Thanks Synjin !
I feel great when I’m chanting in Japanese... It’s my second nature I think.
Yuki 雪
(Sat today)
Hey Gang,
I think the one you are probably referring to was I Watch People In The World by Ryokan Taigu
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?
For one heavenly pleasure
They suffer ten torments of hell,
Binding themselves more firmly to the grindstone.
Such people are like monkeys
Frantically grasping for the moon in the water
And then falling into a whirlpool.
How endlessly those caught up in the floating world suffer.
Despite myself, I fret over them all night
And cannot staunch my flow of tears.
And I'm glad you liked it kind sirs.
By the way thanks Yuki for running the session on Saturday, the weekend is the only time I get to spend a quality evening with my lovely wife. So she certainly appreciated it
In Gassho,
Ryokudo
SAT/LAH
Happy Weekend everyone,
As I suggested last week we will be having a week of more familiar chants this week as we have done 2 new ones recently. So in the spirit of getting us ready for the 4 hour zazenkai session next Friday we will doing the old faves such as the heart sutra (English or Japanese), Sandokai, Metta practice (if you would like) and the full dedication of merit.
Basically it will be a jukebox musical of chants. Any of them are available in either the treeleaf or the Treeleaf zen retreat book that we used last week. The link is below again
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/cont...eat-Chant-Book
And if there is anything you want to hear or chant just ask away
In Gassho,
Ryokudo,
SAT/LAH
You will have to ask John P. and Heitou if the « All Japanese Saturday Session » was not too much for them !
Yuki 雪
Hey there; are there any zen poetry books you guys would recommend?
gassho
risho
-stlah
For those interested in Ikkyu Sojun's Void in Form/Form in Void:
Void In Form:
When,just as they are,
White dewdrops gather
On scarlet maple leaves,
Regard the scarlet beads!
**************************
Form in Void:
The tree is stripped,
All color, fragrance gone,
Yet already on the bough,
Uncaring spring!
-SAT/LAH
Last edited by Synjin; 04-01-2021 at 11:52 PM.
The "Poetry of Zen" has a good mixture of poems and then obviously anything by Ryokan if you ask me, you know the ones "One Robe ,One Bowl" or "Great Fool". As for Ikkyu I guess the Johns are probably best placed to answer. I'm also told "The River of Heaven" is good curated by Robert Aitken.
Hope that helps,
Ryokudo
SAT/LAH
oh boy - I searched for the Poetry of Zen and now I'm in a rabbit hole on Amazon. hahaha (it's a good rabbit hole though)
Thank you Ryokudo
Thank you Synjin for today's poem.
Gassho
Risho
-stlah
Aah sorry its by Sam Hamill and JP Seaton, and it is lovely.
Gassho
Ryokudo
Hey Gang,
Happy Easter, and I hope you are enjoying yourselves Middle Way style obviously, not over the top like yours truly.
As I suggested last week this weeks chant will be Enmei Jukka Kannon Gyo which is on page 14 of the Retreat Chant book (link provided last week).
I look forward to seeing you bunnies tomorrow.
Gassho,
Ryokudo
SAT/LAH
Hi !
Here is the text I use for Sanki Raimon in Japanese.
Sanki raimon
(The Three Refuge Verse)
Leader: Ji kie Butsu
All: To gan shu jō
tai ge dai dō
hotsu mu jō i
(Gassho)
Leader: Ji kie Ho
All: To gan shu jō
jin nyu kyo zo
chi e nyo kai
(Gassho)
Leader: Ji kie So
All: To gan shu jō
tō ri dai shu
is-sai mu ge
(Gassho)
Yuki 雪
And I add The four vows, in Japanese too.
Shi Gu Sei Gan
(The Four Vows)
SHU JO MU HEN SEI GAN DO
BON NO MU JIN SEI GAN DAN
HO MON MU RYO SEI GAN GAKU
BUTSUDO MU JO SEI GAN JO
Yuki 雪
Sat today
Sorry guys -this week has been an "interesting" one at work, so I haven't been able to make it. I'm hoping to tomorrow or Thursday. Also, my wife is due 4/22; it's our first baby, and it's a boy so I'm sure I'll have some lack of sleep to look forward to, but I'll drop by when I can, but I'm guessing I'll be sitting the league minimum (15 mins) for a while .
Gassho
Risho
-stlah
Hey yuki,
I'm afraid I am working late tonight so can you run today and tomorrow?
Thanks to everyone who attended Chanting & Zazen Circle this week. A special thank to John P. and his fabulous Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo chant !
Yuki (雪)
Sat today
Hey gang,
So I was thinking as it is Buddha's birthday on the 8th, in japan at least ( the rest of Asia is waiting for May, when we can celebrate again), I figured we could also go back to the first chant we learned( most of us anyway) so let's go Heart sutra.
We have it in Japanese and English on page 4-6 of the retreat handbook and I know yuki has a French version floating around.
So let's go for that unless y'all have other suggestions.
I hope that suits and I'll look forward to seeing y'all on Monday.
Gassho
Ryokudo
Here is the French version of Heart sutra :
Le Soutra de la Sagesse Qui Nous Mène à l’Autre Rive
Avalokiteshvara en pratiquant profondement la sagesse
qui nous mène à l’autre rive, découvrit soudainement
que les cinq skandhas sont tous pareillement vides.
Grâce à cette réalisation il dépassa toute souffrance.
Écoute Shariputra, ce corps même est le vide,
et le vide même est ce corps.
Ce corps n’est autre que le vide,
et le vide n’est autre que ce corps.
Il en va de même pour les sensations, les perceptions,
les formations mentales, et la conscience.
Écoute Shariputra, tous les phénomènes portent l’empreinte du vide:
leur nature véritable n’est ni l’être ni le non-être,
ni la naissance ni la mort, ni la pureté ni l’impureté,
ni la croissance, ni la décroissance.
C’est pourquoi dans le vide le corps, les sensations,
les perceptions, les formations mentales et la conscience
ne sont pas des entités dotées d’un soi séparé.
Les dix-huit domaines des phénomènes que sont les six organes des sens,
les six objets des sens et les six consciences,
ne sont pas non plus des entités dotées d’un soi séparé.
Le mal être, les causes du mal être, la fin du mal être,
la voie, la compréhension et la réalisation,
ne sont pas non plus des entités dotées d’un soi séparé.
Quiconque peut voir ceci ne voit plus aucun objet à atteindre.
Et les Bodhisattva qui pratiquent la sagesse qui nous mène à l’autre rive
ne voient plus d’obstacle dans leur esprit,
et sans obstacle dans leur esprit ils dépassent toutes peurs.
Ils détruisent toute perception erronée et réalisent le parfait Nirvana.
Tous les Bouddhas du passé, du présent et du futur
en pratiquant la sagesse qui nous mène à l’autre rive
sont tous capables d’atteindre l’illumination authentique et parfaite.
Ainsi Shariputra, nous devons savoir que la sagesse qui nous mène à l’autre rive est un grand mantra,
le plus lumineux des mantras, le plus élevé des mantras,
un mantra au delà de toute comparaison,
la sagesse véritable qui a le pouvoir de mettre fin à toutes sortes de souffrances.
Ainsi proclamons un mantra en éloge à la sagesse qui nous mène à l’autre rive.
Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate bodhisvaha!
See you tomorrow !
Yuki (雪)
Sat today
... And I add this short chant used for opening the Sutra verse :
« The Dharma is deep and lovely,
We now have a chance to see it,
study it, and practice it.
We vow to realize it’s true meaning. »
Mujô jinjin mimyô hô
hyaku senman gô nan sôgû.
Ga kon kemmon toku juji.
Gange nyorai shinjitsu gi.
Yuki (雪)
I will be out on Wednesdays
I was hoping to be able to join you, but unfortunately my work schedule has changed. I think Saturdays will be only day that'll work
Gassho,
Meredith
_/ST\_
I'm really sorry but I am still stuck in meetings so can't make tonight
Jeez
I'm sorry Yuki and all of you, but it looks like I will be snowed under for the rest of the week, I will try to at least join for zazen tonight, but no promises.
Cheers
Ryo.
Just missed the connection and missed the session, Zazenkai. well guess I was just too late. Maybe next week.
Gassho
sat
Tai Shi
Peaceful Poet, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, limited to positive 優婆塞 台 婆
Hi All,
I'm really sorry for being away for most of the week, but i know Yuki and John P have ran the ship well, better most would say.
Anywho after chatting with Yuki we thought this weeks chant will be Enmei Jukka Kannon Gyo again as you all love it so much, which is on page 14 of the Retreat Chant book (link provided last week).
However I will perhaps throw in the occasional Sandokai to keep you on your toes. I shall see y'all tomorrow and expect you to be wonderful.
Gassho,
Ryokudo
SAT/LAH
Hi everybody !
Here are some informations about Enmei Jikku Kannon Gyo :
« According to the Chronology of Buddha Ancestors (Fozu tongji), compiled by Zhipan in 1269 C E., a defeated and imprisoned general, Wang Xuanmo , received this sūtra in a dream in 450 C E., and the vigorous chanting of it saved his life from execution.
As Hakuin, the eighteenth-century Japanese Zen master of the Rinzai School, encouraged his students to chant it, this extrashort scripture has been chanted daily in Rinzai Zen monasteries and centers. It has also been recited in centers of the Sōtō School. The chanting becomes faster and louder while the verse is repeated. »
From :
Zen Chants: Thirty-Five Essential Texts with Commentary
Kazuaki Tanahashi
Yuki 雪
Monday April 19 Chanting & Zazen Circle.
Thanks to Clare and Olivia for their patience with my poor performance at my first try with Enmei Juju Kannon Gyo. Will do better with practice ! Thanks John P. for his excellent choice of haiku. Hope to see you soon again !
Tuesday 20 :
Good session with John P. Great chants and haikus, small talk about weather, Italian cooking and books from Helena Ferrante.
Wednesday 21 :
Session with John P., Ryokudo made an apparition to say hello. Nice sitting and interesting talk.
Thursday 22 :
Arigato gozaimasu to Ryokudo and John P. for their excellent chants.
By the way, Risho, are you father now ? If yes, congratulations !!!
Friday 23 :
John P. and me. Chanting, zazen and great chat.
Saturday 24 :
John P. joined me for this last session of the week.
Yuki 雪
Last edited by Yuki; 04-26-2021 at 05:13 PM.
Hey Yuki et al,
I'm afraid you won't be seeing me tonight as I have been signed off work with a migraine and ordered toile in a darkened room.
Life's a bit trying at the moment.
I'm really sorry. So do whatever you feel tonight, while I feel sorry for myself
Hey Ryo,
It was good to see you today !
I wish your migraine will vanish soon.
95A5A651-5C34-413E-9CF6-19A9FFD2C514.jpeg
See you tomorrow !
Yuki 雪
Hi Jundo,
This Mudra is an old drawing I’ve realized, maybe 13-14 years ago, following a travel in Myanmar. I liked the gracious position of these hands but I don’t remember who or what was the model I took at this time, sorry. I must admit that I didn’t knew the exact meaning of the Mudra but after some searches on the web, here what I found : dharmacakra-mudrā represents a teaching gesture, starting the wheel of the law. It symbolizes the first sermon of the Buddha Śākyamuni near Bénarès.
FA63743F-816D-4787-A7DB-0A30E1C50A44.jpeg
4F1D2D87-4F28-49E7-8FBD-C856CA6B857D.jpeg
Gassho, Yuki 雪
Hi everybody !
Many thanks to Anisa, John P., Eishin and Ryokudo for the participation to Chanting & Zazen Circle this week.
For Eishin, the New Heart Sutra translation by Thich Nhat Hanh :
The Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
Avalokiteshvara
while practicing deeply with
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore,
suddenly discovered that
all of the five Skandhas are equally empty,
and with this realisation
he overcame all Ill-being.
“Listen Sariputra,
this Body itself is Emptiness
and Emptiness itself is this Body.
This Body is not other than Emptiness
and Emptiness is not other than this Body.
The same is true of Feelings,
Perceptions, Mental Formations,
and Consciousness.
“Listen Sariputra,
all phenomena bear the mark of Emptiness;
their true nature is the nature of
no Birth no Death,
no Being no Non-being,
no Defilement no Purity,
no Increasing no Decreasing.
“That is why in Emptiness,
Body, Feelings, Perceptions,
Mental Formations and Consciousness
are not separate self entities.
The Eighteen Realms of Phenomena
which are the six Sense Organs,
the six Sense Objects,
and the six Consciousnesses
are also not separate self entities.
The Twelve Links of Interdependent Arising
and their Extinction
are also not separate self entities.
Ill-being, the Causes of Ill-being,
the End of Ill-being, the Path,
insight and attainment,
are also not separate self entities.
Whoever can see this
no longer needs anything to attain.
Bodhisattvas who practice
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
see no more obstacles in their mind,
and because there
are no more obstacles in their mind,
they can overcome all fear,
destroy all wrong perceptions
and realize Perfect Nirvana.
“All Buddhas in the past, present and future
by practicing
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
are all capable of attaining
Authentic and Perfect Enlightenment.
“Therefore Sariputra,
it should be known that
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore
is a Great Mantra,
the most illuminating mantra,
the highest mantra,
a mantra beyond compare,
the True Wisdom that has the power
to put an end to all kinds of suffering.
Therefore let us proclaim
a mantra to praise
the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore.
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!
Gate, Gate, Paragate, Parasamgate, Bodhi Svaha!”
Have a great weekend !
Yuki 雪
Sat today
Hi !
I propose to recite the Song of the grassroots hermitage from Sekitō (Shih-t'ou) this week.
As there are many versions, here is the text I took on the site Daily Zen : https://www.dailyzen.com/journal/son...roof-hermitage
Song of the Grass-Roof Hermitage
I've built a grass hut where there's nothing of value.
After eating, I relax and enjoy a nap.
When it was completed, fresh weeds appeared.
Now it's been lived in - covered by weeds.
The person in the hut lives here calmly,
Not stuck to inside, outside, or in between.
Places worldly people live, he doesn't live.
Realms worldly people love, he doesn't love.
Though the hut is small, it includes the entire world.
In ten square feet, an old man illumines forms and their nature.
A Great Vehicle bodhisattva trusts without doubt.
The middling or lowly can't help wondering;
Will this hut perish or not?
Perishable or not, the original master is present,
not dwelling south or north, east or west.
Firmly based on steadiness, it can't be surpassed.
A shining window below the green pines --
Jade palaces or vermilion towers can't compare with it.
Just sitting with head covered, all things are at rest.
Thus, this mountain monk doesn't understand at all.
Living here he no longer works to get free.
Who would proudly arrange seats, trying to entice guests?
Turn around the light to shine within, then just return.
The vast inconceivable source can't be faced or turned away from.
Meet the ancestral teachers, be familiar with their instruction,
Bind grasses to build a hut, and don't give up.
Let go of hundreds of years and relax completely.
Open your hands and walk, innocent.
Thousands of words, myriad interpretations,
Are only to free you from obstructions.
If you want to know the undying person in the hut,
Don't separate from this skin bag here and now.
Shih-t'ou (700-790)
___________
See you this week !
Gassho, Yuki 雪
I'm sorry guys I won't be there again tonight due to work commitments.
HI All,
I am afraid that for the next couple of weeks my hours have been changed at work and so I will not be able to join the sessions.
I hope you all continue to have good sits though.
Many thanks,
Ryokudo
Hi All,
I suggest the following chants for the week to come :
- Sanki Raimon ( English and/or Japanese)
- HAKUIN ZENJI ZAZEN WASAN ( English and/or Japanese)
Zazen
- Haïkus
- Four vows (English and/or Japanese)
All English texts are available in Treeleaf chant books.
Here are Japanese texts :
SANKI RAIMON
LEADER : JI KIE BUTSU
ALL : TO GAN SHU JÔ
TAI GE DAI DÔ
OTSU MU JÔ I
LEADER : JI KIE HO
ALL : TO GAN SHU JÔ
JIN NYU KYO ZO
CHI E NYO KAI
LEADER : JI KIE SO
ALL : TO GAN SHU JÔ
TÔ RI DAI SHU
IS-SAI MU GE
__________________________
HAKUIN ZENJI ZAZEN WASAN
SHU JO HON RAI HOTO KENA RI
MIZU TO KO RINO GOTO KUNI TE
MIZU O HANA RETE KO RINA KU
SHUJO ONO HOKA NI HOTO KENA SHI
SHUJO O CHIKA KIO SHIRA ZUSHI TE
TO KU MOTO MURU HAKA NASA YO
TATO EBA MIZU NO NAKA NI ITE
KATSU O SAKE BUGA GOTO KUNA RI
CHO JANO IE NO KOTO NARI TE
HIN RINI MAYO ONI KOTO NARA ZU
ROKU SHU RIN NENO IN NEN WA
ONO REGA GUCHI NO YAMI JINA RI
YAMI JINI YAMI JIO FUMI SOE TE
ITSU KA SHO JIO HANA RUBE KI
SORE MAKA EN NO ZEN JO WA
SHO TAN SURU NI AMA RIA RI
FUSE YA JIKA INO SHOHA RAMI TSU
NEM BUTSU SAN GE SHUGYO OTO
O SONO SHINA O KI SHOZE NGYO
O MINA KONO NAKA NI KISU RUNA RI
ICHI ZANO KO O NASU HITO MO
TSUMI SHI MURYO ONO TSUMI HORO BU
AKU SHU IZU KUNI ARI NUBE KI
JO DO SUNA WACHI TO KARA ZU
KATA JIKE NAKU MO KONO NORI O
HITO TABI MIMI NI FURU RUTO KI
SAN TAN ZUI KI SURU HITO WA
FUKU O URU KOTO KAGI RINA SHI
IWA NYA MIZU KARA EKO OSHI TE
JIKI NI JISHO O SHO SURE BA
JISHO O SUNA WACHI MUSHO ONI TE
SUDE NI KERO NO HANA RETA RI
IN GA ICHI NYONO MON HIRA KE
MUNI MUSA NNO MICHI NAO SHI
MUSO ONO SO O SO TOSHI TE
YUKU MO KAE RUMO YOSO NARA ZU
MUNE NNO NEN O NEN TOSHI TE
UTA UMO MAU MO NORI NOKO E
ZAN MAI MUGE NO SORA HIRO KU
SHICHI EM MYO NO TSUKI SAE N
KONO TOKI NANI OKA MOTO MUBE KI
JAKU METSU GEN ZEN SURU YUE NI
TO SHO SUNA WACHI REN GEKO KU
KONO MI SUNA WACHI HOTO KE NA RI
______________________________
Shi Gu Sei Gan Mon
(The Four Vows)
SHU JO MU HEN SEI GAN DO
BON NO MU JIN SEI GAN DAN
HO MON MU RYO SEI GAN GAKU
BUTSUDO MU JO SEI GAN JO
________________________
See you !
Yuki 雪
Last edited by Yuki; 12-08-2021 at 02:08 AM.
Thank you Yuki & John P.
I enjoyed chanting and sitting together.
Gassho
Last edited by Anchi; 05-14-2021 at 03:41 PM.
Life itself is the only teacher.
一 Joko Beck
STLah
安知 Anchi