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Thread: Sept. 3rd-4th, 2021 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Commencing JUKAI & ANGO!

  1. #1

    Sept. 3rd-4th, 2021 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Commencing JUKAI & ANGO!

    Our Zazenkai is in Special Celebration and Welcome of the
    Commencement of our 2021 ANGO & JUKAI Season!

    Today's Talk will reflect on
    Passages from the Vimalakirti Sutra

    (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 7pm to 11pm, Los Angeles 4pm to 8pm (Friday night), London Midnight to 4am and Paris 1am to 5am (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:
    LINK

    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

    I also recommend a little Talk on why small rituals and procedures are so cherished in the Zendo:

    SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: Small Things in the Zendo

    https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...s-in-the-Zendo
    Last edited by Jundo; 10-16-2021 at 12:11 AM. Reason: One-way youtube video added.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    Today's Talk will reflect on Passages from the Vimalakirti Sutra ...

    First, a little history (a little tip of the hat to various sources, including the description of Burton Watson's translation which we will mainly be using, sometimes checking Dr. Thurman's translation):

    One of the most popular Asian classics for roughly two thousand years, the Vimalakirti Sutra stands out among the sacred texts of Mahayana Buddhism [because unlike] most sutras, its central figure is not a Buddha but a wealthy townsman, who, in his mastery of doctrine and ... practice, epitomizes the ideal lay [practitioner]. For this reason, the sutra has held particular significance for men and women of the laity in Buddhist countries of Asia, assuring them that they can reach levels of spiritual attainment fully comparable to those accessible to monks and nuns of the monastic order.
    http://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-vim.../9780231106566

    ...

    Some other facts from various sources: The Vimalakīrti Sūtra (sometimes called the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra, or "The Sutra of Vimalakirti's Instructions") teaches, among other subjects, about the meaning of nondualism, the nature of emptiness (śūnyatā) the true body of the Buddha, the Mahāyāna perspective that the appearances of the world are as illusions, all as voiced by the upāsaka (lay practitioner) Vimalakīrti who guides both lay and ordained, including even various mythological Deities, famous Arhats (those who already have achieved nirvana in early Buddhism) and the Highest Bodhisattvas. He does so while lying in his sick bed, although this is actually just a ploy (expedient means) to gather visitors who have come to wish him well and inquire about his health, wherein he lectures about true health which is more than just the body. Vimalakīrti, as a lay figure active in family, social and business life, explains how a Bodhisattva is able to function in the world, engaging in life fully, even to the point of partaking of its pleasures, passions, and defilements [with wisdom, avoiding excess and harm], without being overly attached to them, imprisoned by them, or ultimately corrupted by them. The text has been especially cherished in the Zen world.
    https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vimalakirti-Sutra
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimalakirti_Sutra
    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    From Chapter II -

    ... Desiring to save others, he employed the excellent expedient of residing in [the busy commercial city of] Vaishali. His immeasurable riches he used to relieve the poor, his faultless observation of the precepts served as a reproach to those who would violate prohibitions. Through his restraint and forbearance he warned others against rage and anger, and his great assiduousness discouraged all thought of sloth and indolence. Concentrating his single mind in quiet meditation, he suppressed disordered thoughts; through firm and unwavering wisdom he overcame all that was not wise.

    Though dressed in the white robes of a layman, he observed all the rules of pure conduct laid down for monks, and though he lived at home, he felt no attachment to the threefold world. One could see he had a wife and children, yet he was at all times chaste in action; obviously he had kin and household attendants, yet he always delighted in withdrawing from them. Although he wore jewels and finery, his real adornment was the auspicious marks; although he ate and drank like others, what he truly savored was the joy of meditation.

    If he visited the gambling parlors, it was solely to bring enlightenment to those there; if he listened to the doctrines of other religions, he did not allow them to impinge on the true faith. Though well versed in secular writings, his constant delight was in the Buddhist Law. Respected by everyone, he was looked on as foremost among those deserving of alms; embracing and upholding the correct Dharma, he gave guidance to old and young. In a spirit of trust and harmony he conducted all kinds of business enterprises, but though he reaped worldly profits, he took no delight in these. ... He entered houses of ill fame [bordellos] to teach the folly of fleshly desire, entered wine shops in order to encourage those with a will to quit them.

    ...

    In this way the rich man Vimalakirti employed immeasurable numbers of expedient means in order to bring benefit to others. Using these expedient means, he made it appear that his body had fallen prey to illness. Because of his illness, the king of the country, the great ministers, rich men, lay believers, ... numbering countless thousands, all went to see him and inquire about his illness.

    Vimalakirti then used this bodily illness to expound the Law to them in broad terms: "Good people, this body is impermanent, without durability, without strength, without firmness, a thing that decays in a moment, not to be relied on. It suffers, it is tormented, a meeting place of manifold ills.

    "Good people, no person of enlightened wisdom could depend on a thing like this body This body is like a cluster of foam, nothing you can grasp or handle. This body is like a bubble that cannot continue for long. This body is like a flame born of longing and desire. ... This body is like a dream, compounded of false and empty visions ... in the end it must crumble and fade. This body is plague-ridden, beset by a hundred and one ills and anxieties. ...

    "Good people, a thing like, this is irksome and hateful, and therefore you should seek the Buddha body. Why? Because the Buddha body is the Dharma body. It is born from immeasurable merits and wisdom. It is born from precepts, meditation, wisdom, emancipation, and the insight of emancipation. It is born from pity, compassion, joy, and indifference. It is born of the various paramitas such as almsgiving, keeping of the precepts, forbearance and gentleness, assiduousness in religious practice, meditation, emancipation and samadhi, wide knowledge and wisdom. ... The body of the Thus Come One is born of immeasurable numbers of pure and spotless things such as these. Good people, if you wish to gain the Buddha body and do away with the ills that afflict all living beings, then you must set your minds on attaining anuttara-samyak-sambodhi [supreme unsurpassed enlightenment]."

    Last edited by Jundo; 09-03-2021 at 04:38 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  3. #3
    Our Maha Prajna Hokey Pokey Ritual ...


    Returning to our roots, let us dance to what purports to be the first modern recording of the ancient Hokey Pokey - by the Sun Valley Trio (1950):




    Gassho, J

    STLah
    Last edited by Jundo; 09-03-2021 at 03:12 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  4. #4
    Member Yokai's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
    Thanks Jundo

    Look forward to joining y'all for some classic Maha Prajna Hokey Pokey, aka The Zen Master's Dance.

    Gassho, Yokai sat/lah

  5. #5
    I’m ready to sit and dance and kick off Ango with everyone!

    SatToday
    Bion
    -------------------------
    When you put Buddha’s activity into practice, only then are you a buddha. When you act like a fool, then you’re a fool. - Sawaki Roshi

  6. #6
    I am really looking forward to everything attached to Ango. Like a festival it’s full of things to do and think about.

    Gassho
    Mark
    ST


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    浪省 - RouSei - Wandering Introspection

  7. #7
    Hi Jundo,

    I'll be there with instruments ready.

    Lets go Ango!

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Sat/LAH
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  8. #8
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Youtube and Zoom are GO! See you all soon!

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

  9. #9
    I will have to sit this one with the recording in pieces due to time constraints at home but I am looking forward to this over the weekend.

    Gassho
    Kendrick
    SAT

  10. #10
    joined via Youtube

    Gassho
    Jon
    ST

  11. #11
    Fun and good talk, Jundo. I'm off to have sex, drink wine, and eat a piece of cake...

    Ok, maybe not all at once...

    Ok, maybe only a half of a piece of cake, because Ango...

    Kyonin, I love your little Buddha-cat screen saver.

    It was so wonderful to see so many people sitting together to start off Ango. Thank you all.

    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.

  12. #12
    So nice to be with you all in same-time no-time this morning.

    Gassho.

    (sat)
    東西 - Tōsei - East West
    there is only what is, and it is all miraculous

  13. #13
    Thanks everyone for sitting this together.
    Finally I managed sitting a Zazenkai live again.

    Wishing everyone a fruitful and happy Ango and Jukai season!

    Deep bows,
    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.

  14. #14
    Thank you everyone!

    Gassho
    Kantai

    SatLah

  15. #15
    Member Yokai's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Location
    Havelock North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
    Thank you Jundo, Kyonin, Kotei and everyone sharing this zazenkai

    I look forward to Ango/Jukai with you all

    Gassho, Yokai sat/lah

  16. #16
    Thank you, Jundo, Kyonin, and everyone. This was a great start to ango!

    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.

  17. #17
    Joined at the talk—will make up the first half tomorrow. Great to see everyone at the start of Ango and Jukai season.

    Definitely not off to have sex (but as a wise man once said, "Very well, give them cake!")

    Gassho,
    Koushi
    STLaH
    理道弘志 | Ridō Koushi

    Please take this novice priest-in-training's words with a grain of salt.

  18. #18
    Thank you all for coming together to practice and to kick off this year's Ango period. The fun is only just beginning!

    Gassho,
    Seikan

    -stlah-
    聖簡 Seikan (Sacred Simplicity)

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Kotei View Post
    Thanks everyone for sitting this together.
    Finally I managed sitting a Zazenkai live again.

    Wishing everyone a fruitful and happy Ango and Jukai season!

    Deep bows,
    Kotei sat/lah today.
    It was an awesome surprise having you there LIVE!!

    SatToday
    Bion
    -------------------------
    When you put Buddha’s activity into practice, only then are you a buddha. When you act like a fool, then you’re a fool. - Sawaki Roshi

  20. #20
    Thank you Jundo, Kyonin and everyone for an amazing start of Ango! Let us pour ourselves into our practice, abiding in peace and devoting ourselves to building each other up, strengthening the sangha and renewing our commitments to uphold our vows and precepts! I appreciate all of you and I feel fortunate to share this space and time with each and everyone here.

    SatToday
    Bion
    -------------------------
    When you put Buddha’s activity into practice, only then are you a buddha. When you act like a fool, then you’re a fool. - Sawaki Roshi

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Bion View Post
    It was an awesome surprise having you there LIVE!!

    SatToday
    I don't know how you manage to stay up so late every week. Deep bows for that.
    I forgot how it is called in Japanese, but there is this practice of 'all night Zazen', I tasted tonight

    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.

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Kotei View Post
    I don't know how you manage to stay up so late every week. Deep bows for that.
    I forgot how it is called in Japanese, but there is this practice of 'all night Zazen', I tasted tonight

    Gassho,
    Kotei sat/lah today.
    Yaza ... Night Sitting ... 夜坐 ... sitting after lights out, or very early morning, considered above and beyond the usual schedule ...

    Gassho, J

    STLaj
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    Yaza ... Night Sitting ... 夜坐 ... sitting after lights out, or very early morning, considered above and beyond the usual schedule ...
    Thank you!
    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.

  24. #24
    Thanks for the sit everyone!

    I'm keeping "upper-middle way" for later...

    Gassho,
    Sekiyuu
    Sat Today

  25. #25
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Quote Originally Posted by Geika View Post
    It was so wonderful to see so many people sitting together to start off Ango. Thank you all.
    It really was.

    At one point we had 36 people in the Zoom plus 7 people watching the livestream. That might be a Treeleaf record!

    Gassho,
    Sekishi
    #sat #lah




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
    Sekishi | 石志 | He/him | Better with a grain of salt, but best ignored entirely.

  26. #26
    Wow! I feel like every year there are a few more. It's awesome.

    Gassho
    Sat, lah

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
    求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
    I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

  27. #27
    Lovely Zazenkai

    It is lovely to have the recording available so I could sit with you all.
    Thank you for the great talk.

    Thank you everyone.

    Gassho
    Life itself is the only teacher.
    一 Joko Beck


    STLah
    安知 Anchi

  28. #28
    Many thanks to all for the wonderful session last night
    The Viralakirti Sutra was great and to be honest a new one to me.

    Anywho, welcome to Ango, everybody

    Gassho,

    Ryokudo,

    SAT/LAH

  29. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Kotei View Post
    I don't know how you manage to stay up so late every week. Deep bows for that.
    I forgot how it is called in Japanese, but there is this practice of 'all night Zazen', I tasted tonight

    Gassho,
    Kotei sat/lah today.
    It gets easier with time! Luckily, it is only one night each week!


    SatToday
    Bion
    -------------------------
    When you put Buddha’s activity into practice, only then are you a buddha. When you act like a fool, then you’re a fool. - Sawaki Roshi

  30. #30
    I couldn’t join live due to work and road travel but I look forward to sitting with the recorded version this evening.

    Thank you Jundo and everyone!

    Ghasso
    Bobby
    SatTodayLAH


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Just Sit

  31. #31
    Thank you Jundo, Kyonin and everyone else for this zazenkai! Wish you all a great Ango!

    Gassho, Nikolas
    Sat/Lah
    希 rare
    理 principle
    (Nikolas)

  32. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by Geika View Post
    Fun and good talk, Jundo. I'm off to have sex, drink wine, and eat a piece of cake...
    😂

    Thank you Jundo and everyone!

    -sT

  33. #33
    Thank you everyone I had a wonderful experience sitting with you all and listening to the dharma talk! Sorry I couldn’t stay for the entire thing, couldn’t stay for the last hour, carpenter turned up so I spent the next 8 hours straight laying flooring in the house. Think I’ve earned a slice of cake! Will do the rest of the sitting in the morning.

    Gassho
    Mark
    Sat today with you all!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    浪省 - RouSei - Wandering Introspection

  34. #34
    Sitting this one now.
    Gassho,
    Matt

  35. #35
    Hope to be able to sit this tonight with the recording.

    ST

  36. #36
    Sorry I could not join. With School Starting my schedule is crazy. I will have to break this into a few sits.



    Tony,
    Dharma name= 浄史

    Received Jukai in January 2022

    The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now. - Thích Nhất Hạnh

  37. #37
    Thank you.

    Jundo, your words were just right for me right now.

    Doshin
    St

  38. #38
    Great talk! I caught most on the recording. It occurs to me, if we are enlightened moment-by-moment based upon our actions, perhaps, we are "re-born" moment-by-moment as well. And, perhaps, our actions and our karma might determine which of the various "realms" we are "re-born" into for that moment. Something for me to chew on.

    Gassho

    Dick

    sat/lah

  39. #39
    Thanks and deep bows to Jundo and everyone for making my first zazenkai experience so great!

    Max

    Sat today
    おつかれさまです

  40. #40
    Hey Max - thanks for asking a great question after Jundo's talk.

    As always, thank you Jundo, Kyonin, and everyone. Lovely Zazenkai through and through.

    Gassho,

    Ryan
    SatToday LaH
    墨眼 | Bokugan | Sumi Ink Eye
    Ryan-S | zazenlibrarian.com

  41. #41
    Quote Originally Posted by Dick View Post
    Great talk! I caught most on the recording. It occurs to me, if we are enlightened moment-by-moment based upon our actions, perhaps, we are "re-born" moment-by-moment as well. And, perhaps, our actions and our karma might determine which of the various "realms" we are "re-born" into for that moment. Something for me to chew on.
    "Though Buddhism mentions other worlds, they are not necessarily worlds that appear after death. These are worlds that exist now. If you are a bodhisattva now, then you belong to the bodhisattva world, practicing the Buddha's teaching very peacefully. In the next moment, you might leave the meditation hall, go out on the street, and get into a fight. Immediately, you have entered one of the hell worlds."

    (Dainin Katagiri, You Have to Say Something)



    Gassho,
    Koushi
    STLaH
    理道弘志 | Ridō Koushi

    Please take this novice priest-in-training's words with a grain of salt.

  42. #42
    Jundo thank you so much for your heartfelt talk last night, i am truly inspired and you have helped me so much to reinvigorate my practice. rikishin

  43. #43
    I sat with the recording during UK daylight hours. Treeleaf YouTube is the land of perpetual zazen. Everyone in every Treeleaf YouTube recording is very important to me.

    Bows
    Seiko
    stlah
    Gandō Seiko
    頑道清光
    (Stubborn Way of Pure Light)

    My street name is 'Al'.

    Any words I write here are merely the thoughts of an apprentice priest, just my opinions, that's all.

  44. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by Koushi View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Dick View Post
    Great talk! I caught most on the recording. It occurs to me, if we are enlightened moment-by-moment based upon our actions, perhaps, we are "re-born" moment-by-moment as well. And, perhaps, our actions and our karma might determine which of the various "realms" we are "re-born" into for that moment. Something for me to chew on.

    Gassho

    Dick

    sat/lah
    "Though Buddhism mentions other worlds, they are not necessarily worlds that appear after death. These are worlds that exist now. If you are a bodhisattva now, then you belong to the bodhisattva world, practicing the Buddha's teaching very peacefully. In the next moment, you might leave the meditation hall, go out on the street, and get into a fight. Immediately, you have entered one of the hell worlds."

    (Dainin Katagiri, You Have to Say Something)



    Gassho,
    Koushi
    STLaH
    Yes, quite a few folks have proposed that we cycle in and out of all the realms ... hells and heavens and in between, satisfied gods or never satisfied hungry ghosts or violent animals etc. ... in each moment depending on our acts, words and thoughts in that moment. Lovely, lovely quote from Katagiri Roshi.

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  45. #45
    Just finished up my sit with everyone through time and space this Saturday night for me. Wonderful talk. Thank you everyone.

    Gassho
    Kendrick
    Sat/Lah

  46. #46
    Member Seishin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    La Croix-Avranchin, Basse Normandie, France
    Wonderful start to Ango. Thank you everyone.

    Sat


    Seishin

    Sei - Meticulous
    Shin - Heart

  47. #47
    Thank you everyone. I sat with you yesterday and today.


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah

  48. #48
    Quote Originally Posted by Tairin View Post
    Thank you everyone. I sat with you yesterday and today.


    Tairin
    Sat today and lah
    And we sat with you!!!

    SatToday
    Bion
    -------------------------
    When you put Buddha’s activity into practice, only then are you a buddha. When you act like a fool, then you’re a fool. - Sawaki Roshi

  49. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by Bion View Post
    And we sat with you!!!

    SatToday

  50. #50
    Thank you! Wonderful talk as always

    Gassho

    Risho
    -stlah

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