A Talk: Our Zendo As A "No Politics Zone"

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  • Jundo
    Treeleaf Founder and Priest
    • Apr 2006
    • 40336

    A Talk: Our Zendo As A "No Politics Zone"

    A short talk by me today on why our Zendo is a "No Politics Zone." We leave elections, debates, opinions and causes at the door, and Just Sit. That does not mean that we do not care, but that the dropping for a time of all categories, opinions and oppositions brings a certain Light & Clarity to all the problems of this life and world, including politics. The world, including its political strife, can thus be known in a Wiser way. Then, when Zazen is done, we might return to the opinions and be active supporting various causes, but with that same Light & Clarity now in our heart.

    Furthermore, even in a Zen Sangha, there may be times that our Precepts and Vows to aid the Sentient Beings cause us to have some concerns about social policies and political events which we discuss and advocate for very vigorously in the Sangha, helping the poor and working for peace but two examples. Feeding the hungry or cleaning the oceans can be as much part of our Buddhist practices as feeding monks and cleaning the temple floors. Even so, however, in the Zen Hall, for the time of sitting Zazen, it is best to put all that down for a time, and Just Sit.




    Gassho, J

    SatTodayLAH
    Last edited by Jundo; 10-31-2020, 04:56 PM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE
  • Inshin
    Member
    • Jul 2020
    • 557

    #2
    I'm so glad that there is a space online free from politics and heated debates about who's right. I didn't need to watch any horror movies today, news did a better job at scaring me.
    Adding new resolution for Ango : to switch off from all the news.
    Gassho
    Sat

    Comment

    • Tairin
      Member
      • Feb 2016
      • 2824

      #3
      Thank you Jundo.


      Tairin
      Sat today and lah
      泰林 - Tai Rin - Peaceful Woods

      Comment

      • Kyotai

        #4
        In my local dojo, we come together to practice an art. Ones personal views, status, religious beliefs or political inclinations etc are completely irrelevant. We all practice together for the betterment of oneself and in turn, ones community.

        Gassho, Kyotai
        ST

        Comment

        • Jundo
          Treeleaf Founder and Priest
          • Apr 2006
          • 40336

          #5
          Originally posted by Kyotai
          In my local dojo, we come together to practice an art. Ones personal views, status, religious beliefs or political inclinations etc are completely irrelevant. We all practice together for the betterment of oneself and in turn, ones community.

          Gassho, Kyotai
          ST
          Yet, within the dojo, we must sometimes bend over backwards to welcome those who may have felt trepidation about entering, or exclusion in the past. We must recognize our long history in Buddhism of not including many sentient beings for being different, and now we take special measures and make special recognition of how welcome we all are ... all exactly the same beyond differences, yet each unique and different too.

          We should also be willing to take the Light & Wisdom that one gains in the Zendo and, heading back out into the world, be willing to get active again ... concerned about what we believe in, working for the good in society ... but now with some of that Light & Wisdom too.

          Gassho, J

          STLah
          ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

          Comment

          • Meitou
            Member
            • Feb 2017
            • 1656

            #6
            For those amongst us who are finding this period of extreme upheaval difficult to navigate and would like some support and pointers on how to frame responses, Upaya is running a great Election series for that purpose.
            This page is used to render individual programs. It is powered by page-program.php and should always be invoked with an ID, e.g. https://upaya.org/program/?id=1620 Please put your name and email here…

            Lion's Roar and Tricycle are also running articles on how our practice can support us in such challenging times.
            Gassho
            Meitou
            Sattoday lah
            命 Mei - life
            島 Tou - island

            Comment

            • Jinyo
              Member
              • Jan 2012
              • 1957

              #7
              Thank you



              Jinyo

              Sat Today

              Comment

              • Kevin M
                Member
                • Dec 2018
                • 190

                #8
                Originally posted by Jundo
                We leave elections, debates, opinions and causes at the door, and Just Sit. That does not mean that we do not care [ ... ] when Zazen is done, we might return to the opinions and be active supporting various causes, but with that same Light & Clarity now in our heart.


                Kevin
                #SAT #LAH

                Comment

                • Gokai
                  Member
                  • Feb 2016
                  • 209

                  #9
                  Thank you Jundo.
                  Gassho 🙏
                  Sat today
                  David Cravidão Lopes Pereira

                  Comment

                  • Cooperix
                    Member
                    • Nov 2013
                    • 502

                    #10
                    Meitou, very useful information. Thank you.

                    Bows
                    Anne

                    ~st~

                    Comment

                    • Ryusoku
                      Member
                      • Sep 2019
                      • 36

                      #11
                      Wonderful sentiments Jundo!

                      Gassho,
                      Brett.


                      sattoday

                      Comment

                      • Tai Shi
                        Member
                        • Oct 2014
                        • 3416

                        #12
                        I agree, Most and often ALL of Treeleaf Zendo for practice. Thank you Jundo, esp Zazenkai. Thank you Jundo. I've learned.
                        Gassho
                        sat/ lah
                        Tai Shi
                        Peaceful, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, for positive poetry 優婆塞 台 婆

                        Comment

                        • Getchi
                          Member
                          • May 2015
                          • 612

                          #13
                          Jundo, thankyou for this teaching. I suspect it much deeper then the words you have posted. Change begets change, and Buddha holds all in his/her palm.

                          SatToday
                          LaH.
                          Nothing to do? Why not Sit?

                          Comment

                          • Jakuden
                            Member
                            • Jun 2015
                            • 6141

                            #14
                            Lovely. We sit beyond all political ideology and symbolism, opinions and figures together.

                            Gassho,
                            Jakuden
                            SatToday

                            Comment

                            • Jeff Naylor
                              Member
                              • May 2020
                              • 22

                              #15
                              Hi Jundo,
                              May I ask for a clarification on some terms? You wrote "our Zendo is a 'No Politics Zone'".

                              Does "Zendo" in the sentence equate to meaning everything about treeleaf, including the forums, teahouse meetings, zazen periods, and every other activity and communication?

                              Thanks,
                              Jeff,
                              Gassho and st

                              Comment

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