Starting Readings from My Book "Zen Master's Dance" - in our 'No Words' Book Club -1-

[Jundo]

So united did Dōgen see that whole that, in his mind, each point holds all other points, near or far, each point miraculously fully contains the whole, and each moment of time ticks with all other moments of time, before or after. It is much like saying that every chili of each cowboy somehow embodies, depends upon, and also fully expresses every chili by all the other cowboys in the roadhouse, past, present, or future, and fully contains the entire chili pot too. Dōgen experienced the time of the roadhouse as the overall chili cook off that is fully held and expressed in each cowboys chili itself, with past not only flowing into present and future, but future flowing into the present and past, as the present fully holds the past and future of all chilis and all cowboy cornbread.

yee haw,
Onsho
satlah

Yee haw!

Why not try the other paragraphs too?

Gassho, J
stlah

[Andrew W.]

Hello wonderful Sangha,

Here is my humble remix of the Zen Master's Dance -- call it The Zen Master's Riff or the Zen Master's Song... Perhaps the Zen Master's Concert.

I am particularly grateful to the Sangha member who already remixed Jundo's prose with music and particularly classical orchestration, since upon reading that post I felt invited to to much deeper into specifics that I feel passionate about, rather than a more generic rewriting simply replacing "dance" with "play" (as in the verb rather than the noun) or "song". In thinking my way onto the fretboard -- I play bass guitar and make loud, slow, immersive ambient music intended to invite awe and wonder for the universe -- I felt a much deeper connection to Jundo, Dogen, and indeed, all beings, including myself and my instruments (as well as the rest of my gear, as you'll see if you decide to read on).

I have in mind (or bodymind, as it were) a few experiences I have had in seeing a band called Sunn O))) (not to be confused with the old and famous amplifier company of the same name). Their music has a power and spaciousness I aspire to -- sometimes I like to think I might even get close... They wear black robes in a European monk style, play very slowly, and pick frequencies that will vibrate the body of audience members all the way through. It is a unique and, if I may, meditative experience that has been profound for me and helped open the way to Zen and Buddhism for me... And keep it open. (Indeed, they even have an album called Metta | Benevolence.) Normally I try not to mention such things to other respected practitioners of Zen out of some sense of projected embarrassment, since the presence of music in Buddhist contexts in my experience often seems to include only pre-20th century classical instruments, sometimes making use of microphones but little else from the 21st century, and I sometimes fear the presence of such contemporary technology would be frowned upon. Jundo, here you have me wondering: after all, why shouldn't I embrace my love of amplifiers and strange pedals and effects while exploring and practicing the dharma?

For context, a "riff" is to me a delightfully vague concept in music, both verb and noun (rather like "dance" in that respect), often with an implied meaning of being played on a guitar, and sometimes carrying the connotation of being improvised (as when metaphorically "riffing" on a theme in conversation). It is a rhythmic section of uncertain length, often serving to support a fuller song including many other instruments, and usually suggesting powerful emotional weight, volume, and an experience of satisfaction that can be repeated. Example: "What a great riff! It's massive... I've gotta listen again!"

I smile and am delighted as I read and share this remix that I was delighted, too, to write. I hope you enjoy it, whoever you are.

-----

THE ZEN MASTER'S RIFF: a Remix of Jundo (feat. Dogen)

Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Master of long ago ... experienced reality as a great guitar riff reverberating through time, coming to life in the strumming and plucking of all beings. It is a most special riff in a most special song, for it is the riff that the whole of reality is riffing, with nothing left out, that you and I are riffing, that is riffing as you and me. It is a vibrant, swirling, flowing, merging and emerging unity that Buddhists sometimes call “emptiness,” as the motion and sweep of the pick across the guitar strings “empties” us of the sense of only being separate beings, and fills and reaffirms us as the whole. We, as human beings, can’t be sure when or where these chords began, or whether they even have a beginning or end. But we can come to see that they are being played now in each fret we press or barre and each breath we take, much as a massive riff unfolds and constantly renews with every pick or slide across its strings.

You and I are guitarists in this riff, as is every creature great or small, the mountains and seas, every grain of sand or massive galaxy, the atoms that make up the universe and the whole universe itself. Everything in reality, no matter how old or vast, no matter how unnoticed or small, is riffing this massive riff together. And although we may feel as if we are separate guitarists—finite individuals plugged into different amps and pedalboards on a grand ancient church stage spanning all of time and space—we are also the riff itself sustaining its long vibrations through us. A universe of bassists that are being riffed up in this riff that the whole universe is riffing. Picture in your mind a concertgoing listener hearing a riff so massive, so vigorous and vibrant that its countless frets, strings, pedals and stacks of amplifiers seem to vanish in the swirl of motion: single frets becoming power chords, then barre chords, looped on a looping pedal and layered with distortion and delay, coming together and separating moment by moment, yet so merged as the overall ambient music riffing that, from a distance, individual notes can no longer be heard. ...

... So united did Dōgen see that whole that, in his mind, each point holds all other points, near or far, each point miraculously fully contains the whole, and each moment of time ticks with all other moments of time, before or after. It is much like saying that every riff of each guitarist and bassist somehow embodies, depends upon, and also fully expresses every fretted note, every riff played by all the other guitarists on the stage, past, present, or future, and fully contains the entire concert too. Dōgen experienced the time of the riff as the overall movement that is fully held and expressed in each individual strum itself, with past not only flowing into present and future, but future flowing into the present and past, as the present fully holds the past and future of the riff.

... Master Dōgen spoke of practice, putting it all in motion. Where this riff has come from, where it is going, is not as important as the song that is truly realized—made real—right here, in your next great riff and sweep of the pick. The riff is always right under the fingertips, so just riff, without thought of any other place.

-----

Thank you for reading.

Sorry for the long post -- didn't know how to say it more briefly without being cryptic.

I haven't posted here much at all, so I also wanted to offer an experience that would be easier to understand, doing so as a gift in reciprocity for all the incredible insight and deepening of my practice that has come from listening to the podcast, reading this book, reading the forum, and practicing with a dear friend who more actively participates around here. Humble gratitude to all beings, including you.

Sat today; lent a hand.

Gassho,
Andrew | Silence Bursting Outwards

[Jundo]

Hi Andrew,

I feel that vibe.

By the way, you have come to a particularly musical Sangha, and it is not all Gregorian or Chinese Chants!
.
I mean, we have had low points in our musical tastes ...
.

.

Maybe something a bit more tasteful ... :
.

.
We're hip, man!

Gassho, J
stlah

[Andrew W.]

Hi Jundo! Hahaha, thanks for these very amusing videos. They really demonstrate that the flexibility and inclusiveness of this sangha also extends to music. Thank you. Additionally, I must say, the Heart Sutra dance song, as the kids say, slaps. (How do you do, fellow kids?)

I want to share a couple photos to add some joy and context around my share. I had some doubts about this at first, but when I looked up pictures of Sunn O))) to share, I saw at once the Japanese characters for shoshin, beginner's mind -- it's just such a wonderful convergence that I'd love to share. (See the amplifiers in the bottom corners.) I'm taking it as an invitation to embrace music as a part of my way of practicing, of "becoming a better whatever-I-am."

Inspired by the work I did here in response to your invitation, Jundo, I decided to ask my teacher Kuden today about the relationship in his experience between music and practicing the dharma. He spoke movingly about how when he plays guitar and is completely absorbed in it, it's like the music is playing him, rather like when absorbed in sitting zazen, zazen is "sitting him" (rather than "he is sitting zazen"). (Note: this was in a public Q&A setting, not dokusan.) I quite liked this parallel. I'm feeling more at peace with my station as a layperson and musician, and feeling like I am exactly where I need to be right now. As a way of honouring this, I'm including a photo of myself performing live at a time where I felt very much absorbed in the interdependent co-arising of all things coming together. This is the sort of moment I very much had in mind/bodymind when rewriting the passages from The Zen Master's Dance.

Thank you for helping enrich my practice. I am grateful for this forum.

Sat today; lent a hand.

Gassho,
Andrew | Silence Bursting Outwards

[Jundo]

Hi Jundo! Hahaha, thanks for these very amusing videos. They really demonstrate that the flexibility and inclusiveness of this sangha also extends to music. Thank you. Additionally, I must say, the Heart Sutra dance song, as the kids say, slaps. (How do you do, fellow kids?)

You inspired us! We are dancing tomorrow. Come sit with us!

https://forum.treeleaf.org/forum/treeleaf/weekly-daily-zazen-sitting-netcasts/548135-may-23rd-24th-treeleaf-weekly-zazenkai-the-heart-sutra-is-lit-let-s-hanya-jiggy#post548135

Gassho, J
stlah

[Furyu]

This is hard... here is my attempt at paragraph #1

Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Master of long ago ... experienced reality as a great kitchen, cooking time, bringing to life thoughts and acts through all beings. It is a most special kitchen, for in it, the combination of the whole of reality is being prepared, with nothing left out, that you and I are cooking, that is cooking you and me. It is a fragrant, chopping, peeling, stewing, a balanced unity that Buddhists sometimes call “emptiness,” as the knife cuts each ingredient into one whole, in a recipe that “empties” us of the sense of being separate ingredients, and assembles and recreates us as the whole. We, as human beings, can’t be sure when or where this kitchen opened, or whether it even has a beginning or end. But we can come to see that it is alive with cooking, its recipes changing with each prep and plate we make, much as a the kitchen evolves and constantly renews itself with every chef, recipe or ingredient in its dishes.


Fūryū
sat/lah

[Jundo]

This is hard... here is my attempt at paragraph #1

Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Master of long ago ... experienced reality as a great kitchen, cooking time, bringing to life thoughts and acts through all beings. It is a most special kitchen, for in it, the combination of the whole of reality is being prepared, with nothing left out, that you and I are cooking, that is cooking you and me. It is a fragrant, chopping, peeling, stewing, a balanced unity that Buddhists sometimes call “emptiness,” as the knife cuts each ingredient into one whole, in a recipe that “empties” us of the sense of being separate ingredients, and assembles and recreates us as the whole. We, as human beings, can’t be sure when or where this kitchen opened, or whether it even has a beginning or end. But we can come to see that it is alive with cooking, its recipes changing with each prep and plate we make, much as a the kitchen evolves and constantly renews itself with every chef, recipe or ingredient in its dishes.


Fūryū
sat/lah

Delicious!

Maybe keep cooking with the other paragraphs too?

Gassho, J
stlah

[Furyu]

It was difficult to avoid dualistic descriptions because of the image I chose... I think this might work... Part 2 of 2...


You and I are ingredients and chefs in this kitchen, as is every vegetable large or small, the fields and orchards, every field mouse or honey bee, all the components that make the kitchen work as the whole universe itself. Everything in reality, no matter how tasty or bland, no matter how tender or tough, is cooking this meal together. And although we may feel as if we are separate cooks—finite individuals in a grand banquet spanning all of time and space—we are also all the dishes and guests, brought together in all the flavours, colours and aromas. A universe of chefs and ingredients that are being cooked up in this grand cook-off that the whole universe is cooking. Picture in your mind a spectator witnessing a kitchen so alive and creative that numberless hands prepare ingredients that appear and seem to vanish in perpetually changing dishes: butter and wine emulsified into a sauce, water, salt, and flour kneaded into a roti and puffed with fire, ingredients and chefs interacting, sometime separate, sometimes together, moment by moment, until the margin between chef, hand, and ingredient is no longer certain…

... So united did Dōgen see that whole kitchen that, in his mind, each ingredient holds all possibilities and every chef miraculously contains all the ingredients, each ingredient and chef containing every other ingredient and chef cooked up in each moment of time, before or after. It is much like saying that every dish from the kitchen somehow embodies, depends upon, and also fully expresses every recipe made from all ingredients by all the chefs in the kitchen, past, present, or future, and fully contains the entirety of the kitchen’s creative flow. Dōgen experienced the dish produced by the kitchen as the timeless masterpiece that is fully held and expressed in each individual chef and ingredient by itself, with past not only flowing into present and future, but future flowing into the present and past, as the present fully holds the past and future of the kitchen.

... Master Dōgen spoke of practice, putting it all in motion. Where this kitchen has come from, where it is going, is not as important as the cooking that is truly realized—made real—right here, with the next knife cut, the peeling of a carrot. The kitchen is always open, so just cook, without thought of any other place.


Fūryū
sat-lah

[Jundo]

Bon Appétit Lovely.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Marita]

Thanks ☺️, Jundo. I will join in here soon! Wonderful!

[Shoshin]

Dear All,

I had request from several Treeleafers to restart readings and discussion of my book, "[B]THE ZEN MASTER’S DANCE - A Guide to Understanding Dōgen and Who You Are in the Universe, by Jundo Cohen." [/B......

Wonderful! I was waiting for this but I missed it!
I'm in


Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Master of long ago ... experienced reality as an act of taking care of all kinds of animals moving through time, coming to life in the thoughts and acts of all beings. It is a most special act of care, for it is the action that the whole of reality is enacting with nothing left out,

We, as human beings, can’t be sure when or where this act of care began, or whether it even has a beginning or end.
You and I are carers in this act of care, as is every creature great or small, the mountains and seas, every grain of sand or massive galaxy,
the atoms that make up the universe and the whole universe itself.

And although we may feel as if we are separate carers—finite individuals on a grand stage spanning all of time and space—we are also the care itself caring through us.


Beautiful exercise, Jundo. Thanks so much. It literally brought tears to my eyes and brought me comfort and hope.

Gassho
Satlah

[Marita]

I'm trying to upload this thing I wrote then deleted.

[Jundo]

Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Master of long ago ... experienced reality as an act of taking care of all kinds of animals moving through time, coming to life in the thoughts and acts of all beings. It is a most special act of care, for it is the action that the whole of reality is enacting with nothing left out,

We, as human beings, can’t be sure when or where this act of care began, or whether it even has a beginning or end.
You and I are carers in this act of care, as is every creature great or small, the mountains and seas, every grain of sand or massive galaxy,
the atoms that make up the universe and the whole universe itself.

And although we may feel as if we are separate carers—finite individuals on a grand stage spanning all of time and space—we are also the care itself caring through us.

Lovely, Shoshin.

Maybe you could continue with the other paragraphs too.

Gassho, Jundo
stlah

[Marita]

Hi Jundo. Ty. I'm confused about copy pasting here. What page in the book is your passage from?

[Jundo]

Hi Marita,

It is from pages 1 and 2, I believe, in the Introduction.

For your convenience, I put the assignment paragraphs below ...

===

ASSIGNMENT: PLEASE REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SUBSTITUTING SOME OTHER LIFE ACTION (FOR EXAMPLE, BOWLING, GARDENING, FIXING THE CAR, WHATEVER RESONATES IN YOUR LIFE) FOR THE IMAGE OF "DANCING" AND ACCOMPANYING IMAGES OF DANCE.

Eihei Dōgen, a Japanese Zen Master of long ago ... experienced reality as a great dance moving through time, coming to life in the thoughts and acts of all beings. It is a most special dance, for it is the dance that the whole of reality is dancing, with nothing left out, that you and I are dancing, that is dancing as you and me. It is a vibrant, swirling, flowing, merging and emerging unity that Buddhists sometimes call “emptiness,” as the motion and sweep of the dance “empties” us of the sense of only being separate beings, and fills and reaffirms us as the whole. We, as human beings, can’t be sure when or where this dance began, or whether it even has a beginning or end. But we can come to see that it is being danced now in each step and breath we take, much as a dance unfolds and constantly renews with every turn or leap of its dancers.

You and I are dancers in this dance, as is every creature great or small, the mountains and seas, every grain of sand or massive galaxy,
the atoms that make up the universe and the whole universe itself. Everything in reality, no matter how old or vast, no matter how unnoticed or small, is dancing this dance together. And although we may feel as if we are separate dancers—finite individuals on a grand stage spanning all of time and space—we are also the dance itself dancing through us. A universe of dancers that are being danced up in this dance that the whole universe is dancing. Picture in your mind a spectator witnessing a dance so vigorous and vibrant that its countless actors seem to vanish in the swirl of motion: single dancers becoming pairs, then groups, coming together and separating moment by moment, yet so merged as the overall movement that, from a distance, individual dancers can no longer be seen. ...

... So united did Dōgen see that whole that, in his mind, each point holds all other points, near or far, each point miraculously fully contains
the whole, and each moment of time ticks with all other moments of time, before or after. It is much like saying that every step of
each dancer somehow embodies, depends upon, and also fully expresses every step by all the other dancers on the stage, past, present,
or future, and fully contains the entire dance too. Dōgen experienced the time of the dance as the overall movement that is fully held and
expressed in each individual move itself, with past not only flowing into present and future, but future flowing into the present and past,
as the present fully holds the past and future of the dance.

... Master Dōgen spoke of practice, putting it all in motion. Where this dance has come from, where it is going, is not as important
as the dance that is truly realized—made real—right here, in your next leap and gesture. The dance is always right underfoot, so just
dance, without thought of any other place.