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Thread: Nov 6-7 2020 OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI- Book Tour Kickoff/DAYLIGHT SAVINGS

  1. #1

    Nov 6-7 2020 OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI- Book Tour Kickoff/DAYLIGHT SAVINGS

    ATTENTION: Please Note Daylight Savings Changes!

    Alas, you will be my "guinea pigs" as the very first stop on my
    20 City, 4 Continent, Around the World (via Zoom ) Universal Book Tour
    for
    The Zen Master's Dance


    (text below in this thread)

    Please sit our Monthly 4-Hour Treeleaf 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 also sitable any time thereafter:


    However, "one way" live sitters are encouraged to come into the Zoom sitting, and just leave the camera and microphone turned off: Join live (with or without a camera & microphone) on Zoom at: TREELEAF Now OR at DIRECT ZOOM LINK, password (if needed): dogen

    Dharma Talk Audio / Podcast Episode:
    https://treeleaf.podbean.com/e/novem...-tour-kickoff/

    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 RITUAL

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

    STLah


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


    Chant Book is here for those who wish to join in: CHANT BOOK LINK

    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
    Last edited by Sekishi; 11-20-2020 at 01:52 AM. Reason: Added youtube livestream and podcast.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    For Today's Talk:

    We will look today at one passage of Master Dogen's Shobogenzo Uji (Being-Time), rapping and riffing on a famous Koan:

    Once, the great master Yaoshan Weiyan asked Mazu Daoyi, “I have digested all the teachings of the three vehicles of Buddhism and the twelve divisions of the scriptures, but what was the ancestral master Bodhidharma’s intention in coming to China from India in the West?

    Thus questioned, Mazu responded, “Sometimes I make him raise an eyebrow or wink an eye, and sometimes I do not make him raise an eyebrow or wink an eye. Sometimes to make him raise an eyebrow or wink an eye is what’s right, sometimes to make him raise an eyebrow or wink an eye is not right.” ...

    [Dōgen comments:] What Mazu says is not the same as other people’s words. His “eyebrows” and “eyes” are the mountains and oceans, because the mountains and oceans are his “eyebrows” and “eyes.” In his “make him raise an eyebrow” he is to see the mountains, and “make him wink” is to understand the seas. The “right” answer truly is his, and he is actualized by having him raise the eyebrows and wink. But neither does “not right” mean not having him raise the eyebrows and wink, and to not have him raise the eyebrows and wink does not mean “not right.” All are equally the being-time. The mountains are time, and the oceans are time. Without time, the mountains and oceans could never exist, so we should not deny that time is existing in the mountains and oceans right here and now. If time were annihilated, the mountains and oceans would be annihilated, but as time is not annihilated, thus are the mountains and oceans preserved. This being so, the morning star appears, the Buddha Tathāgata appears, the eye appears and raising up a flower appears. Each is time and, were there no time, it could not be thus.”
    ... Dogen's Jazzy Sound ...

    Coltrane riffs on "My Favorite Things," that lovely tune from The Sound of Music ...


    Like Coltrane, Dogen is improvising on some classic teachings all found in his words too ...

    ... The Profound Identity of All Things

    ... And of All Times, which is All Being ...

    ... That's Right, and Right Here, yet no Right or Wrong ...

    ... All as the Buddha's Enlightenment ...

    As strange as it all sounds, it is powerful medicine for our lives today, here, in this mess of a 21st century world.

    From my book, The Zen Master's Dance ...

    Dōgen plays on a cherished kōan about a Zen master who inquires into the real meaning of Zen, which somehow eluded him in all his studies of texts and theory. He asks why Bodhidharma bothered to come to China; in other words, what is Zen all about? The traditional response about eyebrows and such can have a direct meaning: Bodhidharma did nothing special. Traveling to China was the most natural of things, like winking. If he had not done it, something else would have taken place. On the other hand, our own simple acts of winking and looking can also be known as the Buddha looking and winking, Bodhidharma looking and winking, the whole universe looking and winking. Not doing so is still the ancient master’s eyes and eyebrows not doing so, the whole universe not doing so. It is not a matter of our having to be aware of such fact all the time. Our face is still shared with the ancient master although we do not feel so in a particular moment. Even then, it is still Bodhidharma’s eyes and eyebrows as our eyes and eyebrows.

    Dōgen plays his “Zen jazz” to take this one step further. His eyes and eyebrows are the mountains and seas (and the whole world and all within it). Winking the eye is an ocean winking, and raising an eyebrow is raising a mountain. There may be right and wrong times to do or not do an action, but ultimately there are no “wrong times,” for each time is its own time, and even “not doing” is the right doing of “not doing,” and “wrong doing” is the right doing of a “wrong doing.” (Nonetheless, Dōgen would often remind us to do what’s right and avoid doing wrong, for doing so helps clarify the heart and mind.)

    Dōgen says that eye and eyebrow, mountains, and sea are all time. It is obvious that, without time, none of these could have evolved or come to be. Thus, he states, “Without time, the mountains and oceans could never exist.” But equally, without the motion of their (and our) evolving, time would have been frozen and never flowed. Thus, time needs us and is us, as much as we need time and are time. Dōgen says, “So we should not deny that time is existing in the mountains and oceans right here and now.” It is existing as you and me too, here and now.

    And so it is for all moments in time, such as when the Buddha, sitting under the bodhi tree, saw the morning star and realized the
    truth. It is said that after many long years of striving and pushing himself to the extremes of body and mind, the Buddha finally eased
    his heart under that tree. Seeing the clear light of the morning star in the sky, he said: “I and all sentient beings on earth, together, are enlightened at once.” All are enlightened at once, for all are one in this being-time.

    Years later, when the Buddha held up a flower and winked, Mahākāśyapa saw and understood with a smile. In that famous story, the Buddha silently held up a single flower as the wordless expression of the truth, and his disciple Mahākāśyapa understood and also expressed this silently. ...
    Last edited by Jundo; 11-06-2020 at 03:06 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  3. #3
    For today, a Jazzy Joyful Boogie Woogie Swinging Improvy Hokey Pokey ...


    Gassho, J

    STLah
    Last edited by Jundo; 11-06-2020 at 03:30 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  4. #4
    Thankful for the time change. If everything goes well I'll be joining live today.

    Gassho
    Sat

  5. #5
    Hi everyone!

    I'll be there live with instruments ready!

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Sat/LAH
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  6. #6
    See you all very soon!

    Gassho,
    Rob

    -stlah-



    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
    聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

  7. #7
    I will be joining one-way today.

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

  8. #8
    Still at work -- forgot about what the time change would do to the timing so I will be joining you all later. Have a lovely Zazenkai all!

    Gassho,

    Ryan
    Sat Today

  9. #9
    Apologies to all. I am not feeling well and I left during Kinhin. I hope it wasn't disruptive. I will be sitting with you all later this weekend.
    Gassho,
    Krista
    st

  10. #10
    Always thank you for the youtube netcast too

    Gassho
    SaT
    Hо̄shi 法詩

  11. #11
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Thank you all for coming together to practice and manifest Sangha - dancing together.

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

  12. #12
    Hope you feel better, Krista. Thank you, Jundo, Kyonin, Sekishi, and everyone for a lovely zazenkai. The talk was wonderful, from a part of the book that is helpful for me to reflect on.

    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
    I appreciate dancing with you all.
    Fully gratefull for this opportunitiy.

    Gassho,
    Brianna
    Sat Today

  14. #14
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Quote Originally Posted by KristaB View Post
    Apologies to all. I am not feeling well and I left during Kinhin. I hope it wasn't disruptive. I will be sitting with you all later this weekend.
    I hope you feel better soon Krista.

    No need to worry about "disruption" - we sit with what arises.

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

  15. #15
    Was a lovely dance.


    Evan,
    Sat today, lah
    Just going through life one day at a time!

  16. #16
    Thank you Jundo, Kyonin, Sekishi, and all for another wonderful Zazenkai. Tonight's talk was just what I needed, and then to follow up the "cosmic dance" discussion with a jazzy little hokey pokey was just sublime.

    Gassho,
    Rob

    -stlah-

  17. #17
    Sitting this one now. Gassho, Matt

  18. #18
    Sat with the recording, thank you everyone for sitting.

    The "dance" reminds me of Shobogenzo Zenki, where "zenki" can potentially be described as "The Everything Machine". Here's a commentary I read recently which seems pertinent:
    https://ancientwayjournal.wordpress....enki-part-one/


    Kenny
    Sat Today

  19. #19
    Member Seishin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    La Croix-Avranchin, Basse Normandie, France
    Half way through On Demand and just listened to that very entertaining and enlightening talk. Thank you Jundo.

    Having two left feet, to me the reference to the dance, is the dance is just life. Anyway's reminded me of this



    We each dance in our own way, often treading on toes and stumbling on in the dark. Sometimes we see the light but the dance goes on.


    Sat


    Seishin

    Sei - Meticulous
    Shin - Heart

  20. #20
    Thank you everyone. I sat with you over the past two days.

    Jundo, I thought your talk was interesting and engaging. It is very much in your style of talk which is very personable and not at all stiff or academic.

    Good luck on your whirlwind tour Jundo!


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah

    (Apologies for the extra sentences)
    泰林 - Tai Rin - Peaceful Woods

  21. #21
    Sat today with the monthly Zazenkai.
    An excellent talk. A very clear and inspiring speech. Thank you very much Jundo and good luck.
    Gassho, Gokai
    Sat today

  22. #22
    I can’t believe no ones mentioned the iconic Thelonious Monk dancing:

    Thanks everyone

    Gassho,
    Tom

    Sat/lah

  23. #23
    Member Yokai's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
    Thanks everyone, currently sitting with you daily

    Gassho, Chris satlah

  24. #24
    SAT Saturday and thoroughly enjoyed Jundo's 'Dance' rehearsal. Although, I always feel your talks end far too soon!

    Gassho,
    Brett.

    Sattoday

  25. #25
    Thank you all, for your practice. Jundo, thank you for sharing your Dogen talk with us. I hope you have a wonderful time on your zoom tour. And also thank you for your very timely teaching during the Metta chant.
    Gassho,
    Krista
    st

  26. #26
    Thank you all for sitting. Lovely talk, Jundo! I will be interested to see if it evolves during the twenty presentations!

    Gassho
    Kokuu

  27. #27
    Thank you everyone.
    I enjoyed the talk.
    For someone not familiar with your style, it should be uniquely fresh and energetic.

    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.

  28. #28
    Member Seishin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    La Croix-Avranchin, Basse Normandie, France
    Completed this morning after sitting on demand. Good luck with the book "tour" Jundo, enjoyed the talk. Thank you everyone.

    Sat


    Seishin

    Sei - Meticulous
    Shin - Heart

  29. #29
    Finished sitting with you all this morning -- lovely as always! Book is on the way and I look forward to reading it over winter break.

    Thank you Jundo, Kyonin, Sekishi and everyone, even if asynchronous this is always something I look forward to

    Gassho

    Ryan
    Sat Today
    墨眼 | Bokugan | Sumi Ink Eye
    Ryan-S | zazenlibrarian.com

  30. #30
    Thank you to all who make these sits possible and all of those sitting both live and on demand, what a wonderful way to manifest community and such a special practice. The talk was thought-provoking as always, I look forward to reading the book!

    Gassho,

    Josh
    SatToday/LaH

    Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

  31. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    For Today's Talk:

    We will look today at one passage of Master Dogen's Shobogenzo Uji (Being-Time), rapping and riffing on a famous Koan:



    ... Dogen's Jazzy Sound ...

    Coltrane riffs on "My Favorite Things," that lovely tune from The Sound of Music ...


    Like Coltrane, Dogen is improvising on some classic teachings all found in his words too ...

    ... The Profound Identity of All Things

    ... And of All Times, which is All Being ...

    ... That's Right, and Right Here, yet no Right or Wrong ...

    ... All as the Buddha's Enlightenment ...

    As strange as it all sounds, it is powerful medicine for our lives today, here, in this mess of a 21st century world.

    From my book, The Zen Master's Dance ...

    Dōgen plays on a cherished kōan about a Zen master who inquires into the real meaning of Zen, which somehow eluded him in all his studies of texts and theory. He asks why Bodhidharma bothered to come to China; in other words, what is Zen all about? The traditional response about eyebrows and such can have a direct meaning: Bodhidharma did nothing special. Traveling to China was the most natural of things, like winking. If he had not done it, something else would have taken place. On the other hand, our own simple acts of winking and looking can also be known as the Buddha looking and winking, Bodhidharma looking and winking, the whole universe looking and winking. Not doing so is still the ancient master’s eyes and eyebrows not doing so, the whole universe not doing so. It is not a matter of our having to be aware of such fact all the time. Our face is still shared with the ancient master although we do not feel so in a particular moment. Even then, it is still Bodhidharma’s eyes and eyebrows as our eyes and eyebrows.

    Dōgen plays his “Zen jazz” to take this one step further. His eyes and eyebrows are the mountains and seas (and the whole world and all within it). Winking the eye is an ocean winking, and raising an eyebrow is raising a mountain. There may be right and wrong times to do or not do an action, but ultimately there are no “wrong times,” for each time is its own time, and even “not doing” is the right doing of “not doing,” and “wrong doing” is the right doing of a “wrong doing.” (Nonetheless, Dōgen would often remind us to do what’s right and avoid doing wrong, for doing so helps clarify the heart and mind.)

    Dōgen says that eye and eyebrow, mountains, and sea are all time. It is obvious that, without time, none of these could have evolved or come to be. Thus, he states, “Without time, the mountains and oceans could never exist.” But equally, without the motion of their (and our) evolving, time would have been frozen and never flowed. Thus, time needs us and is us, as much as we need time and are time. Dōgen says, “So we should not deny that time is existing in the mountains and oceans right here and now.” It is existing as you and me too, here and now.

    And so it is for all moments in time, such as when the Buddha, sitting under the bodhi tree, saw the morning star and realized the
    truth. It is said that after many long years of striving and pushing himself to the extremes of body and mind, the Buddha finally eased
    his heart under that tree. Seeing the clear light of the morning star in the sky, he said: “I and all sentient beings on earth, together, are enlightened at once.” All are enlightened at once, for all are one in this being-time.

    Years later, when the Buddha held up a flower and winked, Mahākāśyapa saw and understood with a smile. In that famous story, the Buddha silently held up a single flower as the wordless expression of the truth, and his disciple Mahākāśyapa understood and also expressed this silently. ...
    Everything has its own time, and I guess spring and autumn can happen in the same instance :

    rsz_img_20201113_091729.jpg

    Photo of cherry blossoms and falling leaves from my morning run.

    Gassho
    Sat

  32. #32
    Completed this yesterday having sat through the week on demand. Thank you everyone who made it happen and good luck with the tour, Jundo.

    Gassho
    Heiso
    StLah

    Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

  33. #33
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Jundo's talk is now available as a podcast episode: https://treeleaf.podbean.com/e/novem...-tour-kickoff/

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

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