'The ZEN of EVERYTHING! Podcast' ... Episode 55 ... Hermits

[Jundo]

Episode 55 ... Hermits

Jundo and Kirk talk about zen hermits, and life in a small zen temple.

THE LINK: https://www.zen-of-everything.com/55

For more about the podcast, where to send your serious or silly questions ...

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...-ON-THE-AIR%21

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Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLAH

[Heiso]

Jundo was so right about joining the army to opt out of society and have someone else make the hard decisions for you, at least that was the case for me anyway.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

[bakera3312]

Amazing! Thank you for sharing and doing this podcast! I just found it and will begin listening!

Gassho

[Inshin]

This podcast brought to mind an image of Gudo Wafu Nishijima that struck me. It's a video in which he sits Zazen in his flat, among items such as hoover and laundry dryer. And all of it is sacred.
A quote that also struck me by a hermit mentioned in the movie "Above white clouds" - to a question if nature supports his practice, he replied "nature is delusion, delusion is nature".

Recently when I started to sit, thoughts inside my mind still active, puppy outside of my mind also very active, and suddenly he bites my toe. And the "inner" and "outer" suddenly don't make sense anymore. The pain as empty as the thought of it, the puppy out there as empty as an image or a thought in my head. And all that - a fully complete moment of Zazen, or as Dogen would perhaps call it Dharma position. Nothing to run away from, no other state of mind to crave for. The next moment, different set of phenomena, a sound of ambulance, puppy hiccuping, a random thought - all perfectly complete moment of Zazen. The next moment, puppy sleeping, my breathing slowing, no thoughts, and the next moment, and the next one and like that Zazen continues outside of cushion into making breakfast. And no moment is better or worse than the other one, no one moment is more or less Zazen than the other one. Until the whole family wakes up and wrecks havoc and instead of samadhi I have to rely on Precepts, especially gentle speach.

I craved perfect conditions for my practice, a solitary retreat, a sesshin.

But the sound of mountain waterfall is as similar and as empty as the sound of a motorway I can hear from a distance.

I had more doubts than faith when stratrting my practice with Treeleaf, but now I have conviction
that genuine Zen practice is possible in modern day lay life.

Apologies for going over 3 sentences.
Deep bows.
Gassho

[Bokugan]

Deeply enjoyed this episode and currently diving into episode 56. I do not always comment, but look forward to these so much! Thank you Kirk and Jundo for your work on these. This is one of my top favorite zen podcasts, you both have a great dynamic

Gassho

Ryan
SatToday