Zoom any one of the following ways:

- Use this direct link: https://zoom.us/j/4834831244
- Open Zoom and join with this meeting id: 483 483 1244
- Go to Treeleaf NOW and select the Scheduled Meeting Room: treeleaf.org/now

Notes:

- When you first join, you'll need to choose an audio source (usually you can simply select "Join with Computer Audio" on desktop or "Call using Internet Audio" on mobile).

- You can switch between the "speaker view" (the default view) and "gallery view" (a grid / Hollywood Squares / Brady Bunch style view):
-- On desktop, click the "gallery view" / "speaker view" toggle button on the top right
-- On mobile, swipe right for "gallery views" -- only 4 participants are shown at a time on mobile, so keep swiping right to go through different groups, swipe left to go back to the "gallery view"

- You can mute, unmute, etc. with the control bar on the bottom of the screen
-- On desktop, hover the mouse over the window and the control bar should pop up
-- On mobile, tap the screen and the control bar should pop up
-- On mobile, so that your own picture does not take up one of the four slots you see, you can tap for the control bar, then tap "... menu" and select "Remove myself from gallery view"

- If you are on a slow Internet connection and are experiencing drop-outs, try turning off video (you can always turn it on for a bit at the beginning and end to say hi and bow to everyone)

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

I'll not be able to sit two way this week as there are bushfires about.
Happy holidays to you and yours comrades.
Gassho
Anna
stlah

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anna

I'll not be able to sit two way this week as there are bushfires about.
Happy holidays to you and yours comrades.
Gassho
Anna
stlah

---

We will dedicate our sitting to the fire spirits and all in their way.

Gassho, J

STLah

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jakuden

You can join the Zazenkai two-way in the Scheduled Sitting Room using Zoom any one of the following ways:

---

I came to post this, but ya made me superfluous. Awesome! gassho1

Gassho,
Sekishi #sat

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sekishi

I came to post this, but ya made me superfluous. Awesome! gassho1

Gassho,
Sekishi #sat

---

Haha. You are never superfluous Sekishi!! I was going to give the Techo-ino post a shot tonight if that's ok, but can you be on the lookout in case I need a grownup?

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jakuden

I was going to give the Techo-ino post a shot tonight if that's ok, but can you be on the lookout in case I need a grownup?

---

Thank you! And I'll be there as backup!

Gassho,
Sekishi

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sekishi

Thank you! And I'll be there as backup!

Gassho,
Sekishi

---

:encouragement:

Thank you, Jundo, Kyonin, and everybody! So wonderful to practice with everyone. Happy Holidays!

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat/LAH

That was awesome seeing you guys all together in ugly Christmas sweaters :-D Thank you Jundo, Kyonin and everyone!

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

Thank you JUndo, Kyonin and everyone, Have a wonderful Holiday season

Gassho, Shokai🙏

stlah

Thank you Jundo and everyone!
Merry Holidays to all!

Gassho
Washin
ST

Thanks ever so, Jundo, Kyonin, techies, and all. Sat for the firies gassho2

Gassho
Doyu sat and lah today

Thank you everyone.
Happy Holidays!

Over here, the last movement of Beethoven's 9th is the hymn of the European Union and with that one of the official Symbols of it.
Of course the instrumental version, without Friedrich Schillers's text about the human race becoming brothers(sisters), to not favour a certain language.
https://europa.eu/european-union/abo...bols/anthem_en

Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jundo

I will also go ahead an post this from a few years ago ...

A Shingon priest in Japan presents this Ceremony to honor Santa Bosatsu (散多菩薩) or “Santa Bodhisattva” ... "Christmas Buddhist Offering (of Merit) to Santa" ...

https://youtu.be/A0CGOFqRM3U

Gassho, J [claps]

STLah

---

Ahhh my Christmas favorite!

I was also intrigued by the video that popped up next on YouTube. It was pretty awesome but I don't get what the audience was laughing about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaSJppPTayc

Gassho

Nenka

ST

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Nenka

... It was pretty awesome but I don't get what the audience was laughing about.



ST

---

ln the club, they invited the audience to come up and offer incense as if at a funeral. :) Also, the bell ringing got a laugh because it just was cute.

Gassho, J

STLah

Happy Solstice, and peace and joy to all.
May Anna and her neighbors be safe.
Gassho,
Krista
st/lah

Our daughter arrives in about 24 hrs for our Christmas holiday. I’ll be sitting as I get ready to post this, sitting in my basement easy chair, I feel better and will sit from here! I can easily sit from this downstairs recliner so perhaps this is best! I send you a seasonal greeting!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2d2e85df76.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Enjoy your family time, Tai Shi. I have family visiting as well. They're gonna be here for a few weeks!

Gassho
Sat today, lah

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Thank you everyone and seasons greetings.
The Colonel KFC and Santa , never saw that coming but Christmas is finger licking good.
Family arrives late Thursday for their French Xmas.

Peace and safety to all.

Sat

Thank you, Kyonin, Jundo and everyone.
Been a while since I sat zazenkai; good to be back.
Merry Whatever to everyone.

Martyn
Sat today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you everyone. Wonderful Zazenkai.

Peace on Earth and goodwill to all sentient beings.

gassho2
Tairin
Sat today and lah

As I mentioned in my little talk (from 1:09:00 mark), "Gospelizing" our Buddhist chants is really nothing new. The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (Shasta Abbey, Jiho Kennett Roshi's Lineage) recites most of their chants as evensong (in my understanding, the Anglican version of Gregorian chanting). Here is their Heart Sutra. I think it quite lovely.

http://www.shastaabbey.org/audio/musicGreatwisdom.mp3

Gassho, J

STLah

Quote:

---

As I mentioned in my little talk (from 1:09:00 mark), "Gospelizing" our Buddhist chants is really nothing new. The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (Shasta Abbey, Jiho Kennett Roshi's Lineage) recites most of their chants as evensong (in my understanding, the Anglican version of Gregorian chanting). Here is their Heart Sutra. I think it quite lovely.

http://www.shastaabbey.org/audio/musicGreatwisdom.mp3

---

It's beautiful indeed gassho2

Gassho
Washin
sattoday

If anyone would like to hear much more than anyone really needs :) about Christmas in Japan, and especially here in Tsukuba where Treeleaf is, my friend Avi wrote this essay ... and it is both a fascinating history and a hoot ...

http://blog.alientimes.org/2019/12/j...asu-yet-again/

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

Thank you for this Zazenkai.
Today (xmas eve) I went and had a cup of tea with the older bloke I walk with most afternoons. I got to meet his daughter in law who is a sign language interpreter in schools. She has a wonderful outlook on life and encourages her children to be "Deaf Proud" as they should. She's a Christian woman who lives the Christian spirit 24/7. I think we got along well because I try to live a 24/7 life that is respectful of my Buddhist learning to date.
I don't celebrate xmas mainly because it's never been a particularly happy time of the year for me but spending a couple of hours in the company of people with close healthy familial relationships and who love xmas was extremely pleasant.
Tomorrow morning (xmas morning) my partner and I will visit some friends for a cup of tea then head home for a day in air conditioning.
Be well comrades. Stay safe on the roads, be kind to yourself and look out for each other.
Gassho
Anna
stlah

Happy Holidays and a Happy Solstice to everyone!

When I sat this zazenkai I couldn't help but have thoughts about how the daylight hours in the northern hemisphere are now increasing again, meaning that Spring is on the way! I love Spring and am excited to see all the green and flowering things return, but I'm glad they're getting a chance to rest now and gather their strength so they're ready to put on a show the likes of which only nature can pull off!

Gassho
Kyōsen
Sat|LAH

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jundo

As I mentioned in my little talk (from 1:09:00 mark), "Gospelizing" our Buddhist chants is really nothing new. The Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (Shasta Abbey, Jiho Kennett Roshi's Lineage) recites most of their chants as evensong (in my understanding, the Anglican version of Gregorian chanting). Here is their Heart Sutra. I think it quite lovely.

http://www.shastaabbey.org/audio/musicGreatwisdom.mp3

Gassho, J

STLah

---

All I can picture is Monty Python when listening to this.
Gassho
Anna
stlah