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Thread: May 6th-7th, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

  1. #1

    May 6th-7th, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

    For today's Talk, PLEASE PRINT OUT THE TEACHINGS OF MASTER MOHEYAN, POSTED BELOW.

    Please 'sit-a-long' with our MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI, netcast LIVE 8am to noon Japan time Saturday morning (that is New York 7pm to 11pm, Los Angeles 4pm to 8pm (Friday night), London midnight to 4am and Paris 1am to 5am (early Saturday morning)) ... and visible at the following link during those times ...

    ... to be visible on the below screen during those times and any time thereafter ...

    LIVE ZAZENKAI NETCAST at GOOGLE+ IS HERE:
    CLICK ON THE TAB ON LOWER RIGHT FOR 'FULL SCREEN


    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:


    The Sitting Schedule is as follows:

    00:00 - 00:50 CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA IN JAPANESE / SANDOKAI IN ENGLISH) & ZAZEN
    00:50 - 01:00 KINHIN
    01:00 - 01:30 ZAZEN
    01:30 - 01:50 KINHIN

    01:50 - 02:30 DHARMA TALK & ZAZEN
    02:30 - 02:40 KINHIN

    02:40 - 03:15 ZAZEN
    03:15 - 03:30 KINHIN
    03:30 - 04:00 METTA CHANT & ZAZEN, VERSE OF ATONEMENT, FOUR VOWS, & CLOSING



    Our Zazenkai consists of our chanting the 'Heart Sutra' in Japanese and the 'Identity of Relative and Absolute (Sandokai)' in English (please download our Chant Book at the link below), some full floor prostrations (please follow along with me ... or a simple Gassho can be substituted if you wish), a little talk by me ... and we close with the 'Metta Chant', followed at the end with the 'Verse of Atonement' and 'The Four Vows'. Oh, and lots and lots of Zazen and walkin' Kinhin in between!

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

    Chant Book (PDF)

    or

    Chant Book (SHORT VERSION HTML)

    I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU POSITION YOUR ZAFU ON THE FLOOR IN A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE NOT STARING DIRECTLY AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN, BUT CAN GLANCE OVER AND SEE THE SCREEN WHEN NECESSARY. YOUR ZAFU SHOULD ALSO BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE COMPUTER SCREEN WHILE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE ZAFU FOR THE CEREMONIES, AND HAVE ROOM FOR BOWING AND KINHIN.

    ALSO, REMEMBER TO SET YOUR COMPUTER (& SCREEN SAVER) SO THAT IT DOES NOT SHUT OFF DURING THE 4 HOURS.


    I hope you will join us ... an open Zafu is waiting. When we drop all thought of 'here' 'there' 'now' 'then' ... we are sitting all together!


    Gassho, Jundo
    Last edited by Sekishi; 05-08-2016 at 01:44 PM. Reason: Added podcast link.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2

    Heshang Moheyan

    Today's Talk is dedicated to a fellow who historically got a bad rap. It is also shows how much our Shikantaza Zazen ways resonate with the Teachings of the ancient Masters in the earliest days of Zen ...

    Heshang Moheyan (和尚摩訶衍)) was a late 8th century Chan monk (Chan is the Chinese name for Zen). He became famous for representing Chan in the so called "Council of Lhasa," a debate held in Tibet between adherents of the Indian teachings of "gradual enlightenment" and the Chinese teachings of "sudden enlightenment," which according to tradition was won by the "gradual teachings", causing Moheyan and all Chan Teachings to be expelled from Tibet. However, recent research has disclosed that the story is not so simple, and may represent a rewriting of history and what actually happened by those later advocating the esoteric teachings we now know as Tibetan Buddhism. It is now known that Moheyan and Chan Teachings were very influential and widely accepted in long ago Tibet for a long time before they were purged.

    https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=...ically&f=false

    But my main reason for focusing on Master Moheyan is not just to honor an old, nearly forgotten Teacher, but rather to highlight how much our Practices today ring of the earliest Teachings of Zen. We will look at some 8th Century writings by Moheyan ...

    --------------------------


    Gate of Immediate Access to Meditation (based on the translations of van Shaik and Luis Gomez)

    The root of the worldly cycle of birth and death in the world is the discriminating (conceptual) mind. Why is this? The movement of the discriminating mind arises from habitual tendencies that have always been present. Because of this, one perceives [everything] in accordance with the [conceptualizations] that arise [in the mind], and one acts in accordance with that perception, producing results in accordance with how you act. Therefore, from the height of Buddhahood down to the lowest hell is projected by your own concepts, and that is all you ever see. [On the other hand], if the [discriminating] mind does not arise, one cannot find even an atom of ordinary phenomena.

    A person who understands that this is so should give up other activities, sit alone in a place that is isolated and free from noise and the hustle and bustle, cross the legs and keep the back straight, without sleeping, evening or dawn. When one engages in meditation, they should view their own mind. There being no-mind they do not engage in thought. If thoughts of discrimination arise, one should experience them. How should one experience them? Whatever thoughts arise, one does not examine [to see] whether they have arisen or not, whether they exist or not, whether they are good or bad, afflicted or pure. One does not examine any dharma whatsoever.

    If one becomes aware of the movement of mind in this way of the arising [one perceives] the absence of self-existence.This is called "Practicing the Dharma Path."

    If one fails to have this awareness of the arising and movement of thoughts, or if the awareness is incorrect, one will cultivate meditation in vain and remain as ordinary people.

    ...

    After sitting [in this manner] for a long time, the mind will become stable and tame, and one will realize that his awareness is also discriminating mind (is itself conceptual thought). How does this occur? It is comparable to becoming blemished by bodily actions, it is only on account of the blemish that one knows that one is blemished. In the same way, one has an awareness due to the blemished of the arising of thoughts. It is on account of this [arising] that we know that we have an awareness.

    Awareness itself is without name or form, one cannot see the place whence it originally came, nor can one discern whither it will finally go. The awareness and place where it occurs cannot be obtained by any search. There is no way of reflecting on the inconceivable. Not to cling even to this absence of thought is Tathagata meditation. ...

    Question: When cultivating this, and concepts arise, what should I do?

    Answer: This very mind that is without conceptualization is insubstantial, unarisen, unceasing, and identical with the space of reality. Since there is no need to fabricate it, do not chase after it or obstruct it. Instead, rest in primordial thusness without fabrication. How is this done? Since the mind is primordially nonabiding, it is unnecessary now to practice not abiding. Since the mind is primordially nonconceptual, it is unnecessary now to practice not conceptualizing. That would be to fabricate primordial thusness. This is also said in the sūtras:

    Arising from phenomena without self,
    Buddhas achieve perfect enlightenment.
    Without conceptualization, without fixation,
    They always cultivate this mind of enlightenment.

    And also from the sūtras:

    Phenomena are the reflections of the mind;
    Mind cannot itself be apprehended,
    Unarisen, unceasing, beyond all mental activities,
    Even and nonconceptual like the sky.

    ==================

    When they engage in meditation, they should view their own mind. Since nothing exists there, they have no thoughts. If conceptual thoughts move, they should experience them. How should we experience them? Whatever thoughts arise should not be designated as moving or not moving. They should not be designated as existing or not existing. They should not be designated as virtuous or nonvirtuous [good or bad]. They should not be designated as afflicted or pure. They should not be designated as any kind of phenomenon at all. If the movement of mind is experienced in this way, it has no nature. This is called "practicing the dharma path".

    ... Thus do not suppress discrimination. Do not correct anything that arises, like throwing away something unpleasant. Letting it subside on its own, do not chase after it.

    ... Turn away from the six sense gates and then view the mind. If discrimination stirs, do not think that it exists or does not exist. is pure or impure, is empty or not empty, and so on. Be without concepts, not even thinking of not thinking. ... When false discrimination stirs, experience it. If this experience of birth and death is not learned and practiced in the style of discrimination, and there is no attachment to it, then each thought will be immediately liberated.



    ==================

    For those who are capable of it, there is instantaneous entry, also known as the short path, the secret gate, and the gate to the path of liberation. ... If you experience the movements of the deluded mind and you follow that experience, this is the state of an ordinary sentient being. ... If you experience the movements of the deluded mind and know that they are without self, then this is one-sided peace, quiescent in emptiness. ... If you experience the movements of the deluded mind and do not conceptualize or follow them, then each thought is liberated as soon as it comes. This is the correct meditation.


    Gassho, J
    Last edited by Jundo; 07-04-2022 at 01:19 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  3. #3
    Mp
    Guest
    Wonderful, I will be there live with bells ready. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

    s@today

  4. #4
    Thank you, Jundo and Shingen. I will be there one-way or two-way.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    SatToday

  5. #5
    Thank you. I'll sit with the recording during the weekend.

    Gassho
    Washin
    sat ttoday

  6. #6
    Thanks Jundo!

    I think I'll have to sit for just a couple of hours. Hope I can make it to the talk.

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    #SatToday
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  7. #7
    I'll be here/there live.

    Gassho
    Daizan

    sat today

  8. #8
    Yugen
    Guest
    I will be starting Sesshin so will not be joining you but sitting with you nonetheless .....

    Gassho
    Yugen


    sat2day

  9. #9
    Eishuu
    Guest
    I will sit with the recording over the weekend. Looking forward to it.

    Gassho
    Lucy
    sat today

  10. #10
    I probably will do part of this tonight and part over the weekend, as usual for the 4-hour Zazenkai. The talk sounds interesting!

    Gassho,
    Jakuden
    SatToday

  11. #11
    My intentions at this "moment" are to be there some way for some, most or all....

    Gassho,
    Doshin
    sattoday

  12. #12
    Member Roland's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Brussels and Antwerp, Belgium

    May 6th-7th, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

    I will try to sit and walk the recorded session in one piece. Thank you for the text and looking forward to the talk.

    Gassho
    Roland
    #SatToday

  13. #13
    Thank you all. It was a lovely zazenkai.

    Jundo, I was able to see and follow the video on my end until almost the very end. I don't know why I looked still on your end.

    Everybody, have a good weekend.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    SatToday

  14. #14
    Mp
    Guest
    Thank you Jundo for a lovely talk and thank you all for sitting, always enjoy practicing along side you all. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

    s@today

  15. #15
    Thanks to all.


    Gassho
    Myosha sat today
    "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

  16. #16
    Thank you all.
    Interesting "grandpa".

    Gassho
    Jika
    #sattoday
    治 Ji
    花 Ka

  17. #17
    Thank you all for sitting.

    Have a wonderful weekend

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  18. #18
    Gassho and thank you all for sitting.

    Daizan

    sat today

  19. #19
    Thank you Jundo & all the rest who were/are there. The talk & also the comment about thoughts not being reality struck me as profound & something to really consider. This helped me ride through one of my emotional upheavals last night. Thanks again!
    Gassho
    Marita

    sat today

  20. #20
    Here is the website for Daniela's pottery teacher whom I mentioned ... I love his stuff ... clean, geometric, inspired by clouds ...

    http://www.ohnoceramics.com/%E4%BD%9...80%80work.html

    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  21. #21
    Wow, awesome pottery.

    Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

  22. #22
    Mp
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    Here is the website for Daniela's pottery teacher whom I mentioned ... I love his stuff ... clean, geometric, inspired by clouds ...

    http://www.ohnoceramics.com/%E4%BD%9...80%80work.html

    Gassho, J

    SatToday
    WOW! This is some beautiful art ... lovely! =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

    s@today

  23. #23
    Thank you everyone.

    Gassho
    Washin
    just sat

  24. #24
    Some folks asked me if I would recommend reading the Tibetan Zen book. It is really only for obscure Zen history wonks, not for general interest among practitioners I think. I would not put it on the "must read" list for most folks.

    Gassho, Jundo

    SatToday
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  25. #25
    Thank you Jundo for the wonderful teaching!

    Sat in on the recorded session although I really have to work on it since I am not accustomed to siting on the cushion for so long.
    As a "gung-ho history wonk" I have the kindle version of the book and will be looking forward to reading it.

    Once again thank you Jundo and to everyone at Treeleaf.

    Gassho to all
    Mike

    Sat2day

  26. #26
    I really enjoyed being introduced to this master Moheyan who was so clearly describing shikantaza, so long ago! Thank you Jundo Sensei, thank you Shingen and everyone.

    Gassho,
    Jakuden
    SatToday

  27. #27
    Wow,This is awesome and wonderful stuff !
    How is it that a teaching arises when I am ready to hear it.
    Thank you Jundo and all who sat or will sit

    gassho
    合掌,生開
    gassho, Shokai

    仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

    "Open to life in a benevolent way"

    https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

  28. #28
    Thank you very much. Wonderful talk, Jundo.

    Gassho
    Meishin
    sat tday

  29. #29
    I joined in today.

    Gassho
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

  30. #30
    Member Yuki's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada
    Thank you Jundo. It was my first monthly zazenkai and I deeply enjoyed it.


    Yuki

  31. #31
    Bumping this up to be studied further :-)

    Gassho,
    Jakuden
    SatToday

  32. #32
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    Thank you Jakuden.
    Gassho
    Onka
    ST
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

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