LIVING by VOW: The Four Bodhisattva Vows - PP 42 to 52 (End of Chap. 1)

[Gokai]

Hello everyone

I intended to participate with you all in reading the book "Living By Vow" from the beginning, but the book took almost a month to arrive and so I started to read it later than the rest of you. I am still in the part that refers to "Shakyamuni Buddha's Vow". I'm really enjoying the book, not a very complicated reading even for those who do not speak English in their daily lives.
I am very fond of the connection that is always made between the Four Vows and our everyday life (and our meditative practice).
I hope to be in time to participate in this reading with all of you despite doing so with a delay.
I do not know if there will be any problem because of this?

Gassho, Gokai

SatToday/LAH

[Jundo]

Hello everyone

I intended to participate with you all in reading the book "Living By Vow" from the beginning, but the book took almost a month to arrive and so I started to read it later than the rest of you. I am still in the part that refers to "Shakyamuni Buddha's Vow". I'm really enjoying the book, not a very complicated reading even for those who do not speak English in their daily lives.
I am very fond of the connection that is always made between the Four Vows and our everyday life (and our meditative practice).
I hope to be in time to participate in this reading with all of you despite doing so with a delay.
I do not know if there will be any problem because of this?

Gassho, Gokai

SatToday/LAH

Jump in any place, the ocean is wet all over.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Gokai]

Thank You very much Jundo.
Gassho, Gokai
Sattoday/LAH

[Meitou]

Sorry for my late contribution, I've had family staying and not been online so much. Looking back over my notes, I know that what stood out for me in this section was the affirmation that we need nothing fancy to sit, just a small space, a cushion and a mat - I feel too that this is symbolic of the simplicity of 'just sitting' in itself, that paring down to the absolute essentials. I like this and it's mostly what has drawn me to Soto Zen - and simplicity not in the sense of being easy in some way, but truthful, cutting, powerful.
In my past practice I've often read very precise instructions about setting up a home shrine and have found myself with elaborate set ups of bowls of water, texts, candles, incense, pictures of teachers ( a Tibetan tradition), and then thought about those buddhist monks fleeing Tibet over the Himalaya - what did they have? Some beads maybe? A text? And their faith. Simple. Non-distracting.
I also loved this paradox of how ultimately we sit alone, yet are connected to everything and every living being around us.

And this 'Without our practice, there is no Buddha's teaching.'

Gassho
Frankie

Satwithyoualltoday and LAH ( if saving a bird from the cat counts!)

[Jundo]

Satwithyoualltoday and LAH ( if saving a bird from the cat counts!)

Counts! Ask the bird!

[Risho]

Finally read this yesterday. Not much to add at this point other than I've been reading a lot of other books, and after coming back to this book and reading this section, I realize how brilliant Dogen is, how much his teachings resonate and drive my practice.

gassho

Risho
-sattoday

[Jakuden]

I was listening to a Dharma talk by Ron Hogen Green today called "perfection is the enemy of enlightenment," and it reminded me of this chapter. How can we practice if there is perfection? We acknowledge the absolute, but in the relative world there is just repentance, because we are humans with mental formations and egos. We repent because we cannot be anything more.
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH and waiting for my #%^* imperfect Ambien to kick in!


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[Jakuden]

I was listening to a Dharma talk by Ron Hogen Green today called "perfection is the enemy of enlightenment," and it reminded me of this chapter. How can we practice if there is perfection? We acknowledge the absolute, but in the relative world there is just repentance, because we are humans with mental formations and egos. We repent because we cannot be anything more.
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH and waiting for my #%^* imperfect Ambien to kick in!


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Oops maybe it did kick in, I meant to post this in the "repentance" chapter [emoji23][emoji42]


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[Risho]

Ha! Very good point and post nonetheless - and you proved your point about perfection - it's a triple threat!

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Meishin]

Hi,

Joining the reading if not too late. Joining even if too late.

Gassho
Meishin
sat today

[M.C. Easton]

Welcome, Meishin! Glad you're joining in, too!

I just finished reading this chapter over the weekend and scrolling through all your posts, and I'm so looking forward to continuing this read with everyone here! I definitely agree with Jishin on an important point: There is no rabbit in the moon. Done. Settled. ;-)

I especially appreciated the point Jundo brought up--that life is complicated for human beings, and we have to keep going back to our vows and to reality. As Okumura put it, "We are living out our as-it-is-ness, yet we are always blind to it... We have to go back to the reality of life through the practice of this reality." I thought this was the most beautiful definition of both vow and zazen.

Gassho,
Melanie
SatToday/LAH