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Thread: March 3th-4th, 2017 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! The zen poems of Ryokan Taigu

  1. #1

    March 3th-4th, 2017 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! The zen poems of Ryokan Taigu

    JUNDO NOTE: I HAVE BEEN CALLED AWAY TO A CHARITY EVENT, SO AN OPPORTUNITY THIS MONTH FOR KYONIN & SHINGEN TO SHINE ...

    Please 'sit-a-long' with our MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI, netcast LIVE 8am to noon Japan time Saturday morning (that is New York 6pm to 10pm, Los Angeles 3pm to 7pm (Friday night), London 11pm to 3am and Paris midnight to 4am (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




    Dharma talk audio / podcast episode:
    https://treeleaf.podbean.com/e/march...f-ryokan-taigu

    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; 03-05-2017 at 05:43 PM. Reason: Added podcast link.
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  2. #2
    Hello everyone,

    This monthly zazenkai will be hosted by Shingen and me. Our talk will be about the zen poems of the Great Fool: Ryōkan Taigu (1758–1831).

    This famous hermit monk lived a simple life but rich in practice and reverence for the present moment. After leaving the monastery he spent his life helping people in villages, begging, playing with kids and writing poems.

    More about Ryōkan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8Dkan

    Recommended book: Sky Above, Great Wind: The Life and Poetry of Zen Master Ryokan



    We want to pay a little homage to his words that after so many centuries are still relevant and beautiful as ever. In times when political turmoil is changing history, and economy is harsh (as usual), Ryokan's poems are a little fresh air that ground us and keep us in the present moment.

    If time permits, we'll read and comment the following poems:


    See and realize that this world is not permanent.
    Neither late nor early flowers will remain

    ---

    In town I finish begging for food.
    Content, I carry the cloth bag,
    wondering which place to call home.
    Could that be my hut near the white cloud?

    ---

    Too lazy to be ambitious,
    I let the world take care of itself.
    Ten days' worth of rice in my bag;
    a bundle of twigs by the fireplace.
    Why chatter about delusion and enlightenment?
    Listening to the night rain on my roof,
    I sit comfortably, with both legs stretched out.

    ---

    I watch people in the world
    Throw away their lives lusting after things,
    Never able to satisfy their desires,
    Falling into deeper despair
    And torturing themselves.
    Even if they get what they want
    How long will they be able to enjoy it?

    ---

    My house is buried in the deepest recess of the forest
    Every year, ivy vines grow longer than the year before.
    Undisturbed by the affairs of the world I live at ease,
    Woodmen’s singing rarely reaching me through the trees.
    While the sun stays in the sky, I mend my torn clothes
    And facing the moon, I read holy texts aloud to myself.
    Let me drop a word of advice for believers of my faith.
    To enjoy life’s immensity, you do not need many things.

    ---

    Past has passed away.
    Future has not arrived.
    Present does not remain.
    Nothing is reliable; everything must change.
    You hold on to letters and names in vain,
    forcing yourself to believe in them.
    Stop chasing new knowledge.
    Leave old views behind.
    Study the essential
    and then see through it.
    When there is nothing left to see through,
    then you will know your mistaken views.

    ---

    I lodge in an abandoned temple,
    my only company a single lamp.
    Who will dry these travelling clothes?
    Singing soothes me,
    rainfall rings in my ears
    I stay awake with my pillow high until dawn.

    I'll do my best to read and comment, but I want to apologize in advance for my bad English and terrible accent

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Last edited by Kyonin; 03-02-2017 at 06:10 PM.
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  3. #3
    Mp
    Guest
    Thank you Kyonin, I look forward to sitting and practicing with you all ... I am also looking forward to your talk Kyonin, I too like that great fool Ryokan. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

    s@today

  4. #4
    Thank you, Kyonin and Shingen. I will be there, tech allowing. I like those poems and am looking forward to the talk.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    SatToday

  5. #5
    Beautiful! I have a work meeting tonight but am looking forward to sitting this over the weekend.

    Gassho,
    Jakuden
    SatToday

  6. #6
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    I will be there if the interwebz allows it (our connection has not been good this week).

    Gassho,
    Sekishi #sat
    Sekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.

  7. #7
    Thank you Shingen and Kyonin, am really looking forward to this, but will be on the road so will sit this on the weekend.

    Silly Kyonin, your english is fine!

    Gassho
    Byōkan (with a B)
    sat today

  8. #8
    Hi everyone! Here's the link

    https://hangouts.google.com/hangouts..._US&authuser=0

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  9. #9
    Link giving me 404 error
    "We're sorry, but you do not have access to this page. That’s all we know."

    S2d
    -r
    Last edited by Banto; 03-04-2017 at 01:20 AM.

    Banto (aka Rodney)
    万磴 (Myriad StoneSteps)

  10. #10
    Mp
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Banto View Post
    Link giving me 404 error
    "We're sorry, but you do not have access to this page. That’s all we know."

    S2d
    -r
    What about this one Banto?

    https://hangouts.google.com/hangouts..._US&authuser=0

    Gassho
    Shingen

    s@today

  11. #11
    Perfection, bows!

    Gassho
    SatToday

    Banto (aka Rodney)
    万磴 (Myriad StoneSteps)

  12. #12
    Mp
    Guest
    That was wonderful Kyonin, thank you. And thank you for to everyone who sat or will sit. =)

    Also, sorry for my raspy narly voice, I have a bad cold, but just was present to whatever is.

    Gassho
    Shingen

    s@today

  13. #13
    Thank you, Kyonin, Shingen, and everybody. It was a lovely zazenkai. I enjoyed the talk and poetry. Have a great weekend!

    Gassho
    Onkai
    SatToday

  14. #14
    Thank you for the beautiful practice.

    Gassho,

    Jessie
    ~st~

  15. #15
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Thank you all for practicing together. Thank you for the talk Kyonin, it really did resonate with me today.

    Gassho,
    Sekishi #sat
    Sekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.

  16. #16
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Quote Originally Posted by Shingen View Post
    I followed Kyonin's initial link, and somehow ended up with controls for the Zazenkai (a big red stop button, etc.). I'm guessing this is related to why Banto got the permission error initially?

    Gassho,
    Sekishi #sat
    Sekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.

  17. #17
    I got an error message the first time I tried Kyonin's link, too. I tried a second time and got through, though.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    SatToday

  18. #18
    Mp
    Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Sekishi View Post
    I followed Kyonin's initial link, and somehow ended up with controls for the Zazenkai (a big red stop button, etc.). I'm guessing this is related to why Banto got the permission error initially?

    Gassho,
    Sekishi #sat
    Yes very strange, but glad everyone was able to get in. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

    s@today

  19. #19
    Sat part of the Zenkai via netcast. Figured the starting time wrong. Great dharma talk, very understandable and pertinent to today's life.

    Kyousui - strong waters 強 水

  20. #20
    Thank you Kyonin, Shingen, and everyone.

    Gassho
    Daizan

    Sat today

  21. #21
    A WONDROUS Talk. Thank you, K.

    (How many Dharma Talks feature Metallica quotes and Dungeons & Dragons, huh?)

    I should get called away more!

    Nine Bows, J

    SatToday
    Last edited by Jundo; 03-05-2017 at 11:38 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  22. #22
    Ansan
    Guest
    I could not watch the entire 4 hours. But I very much enjoyed Kyonin's Dharma talk about Ryoken's poetry as well as Seikshi's comments. Very lovely.

    Gassho
    Ansan

    SatToday

    Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

  23. #23
    Going to sit this one now.
    Gassho
    Matt

  24. #24
    Really great! Thank you dear Sangha,

    Gassho
    Byōkan
    sat today

  25. #25
    Thank you Kyonin, Shingen and everyone. Sitting the rest of this and listening to Kyonin's talk helped me through some challenges today.

    Gassho,
    Jakuden
    SatToday
    Last edited by Jakuden; 03-09-2017 at 02:38 AM.

  26. #26
    Member Seishin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    La Croix-Avranchin, Basse Normandie, France
    Eventually completed this a few days ago but wanted to thank Kyonin and Shingen and all who sat.


    Seishin

    Sei - Meticulous
    Shin - Heart

  27. #27
    Just finished listening to the podcast. Lovely. Thank you

    Gassho
    Warren
    Sat today

  28. #28
    The poetry in simplicity so beautiful, and I wish, Kyonin, I could hear these poems both in their dialect of Japanese, and in your Spanish. Thus, the beauty would ring true in each of three languages. Deep Bows.

    Tai Shi
    std
    Gassho
    Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆

  29. #29
    It is true that I have heard this growing "newer" priest recite a most beautiful of commentaries, and I was also moved in the listening of these readings, for poetry at it's best is an oral tradition not unlike prayer. It is my feeling, therefore, that each and every one of us deserves the democratization of poetry. That is that ALL my utter, may write what is in the heart, that as I have sought to encourage in the thread an open forum for the best loved loved poems from ALL of us, that those who might try can write almost every beautiful or demanding, or easy poem, that one might not need to be schooled in the "Art" of poetry but in BIG poetry one might speak from the heart.

    Let me say truly this is not to detract from the seeking of perfection in these verses. And, I see much growth in Kyonin as he ministers to all of us. I hope as a humble and just a member only my utterances will not be taken as offence, and all who would like to post their own poetry, or the poetry of another might do so in keeping with the precepts. Charles E Taylor MFA creative writing, poetry.

    Tai Shi
    std
    Gassho _/|\_
    Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆

  30. #30
    Hi Tai Shi,

    Thank you for your comments. No offense taken at all

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

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