November 5th-6th, 2021 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI

[Jundo]

ReMINDer: DAYLIGHT SAVINGS has changed in EUROPE, but NOT YET in North America: Confirm sitting times below.

Today's Talk will reflect on
More Wondrous 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 11pm to 3am and Paris midnight to 4am (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:
TO BE HERE IN A FEW DAYS

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

ATTENTION: Everyone, when rising for Kinhin or Ceremonies after Zazen, get up slowly, don't rush, hold something stable, you won't be "late," so TAKE YOUR TIME! Make sure you are careful getting up!

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

[Jundo]

Vimalakirti continues his undefeated record, taking on all contenders ... in Round 4: (the Bodhisattvas) ...

~~~~~~~~~~

But Maitreya replied to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, I am not competent to visit him and inquire about his illness. Why? Because I recall how once in the past I was preaching to the king of the Tushita heaven and his followers on the practices required to attain the state of nonregression.

"At that time Vimalakirti approached and said to me, 'Maitreya, the World-Honored One prophesied that with one more birth you will be able to attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Now just what birth does this prophecy apply to? Does it apply to your past birth, your future birth, or your present birth?

"'If it applies to a past birth, that past birth has already passed into extinction. If it applies to a future birth, that future birth has yet to arrive. And if it applies to a present birth, this present birth lacks permanence. For, as the Buddha has said, "Monks, one moment you are born, the next you grow old, the next you pass into extinction.'

"'Or does the prophecy apply to the state of birthlessness? But birthlessness is none other than the state of Correct Realization, and the stage of Correct Realization can have nothing to do with prophecies of enlightenment or with the attainment of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. So how, Maitreya, can you be given this prophecy about "one birth"?

"'Were you given this prophecy because of some birth that pertains to Suchness? Or were you given this prophecy because of some extinction that pertains to Suchness? If you were given this prophecy because of some birth that pertains to Suchness, you should know that in Suchness there is no birth. And if you were given this prophecy because of some extinction that pertains to Suchness, you should know that in Suchness there is no extinction.

~~~~~~~~~~

Shining Adornment replied to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, I am not competent to visit him and inquire about his illness. Why? Because I remember once in the past when I was leaving the great city of Vaishali. Vimalakirti was just then entering the city, and I accordingly bowed to him and said, 'Layman, where are you coming from?'

"He replied, 'I am coming from the place of practice.'

"He replied, 'An upright mind is the place of practice, for it is without sham or falsehood. The resolve to act is the place of practice, for it can judge matters properly. A deeply searching mind is the place of practice, for it multiplies benefits. The mind that aspires to bodhi is the place of practice, for it is without error or misconception.

"'Almsgiving is the place of practice, because it hopes for no reward. Observance of the precepts is the place of practice, because it brings fulfillment of vows. Forbearance is the place of practice, because it enables one to view all living beings with a mind free of obstruction. Assiduousness is the place of practice, because it forestalls laziness and regression. Meditation is the place of practice, because it makes the mind tame and gentle. Wisdom is the place of practice, because it sees all things as they are.

"'Pity is the place of practice, for it views all living beings equally. Compassion is the place of practice, for it bears up under weariness and pain. Joy is the place of practice, for it revels in Dharma delight. Indifference is the place of practice, for it rejects both hatred and love.

... "'Causes and conditions are the place of practice, for none of the links in the chain of causation, from ignorance to old age and death, ever come to an end. Earthly desires are the place of practice, for through them we know the nature of Suchness. Living beings are the place of practice, for through them we know that there is no ego. All phenomena are the place of practice, for through them we know the emptiness of all phenomena.

~~~~~~~~~~

Then he said [to the twelve thousand heavenly maidens], 'Nów that you have conceived a desire for the Way, you may regale yourselves with Dharma delight and need no longer delight in the pleasures of the five desires.'

"The heavenly maidens asked, 'What is this you call Dharma delight?'

"Vimalakirti replied, 'To delight in constant faith in the Buddha, to delight in the desire to hear the Law, to delight in giving alms to the assembly, to delight in casting off the five desires, to delight in viewing the five components as vengeful bandits, to delight in viewing the four great elements as poisonous snakes, to delight in viewing the mind and the senses as an empty village, to delight in pursuing and guarding a desire for the Way, to delight in benefiting living beings, to delight in honoring and supporting teachers, to delight in practicing widespread generosity, to delight in strict observance of the precepts, to delight in patience, humility, gentleness, and harmony, to delight in diligently amassing good roots, to delight in meditation that is never disordered, to delight in bright, undefiled wisdom, to delight in broadening the mind that aspires to bodhi, to delight in conquering and subduing devils, to delight in cutting off all earthly desires, to delight in purifying the Buddha lands, to delight in gaining merits so that one may in time succeed in acquiring auspicious marks and characteristics, to delight in adorning the place of practice, to delight in listening fearlessly to profound teachings, to delight in the three gates to emancipation and not to delight in untimely teachings, to delight in being friendly with those of like learning, to delight in a mind free of anger and hostility when among those of unlike learning, to delight in guiding and protecting evil friends, to delight in being friendly with good friends, to delight in a mind that finds joy in purity, to delight in practicing the teachings regarding the immeasurable elements of the Way-these make up the Dharma delight of the bodhisattva.'

~~~~~~~~~~

"Then, Vimalakirti took the pearls and divided them into two halves. He gave one half of them to the lowliest poor of the city, who had been disdained by those present at the sacrifice. The other half he offered to the Tathagata Dusprasaha. And he performed a miracle such that all present beheld the universe called Marici and the Tathagata Dusprasaha. On the head of the Tathagata Dusprasaha, the pearl necklace took the form of a pavilion, decorated with strings of pearls, resting on four bases, with four columns,
symmetrical, well constructed, and lovely to behold. Having shown such a miracle ... Vimalakirti said, 'If a donor of alms bestows gifts on the lowliest beggars with equality of mind, dispensing them with impartiality as the Thus Come One does in his field of blessings; if one exercises great compassion in equal measure without seeking reward or recompense, this may be called a perfectly performed Dharma bestowal.'

[Jundo]

As it is Thanksgiving season in Canada and the USA, and harvest time in many places (and, really, we should give thanks every moment of each day) ...

And per our recent discussions, for our vegetarian members, I offer an alternative ...

[Bokugan]

I will be joining you all on demand this go around due to work. Thank you for the Fruits & Veggies hokey pokey remix -- I look forward to that one

Gassho,

Ryan
SatToday

[Sekishi]

YouTube and Zoom are ready to go! See everyone tonight.

Gassho,
Sekishi
#sat #lah

[Koushi]

Will be joining via YouTube tomorrow. Looking forward to it!

Gassho,
Koushi
STLaH

[Onkai]

I forgot that tonight is the first Friday of the month, so I signed in just in time for the wonderful talk. Thank you everyone.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat/lah

[Doshin]

Thank you

Doshin
St

[Dogukan]

Thank you everyone. It was a great first Zazenkai for me. Now I'll sleep like a baby

Gassho,
Sat.

[Bion]

Thank you everyone. It was a great first Zazenkai for me. Now I'll sleep like a baby

Gassho,
Sat.

Awesome having you there! You did great!!!

SatToday

[Anchi]

[Tairin]

Thank you everyone. I sat with you this morning.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Kiri]

Thank you so much everyone!
Gassho, Nikolas
Sat/Lah

[Kotei]

Thank you everyone!

Gassho,
Kotei sat / lah today.

[Kokuu]

I just spent a lovely afternoon sitting with you all.

Thank you!

[Naiko]

Was able to finish sitting with you all. Thank you, Jundo, for guiding us through the Vimalakirti Sutra. And thank you for the veggie hokey pokey. I quite enjoyed the turkey version too. It’s great to see happy, dancing turkeys. The good folks at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary like to let people know that turkeys seem to enjoy music and they chirp along.
Gassho,
Naiko st and sponsored a turkey named Loren

[Risho]

Risho
-stlah

[Seishin]

Thank you every one. Just caught up on demand ready to start all over again.

Sat

[Bokugan]

Finished sitting with you all this morning, thank you everyone! I enjoyed the talk about our place of practice.

Much metta to you and your families during these difficult times, James and Max.

Gassho,

Ryan
SatToday

[Kantai]

Thank you everyone!

Was there anyone visiting Vimalakirti on his "sickbed"?
To be continued I hope

Gassho
Kantai

SatLah

[Jundo]

Thank you everyone!

Was there anyone visiting Vimalakirti on his "sickbed"?
To be continued I hope

Gassho
Kantai

SatLah

Spoiler Alert ...

Yes, they all show up and them some. Stay tuned.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Tai Shi]

Problem, no problem, I hurt, precept 5, precept 8, precept 9. Friend passes in accident, 2nd friend goes away, 3rd heart broken. I mourn, I'm wrong, third mends hearts. Second you are adult, I sorrow, I turn to 3rd, food together; we mend, nothing attained.
Gassho
sat/lah