April 15th-16th Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai

[Jundo]

reMINDer: DAYLIGHT SAVINGS has changed, please confirm current start times below!

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 9pm, Los Angeles 6pm (Friday night), London 2am and Paris 3am (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 at GOOGLE+ IS HERE:
CLICK ON THE TAB ON LOWER RIGHT FOR 'FULL SCREEN

EVENT PAGE:
https://plus.google.com/events/crs5e...ermn3klgg7tii8

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:

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 FOUR VOWS & VERSE OF ATONEMENT

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

Chant Book (PDF)

or

Chant Book (SHORT VERSION HTML)

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

[Jundo]

By the way, I am thinking that we may dance the Heart Sutra today ...

The Hatsune Miku vocaloid?



This R&B version?



This "live" version of the above Hatsune Miku vocaloid is just silly ...



Gassho, Jundo

[Mp]

WooHoo, I am always up for a dance ... see you soon. =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Jundo]

Also, the old faithful Amida Studio rap ...



Any preference in chanting?

Remember that Preferences are precisely Emptiness, Emptiness just Hatsune Miku.

But I think it may be this ...



this is fresh (beyond arising or passing too) ...



Gassho, J

SatToday

[Mp]

Oh I am really feeling the groove with the Techno Heart Sutra (#2) ... now we are talking .... or chanting! =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Jundo]

Just no twerking, no twerking please.

I am referring to you, Daizan!

And Jishin, please keep the Buddha Tattoo inside the shirt. Thank you.

Gassho, J

[Jika]

Going to put my head into a bucket of ice water, to make the pictures go away.

Are we saving these events for the 11th anniversary?

Gassho
Jika
#sattoday

[Gokai]

I'll sit this one recorded during weekend.

Gassho, David
Sattoday

[Onkai]

Thank you, Jundo. I will join two-way, technology allowing. I liked the rap version of the Heart Sutra.

Gassho,
Onkai
SatToday

[reddragon]

I will meditate for all those who are suffering due to the EarthQuakes in Japan. May they be free from suffering. I truly wish I could go to Japan and help those that need it*gassho*

[Kyonin]

Hi everyone!

Looking forward to sing with Miku-chan!

I'll be there with bell and mokugyo ready!

Gassho,

Kyonin

[Shinzan]

Thinking of those effected by the earthquakes. May they be well.

Dance on, treeeleafers.

_/\_ Shinzan

[Mp]

Lovely, thank you for the dance everyone. =) Enjoy your weekend.

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Onkai]

Thank you. This time it was one-way. Great dance.

Gassho,
Onkai
SatToday

[Myosha]

Thanks to all.


Gassho
Myosha sat today

[Jika]

Thank you all.

I have not found a sit-along on dancing the Heart Sutra, I would enjoy having one.
(Yes, I've listened to the explanation, but I'd love to have more information why we do this, gathered in one place.)

I'm always torn between many thoughts and emotions when we dance (which makes it a good practice).
It feels good to fool around with friends (that's what I do, I can't dance and have never liked dancing).
But I'm always hoping no "outsider" is watching. Prostrations and sitting still are hard to explain, but this?
Are we trying to be "modern"?
Is this meant to be the same as placing diapers or controversial pictures on the altar?
Do you guys just like dancing while, sorry, I don't?
Shouldn't we wear acid green rakusu on these occasions? I'm not being provocative, only confused where tradition is better kept, or intentionally broken.
(Is it broken by dancing? Well, I'm not into this kind of music. Could someone please, please do a rock music or punk version?)

I drink tea with friends who like tea, and coffee with friends who like coffee.
So, I'll rave the Heart Sutra with friends who like doing so.

Sorry for raving

Gassho
Jika
#sattoday

[Ryo Do]

Just sat with the recording. Thank you!

Ryo Do

dancedtoday

[Deirdre]

Sat (and danced!) with the recording this morning. Metta to all.

Gassho,

- Deirdre
sat2day

[Gokai]

Thank you for this Zazenkai, i was with you same hours later.
Thank you Jundo for the talk about dance, life and everything.
Gassho, David
Sattoday

[Jishin]

Hi Jika,

I no longer drink. When I drank I enjoyed dancing. When in Rome do as the Romans do so I danced sober and without rhythm.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Jundo]

But I'm always hoping no "outsider" is watching. Prostrations and sitting still are hard to explain, but this?
Are we trying to be "modern"?
Is this meant to be the same as placing diapers or controversial pictures on the altar?
Do you guys just like dancing while, sorry, I don't?
Shouldn't we wear acid green rakusu on these occasions? I'm not being provocative, only confused where tradition is better kept, or intentionally broken.
(Is it broken by dancing? Well, I'm not into this kind of music. Could someone please, please do a rock music or punk version?)

Hi Jika,

I would say we dance just to dance, because it is a fun and energetic way to celebrate ... but truly, it is nothing new. When I traveled to Tibet many years ago, I witnessed this kind of Buddhist dance ... (and please do not ask me to explain the significance) ... like whirling dervishes, no?



And there is Baika, a kind of Buddhist hymm, that is a dance I would say. My Dharma Grandfather, Rempo Niwa Zenji, was a noted practitioner of Baika ...



But if you want heavy metal, how's hard core? ... Kind of a contrast to the Baika!



Gassho, J

SatToday

[Ryo Do]

Hi Jika,
I can understand your feelings - every time my German zen teacher started doing things like tai chi or even massage in the middle of our one-week sesshin, I was like, Oh no, please, not again - just let me sit in peace and practice what I came here for to practice: zazen!
And yet... I remember one particular evening when we were doing the evening chants and came to the one dedicated to Kannon Bodhisattva, our zen master gave out all sorts of percussion instruments and we happily banged away on them, repeating the "Emmei jiku kannon gyo" over and over and going ever faster... and louder... Still, one elder student obviously found this quite frivolous, took his zafu and zabuton and went out to sit outside, not without banging the zendo door first.
As far as I know, although in Rinzai zen there is much emphasis on group discipline, nobody ever scolded him for this, his going to sit outside with his anger was in itself a complete act of reflection.
And I don't know why, that time it felt right for me to celebrate the chant that way and so I did, and the last zazen that night was filled with enormous joy and energy!
Since then, I do give it a try every time something like our Hannya shingyo dance comes my way.
(Though it felt kind of strange hopping away on my own in front of my ipad...)

Gassho
Ryo Do

satanddanced today (not two)

[Washin]

Thank you everyone. Have just danced with you all.

Gassho
Washin

[Jika]

Oh, Ryo Do, I've been thinking about how to build a simple kind of mokugyo!
Would not mind making a lot of noice with percussion

Jundo, the third one had me smiling and got a lot of head nodding

Given the average length of hair in the Sangha, head banging seems rather impractical, I'm afraid

Thank you all.
Gassho
Jika
#sattoday

[Roland]

Thank you for a beautiful opportunity to dance.

Gassho
Roland
#DancedToday

[Shurin]

Sat with this today.

Gassho,

Kyle

[Jundo]

Oh, Ryo Do, I've been thinking about how to build a simple kind of mokugyo!
Would not mind making a lot of noice with percussion

Hi Jika,

An ordinary rectangular piece of wood that has a good sound when struck with a mallet of some kind is a "mokugyo". It does not need to be shaped like a fish.

You really need to try them if ordering online, by the way. Some cheap little ones that have the right shape are clunky in sound, some are nice. I would just make one.

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Washin]

I've been thinking about how to build a simple kind of mokugyo!

Hi Jika,

For a time I've used the small rectangular presswood base from the artificial flowers
and a wooden stick which produced a sound similar to a small mokugyo.

Now I'm using this one for our 'Sunday Sits' which I believe makes a good sound even if
it's cheap and small.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221763411334...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Anyhow, I think with some handy stuff and bit of fantasy one can make a good mokugyo
No need in the expensive ones...

Gassho
Washin
ST

[Jika]

a lot of noice

Obviously, I thought noise would be nice!

Yes, the mallet is a problem too. A wooden spoon is probably not heavy enough, no? One day I'll build something.

Gassho
Jika
#sattoday

PS Thank you, Washin. I'm always wondering what other people find/use. You seemed to have all doan equipment at hand, I was very impressed! Deep bows. CU/Hear you.

[Matt]

Sitting this now.

Gassho
Matt

[Byokan]

Thank you dear Sangha

Gassho
Byōkan
sat today

[Kotei]

Thank you all.
Gassho,
Kotei just sat.

[Geika]

Danced and sat today, thank you all. Gassho

[Tairin]

Sat with this today

Gassho
Warren
sat today