So, what is 'Zazen'?
This time, we will read about half of Chapter 2, stopping on page 17 just before "Why do we sit facing the wall? ... "
This chapter has a very good basic description of sitting. Every Shikantaza teacher or group has small differences in approach, but pretty much I did not find anything in this chapter that is unlike our practice at Treeleaf. They discussed following the breath, which we also recommend here especially for new folks or anybody who benefits from having a bit of an anchor for the attention.
I do think that I emphasize a couple of important aspects that they really only touched on lightly, I think. (Actually they did a bit on page 11, in the section discussing Zazen as sitting as the Buddha sitting, and that sitting is sacred and profound.) I tend to emphasize a bit more the fact that sitting is a sacred act, to be sat as the one act to do, and one place to be in the whole world in that time of sitting (You all have heard me say that 10,000 times). I also emphasize "open awareness" a bit more, and sitting without judgments and radically without goals, but I think they do touch on that too.
If you notice any other aspects that seem the same or different or that you have a question about, now's your chance to discuss! We do cover a lot of these same question in our Forum, but always good to discuss and clarify more.
Gassho, J
SatTodayLAH
