WHAT IS ZEN? - Chap 6 - Beliefs and Ethics - P. 59 To bottom of P. 67

[Eishuu]

I really liked the way he discussed these issues. I liked the fact that he was saying it is more complicated than: if you do good then good things will happen to you. I feel as though karma has been used historically to blame people who are suffering (because of poverty, disability, illness) for their suffering by saying it's their karma. I've read this happening in the history of Buddhism. It just seems cruel to me. I think there are ways in which this kind of behaviour is still going on today.

I used to have a weekly confession practice with a friend, before I got into Zen. It was really useful. Is this not done in Soto Zen other than the Verse of Atonement? It was useful to identify specific breaches of precepts and confess them. It really kept us on our toes.

I wasn't keen on his "Maybe the bad things that happen to good people aren't really bad". I get it to a certain degree, but there are horrific things that happen, and not just as one off events, but that go on for years, decades. So I was happy when he addressed this in the next paragraph. His sentence "What is, is. It's just like this, not some other way. And our practice is to make use of what is" really hit the nail on the head for me. That right there is why I practice Zen....when life gives you lemons...

In terms of rebirth, for a long while my position has been how can I understand rebirth when I don't even understand what this present moment really is?

Gassho
Eishuu
ST/LAH

[Getchi]

You know, some dead guy once wrote something. He wasn't dead just yet.

Before he died, people loved him. After He died, they still did.

THat man was Dogen, and now I(WE) benefit.


Instant Karma (1000 years later).



Same technique, different ingredients 10,000 Kalpa's over....





Gassho,
Geoff.

SatToday,
LaH.

[Shinshou]

I have often wondered if the original Buddha hadn't lived in India, would reincarnation be a foundational idea of Buddhism? I don't believe that Buddha, after his enlightenment (whatever that is), was suddenly omniscient or infallible. If the culture in which he developed had some other prevalent idea about what happens after death, would we be mulling over that instead of rebirth?

Shinshou (Dan)
Sat Today

[Eishuu]

I have often wondered if the original Buddha hadn't lived in India, would reincarnation be a foundational idea of Buddhism? I don't believe that Buddha, after his enlightenment (whatever that is), was suddenly omniscient or infallible. If the culture in which he developed had some other prevalent idea about what happens after death, would we be mulling over that instead of rebirth?

Shinshou (Dan)
Sat Today

Good point. I wonder that too.

Gassho
Eishuu
ST/LAH

[Amelia]

Shinshou and Eishuu, I also wonder about that. There are some similarities to Yoga as well.

Sat today, lah

[Jundo]

Hi Guys,

First, I just heard from Norman Fischer. He will be coming to lead a netcast Zazenkai here at Treeleaf for us in the coming weeks. Dates and details to be discussed.

I used to have a weekly confession practice with a friend, before I got into Zen. It was really useful. Is this not done in Soto Zen other than the Verse of Atonement? It was useful to identify specific breaches of precepts and confess them. It really kept us on our toes.

Our is abbreviated as our recitation of the Verse of Atonement during our weekly Zazenkai, and it is also fine to Practice daily ...

VERSE OF ATONEMENT:

All harmful acts, words and thoughts, ever committed by me since of old,

On account of beginningless greed, anger and ignorance,

Born of my body, mouth and mind,

Now I atone for them all

I find that all is there if one recites with sincerity, learning and atoning for the past, doing one's best for the future. I sometimes speak of "Atonement" and "At-One-Ment" ...

Human beings will make mistakes.

However, what we do with those mistakes ... whether we learn from them, seek not to repeat them, and repair the damage we have created ... makes all the difference in the world.

What's more ... we ARE Buddha too, right now and all along. Thus, even amid all our big and small mistakes ... there is no mistake, nor could there be.
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...ight=atonement

Many Zen Sangha undertake a monthly Ryaku Fusatsu confession ceremony, which is rather very much like our Jukai Ceremony in content. You can read about it here, in an essay by my friend Rev. Nonin. I feel that a sincere Verse of Atonement and (most importantly) the actions which follow say it all ....

Gassho, J STLah

============

What is Ryaku Fusatsu? - by Nonin Chowaney

At Nebraska Zen Center / Heartland Temple, we perform an ancient chanting and bowing ceremony called Ryaku Fusatsu (Jap.) once a month. We also refer to this ceremony as our Precept Ceremony, for in it we re-affirm our commitments to live according to the Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts, our Ethical Guidelines for everyday life. I'd like to explain what this ceremony is and how we perform it here.

Ryaku Fusatsu is indeed ancient. Its roots go back to Pre-Buddhist India, to ancient Vedic lunar sacrifices performed on the nights of the new and full moon. By Shakyamuni Buddha's time 2600 years ago, these sacrifices were no longer performed, but the new and full moon occurrences were still observed by Hindus as holy days of purification and fasting, days when the Gods came to dwell in the house. They became known as Upavastha(from the Sanskrit upa, near and vas, dwell).

Legend has it that Shakyamuni Buddha's followers also gathered on those days, perhaps because they didn't want to be left out. They would sit down and meditate together. Later, lay disciples – in whose homes the monks and nuns would sometimes gather – wanted some teaching, so the monks began to recite the 227 rules of the Patimokkha discipline, the rules governing everyday conduct for monks and nuns (257 for nuns). This recitation developed into a confession and repentance ceremony, during which the monks and nuns would speak up if they had violated any of the rules and vow to do better in the future.

This ceremony is still performed today, at the same time and in the ancient way, by Theravadin monks and is called Uposatha in the Pali language, a variation of the old Upavastha, the, "near-dwelling" of the Gods on the ancient Hindu holy days. In Mahayana Buddhism, the spirit of the ceremony is preserved, but the 227 rules are not recited, because Mahayana sects have abandoned them. Instead of the confession being made to other monks, it is made directly to Buddha.

The ceremony was transmitted, with lots of changes and developments, from India through China to Japan and now has been transmitted to America as Ryaku Fusatsu [略布薩], as it is known in Soto Zen Buddhism.

"Ryaku" means, "abbreviated," or "simple." This distinguishes the ceremony from a "full fusatsu," a complicated, elaborate event still performed in Japan once or twice a year in some large temples. It takes two to three hours to complete. The simple ceremony we do here takes about forty-five minutes. "Fusatsu" means, "to continue good practice," or, "to stop unwholesome action (karma)." The name conveys the spirit of repentance and confession present in the Theravadin Uposatha Ceremony. Ryaku Fusatsu today, as performed in Soto Zen temples, includes the reading/transmission of Buddha's precepts, lots of bowing, and some of the elaborate, beautiful chanting common to Soto Zen Buddhism in Japan but rarely heard in America.

The ceremony has a series of parts. It begins with an incense offering to all Buddhas throughout space and time. We then chant the Formless Repentance: "All my past and harmful karma, Born from beginningless greed hate and delusion, through body, speech, and mind, I now fully avow.” After our repentance, we invoke the presence of all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Ancestors and call up their wisdom and compassion by chanting the names of a series of representatives, Shakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, Manjusri Bodhisattva, Zen Master Dogen, and others. Then, we chant the Four Bodhisattva Vows: "Beings are numberless; I vow to free them, Delusions are inexhaustible; I vow to end them, Dharma gates are boundless; I vow to enter them, Buddha's way is unsurpassable; I vow to realize it."

After the Four Vows, the Ino (chanting leader) receives Wisdom Water from the Doshi (service leader) and purifies the room by sprinkling it around the perimeter. Then, the Doshi, acting as Preceptor, reads Zen Master Dogen's "Essay On Receiving and Conferring the Precepts." In the middle of this reading at Heartland Temple, we have instituted the practice of taking the Precepts together. The Doshi reads each precept and asks the sangha if they will “receive and maintain this precept.” The sangha replies, “Yes, I will” after each one. These are the Sixteen Bodhisattva Precepts we use during the ceremony:

THREE REFUGES

I take refuge in Buddha

I take refuge in Dharma

I take refuge in Sangha

THREE PURE PRECEPTS

A follower of the Way does no harm.

A follower of the Way does good.

A follower of the Way lives to benefit all beings


TEN PROHIBITORY PRECEPTS
I am reverential and mindful with all life; I am not violent; I do not willfully kill.

I respect the property of others; I do not steal.

I am conscious and loving in my relationships; I do not misuse sexuality.

I honor honesty and truth; I do not deceive.

I exercise proper care of my body/mind; I am not gluttonous; I do not abuse drugs

or encourage others to do so.

I recognize that words can hurt others; I do not slander.

I am humble; I do not praise myself or judge others.

I cultivate letting go; I do not attach to anything, even the teaching.

I cultivate inner peace; I do not harbor ill-will.

I esteem the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; I do not defame them.

We then take refuge in the Three Treasures by reciting the following:

I take refuge in Buddha.

May all beings

embody the great Way,

resolving to awaken.

I take refuge in Dharma.

May all beings

deeply enter the sutras,

wisdom like and ocean.

I take refuge in Sangha.

May all beings

support harmony in the community,

free from hindrance.

Ryaku Fusatsu ends with the Doshi reciting an Eko (merit transfer), which reads, “On this full moon night, we offer the merit of the Bodhisattva's way throughout every world system to the unconditioned nature of all being.” The Sangha then chants the closing verse, "All Buddhas, throughout space and time; all honored one, bodhisattvas, mahasattvas [great beings]; wisdom beyond wisdom, maha prajna paramita [great perfect wisdom].

Ryaku Fusatsu offers us an opportunity to acknowledge all past action (karma), to receive the precepts, and to rededicate ourselves to the practice of the Bodhisattva's Way. We perform this ceremony at Nebraska Zen Center / Heartland Temple every month, as close to the evening of the full moon as possible to conform to the ancient tradition.

[Eishuu]

Thanks Jundo. I like the wording of that ceremony.

Gassho
Eishuu
ST/LAH

[Meitou]

Thanks Jundo. I like the wording of that ceremony.

Gassho
Eishuu
ST/LAH

So do I. By coincidence I was reading about Fusatsu a couple of days ago but can't remember where (this is getting old!). I'm thinking it would be nice to adopt this as a full moon practice, thanks for the info Jundo.
Gassho
Meitou
Satwithyoualltoday lah

[Shinshou]

I also wonder if our modern aversion to rebirth (or even reincarnation) is based on materialism, an embracing of science at the expensive of direct experience, and the feeling that now we "know better." As stated before, I don't think Buddha was infallible, but the assumption these days seems to be that we now know what he didn't know. I find that line of logic a little strange, given that much of the beginner's motivation to practice is based on the feeling that he knew something that we don't know.

I asked one of my boys what he thinks happens after we die. Be believes in reincarnation. He's eleven years old. He's hoping that next time around, he's the dad and I'm his son. I'm not sure how to feel about that....

Shinshou (Dan)
Sat Today

[Washin]

Ryaku Fusatsu offers us an opportunity to acknowledge all past action (karma), to receive the precepts, and to rededicate ourselves to the practice of the Bodhisattva's Way.

Thank you, Jundo. I liked getting to know the details of this Ceremony.

Gassho
Washin
sat/lah

[Seishin]

Been meaning to comment for a few days but collecting my thoughts.

From a rebirth reincarnation stance I am very sceptical and keep an open mind. Personally I believe an offer or availability of an afterlife or rebirth be that within Buddhism or the heaven/hell of other religions, stems more from a mechanism to get the populace to live a good life and the threat of hell and damnation or paradise was a simple visual and verbal warning to the folk that lived 2000+ years ago. At the end of the day I just don't know and won't until this journey ends.

However, I certainly subscribed to the notion that Jundo frequently cites, in the we transcend the Six Realms constantly over our life time and frequently even in a 24 hour period. The impact of causation could not be more apparent and I guess our practice brings us back to the human realm. I'm sure folks will have their own examples but for me, I dropped into Hungry Ghost land yesterday evening, when stumbling on a couple of guitars, one a gorgeous Burgundy Gibson Les Paul the other a classic Telecaster. Not expensive but very desirous. After a few minutes looking at the specs and thinking Mmmmmmm maybe, I looked to my left to see my six (yes 6 !!!!) go to guitars and swiftly arrived back in the human realm. That's not to say these won't be future purchases, as they will be loved and cherished and when they do I'll be in the Heavenly Realm for a few short moments. But for the Hungry Ghosts have been put back in the box .................................... no doubt they'll make an appearance later today.

One question. I still have difficulty understanding/accepting is the Karmic energy or "life essence" that brings all our atomic and sub atomic particles together for if we are luck three score year and ten or more these days. The force that has always been there and always will be. It is kinda at odds with my being brought up with the purely biological "creation" of life. But here's the question ..........................

Do Buddhist see Ghosts and if they do what do they make of them and how do they explain them ?

Not long after moving into our French 1860 country house and this is something I've not shared with my wife, I was convinced there was a presence in our bedroom that appeared every few nights or so. It was always the same figure, always by the door but never threatening. I was also convinced I was wide awake but it could have been a persistent dream but did not seem so. Or it could have been too much wine but she appeared on days when I had not been drinking. All stopped after 3 or 4 weeks but this happened on around 10-12 nights. Now I am the biggest sceptic on this kinda of thing and if someone else had told me this I'd think it was BS but now .................. I DONT KNOW ...................

[Kyonin]

Hi Jundo,

I agree with Shingen here. I truly believe rebirth happens here and now and we don't have to wait to get another life in order to have another shot at doing things right. As you have said in the past: at this very moment I am not the same person that logged into Treeleaf a few years ago, and I am not the same "I" I was 10 minutes ago.

This is a super important breakthrough because it gives us responsibility of our actions and our own consequences.

Heaven, hell, nirvana... they are all happening right here in real time. It's up to us and how we lead our practice that we have a choice where to spend our days.

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH