A little English documentary on Antaiji, the temple of Kodo Sawaki and Uchiyama Roshis (although it was actually in a different place back then, later moved), where Friend-of-Treeleaf Muho Noelke was (until his recent retirement) the Abbot and one of the only non-Japanese Abbots in Japan ...
... a place with a unique emphasis on ZAZEN ZAZEN ZAZEN work ZAZEN work ZAZEN without much talk or ceremony, where Treeleaf Member Rev. Kakunen trained for a time and our Kyonin was privileged to visit for retreat.
There is a time to sit short, a time to sit long, yet any moment of time is beyond measure of "long" or "short." Sitting at Antaiji, though, is certainly long ... and they sometimes go for 15 hours a day (!), 50 minutes at a sitting (!!), broken only by Kinhin and brief meals.
ALL TO ATTAIN NOTHING TO ATTAIN, WHAT CANNOT BE ATTAINED!
A footnote: And so unfortunate that Antaiji is not recognized as an official training monastery by the Soto-shu, and Soto-shu monks get no credit toward their "licensing" as priests for attending there. That is one reason that few Japanese priests come to sit there, as it is just "lost time" on their official training track. Why? Primarily because of the emphasis at Antaiji on Zazen and work and Zazen ... not ceremonies and such.
So, everyone, as much as your body and physical condition allows ... sometimes sit long, sometimes short, but do not neglect either!
Sorry to run long.
Gassho, Jundo
STLah
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