Chanting & Zazen Circle (Mo thru Sa)

[Yuki]

Hi Omom and William !

Here is the story you requested.
_____________

Too many words

To a student asking a long and complex question about understanding the Way, a teacher simply replied, "When too many words, no space for the Void. "

As the student returned with a new question, the teacher added: "Too many words, no Stillness. "

As the pupil expressed his intention to raise a new question, the sage interrupted him sharply: "Too many words, no Wisdom!"

The student, surprised and bewildered, began to think. The master observed him for a long moment before concluding with a sigh: "Still too many words!"


From « Serenes Shadows »

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Nengyoku]

[Anchi]

[Yuki]

This week :

Sanki Raimon
(Kaikyo Ge +
Hannya Shingyo)

Two shorts reading:

Deluded, a Buddha is a sentient being;
Awakened, a sentient being is a Buddha.
Ignorant, a Buddha is a sentient being;
With wisdom,a sentient being is a Buddha.
If the mind is warped, a Buddha is a sentient being;
If the mind is impartial, a sentient being is a Buddha.
When once a warped mind is produced,
Buddha is concealed within the sentient being.
If for one instant of thought we become impartial,
Then sentient beings are themselves Buddha.
In our mind itself a Buddha exists,
Our own Buddha is the true Buddha.
If we do not have in ourselves the Buddha mind,
Then where are we to seek Buddha?

HUINENG

« I originally came to China
to transmit the teaching and save deluded beings.
One flower opens five petals,
and the fruit ripens of itself. »
Bodhidharma, according to Huineng

If evil flowers bloom in the mind-ground,
Five blossoms flower from the stem.
Together they will create the karma of ignorance;
Now the mind-ground is blown by the winds of karma.
If correct flowers bloom in the mind-ground,
Five blossoms flower from the stem.
Together practise the prajna wisdom;
In the future this will be the enlightenment of
the Buddha.

Huineng

Zazen

Enmei Juku Kannon Gyo
Dedication
Haïkus
Four vows

Gassho !

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Nengyoku]

I know I don't get to sit with you guys very much, but I do enjoy reading what you have picked out.

Thank you everyone for your practice.

Gassho,
William
Sat

[Anchi]

Hi everybody !

Lovely!! Merci Yuki !

I suggest short poem by '' Ryokan'' to read today if you like


If you speak delusions, everything becomes a delusion;
If you speak the truth, everything becomes the truth.
Outside the truth there is no delusion,
But outside delusion there is no special truth.
Followers of Buddha’s Way!
Why do you so earnestly seek the truth in distant places ?
Look for delusion and truth in the bottom of your own hearts.

- Ryokan

See You

Gassho

[Yuki]

Great poem, Omom. Merci ! Of course we will read it today !


Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Yuki]

Even if you are invisible William, we know well that you are among us each time we chant and sit.

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Yuki]

Hi !

I’m adding a text we could read next week, if you agree, of course !

_________________

Keqin, Zen Master Yuanwu of Mount Jia, said:



After realization, people of old would go deeply into a mountain, a weed grove, or a stone cave, and cook meals in a broken pot for ten or twenty years. They would forget all about the human world and reject its dusty treasures. But today you may not want to do that.



Just hide your name, obscure your traces, and remain an old gimlet. Merge with realization and experience receptive samadhi according to your capacity. Remove the effects of your past actions and become free from old habits. If your capacity is greater, help others, create wisdom relationships, polish the tips of your feet, and mature. Just as if you were picking one or even half a blade of grass from a thick patch of weeds, join those who have wisdom and help them to get away from the chain of birth and death. In this way, you can benefit future generations and repay the deep kindness of buddha ancestors.



Or, if it so happens that the fruit that has lived through frost and dew ripens, take this fruit into the world to transform humans and devas, responding to situations and devas, responding to situations and following circumstances, but without ever having a seeking mind.
Why depend on influential people and follow worldly trends while confusing common people and ignoring sages, grasping for benefit and looking for fame? This would only cause you to fall into an unceasing hell.
Even if you do not have an opportunity to be active in the world, if you simply do not create causes that lead you to hell, you will be an arhat truly free from the dusty world.


From
Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen's Shobo Genzo



Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Anchi]

Lovely ! Merci Yuki !

See You


Gassho

[Dogukan]

Thank you, it was a lovely meeting. Such wonderful passages they were.

It's a bit crowded here tonight, we have some guests so I could not turn on my camera or microphone. So I apologize I could not answer you back Yuki By the way, you have become my first practice friends and I am so glad it is so. Hope to meet you again.

Gassho, Doğukan.
Sat&LaH.

[Yuki]

You are always welcome, Doğukan. Our circle is open to new friends, new experiences, new chants, etc.

See you soon,


Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Cam]

Today I saw 5000 haikus so thought of you
Here are the pics One Thousand Springs by Chiharu Shiota.
A construction of 5,000 haikus suspended in red threads
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVs61IKs...um=share_sheet

ST

[Yuki]

Another text for this week

The hermit

In the assembly of Xuefeng, Great Master Zhenjiao, there was a monk who built a thatched-roof hermitage at the foot of a mountain. He did not shave for years. No one knew what was happening in the hermitage, and his life in the mountain was solitary. He would go to the nearby valley brook, fetch water with the wooden dipper he himself had made, and drink it. Indeed, he was a valley drinker.

As he spent days and months in this way, his practice was noticed by another monk, who went to see him and asked, “What is the meaning of Bodhidharma’s coming from India?”
The hermit said, “The valley is deep, the dipper handle is long.”

The monk was so shocked that he did not bow, nor did he ask for teaching. He went up to the mountain and told Xuefeng the story. »
« Hearing this, Xuefeng said, “It is quite amazing. If he is like that, I should go over and check him out.”
What Xuefeng meant was that the hermit seemed amazingly accomplished, but he wanted to examine how he was doing.

So, one day, Xuefeng had his attendant monk carry a razor and rushed to the hermitage. As soon as Xuefeng saw the hermit, he said, “If you have expression, I will not shave your head.”

Be aware of this statement. Xuefeng’s words sound like he would not shave the hermit’s head if the hermit had expression. How is it? Is it that if the expression was truly expression, Xuefeng would not shave the hermit’s head? You should listen to this expression with the power of listening. Speak about it to those who have the power of listening.

Hearing Xuefeng’s words, the hermit washed his head and came back to Xuefeng.

Is this bringing expression or beyond-expression?

Xuefeng shaved the hermit’s head. »

Extrait de
Treasury of the True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen's Shobo Genzo



Yuki
ST

[Dogukan]

I hope you're all well. I missed it today but came up with some suggestions.

I came across this poem by Master Dogen last night and I really liked it. If you wish, maybe we can read it together.

"The original mind-ground is at rest,
Naturally at one with the spiritual,
Without ever having to strive for the Dharma;
Experiencing the truth in this body,
Forgetting about labels like 'sacred' and 'profane'
The World-Honored One was enlightened
On seeing the bright morning star,
While looking up with a weary but enraptured face."
(Thanks to Steven Heine for his translation.)

And if you ever want to hear the Turkish version of the four Bodhisattva vows one day, just let me know. I may not dare to chant in Japanese, but I've confidence in my Turkish skills - for some reason:)

Gassho, Doğukan.
SatLaH

[Nengyoku]

William
SatLah

[Yuki]

Hi Doğukan,

The poem is great ! Of course reading it will be interesting.
If you want, please post the Turkish version of the four Bodhisattva vows in this thread. We will add it to our multi language collection



Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Dogukan]

Hi Doğukan,

The poem is great ! Of course reading it will be interesting.
If you want, please post the Turkish version of the four Bodhisattva vows in this thread. We will add it to our multi language collection



Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

Hi Yuki,

The Turkish version of the vows should be:

"Tüm duyarlı varlıkları kurtarmak için, varlıklar sayısız olsa da
Tüm sanrıları dönüştürmek için, sanrılar tükenmez olsa da
Gerçeklik'i idrak etmek için, Gerçeklik sınırsız olsa da,
Erişilemez olan Aydınlanmış Yol'a erişmek için

Yemin ederim."

I added that extra "Yemin ederim." sentence because without it there is no way to construct a meaningful sentence.

Gassho, Doğukan.
Sat.

[Jundo]

Hi Yuki,

The Turkish version of the vows should be:

"Tüm duyarlı varlıkları kurtarmak için, varlıklar sayısız olsa da
Tüm sanrıları dönüştürmek için, sanrılar tükenmez olsa da
Gerçeklik'i idrak etmek için, Gerçeklik sınırsız olsa da,
Erişilemez olan Aydınlanmış Yol'a erişmek için

Yemin ederim."

I added that extra "Yemin ederim." sentence because without it there is no way to construct a meaningful sentence.

Gassho, Doğukan.
Sat.

I ran this through Google Translate Bodhisattva, and it is beautiful, right to the "I vow" at the end ...

To save all sentient beings, though the beings are innumerable
To transform all delusions, though the delusions are inexhaustible
To realize the Reality, even though Reality is unlimited,
To access the inaccessible Enlightened Path

I vow.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Yuki]

I ran this through Google Translate Bodhisattva, and it is beautiful, right to the "I vow" at the end ...

To save all sentient beings, though the beings are innumerable
To transform all delusions, though the delusions are inexhaustible
To realize the Reality, even though Reality is unlimited,
To access the inaccessible Enlightened Path

I vow.

Gassho, J

STLah

I agree with you, Jundo.
Dharma flowers blooms on every branch of the tree, all beautiful and sincere in their respective blooming.



Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Anchi]

[Yuki]

This week :

Sanki Raimon ( English and Japanese)
Zazen Wassan ( English)

Zazen

Enmei Juku Kannon Gyo ( Japanese)
Short dedication
Haïkus
The four Vows ( Japanese, English and any languages you want to practice )

See you,


Yuki 雪
(Sat today)
P S. The post # 299 gives you the most usual texts and chants we often use here. Gassho

[Anchi]

[Seiko]

Peace to all beings
may all beings be well and happy
and free from fear

peace to all beings
whether near or far
whether known or unknown
visible or invisible
real or imaginery
born or yet to be born
may all beings be well and happy
and free from fear

peace to all beings
within and beyond the imagination
in the world of ideas
in the world of memories
and in the world of dreams
may all beings be well and happy
and free from fear

peace in all elements
of earth and air and fire and water
fulfilled in space
peace

peace in all universes
from the smallest cells in the body
to the greatest galaxies in space
peace and light rising

peace and love and comfort and ease
to all in need
may they be well and happy
and free from fear

by John Garrie Roshi



Gassho
Seiko
stlah

[Yuki]

Wonderful Seiko !

We will add it and read it this week. Merci

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Anchi]

Lovely Seiko ! Thank you

[Yuki]

This week :

Sanki Raimon ( English and Japanese)

Poems from Ryokan

Foothills far below,
Mount Kugami soars to heaven.
At its shady foot
Stands the shrine of Otogo.
Here I live alone
Every morning and each night
On the rugged rocks,
Or through the mossy footway,
Coming and going
To perform my daily chores.
Before me rises,
Each time I cast up my eyes,
A primeval grove
Divine in its dark grandeur.
Every year in May,
Cuckoos return from the south,
And in noisy flocks
Swell their throats in ecstasy.
When, in September,
Rain comes drizzling from above,
Seated by the hearth
I tear offbright maple leaves.
Thus for many years,
As long as life stays with me,
Here I shall live free as air.

_____________

In the shady grove
Hoping light from twig to twig
Cuckoos in a flock
Swell their throats in ecstasy,
Now that spring has crept away.

Can I entice you
To rest your feet in my house?
Over the foothills
Perhaps you will come gleaning
Red maple leaves all the way.

Frosty maple leaves
Bright in their autumnal hues,
And summer cuckoos,
I shall keep in mind for years
And years, until my life fails.

Amid holy trees,
Close to the Otogo shrine,
Seated all alone
I hear the sacred bells ring:
Perhaps, a call from a friend.

_________

Zazen

Enmei Juku Kannon Gyo ( Japanese)
Short dedication
Haïkus
The four Vows ( Japanese, English and any languages you want to practice )

See you,


Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Anchi]

[Yuki]

Hi all !

I propose to add this short text to our reading this week.

_____________

An Early Morning Visit to the Buddhist Priest Chao to Read the Chan Scriptures


Drawing water from the well,
I rinse my cold teeth,
I brush the dust from my clothes and purify my mind;

Calmly I turn the leaves of a Buddhist sutra
And recite as I stroll out of the east study.

The true Way has not been accepted—
False tracks are what the world follows.

Buddha’s teaching promises joy after Nirvana:
How can I master with it my habitual nature?

Here in the quiet of the priest’s courtyard,
The green of the moss blends with the dense bamboos; As the sun breaks through the strands of damp mist.
It bathes the blue pines as if with oil.

Such freshness!—hard to express in words ... Enlightened,
Satisfied,
My heart is at peace.


LIU ZONGYUAN

___________
See you today !

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Anchi]

Lovely!! Merci Yuki !

[Yuki]

Hi !


« All buddhas throughout space and time,
all bodhisattva mahāsattvas,
wisdom beyond wisdom—
mahā prajñā pāramitā. »

____________

« Ji hō san shi i shi fu.
Shi son bu sa mo ko sa.
Mo ko ho ja ho ro mi. »

We will add it after the Hannya Shingyo, if you agree.

See you soon !

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Seiko]

Hi !


« All buddhas throughout space and time,
all bodhisattva mahāsattvas,
wisdom beyond wisdom—
mahā prajñā pāramitā. »

____________

« Ji hō san shi i shi fu.
Shi son bu sa mo ko sa.
Mo ko ho ja ho ro mi. »

We will add it after the Hannya Shingyo, if you agree.

See you soon !

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

Hi Yuki,
I don't know if it changes the English translation, but I have this - the last line is different -
*Ji ho san shi i shi fu
*shi son Busa mo ko sa
*Mo ko ho rya fo ro mi +

Bows
Seiko
stlah

[Seiko]

Compassion!
We venerate Buddha!
All are one with Buddha,
all awake to Buddha—
Buddha, Dharma, Sangha—
eternal, joyous, selfless, pure.
Throughout the day Compassion,
Throughout the night Compassion.
This moment springs from Mind.
This moment itself is Mind.


Bows
Seiko
stlah

[Anchi]

Lovely Seiko ! Thank you

Deep bows,

[Jundo]

Hi Yuki,
I don't know if it changes the English translation, but I have this - the last line is different -
*Ji ho san shi i shi fu
*shi son Busa mo ko sa
*Mo ko ho rya fo ro mi +

No, I believe that Yuki's version is standard in Japanese. Where is yours from, Seiko?

https://alternative.dosugoi.net/e617947.html

All Buddhas, ten directions, three times, {ji hō san shi i shi fu 十方三世一切佛}
All honored ones, Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas, {shi son bu sa mo ko sa 諸尊菩薩摩訶薩}
Great Perfect Wisdom, Mahā Prajñā Pāramitā {mo ko ho ja ho ro mi 摩訶般若波羅蜜}

Gassho, J

STLah

[Yuki]

Thank you for the link you put in your message, Jundo. It’s very interesting !



Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[aprapti]

Hi !


« All buddhas throughout space and time,
all bodhisattva mahāsattvas,
wisdom beyond wisdom—
mahā prajñā pāramitā. »

____________

« Ji hō san shi i shi fu.
Shi son bu sa mo ko sa.
Mo ko ho ja ho ro mi. »

We will add it after the Hannya Shingyo, if you agree.

See you soon !

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

yes i agree and i will add it when i recite Hannya Shin gyo (which sometimes happens )

aprapti

sat

[Anchi]

Hi everybody !

I suggest for next week to read if you like, of course !


DAI-O KOKUSHI "ON ZEN"
Translated by D. T. Suzuki
(Manual of Zen Buddhism, 1935, p. 145)

There is a reality even prior to heaven and earth;
Indeed, it has no form, much less a name;
Eyes fail to see it; It has no voice for ears to detect;
To call it Mind or Buddha violates its nature,
For it then becomes like a visionary flower in the air;
It is not Mind, nor Buddha;
Absolutely quiet, and yet illuminating in a mysterious way,
It allows itself to be perceived only by the clear-eyed.
It is Dharma truly beyond form and sound;
It is Tao having nothing to do with words.
Wishing to entice the blind,
The Buddha has playfully let words escape his golden mouth;
Heaven and earth are ever since filled with entangling briars.
O my good worthy friends gathered here,
If you desire to listen to the thunderous voice of the Dharma,
Exhaust your words, empty your thoughts,
For then you may come to recognize this One Essence.
Says Hui the Brother, "The Buddha's Dharma
Is not to be given up to mere human sentiments."

(大應國師 Daiō Kokushi, 1235–1308),


This book good to read and it's free

DOC: Eloquent Zen: Daitō and Early Japanese Zen
https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/Daito-Kraft.pdf
by Kenneth Kraft
University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, 1992.

Have a Lovely Weekend!

Deep bows,

[Yuki]

Merci Omom,

Of course we will read this text !
Thanks for the link too !


Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Yuki]

This week program :

Sanki Raimon ( English and Japanese)
Kaikyo Ge
Hannya Shingyo
Ji ho San shi

Reading of :

DAI-O KOKUSHI "ON ZEN" Post #438

And

From a talk Sawaki gave on the Fukanzazengi (The Universal Recommendation of Zazen) in March 1936

People have many ideas about what Zen is. I’m often asked, “What is Zen?” My response is “to know the Self.”

I am an advocate of Zen Master Dogen’s teaching and have been for tens of years. I give talks about it and have been actualizing it in practice. This « knowing the Self” is beyond verbal explanation—it is beyond words and must be practiced. If I were to try to express this Self that is beyond words, I would have to say “the Self that selfs itself.”

Zen is wall gazing—you face a wall and you sit. You become yourself and only yourself. This Self that is only the Self is Buddha. So you become Buddha, the Tathagata; that is to say, you become yourself completely. Originally, we are temporary [borrowed] selves—there is a screw on the outside—it’s like a toy car that operates when the screw is turned. Only it’s not a screw on the outside—it’s the self operating the Self.

This is my zazen. I believe it is different from the usual concept of what the word zazen means. Satori is not essential, just be yourself. What do we have to do to become our selves? When we eat too much because the food is delicious, or when we refrain from eating because we don’t like the flavor, that [attitude] is not coming from our [true] Self. We are being manipulated by something outside of us. Don’t allow that to happen. What should we do to prevent that from happening? How can we act from our true Self?

Do zazen. Practicing from the true Self is the meaning of zazen.

From
Discovering the True Self
Kodo Sawaki
__________

Zazen
__________

Enmei Juku Kannon Gyo
Short dedication
Haïkus
The four vows


See you !
Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Anchi]

[Zenkon]

I am setting up a weekly "Zazen with Dick" sitting schedule and would like to possibly include a chant. I have the Treeleaf Chant Book, but would like to use a recorded chant rather than "out loud" so as to not wake other sleeping householders. Do we have any recorded chants available that I might use?

Thank you

Gassho

Dick

sat/lah

[Yuki]

Hi Dick,

I don’t know if Treeleaf have recorded chants available. Sorry.

If you seek Japanese chants, you can find some on YouTube. Here are some links :

Massimo Claus
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OL...-6RgiDLbeNjx_k

Hannya Shingyo Soto Zen School


Sandokai



_______________

In English :

Heart Sutra


_____________
I’m pretty sure that Jundo can help you to find appropriate chants.
You can also comes in Chanting and Zazen Circle to see and listen what we are doing here. We can accommodate you with specific chants if you lets us know in advance. Who knows : maybe we can’t try to record one or two for your specific needs.

Gassho and deep bows !

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Kokuu]

Hi Dick

I have some of my own recorded chants and can chant to order if you need something in particular! We are in the process of providing recorded chants for here.

Also, I imagine it would be fine to snip some of the chanting out of a Zazenkai, although good to check with Jundo. I already did that with some of Jakuden's chanting.

A third alternative is not to have any chants and just the bell.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday/lah-

[Zenkon]

Yuki, Kokuu

Thank you for your help and suggestions. I think I was making this more complicated than necessary, especially for my first attempt at hosting. I decided to stick with a simpler 3-bells zazen sit for now. I'll keep my eye on the chanting group and if any recorded chants become available, I may add them in the future. Kokuu - Thanks for volunteering to make a chant for me. I may avail myself of this in the future.

Gassho

Dick

sat/lah

[aprapti]

I don’t know if Treeleaf have recorded chants available. Sorry.

its more than time to bring out our first CD..



aprapti

sat

[Jundo]

Yuki, Kokuu

Thank you for your help and suggestions. I think I was making this more complicated than necessary, especially for my first attempt at hosting. I decided to stick with a simpler 3-bells zazen sit for now. I'll keep my eye on the chanting group and if any recorded chants become available, I may add them in the future. Kokuu - Thanks for volunteering to make a chant for me. I may avail myself of this in the future.

Gassho

Dick

sat/lah

Hi Dick,

I think it lovely if you wish to play a recorded Chant during your sitting. Do not do it as a formal Ceremony, but keep it simple, just playing the recording while everyone sits in Zazen Posture or stands before Zazen. Do not have any Chant leader particularly.

I would say that the English Heart Sutra that Yuki posted is very hard to hear and a bit unusual to my ear. We also do not Chant the Sandokai as in that recording. The Japanese version is rather long at 8 minutes, so I would recommend that you choose one of these lovely recordings, whichever is fine.







For the English Heart Sutra, Kokuu just made some recordings that we are finalizing, and which should be ready in a couple of days. Stay tuned!

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Anchi]

[Yuki]

Hi everybody !

How about the reading of those two texts from Kodo Sawaki this week ?
__________
« Impermanence is this very instant as it is.
You win or lose this moment and . . . finished.
Every day you breathe out and breathe in and that’s it. And that should be the end of it.
However, we attach to things and delude ourselves.
If we have children, we think of ourselves as parents.
If we have grandchildren, we think of ourselves as grandparents . . .
The grandchild is the grandchild, period.
The grandparent is the grandparent, period.
The child is the child, period.
Here we see for the first time the flavorless, colorless reality of the sole universe.
These days, people feel dissatisfied.
It’s because the modern man feels he is unexciting and that he must do something about it.
And he thinks he can do something about it.
That is what we call delusion.
There is no other self than the one who lives with these thoughts right now.
It is the self that can’t be replaced.
There is no place where another me is.
So the thoughts and activities of our selves today are irreplaceable.
[Hence this self] must be the true Self. »

Kodo Sawaki


__________________
« When I give myself completely to zazen, nothing any longer exists—there is no Sawaki. When there is no Sawaki, there is no deluded thinking mind. When this mind is rejected, nothing remains other than zazen. During zazen, one is in harmony with the Buddha, the Dharma, the founders, and the patriarchs. One becomes the entire universe. Through the power of the Knowing-Buddha, we enter into the unborn. This power resides in zazen. Through this knowing, illusions disappear and one immediately enters the unborn.

That’s why Zen Master Keizan says at the beginning of his Zazen Yojinki [A Record of Points to Watch in Zazen]:
“Zazen allows people to directly illumine the mind and reside comfortably in their fundamental nature. This is called revealing one’s original face and manifesting the scenery of one’s true foundation.” Again, “if you wish to illumine this mind, you must let go of all learning, throw away the Dharma of both the world and the Buddha, and set yourself apart from all delusion. When you actualize this unique true mind, the clouds of delusion will disappear and the true mind will be as clear as the bright moon.
Zazen will then wipe out ignorance, and you will attain Buddhahood as you are. So you do not realize the unborn through the power of reasoning, but rather through the power of zazen. »

Discovering the True Self
Kodo Sawaki
____________

See you all soon !

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

[Ryokudo]

Hi everybody !

How about the reading of those two texts from Kodo Sawaki this week ?
__________
« Impermanence is this very instant as it is.
You win or lose this moment and . . . finished.
Every day you breathe out and breathe in and that’s it. And that should be the end of it.
However, we attach to things and delude ourselves.
If we have children, we think of ourselves as parents.
If we have grandchildren, we think of ourselves as grandparents . . .
The grandchild is the grandchild, period.
The grandparent is the grandparent, period.
The child is the child, period.
Here we see for the first time the flavorless, colorless reality of the sole universe.
These days, people feel dissatisfied.
It’s because the modern man feels he is unexciting and that he must do something about it.
And he thinks he can do something about it.
That is what we call delusion.
There is no other self than the one who lives with these thoughts right now.
It is the self that can’t be replaced.
There is no place where another me is.
So the thoughts and activities of our selves today are irreplaceable.
[Hence this self] must be the true Self. »

Kodo Sawaki


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« When I give myself completely to zazen, nothing any longer exists—there is no Sawaki. When there is no Sawaki, there is no deluded thinking mind. When this mind is rejected, nothing remains other than zazen. During zazen, one is in harmony with the Buddha, the Dharma, the founders, and the patriarchs. One becomes the entire universe. Through the power of the Knowing-Buddha, we enter into the unborn. This power resides in zazen. Through this knowing, illusions disappear and one immediately enters the unborn.

That’s why Zen Master Keizan says at the beginning of his Zazen Yojinki [A Record of Points to Watch in Zazen]:
“Zazen allows people to directly illumine the mind and reside comfortably in their fundamental nature. This is called revealing one’s original face and manifesting the scenery of one’s true foundation.” Again, “if you wish to illumine this mind, you must let go of all learning, throw away the Dharma of both the world and the Buddha, and set yourself apart from all delusion. When you actualize this unique true mind, the clouds of delusion will disappear and the true mind will be as clear as the bright moon.
Zazen will then wipe out ignorance, and you will attain Buddhahood as you are. So you do not realize the unborn through the power of reasoning, but rather through the power of zazen. »

Discovering the True Self
Kodo Sawaki
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See you all soon !

Yuki 雪
(Sat today)

They sound great as ever, brother. I think everyone seems to like Kodo's words.

Gassho,

Ryokudo

SAT/LAH