[Zen Teachings in Challenging Times] - Introduction

[Jundo]

Dear All,

We begin reflection on this wonderful and practical collection of essays by Soto Priests, all who happen to be women, on living in "challenging times." The advice is useful, wise, compassionate, timeless, down-to-earth and (even though things change rapidly, and much has happened since its publication in 2018) fits our world today.

About half and more of the authors have said that they will come here for live talks with us when their chapter is up for discussion. I am hoping to tempt more (a couple, sadly, are not in the best of health right now, so we will devote our reading, and offer Metta to them, for their health and comfort.)

I plan to take it real, real slow, however, so it will take about a whole year to read all the chapters, with between one and three weeks devoted to each essay (we Zen folks need not rush.) Feel free to read ahead, but we will not be hurrying, and I hope you join in again at our snail's pace. Also, note that we likely will take some chapters out of order so that we may fit in with the busy schedules of some of these busy busy Zen teachers.

Our first reading is the Introduction, focusing on the life of Dogen as an example of survival in challenging times. The author is the Rev. Dai-En Bennage, a great friend of Treeleaf, someone who trained in Japan for many years, and has been a wonderful mentor to many in the west. Unfortunately, Dai-En is not in the best of health, has needed to curtail most of her priestly activities because of her age and physical condition, and thus is not able to visit us. However, I am sending word to her that we are reading her essay, and I hope that perhaps we can get some message from her.

In reading this essay, do you think that Master Dogen can be an example for us, 800 years later? His world was very different from our own, and in many ways even harder than our modern lives with relative comforts, medicine and technologies. On the other hand, we face challenges and problems that Dogen could never have imagined. In such light, does Dogen's story truly remain relevant? What do you think?

I particularly appreciated one paragraph of the essay, the one that begins "There can be suffering from not having certain things." It almost makes it sound as if we need down to have up. Do we need some suffering in our life to truly have a life worth living?

Unfortunately, the book is only available in paper cover. If there is someone unable to access the book due to location or funding, please let me know. I will try to arrange something for you.

Gassho, Jundo

satTodayLAH


tsuku.jpg

[aprapti]

i am very glad we start now. I did not read this book yet, so i am curious, but i am going to try not to read ahead


aprapti


sat

[Onkai]

I think Dogen can still be a role model and a source of reliable teachings. Dukka is still dukka, and the way out of dukka is to end greed, hatred and ignorance. There are still the ideals of truth and practice competing with cravings for riches and fame. I think the main difference is how quickly we can communicate. There is less time to contemplate between communications. We are also fortunate for advances in medicine and comforts such as heating and air conditioning, which can either enhance practice or make practice seem less urgent. For me, discomfort can easily lead to distraction. On the other hand, facing discomfort is itself practice.

The Introduction was uplifting and thoughtful. I look forward to the rest of this book.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat lah

[Spiritdove]

This poem by Hal Sirowitz

The Benefits of Ignorance

If ignorance is bliss, Father said,
shouldn't you be looking blissful?
You should check to see if you have
the right kind of ignorance. If you're
not getting the benefits that most people
get from acting stupid, then you should
go back to what you always were—
being too smart for your own good.

Marj "Spiritdove"
Sat2day

[Veronica]

The introduction about Dogen's life story was very interesting and inspiring. In particular: The loss of his parents when he was so young and the loss of his friend in China (It seems in history that great leaders are born out of great losses.) His natural intelligence and curiosity. His persistence on trying to find a Zen "way" that made sense to him, rather than to simply follow those around him. His wisdom to learn from his experiences. What a guy.
A great start to the book!
Veronica
stlah

[Spiritdove]

How smart is someone who cuts off his eyelids to seek enlightenment ? I wonder did he do that before he got learned better? Or is that a myth?
Marj "Spiritdove"
Sat2day

[Jundo]

How smart is someone who cuts off his eyelids to seek enlightenment ? I wonder did he do that before he got learned better? Or is that a myth?
Marj "Spiritdove"
Sat2day

It is a myth. You are referring to the legend of Bodhidharma who sat so long, and wished to stay so alert, that his he cut his eyelids off (or they dropped off) and his legs withered away. That myth became the source of the Japanese "Daruma Doll" which is a symbol of determination and vows coming true.

As you might tell, the meaning has been changed a bit as the Daruma Doll entered popular culture ...

https://youtu.be/dCn4a84Y5QA

Gassho, J

stlah

[aprapti]

I particularly appreciated one paragraph of the essay, the one that begins "There can be suffering from not having certain things."

yes, that's a great statement. Suffering from not have a robe, but suffering of to many robes as well. It reminds me of the story fro Buddha and the farmer looking for his cows..


aprapti


sat

[Houzan]

I think Dogen’s story is still relevant and inspiring. Yes, life is in one way easier now than before, but suffering is still very much a fact of life. It just takes on different forms.

The question on whether we need suffering is tricky. We already have suffering. I guess feeling that we need suffering is accepting and welcoming suffering. And this is to welcome transformation.

Look forward to the next chapter

, Michael
Sat lah

[Koushi]

In reading this essay, do you think that Master Dogen can be an example for us, 800 years later? His world was very different from our own, and in many ways even harder than our modern lives with relative comforts, medicine and technologies. On the other hand, we face challenges and problems that Dogen could never have imagined. In such light, does Dogen's story truly remain relevant?

Reading your question, I asked myself in turn, "Do you think that we would be an example for Dogen, 800 years before? Our world is very different from his, and in many ways even harder than his, with globalization and unrest, ease of mass-communication, the possibility of world destruction at the push of a button. On the other hand, he faced challenges and problems that most of us can't imagine. In such light, does our story truly remain relevant?"

The answer to both, for me, is a resounding "Yes." Although times, conditions, technology may change (drastically)—what doesn't change is life's want to be life. In all its ups and downs, turmoil and joy, failures and successes... and the all-compassing "beyond" all of that, out there. The story of Dogen is just as relevant today as it was 800 years ago—just as our present story will be relevant 800 years from now.

I particularly appreciated one paragraph of the essay, the one that begins "There can be suffering from not having certain things." It almost makes it sound as if we need down to have up. Do we need some suffering in our life to truly have a life worth living?

Perhaps the better question would be, "How do we acknowledge and practice with suffering to live a life worth living?" "Suffering," like anxiety, death, the cold decline of the universe, is reality. It's unpleasant, but universal. Someone who has all the material in the world could be suffering spiritually (Matthew 19:24 comes to mind), someone who is spiritually inclined could be suffering emotionally.

But there's progress, teaching, and learning in suffering, and through our practice we can see that there's something that goes beyond it all, too.

Grateful and looking forward to continue this book (and hear from the kind teachers who said they'd visit!)

Gassho,
Koushi
STLaH

[Naiko]

Thank you for introducing this book, Jundo. I do think Dogen's story is still relevant. The challenges may look different, but suffering is suffering. What I take from his story is his profound dedication, even at such a young age. He was willing to step off into the unknown and travel far to get his answers. I sometimes wonder if we moderns almost have too easy access to teachings. We pick them up and discard them with ease. Perhaps more struggle would make us value them more. I am thinking of the tangaryo initiation that you wrote about recently. (That said, I am super grateful to that Treeleaf and the many dharma books exist).

Do we need suffering? Well, we can't avoid it, unfortunately. I'd say we need struggle, effort, trials, etc., to grow our resilience and resolve. Hopefully, not so much suffering that we break. I believe the losses and difficulties in my life have made me more attuned to the suffering of others. At least I hope so.
Gassho,
Naiko,
st lah

Edited to say I don’t intend to equate suffering with hard work. I think there is a suffering of having too much, too easily.

[Nengei]

800 years, it's not so long! Dogen Zenji lived with loss, others' attempts to control his life, colleagues' ridicule and eye-rolling, and the need for people to hear the Dharma. In a constantly changing universe, these human sufferings seem to remain free from change for a long time. Dogen Zenji's story remains relevant because the more we know of it, the more each of us can identify with it. And we can apply his excellent teachings to our own lives.

Dai-en Roshi described receiving a shikishi reading Kishin, Busshin, stating that because we have one, we have the other. This is not a concept I have seen represented in Zen before, though I am familiar with it from Judaism and other traditions. I'm struggling a little to receive that teaching in the context of loss is gain and gain is loss; they don't seem related to me. But I get what she is talking about.

Gassho,
Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

Please forgive any indication that I am trying to teach anything. I am a priest in training with no qualifications or credentials to teach Zen practice or the Dharma.

[paulashby]

To add a western context- 800 years ago was the central character of St. Francis who is
a model of relevance in peace work, compassion for the poor, social change, animal rights
and the global interfaith dialogues held in Assisi. Wisdom and compassion are never outdated.
This very book of wonderful Soto teachers who are women of insight, awareness and Dogen's
way reveal the beautiful way dharma is transcending gender prejudices of the past. Even if two
of them are a bit too obsessed with the 2016 election of Trump. Dogen's wisdom shines through
this book and a series of collections of women in zen over the past decade.
When I notice the impact of shattered attention spans and younger children asking for smart phones
at age 5 for their birthday, it will erode human skills needed to simply sit, be present, and have any
level of awareness. The book I Gen notes this trend. Dogen and zazen will be more relevant
than ever.

Gassho, peace, Paul Ashby sat lah

[Kiri]

In reading this essay, do you think that Master Dogen can be an example for us, 800 years later? His world was very different from our own, and in many ways even harder than our modern lives with relative comforts, medicine and technologies. On the other hand, we face challenges and problems that Dogen could never have imagined. In such light, does Dogen's story truly remain relevant? What do you think?

Dogen probably doesn't have much to say about climate change or space exploration. It seems like his world was vastly different from our modern societies. And yet, I feel his life can be an example for all of us too. We all have to face the lose of loved people at some point. We all have to face new and scary situations that seem hopeless. We all have the same burning questions, "what is this all about?", "what should I do with my life?". Even if he can't provide direct solutions and answers to all our problems and challenges, the way he chose to live his life is definitely a great model for us and for generations to come.

Gassho, Kiri
Sat/Lah

[Kokuu]

When I notice the impact of shattered attention spans and younger children asking for smart phones at age 5 for their birthday, it will erode human skills needed to simply sit, be present, and have any level of awareness.

I am not so sure and people said the same about televisions. I have seen smartphones be both a distraction and connection.

My daughter (17) was brought up in the age of smartphones and she uses hers for a bit and then sits down and reads a book. As with tv, dvds and computer gaming, there are clearly dangers in overuse but I think that young people are smart and many are learning how they can make technology work for them rather than the other way around.

Admittedly, five seems a little young and maybe parents can wait. My kids all got one when entering senior school at 11 and part of that was so that they could call if they missed the bus or something happened.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-