WHAT's OFTEN MISSING in SHIKANTAZA EXPLANATIONS ....

[Tai Shi]

For thirty years I have thought of sobriety as like children's Chinese finger cuffs sold at carnivals, the acceptance and release. So, you see I was surprised to hear, see written this little metaphor that guided me 30 years and 6 months as I emerged the drunken sot that I was, am, and could be again what for the 12 steps that saved my life as I found the insanity of drink, reaching out for that Higher Power which I did then, and do now call God, the essence of the Universe, sand under feet, I am but sand, or nothing in the Universe so wide I cannot see, so isn't that what the Buddha did find, as did Jesus who called out on his suffering, My Father, why hast Thou forsaken me. You see, pain is the touchstone of life, bringing more life which I love in my beautiful silver-haired wife who fills my pill keeper each week. You see, I am 66, and there are some promises I must keep, some soundness of mind which does not embrace death, which asks for the life and birth of Enlightenment and Salvation the Buddha called Compassion for others, and Jesus called love thy neighbor as thyself, and that Providence has brought to each of that responsibility not just looking into the infinite, which is good true and beautiful, to quote John Keats who found this at age 22, but to give back Love, and this is what I believe.

Tai Shi
sat today'lah
Gassho

[Jishin]

WHAT's OFTEN MISSING in SHIKANTAZA EXPLANATIONS ....

For thirty years I have thought of sobriety as like children's Chinese finger cuffs sold at carnivals, the acceptance and release. So, you see I was surprised to hear, see written this little metaphor that guided me 30 years and 6 months as I emerged the drunken sot that I was, am, and could be again what for the 12 steps that saved my life as I found the insanity of drink, reaching out for that Higher Power which I did then, and do now call God, the essence of the Universe, sand under feet, I am but sand, or nothing in the Universe so wide I cannot see, so isn't that what the Buddha did find, as did Jesus who called out on his suffering, My Father, why hast Thou forsaken me. You see, pain is the touchstone of life, bringing more life which I love in my beautiful silver-haired wife who fills my pill keeper each week. You see, I am 66, and there are some promises I must keep, some soundness of mind which does not embrace death, which asks for the life and birth of Enlightenment and Salvation the Buddha called Compassion for others, and Jesus called love thy neighbor as thyself, and that Providence has brought to each of that responsibility not just looking into the infinite, which is good true and beautiful, to quote John Keats who found this at age 22, but to give back Love, and this is what I believe.

Tai Shi
sat today'lah
Gassho

IMG_0118.JPG

Hi Tai Chi,

If you think about it god may not exist and this could be a terrible thing.

If you think about it Buddha also may not exist and this would be wonderful!

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Jundo]

I am cool with anyone who wishes to be cool with God, and I feel that I am cool with God if there is a God or what ever she is.

I am also cool with anyone who chooses not to believe in God, and I am cool if there is not god.

Let us all just be cool. There is a long tradition in Buddhism and Zen too of people needing to sometimes call on "Other Power" when they need a little extra hand. The great Zen Buddhist, D.T.Suzuki, was actually also a long time follower of Amida Buddha who is "Other Power" in our Buddhist sense. Suzuki found Amida belief (Shin Buddhism) as unlike Christianity on various grounds, but I don't think that they are that far apart really.

https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/Shin_Buddhism_by_DT_Suzuki.pdf

Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLAH

[Jishin]

Well, I believe in what’s for dinner? Had a tough day at work and am ready to chow down somethin’ right tasty.

Later gator! [emoji41]

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Risho]

I gotta riff on the cool man. lol

You know what's really cool is this zen mindset - for lack of a better term. It's not indifference/not caring; instead it is a "cool" sort of relaxation with not knowing; it's freeing. it's being ok with allowing everyone to believe what they feel and also cool to let people discuss their opinions on topics even if you disagree with them. It's pretty damned cool indeed.

It's the cool beyond hot and cold man. :P

Very good stuff - I hadn't visited this topic in quite a while.

Gassho,

Rish
-st/lah

[Heisoku]

You gotta feel it and not 'feel it' in your bones.
Nothing is easy, no thing is hard.
Hara, heart and head just 'one bright pearl'.
Everyday sitting.

Gassho Jundo. I look forward to reading such a book when the time comes.

Gassho
Heisoku
S2D/LAH.

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[HAN SEN]

Still good; great even.

Sat today/Lent a hand

[moshezhang88]

Thank you Jundo Roshi for this summary and the other information on Shikantaza.
There truly are so many things about this practice which seem to run counter to logic. What we are taught in the West adds to the problems.
I remember a few of the lessons I have had to learn.
Relaxing into quiet concentration.... when I thought I needed to push through...... Upon getting off my cushions, I had massive rushes of energy that I didn't know what to do with.... often used them wrong.... (but I got alot of stuff done!! hehe)
it was very counter productive in lots of ways.....
Then falling into quietist way of thinking, and always falling asleep because i hadn't "connected".
That, added to the beliefs which were pounded into me when I was young, that anyone who "emptied their mind" would have the bad red guy with the pitchfork grab them....... oh the pitfalls of being a PK. :
Went round and round for a long time......
Finding a home here in Treeleaf and "homing in" on Shikantaza is like a lifeline thrown to me.
Gratefulness
Gassho
Gerry
Sat Today

........The continuous looping motion of the rakusu thread running through every moment.......
(At first, I really didn't understand the point of sewing the rakusu, other than patience.... but it has become a metaphor for breathing and kinhin and so much more)

[Hyōhaku-sha]

I am cool with anyone who wishes to be cool with God, and I feel that I am cool with God if there is a God or what ever she is.

I am also cool with anyone who chooses not to believe in God, and I am cool if there is not god.

Let us all just be cool. There is a long tradition in Buddhism and Zen too of people needing to sometimes call on "Other Power" when they need a little extra hand. The great Zen Buddhist, D.T.Suzuki, was actually also a long time follower of Amida Buddha who is "Other Power" in our Buddhist sense. Suzuki found Amida belief (Shin Buddhism) as unlike Christianity on various grounds, but I don't think that they are that far apart really.

https://terebess.hu/zen/mesterek/Shin_Buddhism_by_DT_Suzuki.pdf

Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLAH

Reminds me of a Zenlike quote by Henry David Thoreau via Joseph Goldstein ( and I'm paraphrasing):

Thoreau's aunt asked Thoreau if he made his peace with god yet.
Thoreau replied "Why? I didn't know we ever quarreled."

Gassho
Tom
Sat/LAH


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[sosen]

Thank you for this teaching Jundo _()_
it's so easy to lose this vital thread when we practice alone for a long time; when 'just sitting' can drift back to just sitting; a wonderful reminder of the essence of the practice.

_()_
sosen

st/lah

[Teiro]

Thank you for this teaching, Jundo.

Sit and the whole unsiverse sits through you. And even when you don’t sit you still sit.

Gassho
Christian

Sattoday

[RobS]

Thank you for this teaching.
Sat today.
Rob

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[Natahl]

Thank you for this teaching, it has sharpened my understanding of zazen as opposed to the way I used to sit before joining Treeleaf recently. Extremely useful.

SatToday
Natahl


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[Nengei]

Thank you for your teaching. This has advanced my practice. It answers some questions, and set my big, boulder-y gears grinding away on others.

Gassho,
然芸 Nengei
Sat/LAH

You deserve to be happy.
You deserve to be loved.

[Elijah]

Thank you for such a beautiful explanation, Jundo.

Gassho,
Elijah
Sat