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Thread: Jan 31-Feb 2, 2020 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - A Touch of the Flu!

  1. #1

    Jan 31-Feb 2, 2020 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - A Touch of the Flu!

    Because I (Jundo) have a cold or a little flu (mild) I think, and others here in Tsukuba have been sick, Zazenkai will not be in Japan this time, but from elsewhere. Also, the content may or may not be a little changed ... hopefully we can still Hokie Pokie. Ah choo. I may try to join for a bit from bed. Everyone, stay warm and take care!


    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 ...

    ... 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 4 MINUTES FROM START OF THE VIDEO



    Dharma Talk Audio / Podcast Episode:
    LINK TO BE POSTED HERE IN THE COMING DAYS


    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:

    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 & HOKEY-POKEY

    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)

    Not everyone realizes that they can join in the Chanting of the Heart Sutra, Identity of Relative & Absolute, Metta Verses, 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!

    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

    SatTodayLAH

    PS - There is no "wrong" or "right" in Zazen ... yet here is a little explanation of the "right" times to Bow (A Koan) ...


    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

    HOW TO JOIN THE ZAZENKAI '2-WAY':


    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 Sitting Room: treeleaf.org/ssr

    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 / tic-tac-toe 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)
    Last edited by Jundo; 03-06-2020 at 01:29 AM. Reason: Video added.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    If you do get to Hokie Pokie this time, I recommend this Bollywood Hindi version, as requested by Kokuu ...




    I see that our Hokie Pokie tradition has deep Indian roots ...



    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  3. #3
    Two way intention and metta to the many who are sick at this time. _()_

    Gassho
    doyu sat today
    Visiting unsui: use salt

  4. #4
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    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 Sitting Room: treeleaf.org/ssr

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

  5. #5
    Hi all

    I'm not going to join two way this week unless my wife gets home early. She is out with a friend who's husband recently died, so my sacrifice of two-way zazenkai can count as my LAH today

    I will watch live, and participate as able one-way, as my three young children permit, and if my wife returns early I'll drop in to the live session. Otherwise I'll be with you all in that virtual way we do best here at treeleaf

    Gassho, Tokan

    SatLah

  6. #6
    Coughing and staying in bed has been going around in my family this week, too.

    "We especially seek tranquility and well-being for all creatures now suffering or ill in health. May they be serene through all their ills."

    Time for Zazen.

    Gassho,
    Mui
    Sat/LAH
    無依 Mui
    "Relies on Nothing"

  7. #7
    I am sorry to hear you are under the weather, Jundo. Hope you feel better soon.
    I may need to sit with you all in bits and pieces over a couple of days. I have a too-long to-do list this weekend.
    Gassho,
    Krista st/lah

  8. #8
    I'm just now getting home from work and have a long to-do list as well. I plan to join later, but not "live" this time around. Look forward to attending my first 4 hour long monthly Zazenkai.

    Hope everyone feeling ill feel better better soon!

    Gassho,

    Ryan
    Sat Today

  9. #9
    Oh my...

    I could connect until today and I saw the 4 hours zazenkai was today... I'll sit over the weekend.

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  10. #10
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    Apologies for my late arrival and early departure. My internet connection is poor but my connection to you all remains strong.
    Metta to all managing life's challenges.
    Gassho
    Onka
    Sat today
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

  11. #11
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Quote Originally Posted by Onka View Post
    My internet connection is poor but my connection to you all remains strong.
    OMG the FEELS! I had a terrible internet connection for my first six years at Treeleaf. I wish I could have had this mantra then!

    Thank you all for coming together to practice.

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

  12. #12
    Thank you, Sekishi, Jakuden, and everyone. The talk was deep and moving. I hope Jundo feels better soon.

    Gassho,
    Onkai
    Sat/LAH
    美道 Bidou Beautiful Way
    恩海 Onkai Merciful/Kind Ocean

    I have a lot to learn; take anything I say that sounds like teaching with a grain of salt.

  13. #13
    Thank you for that great talk, Sekishi, I especially like the story about the Buddha discussing the impermanence of the observer.

    With a little extra Metta today,
    Gassho,
    Mui
    Sat/LAH
    無依 Mui
    "Relies on Nothing"

  14. #14
    A "self-hatred" habit track must be like a ghost trying to hit itself.

    gassho with deep appreciation
    doyu sat/lah today
    Visiting unsui: use salt

  15. #15
    Thank you so much everyone. Sekishi, deep bows for your talk, both touching and insightful, you bring such enthusiasm to shining a light into every dark corner of this path and taking us on your adventure. Please be kind to yourself so we can follow you on many more

    Metta to all with illness, may they find peace and equanimity. (And feel better soon Jundo!)

    Gassho,
    Jakuden
    SatToday/LAH

  16. #16
    Sat One-way, Congrats to Jakuden on first 4 hr Ino duties,and Sekishi for an awesome Talk and, thanks to all who sat or will sit. Jundo be well! Y'all have a great week.

    gassho, Shokai
    stlah
    合掌,生開
    gassho, Shokai

    仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

    "Open to life in a benevolent way"

    https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

  17. #17
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    A few followup notes from tonight's talk...

    Someone asked me for a list of terms:

    - Ontology: branch of philosophy concerned with "what exists"
    - "What can be said to exist?"

    - Epistemology: branch of philosophy concerned with the theory of knowledge.
    - "How do we know that we know?"

    - Cataphatic tradition: spiritual truth approached via positive understanding – what IS.
    - Example: Sarvastivadan / Abhidharma school - while no ATMAN exists, all dharmas (phenomena), past present and future, do EXIST.

    - Apophatic tradition: spiritual truth approached via negation understanding – what is NOT.
    - Example: Source Buddhism - "not-self" - "This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self."
    - Example: Mahayana Buddhism - no dharmas exist in and of themselves or have a self-nature - "NO eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind. No sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, nor object of mind."

    Also, I promised some source texts... But first, neglected to ask Jakuden to chant the verse to open and close the sutras tonight (ENTIRELY my fault). I offer them here instead:

    The Dharma, incomparably profound and infinitely subtle, Is always encountered, yet rarely perceived.
    Now we see, hear, receive and maintain this.
    May we all realize the Tathagatha 's true meaning.


    The Sutta about Sati (the fisherman's son) is the Maha Tanhasankhaya Sutta. There is a version here: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN38.html

    This translation uses the term "consciousness" instead of "bare consciousness" or "the observer". I could swear I read a translation that used the term "bare consciousness", but I may be mistaken. Make of that what you will.

    I also mentioned the sticky "I am" / Manas / consciousness-of-self as being referred to as "the residual 'I am' conceit". One example of this is the Khemaka Sutta:
    https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipi....089.than.html

    May the merits of these Teachings penetrate into each thing in all places so that we and every sentient being together may realize the Buddha’s Way.


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

  18. #18
    Nice Talk Sekishi. I respect the rawness of it. I can relate man, probably a lot of others can too. This practice certainly isn't all sunshine and roses, although, even on stormy days the sunshine is just behind the clouds and never really gone and roses are in blossom still, or waiting.......

    Thanks again Jakuden.

    Was great o sit with Koyu, Onkai, Onka. Best wishes.

    Gassho,

    Ippo

    SatToday

  19. #19
    Outstanding followup, Sekishi.

    gassho
    doyu sat today
    Visiting unsui: use salt

  20. #20
    Thank you for the followup teaching, big brother!

    Regarding self-harm: It is really super-difficult habit energy to break. With the current prevalence of self-harm in our young people, I would say that at least in the U.S. there are more people than not who can relate and identify. I wonder if it is similar in other countries?

    Part of what has helped me leave my own self-hatred behind is my experience as a parent. My daughters both have severely self-harmed, physically. Where does the desperate self-hatred come from in a precious young being who is so loved and cherished? Yet we are all someone's son or daughter. We are all precious, unique and vital manifestations of the universe and all other beings, given this gift of looking out of a wondrous, miraculous set of senses and becoming awake to it all. If I hate myself, then I have to hate the whole interconnected universe, and I am taking this gift for granted. I do stupid and silly things sometimes, falling prey to greed, anger and ignorance, but if I would not hate or wish harm on my babies for making these human mistakes, then why would I hate myself? It makes more sense to have a little chat with myself about how I will continue to try to be more skillful, although I will surely continue to fail. Or is there really failure?

    Book of Serenity (Shoyoroku, Congrong Lu) #21
    Yunyan Sweeps The Ground

    Main Case
    When Yunyan was sweeping the ground, Daowu said, "You are having a hard time!"
    Yunyan said, "You should know there is one who doesn't have a hard time."
    Daowu said, "If that's true, you mean there is a second moon?"
    Yunyan held up his broom and said, "What number of moon is this?"
    Daowu was silent.
    Xuansha said, "That is precisely the second moon."
    Yunmen said, "the butler greets the maid politely."

    Wansong's Preface
    Although you are freed of delusion and enlightenment, and have exhausted holiness and ordinariness, a particular capability is still needed to establish holiness and ordinariness, a particular capability is still needed to establish who is host and guest and distinguish between noble and base. It is not that there is no measuring of character or assigning of work. How do you understand the kndred spirit of the same branch?


    Shishin Wick's Comment
    When we practice we are continually sweeping the ground of our mind. We sweep it clean, and then the dust settles again, and then we sweep again. Sometimes we're like kids. You tell you kid, "Clean your room." He'll say, "What for? It's just going to get dirty again!" Keep sweeping your mind clean. Since all is emptiness, who is the one who's hard at it? "You should know there's one who isn't hard at it." It's not a question of hard or easy. It's just a question of totally putting yourself into it, so that the self completely disappears, and all there is, is "hard at it." When there's no place to rest, you will now there's one who isn't hard at it. Daowu said,
    "So, is there a second moon?" Who are you -- the one hard at it or the one not hard at it? If you say one, then there's two. So, is there a second moon? The one who's hard at it and the one who isn't hard at it: Are they the same or are they different? To see the one who's not hard at it, we have to penetrate through the barriers set up by the Zen teachers. To be the puppet master, you have to see that one who's not hard at it.
    But we don't see it because we are fascinated and attached to two moons: good and bad,; man and woman; the one hard at it and the one not hard at it.
    When we look into our own mind there's all kinds of places where we stick, like Velcro. There's even places we stick that we don't see.
    Don't think that Daowu didn't know what to say when he desisted. That was the way he answered Yunyan. It's just a second moon as soon as he says something.
    The one who isn't hard at it, that's the same as not-knowing. If you come from that place, if you tap into that place, each one of us is not-knowing. Each one of us is the one who isn't hard at it. But the one who's hard at it is obscuring that view. We work so hard trying to be something else other than just being who we are. If you're nervous, just be nervous. There is no second moon in that.

    Gassho,
    Jakuden
    SatToday/LAH

  21. #21
    I will be sitting this Zazenkai on coming days by small bits as long as my current
    health situation allows.

    Gassho
    Washin
    ST
    Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
    Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
    ----
    I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
    and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

  22. #22
    Thank you Sekishi and Jakuden and all.
    Metta to all who are sick.

    Gassho,
    Kotei sat/lah today.

    義道 冴庭 / Gidō Kotei.
    Being a novice priest doesn't mean my writing about the Dharma is more substantial than yours. Actually, it might well be the other way round.

  23. #23
    Member Hokin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    Ixtlahuacan De Los Membrillos, Mexico
    Hello everybody!
    I just finished sitting this some moments ago (in two parts, anyway...)
    Thank you for the practice...and special thanks to Sekishi for the more than interesting talk and to Jakuden for guiding the chants! Regarding the talk, as also Ippo beaitifully did, I too would like to quote another Genjokoan very related (in my opinion) reflection:

    "To carry yourself forward and experience the myriad things is delusion;
    That the myriad things come forth and experience themselves is awakening".

    I hope, Jundo, you are already feeling better!
    Metta for you and all that now are suffering all around the world.

    Gassho.
    Hôkin. (Arya)
    Sat Today With You All.

  24. #24
    Member Seishin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    La Croix-Avranchin, Basse Normandie, France
    Thank you everyone.

    Metta to those suffering ill health and to those that care for them.

    std


    Seishin

    Sei - Meticulous
    Shin - Heart

  25. #25
    Thank you all. That was very lovely!

    Deep bows
    Kokuu

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