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Thread: SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: THOUGHTS and EMOTIONS are GOOD ZAZEN too!

  1. #1

    SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: THOUGHTS and EMOTIONS are GOOD ZAZEN too!

    I am going to say something that might be missed or not emphasized enough in many explanations of Shikantaza Zazen. (I apologize to any teachers who do in fact say this).

    In Shikantaza, trains of thought and stormy emotions might come. and we are told to release the thoughts, become untangled, returning to the posture or breath or 'open awareness,' the stillness and silence free of thoughts. Then, when more thoughts come, we just repeat. That is correct.

    HOWEVER, many Zen sitters then think that the point is just to be in that "still and silent" good place as the objective (and longer and longer too, until maybe somewhere down the road even all the time, off the cushion and on). I don't believe so. Rather, the real power and process of Shikantaza requires the thoughts and emotions, and their release, in cycle after cycle until we come to know that the thoughts and emotions (and all the chaos of this life) AND the stillness and silence (and light of Illumination which shines through all the chaos) are not two. True Stillness is present both when the head is quiet and when it is noisy, just as the Sun is always shining in the sky whether it is a perfectly clear day or a cloudy and stormy day (and we can perceive the Sunlight to shine even at the heart of the dark cloud).

    Thus, the point of Shikantaza is truly to experience that which is present and transcends both thoughts and emotions AND their absence, a Wisdom which is present when thoughts and emotions are gone AND even within thinking and life. This is a realization which occurs in the repeating, flowing cycle of thoughts and emotions coming then going into silence, coming then going into silence ...

    Of course, that does not mean that we should indulge and wallow in always being tangled in thoughts and emotions all the time in Zazen either. No, and we release the entanglements back to the breath or posture or open awareness 10,000 times and 10,000 times again and again. Nor do I mean that times of abiding, deep and profound Samadhi are to be avoided. No, far from it too ... they are part of the journey as well. But the Real Teacher is the movement of the mind back and through all these changes ... finding the True Light and Stillness which shines through and as all the changes of the mind and life.

    I would not wish to live as anything but a human being who sometimes is happy and sometimes sheds a tear when sadness comes, who appreciates beauty but also sees the sometime ugliness in this world and wishes to deal with it rather than avoid. In fact, I could not live as a human being without human emotions and thoughts. Nonetheless, I also want to know that Flowing Wholeness, Stillness and Light which shines through and as all happy and sad days, thoughts of problems and joys, both ugliness and ordinary worldly pleasures.

    And as we sit so, letting thought and emotions appear and release, appear and release ... we sit with a profound Trust in our bones that Zazen is always right. Storming Zazen is good Zazen, and quiet Zazen is good Zazen because Zazen ... and all to a Buddha's Eye ... is that which is Good beyond and right within all ordinary worldly storms and quiet, birth and death, beauty and ugliness, joy and grief and all the rest.

    So, let thoughts come, let them go, let them drift from mind ... let thoughts come, let them go, let them drift from mind ...

    If you would like to hear more thoughts about this (some which I thought up --during-- part of sitting Zazen today before letting them go and returning to quiet sitting ), here is a little talk.



    Gassho, J

    STLah
    Last edited by Jundo; 04-01-2020 at 04:25 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  2. #2
    Member Koki's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Parma Ohio (just outside Cleveland)
    Jundo!
    I just watched the UTUBE. Thank you for this teaching.

    I like to consider myself the calm in the middle of the storms in life. But you sometimes do have to pass through the turbulence, to get to that center.

    I began my journey on January 17, 1970..walking into my first dojo. We sat zazen at every class. Of course, many thoughts then.

    In 1974, while sitting zazen in my room at the age of 16, I had my first glimpse of what I thought was enlightenment. I was at peace, and although life has thrown both happiness and turbulence my way, I can still find my way back to my center, back to the center of the whirlwind of life.

    I am fortunate to have found this path so early, but even though I may stumble my way through at times...i can always find my way back to my center.

    This month is very special for me, because not only do I finally formally accept Jukai, but I celebrate 49 years on this path...which began at a little dojo, on a side street of Cleveland Ohio.

    I still keep in touch with my Sensei by phone, and thank them often for changing my life.

    Thank you for the reminder of this teaching, Jundo. It makes my heart smile, and I share this teaching with whoever I can.

    Gassho...Gassho...Gassho.

    Frank (Kunzang)
    Satoday

    Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Thank you Jundo

    It has been a very rough few months for myself and this is a great reminder.

    Gassho,
    John
    SatToday

  4. #4
    Thank you for this teaching Jundo, it was the first thing I encountered today and couldn't have come at a better time.
    Gassho
    Meitou
    satwithyoualltodaylah
    命 Mei - life
    島 Tou - island

  5. #5
    Joyo
    Guest
    Thank you, Jundo. I really needed this teaching this morning.

    Gassho,
    Joyo
    sat today/lah

  6. #6
    Mp
    Guest
    A lovely and timely teaching as always Jundo, thank you. =)

    Gassho
    Shingen

    Sat/LAH

  7. #7


    Gassho,
    Washin
    st&lah
    Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
    Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
    ----
    I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
    and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

  8. #8
    Teenagers -AAAHHHHhhh.

    Love the Houdini reference.

    Deep Bows Jundo this was really good. After watching this it hit me that the more I learn here the less I know. I used to think I knew a lot of stuff, but I now I think what I know is less than a drop in the ocean. It makes me wonder if, when I reach the end of my path, I will realize that I know nothing at all.

    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    Last edited by Shinshi; 01-12-2019 at 05:11 PM.
    空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
    I am just a priest-in-training, any resemblance between what I post and actual teachings is purely coincidental.
    E84I - JAJ

  9. #9
    Jundo,
    Thank you for reassuring me that I do not have to be perfect in zazen all the time. I often see thoughts as being little tools of learning. As they come and go it is hard to explain but I eventually see them as being illusions,...nothing, but at the same time something. Something of value not to be shunned but something to learn from. I don't know if I'm on the right track but this is a common pattern.

    Gassho,
    ST/LAH
    James

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Shinshi View Post
    Teenagers -AAAHHHHhhh.

    Love the Houdini reference.

    Deep Bows Jundo this was really good. After watching this it hit me that the more I learn here the less I know. I used to think I knew a lot of stuff, but I now I think what I know is less than a drop in the ocean. It makes me wonder if, when I reach the end of my path, I will realize that I know nothing at all.

    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    No, you will never come to reach the end of the path, because it is ever reached and always where one walks.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  11. #11
    Treeleaf Priest / Engineer Sekishi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    This sit-a-long is available on the podcast now as well: https://treeleaf.podbean.com/e/janua...ood-zazen-too/

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

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Jundo View Post
    No, you will never come to reach the end of the path, because it is ever reached and always where one walks.


    Gassho, Shinshi

    SaT-LaH
    空道 心志 Kudo Shinshi
    I am just a priest-in-training, any resemblance between what I post and actual teachings is purely coincidental.
    E84I - JAJ

  13. #13
    Thank you Jundo, I could stand to hear this daily :-p

    Gassho
    Jakuden
    SatToday/LAH




    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  14. #14

    Tairin
    Sat today and lah

  15. #15
    Thank you for your teaching Jundo!

    Gassho,

    Junkyo

    SAT

    Sent from my SM-G955W using Tapatalk

  16. #16
    Thank you for this teaching, Jundo.

    Gassho,

    Kyonin
    Sat/LAH
    Hondō Kyōnin
    奔道 協忍

  17. #17
    Thank you, Jundo.
    Maybe this is one of the reasons, why Shikantaza has such a transforming power off the cushion, too.
    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.

  18. #18
    Thanks Jundo, love to read your posts.

    Gassho

    Sat today

  19. #19
    Wonderful teaching, something I have to keep learning over and over.

    Gassho,

    Shoka
    sattoday

  20. #20
    just watched this tonight, Jundo. thank you for this teaching.

    gassho
    kim
    st. lh
    My life is my temple and my practice.

  21. #21
    This was a great talk. It's very interesting sitting with goal-less-ness and at the same time commitment to set and let go. I have, without question, noticed a broadened awareness of everything and less clinging to any one thing since practicing Zazen. I still have many storms but, as the weather, the arise and pass, just sitting and letting the nature of me be me.


    Thanks Jundo and Tree Leaf


    Gassho,


    Brad


    SatToday

  22. #22
    I find the more I sit zazen, the more your teachings bring clarity. Thank you so much for this video. It’s been a bumpy few days-weeks and yet I am sitting. It helps. You help.
    Gassho
    -Sara
    ST/LAH

  23. #23
    Thank you Jundo! This practical instruction had a profound effect on me tonight! I felt some rays of insight burning away my stress, a nice, unexpected and welcome flash! Best of luck on your book, from a newcomer, hopefully always a newcomer w a steady practice...in Gassho, Frank/ Rikishin

  24. #24
    Thank you Rikishin for resurfacing this post. I had missed it.

    Jundo very good to hear you again on this. Thank you.

    Doshin
    St

  25. #25
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    I highly recommend uncontrolled Asthma and literally fighting for every single breath in hospital as an excellent opportunity to practice Shikantaza haha. Lighthearted this statement may me, the past 2 months have provided tremendous practice opportunities.
    Gassho
    Onka
    ST
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

  26. #26
    Thank you - re-visiting this has helped me during a difficult period in time.



    Jinyo

    Sat today

  27. #27

  28. #28
    Thank you Jundo, you are great teacher 👍

    Gassho
    Sat today
    Okan

  29. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by okan_toygun View Post
    Thank you Jundo, you are great teacher ��

    Gassho
    Sat today
    Okan
    Hah! I will put down that thought too, as well as thoughts about the days when I am just "grating."

    Gassho, J

    stlah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  30. #30
    Thank you Jundo for your teachings

    Gassho,
    Erinis

    Sat today

  31. #31
    Quote Originally Posted by Erinis View Post
    Thank you Jundo for your teachings

    Gassho,
    Erinis

    Sat today
    I am glad you found this, Erinis. I feel that it is one of the most important aspects of Shikantaza, often missed.

    Gassho, Jundo

    stlah
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

  32. #32
    Thank you, Jundo

    Gassho, Michael
    Satlah

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