"Simple Living" - Chapters 89 and 90

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  • Jundo
    Treeleaf Founder and Priest
    • Apr 2006
    • 40466

    "Simple Living" - Chapters 89 and 90

    Just jump in if joining, no "catch up" ... just today is today ...

    I will include chapter headings, as we discovered some differences between the US and UK editions regarding chapter order.

    Chapter 89 - There Is Not Just One Way, Either - Sit once with a Koan, Rinzai style, for one Zazen period. For example, "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" or "What was my original face before my mother and father were born?" Don't reason about it, just hold it in mind and stay with it for the entire period. How is that?

    Chapter 90 - Don't Be A Show-Off - In a social situation in which you are rather powerful, confident or influential, at home or work, as a customer in a store, be extremely humble, soft-spoken and self-effacing one time, yielding to others. (If you are naturally always soft-spoken and self-effacing, try a bit more confidence in the situation even if as if acting a confident role.) How does it change the experience and how others related to you?

    Gassho, J

    STLah
    Last edited by Jundo; 05-28-2020, 05:30 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE
  • krissydear
    Member
    • Jul 2019
    • 92

    #2
    Thank you. I will try these. I am normally shy and reserved, so maybe I will try to be more confident with my words or speaking when I have something to say, instead of holding it in.

    I was able to get a small, used book of Koans at a nearby bookstore last year, so I will find one to think about for my next sit.


    satlah
    Thank you for teaching me.

    I am very much a beginner and appreciate any words you may give me.

    Comment

    • Jundo
      Treeleaf Founder and Priest
      • Apr 2006
      • 40466

      #3
      Originally posted by krissydear
      I will find one to think about for my next sit.
      Not "think about." More like holding a precious baby in one's arms with just presence and love, not anything to think.

      Gassho, J

      STLah
      ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

      Comment

      • Ryudo
        Member
        • Nov 2015
        • 424

        #4
        Thank you Jundo,

        I never tried koans before. Will try in my morning sit tomorrow...
        Not having koans at hand I will use the "What was my original face before my mother and father were born?" you suggested.

        Gassho/SatToday
        流道
        Ryū Dou

        Comment

        • Jundo
          Treeleaf Founder and Priest
          • Apr 2006
          • 40466

          #5
          Originally posted by Ryudo
          Thank you Jundo,

          I never tried koans before. Will try in my morning sit tomorrow...
          Not having koans at hand I will use the "What was my original face before my mother and father were born?" you suggested.

          Gassho/SatToday
          Yes, we are not doing Koans as a really serious practice or attempt. It is just a little fun. Like someone picking up a tennis racket with no teacher or lessons, just to see what happens and knock the ball around.

          Tennis Koan: What is the net without two sides? What happens when the court is inside the ball?

          Gassho, J

          STLah
          ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

          Comment

          • Amelia
            Member
            • Jan 2010
            • 4985

            #6
            MU!

            Gassho
            Sat today, lah
            求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
            I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

            Comment

            • Tairin
              Member
              • Feb 2016
              • 2828

              #7
              Originally posted by Geika
              MU!

              Gassho
              Sat today, lah
              May as well go with a classic. I’ll sit with Mu at least once this week.


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

              Comment

              • Kyotaku
                Member
                • May 2020
                • 49

                #8
                Sorry. I am new here. Will write some introduction later. But what book is this about ?
                [emoji120]
                Kyotaku [emoji854]
                Mountains are waters and waters are mountains ............

                Comment

                • Kotei
                  Dharma Transmitted Priest
                  • Mar 2015
                  • 4188

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Kyotaku
                  Sorry. I am new here. Will write some introduction later. But what book is this about ?
                  [emoji120]
                  Kyotaku [emoji854]
                  Welcome Kyotaku!

                  In the first posting of this series, you can find a bit more about the book: https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...apters-1-and-2
                  "The Art of Simple Living: 100 Daily Practices from a Japanese Zen Monk for a Lifetime of Calm and Joy" by Rev. Shunmyo Masuno

                  I have a book about the garden designs of Shunmyo Masuno and fell in love with quite some of them.

                  Gassho,
                  Kotei sat/lah today.
                  義道 冴庭 / Gidō Kotei.

                  Comment

                  • Kyotaku
                    Member
                    • May 2020
                    • 49

                    #10
                    Thanks a lot. Will look at it.
                    [emoji120]
                    Mountains are waters and waters are mountains ............

                    Comment

                    • Washin
                      Treeleaf Priest
                      • Dec 2014
                      • 3799

                      #11
                      Thank you Jundo.

                      I remember I had sat doing Hua-tou (head word) practice years ago for certain period
                      then shifted to Shikantaza. "Who am I?" seemed to work well for me.

                      Now a time to try sit one session of Zazen with a Koan as you suggest

                      In my daily activities I sometimes pick this: This way doesn't help; that way doesn't help,
                      either way doesn't help; now what?

                      Usually I am humble and polite while in social situations. So I'll try to bring even more confidence
                      to this.

                      Gassho
                      Washin
                      st-lah
                      Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
                      Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
                      ----
                      I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
                      and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

                      Comment

                      • Kyotaku
                        Member
                        • May 2020
                        • 49

                        #12
                        What is the abbreviation LAH
                        Mountains are waters and waters are mountains ............

                        Comment

                        • Jundo
                          Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                          • Apr 2006
                          • 40466

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Kyotaku
                          What is the abbreviation LAH
                          Hi Kyotaku,

                          Welcome again.

                          We encourage (purely optional) our members to do a good deed a day for others, and to put LAH by their signature to mean so. They are encouraged not to disclose what the deed was, big or small. Or they can post about it anonymously.

                          You can read more here:

                          A TREELEAF EXPERIMENT with EVERYONE’S PARTICIPATION REQUESTED: “LAH” (Lend A Hand)
                          Dear All, As you know, we've asked folks to write “SAT TODAY” next to their signature before posting in this Forum. "SAT TODAY" means that someone has sat Zazen sometime during the past day, and that they will have “sat before chatting” in the Forum. Signing "SatToday" - Please


                          Gassho, Jundo

                          SatTodayLentAHand
                          ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                          Comment

                          • Kyotaku
                            Member
                            • May 2020
                            • 49

                            #14
                            Thanks again. I like the intention.
                            Will try too.
                            [emoji120]
                            Mountains are waters and waters are mountains ............

                            Comment

                            • Jundo
                              Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                              • Apr 2006
                              • 40466

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Kyotaku
                              Thanks again. I like the intention.
                              Will try too.
                              [emoji120]
                              Actually, Hans, I would say not to do this exercise, since it is not our normal practice and you are new here.

                              Please first review the "We're All Beginners" videos, and see about how we sit Shikantaza here. Do that first.

                              A SERIES OF TALKS FOR NEW FOLKS
                              Talks and video sittings for people new to Treeleaf Sangha and Shikantaza Zazen. Remember: We are all always beginners!


                              Gassho, Jundo

                              STLah
                              ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                              Comment

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