Shikantaza and the Morning Star

[Onkai]

Thank you, Jundo, for bumping this essay up.

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah

[Kaitan]

I LOVE this phrase! I'm particularly reminded in reading your commentary of Dogen's "Zazenshin" from the Shobogenzo as well.

Shohaku Okamura has a great commentary on Zazenshin, which I think makes a good "companion piece" to your commentary here:

https://buddhismnow.com/2014/10/22/zazenshin-acupuncture-needle-of-zazen-shohaku-okumura/

Gassho,

Michael

SatLah

This quote from the text is really interesting

In order to practice to be free from the three poisonous states of mind, we need the three poisonous states of mind.

I didn't think about practice from this point of view in the context of BodhiCitta. Life is a Koan indeed

Thank you for sharing

Gasshō

stlah, Kaitan

[Alina]

Also, FWIW, the default was set such that I couldn't see other people's avatars, so I didn't know that was a thing. OMG, what a difference!

Thank you Joshua for writing this, my defaults were also set to not show avatars, so I didn't know about them either. What a difference indeed!

Gassho,
Alina
st+lah

[Alina]

I heard some folks comparing Shikantaza to other ways of Zazen and meditation: Is it better or not? Faster or slower? For beginners or only experts? Should we add this or that to improve the practice? Are we just sitting around, letting life pass us by? Should I train to be ready to do it? Should I give it up and find something else? Is it progressing as it should?

They do not realize that this very drive for comparing, timing, categorizing, our constant need to improve, need to get ready, to switch, ever to rate --IS-- the very cause of human suffering and alienation that Zazen is meant to cure.

Thank you Jundo for bumping up this essay.

When I started meditating years ago, I spent a ton of time "comparing, timing, categorizing" etc, and I feel like it kept me searching, following a yearning maybe? I am not sure what exactly it is I was looking for, but I stopped searching when I found Zazen. Maybe those who don't realize that Zazen is the cure still need to go through that searching phase? Does everyone go through that?

Gassho
Alina
st+lah

[Jundo]

Thank you Jundo for bumping up this essay.

When I started meditating years ago, I spent a ton of time "comparing, timing, categorizing" etc, and I feel like it kept me searching, following a yearning maybe? I am not sure what exactly it is I was looking for, but I stopped searching when I found Zazen. Maybe those who don't realize that Zazen is the cure still need to go through that searching phase? Does everyone go through that?

Gassho
Alina
st+lah

I think so, and I think that Okumura Roshi's essay, which Michael posted above, hits that nail on the headless head!

I feel that there is an aspect to this practice where we come searching searching, pushing pushing, wanting wanting ...

... until, suddenly, one day we put down that struggle and Just Sit.

This is a good way to hear the old Koan about Bodhidharma ...

Bodhidharma sat facing the wall.

The Second Patriarch stood in the snow ... crying, “My mind has no peace as yet! I beg you, master, please pacify my mind!”

“Bring your mind here and I will pacify it for you,” replied Bodhidharma.

“I have searched for my mind, and I cannot take hold of it,” said the Second Patriarch.

“Now your mind is pacified,” said Bodhidharma.

Gassho, J

stlah

[Tairin]

Thank you for the reminder Jundo. This is an important teaching.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Houzan]

The best means to be Buddha is to give up the need to do anything beside sitting (or walking when walking, standing when standing, lying in a sickbed when so lying), including giving up the need to become Buddha
- Zen master’s dance

Don’t wish to be in any other moment than the moment you are in. Even if you are lost in thought. So simple, yet so obviously true [emoji120]

Gassho, Hozan
Satlah

[Tai Shi]

I nwill practice Shikantaza as I go under for new Pacemaker operation: this morning at 8:00 meeting with nurse, Anesthesiologist, and cardiac Surgeon. I will practice Shikantaza as I go under at 12:00 noon.
I cannot Host this morning's meeting. Please, someone ring bell and chant.

Gassho
Tai Shi

[Jundo]

I nwill practice Shikantaza as I go under for new Pacemaker operation: this morning at 8:00 meeting with nurse, Anesthesiologist, and cardiac Surgeon. I will practice Shikantaza as I go under at 12:00 noon.
I cannot Host this morning's meeting. Please, someone ring bell and chant.

Gassho
Tai Shi

We will sit for your new ticker, TS.

Metta.
Gassho, Jundo

[Onkai]

I nwill practice Shikantaza as I go under for new Pacemaker operation: this morning at 8:00 meeting with nurse, Anesthesiologist, and cardiac Surgeon. I will practice Shikantaza as I go under at 12:00 noon.
I cannot Host this morning's meeting. Please, someone ring bell and chant.

Gassho
Tai Shi

Metta, Tai Shi .

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah

[Tai Shi]

Shikantaza and the Morning Star

I am
Home from hospital i believe my Shikantaza was more effective than in many months this morning and I slept more soundly than I have in months. My new pacemaker has benefits I never anticipated. It is entirely different compony than my old pacemaker and this one computerized and changes each night when the terminal uploads data from our system to the computer in a distant city by means of a computer terminal in our home. Then the pacemaker adjusts for the next day. It does this by means of-a microwave box that is constantly in touch with the computer in a distant city and it changes every 24 hours fine tuned by the computer terminal in our home. I slept soundly. I had not slept in months like I did last night. The pacemaker had adjusted to the need of my body and meditation came easily because I slept soundly last night. The amount of O2 I needed received by my brain.
It seems to me that sitting quietly in zazen or Shikantaza can increase O2 to the brain because we are sitting quietly and breathing. Correct me if I am wrong. Gassho
sat/lah


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[Onkai]

I'm glad the pacemaker is working out well, Tai Shi. Not much can compare to a good night's sleep.

Gassho, Onkai
Sat lah

[Jundo]

I am
Home from hospital i believe my Shikantaza was more effective than in many months this morning and I slept more soundly than I have in months. My new pacemaker has benefits I never anticipated. It is entirely different compony than my old pacemaker and this one computerized and changes each night when the terminal uploads data from our system to the computer in a distant city by means of a computer terminal in our home. Then the pacemaker adjusts for the next day. It does this by means of-a microwave box that is constantly in touch with the computer in a distant city and it changes every 24 hours fine tuned by the computer terminal in our home. I slept soundly. I had not slept in months like I did last night. The pacemaker had adjusted to the need of my body and meditation came easily because I slept soundly last night. The amount of O2 I needed received by my brain.
Gassho
sat/iah

The old morning star is good, tech is often good too. In fact, I will be making a video on this later today, at the old Medicine Buddha shrine in our village. It is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, the medicine Buddha. In past centuries, the people living in our little village did not have access to modern doctors and hospitals. Sometimes praying to this Buddha was all they had.

Remote control pace makers sound better for some things.

Gassho, J

stlah

[Tai Shi]

The old morning star is good, tech is often good too. In fact, I will be making a video on this later today, at the old Medicine Buddha shrine in our village. It is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, the medicine Buddha. In past centuries, the people living in our little village did not have access to modern doctors and hospitals. Sometimes praying to this Buddha was all they had.

True, Jundo. A medical condition must be addressed by a medical practitioner, and Shikantaza must be addressed by a teacher of Shikantaza, as under the Bod-hi Tree one saw the morning star and touched the earth. This was a true practitioner of Shikantaza. I take heed to pay attention to Purity, so thank you for all your instruction Jundo, Roshi.
Gassho
sat/lah