Lovely Short Film on a Japanese Soto Temple ...

[Jundo]

Dear All,

This short video was meant just as a little tourism posting by a youtuber, but I really recommend it to folks.

Rev. Uno, the priest in the film, offers (from about 4:30 in the video) one of the better short explanations of Shikantaza that I have heard in popular media, namely that, even as we do not grab on and get caught in trains of thought, whatever happens "there is no bad Zazen, all Zazen is good," and that this very sitting beyond "good vs. bad" is Good Zazen! Lovely. Kinda sounds like the flavor of tea I offer around here, no? Many explanations of Zazen totally miss that point, and just stop at the "don't grab thoughts" aspect, missing the need for allowing and trust that all Zazen is good Zazen ... which trust is what makes it truly Good Zazen. For example:

Right Zazen and Wrong Zazen (LINK)

Also, Rev. Uno offers such a very lovely take on Gassho as well. Lovely. Our member, Tomas ESP, posted it on facebook.

As an aside, it is also interesting that Rev. Uno refers to the bath Bodhisattva, Battabara (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battabara) and the toilet's Ususama Myoo, a wrathful manifestation of Buddha (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ucchusma), both esoteric elements commonly found in the Soto Zen temple bath house and "tosu" toilet, as "Kami-sama," the Shinto expression for a deity or god (small "g"). Many in Japan do not see need to make fine distinctions about such things. Some folks may be surprised that such figures are traditionally honored around Soto Zen temples, even in Dogen's time.

Buddha Ususama-myoo symbolizes the virtue of purification, and is said to transform impurities. Here is an image of a traditional Tosu (Eastern Hall Toilet) in a Zen Monastery in Japan. As you can see, he has an Altar right in the middle of all the action.

Gassho, Jundo
sattodaylah

PS - Tomas ESP, I always mean to ask: Are you making claim about your "extra-sensory perception" powers developed in Zazen? (Actually, I know, it refers to your full name.)

[DGF]

Thank you Jundo for sharing this.

Gassho
Diana
(Insta) sat

[aprapti]

nice Jundo, thanks!


aprapti


sat

[Tosei]

Nicely expressed (familiarly expressed). Thanks, Jundo.

Gassho.

{{st}}

[Hōzan]

Nice video. Thank you for sharing

Gassho2 Michael
Satlah

[Onki]

Thanks for sharing!!

Gasshō,

On

Sat today

[michaelw]

Very interesting video.
I loved the expression 'many people think their mind is empty'.

Is it ok/valid(?) - cant think of the word - to sit looking out over a view or garden scene?
Is that active contemplation as opposed to just sitting facing the wall?
Is there such a thing as active contemplation?
I did see a row of Zafu in front of the Rothko triptych in the Huston Chapel and wondered about that.

Gassho

MichaelW

sat

[vanbui]

Lovely video. Much of what he said echoes what you have been teaching here. Thoughts are not good or bad but just like clouds passing through.

The scenery is breathtaking.

Gassho
Van
Satlah



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[Onkai]

Beautiful video. Thank you for sharing.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat lah

[Jundo]

Is it ok/valid(?) - cant think of the word - to sit looking out over a view or garden scene?
Is that active contemplation as opposed to just sitting facing the wall?

Whether one sits facing a wall, the room, a trash can, a battle field, the refrigerator or a beautiful Zen garden ... Just Sit.

But, yes, it is fine sometimes to sit in a beautiful place. Just drop all need and hunger for only beautiful places, and find the True Beauty.

(It looks like that temple does not have an actual Zendo like we do! So, I bet the filming director just thought that it makes a nice shot. However, truly, nothing wrong ever with sitting in a garden, in nature, under a tree etc. )

Gassho, J

stlah

[Tomás ESP]

Thank you for sharing it Jundo,

Rev. Uno's explanations really reminded me of some key points you address in regards to zazen practice. And yes, ESP is for my second name and 2 surnames , no extra-sensory perception that I am aware of

Gassho, Tomás
Sat&LaH

[Kaisho]

Oh geez, you weren't kidding about everything being a ritual in a monastery. Even the buddha of the toilet room has a prominent place, making the act sacred / ritualized.

Thanks for sharing this bit of info.

Gassho
Kaisho
Stlah

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[Kiri]

Thank you Jundo and Tomas!
Gassho, Kiri
Sat/Lah

[Tairin]

That was a lovely video and I really liked the explanation of Zazen presented ….. very much the same as Jundo’s description here at Treeleaf

Thank you for sharing


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Washin]

Nice film. Zazen's explanation is so on point.
Thank you, Jundo

Gassho
Washin
stlah

[Koushi]

This was a lovely video, thank you for sharing!

I particularly loved the explanation re: gassho. Wonderful

Gassho,
Koushi
STLaH

[Chikyou]

Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

Gassho,
SatLah
Kelly

[ZenKen]

I really liked Rev. Uno's position in that it was 'fun to find the gods and bow to them' in various places, instead of finding all the ritual tedious or time-consuming. As always, perception can change how we approach everything.

Gassho
ZenKen (Anna)
stlah