Yes...you are right...it was no "little question" at all, in the end...but you see..."big" and "little" are just a concept...and a very relative one at that! 
Lol
Gassho.
Lol
Gassho.
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法 金
(Dharma)(Metal)
Wisdom Is Compassion & Compassion Is Wisdom.
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Ah, you are fortunate to have the best Zendo!
Recall that the true "Silent Room" is in one's heart and between one's ears, not outside them. This is for you ...
- Zazen for Beginners (21) - The True 'Quiet Room' (LINK)
You can run to a new house, but where can you run? Stay where one is, and know one's True Home.
Gassho, J
STLahALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLEComment
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Wow Jundo.Ah, you are fortunate to have the best Zendo!
Recall that the true "Silent Room" is in one's heart and between one's ears, not outside them. This is for you ...
- Zazen for Beginners (21) - The True 'Quiet Room' (LINK)
You can run to a new house, but where can you run? Stay where one is, and know one's True Home.
Gassho, J
STLah
Thank you very much!
I can't tell you how much I needed to hear exactly that!
There was already something deep within me suggesting that THAT was the right answer...but as I said...I needed some feedback...It kinda helps me disperse those doubts I nurtured at times...
Thank you, Jundo.
Now I will of course appreciate evermore my True Home.
So...Back to the Zafu!
GASSHO.
Arya.
ST&LAH.法 金
(Dharma)(Metal)
Wisdom Is Compassion & Compassion Is Wisdom.Comment
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Oh...and that link you suggested I watch...that'll be my "Dharma talk" tonight, before Zazen!
Thank you again, GASSHO法 金
(Dharma)(Metal)
Wisdom Is Compassion & Compassion Is Wisdom.Comment
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Thank you Jundo!
You are quite the "Realtor" at pointing out our TRUE HOME
Gassho
Koki
SattodayComment
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Hello
I have some questions about video 20 - what can it actually mean to save another sentient being?
How can anyone "save" anyone else?
Aren't we "saved" when we sit?
So if someone refuses to sit?.....
As I understand it in Mahayana the Bodhisatva vow is usually some form of "May I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings".
Is it the same/similar in this tradition?
If so, I save other sentient beings by attaining my own buddhahood? (Hhmmm truly talking in two directions at the same time - I am slowly starting to pick this zen thing up!)
Also, how is compassion defined in this tradition?
If I want to be "compassionate" then knowing what constitutes that is kind of important!
Previously, I heard from a teacher (different tradition) who defined compassion as seeing the source of a persons suffering; so, a compassionate act is always one that diminishes suffering; this means to assist a suffering person to see their cause of suffering as a result of being in conflict (somewhere along the line) with, or denial of, the four noble truths - the remedy being the Noble Eightfold Path (a self-referential feedback loop for the four noble truths). Is it the same in zen or am I looking for some emotional content based around "heart"?
(I am compassionate in daily life - ask all my rescue dogs! - and I put the flies outside too)
Thanks
Gassho
ScottComment
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Hi Scott,
First, may I ask you to change your photo from a dog to a human face? Although a dog has Buddha Nature, and although we love dogs, there is something about a human face that let's us look each other in the eyes and be a bit warmer here. Thank you.
Next, on saving sentient beings ... although, truly there were never any sentient beings from the first in need of saving ... I usually tell folks this:
It is not merely a matter of compelling others to sit Zazen (I don't know that it would be legal!), nor even something that we can even accomplish. However, the above also tells us that, while we keep working, there was never anything to "accomplish" from the start. Thus our crazy-wise Bodhisattva Vows which many of us recite say this ...This wise-crazy [Mahayana] Way is to realize, and allow other sentient beings to realize, that there have never been (ultimately) any sentient beings from the start, and thus (in the Wholeness which is "Emptiness") no conflict or lack from the start in need of repairing and rescuing! In the Wholeness which is emptiness, there is no lack in need of filling. Allowing sentient being to experience so in this world of separate beings who conflict and lack is how we rescue-non-rescue these beings-non-beings.
However, so long as they/we are alive ("birth and death", by the way, are also ultimately only one way to view things), the sentient beings still need to live in this complicated, sometimes beautiful and sometimes ugly world, so another way to rescue sentient beings is to help them master how to live in the interplay of these two ways of viewing ... lack and no lack, fear and nothing originally to fear, conflicts and no individuals to conflict, death but no death etc. It's tricky!
Finally, in modern times, many Buddhists have become a bit more focused on "rescuing sentient beings" by material actions in this world, e.g., feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, etc. It was not that Buddhists would not have liked to do such in the past (and there were many ancient Buddhists who did good charitable work like that in the past), but it was much harder in the medieval, agricultural, traditional, class bound kingdoms and empires of old Asia. So, a lot of Buddhists took the attitude that this world was just hopeless, best to "get out of Dodge," either by escaping rebirth completely or just building a wall and shutting the monastery gates. Now, today, in modern societies, "engaged" Buddhist efforts to make an impact on the problems of society such as hunger, war and poverty are possible for the first time, so many Buddhists (Treeleaf folks among them) are more socially involved.
Many ways to rescue even if ... ultimately ... nobody in need of rescue. Even if there are no hungry mouths to feed "ultimately" ... there are hungry mouths to feed in this world, so let's feed them!
To save all sentient beings, though beings numberless
To transform all delusions, though delusions inexhaustible
To perceive Reality, though Reality is boundless
To attain the Enlightened Way, a Way non-attainable
As to Compassion, it is really all of the above too, and has many facets. First, reality is already "Compassionate" because there is not suffering from the startless start. Yet, sentient beings in their broken vision of the world do not realize this, so we are Compassionate when we seek to get suffering sentient beings to realize this Wholeness of Emptiness. We are also Compassionate when we reach out to aid people in their earthly needs and pains. Alas, it is an endless road, yet we have never but arrived!
Does that make any sense?
Gassho, Jundo
STLahALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLEComment
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<gassho>
Klb
Sat todayComment
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Thanks, I will check out the links and try to upload another photo.
Gassho
ScottComment
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Hello Jundo
Profile pic:-
I just went to my profile page and the second photo I tried to upload is there - is that one ok, or would you prefer a different one without the dog and shades? Please let me know if I need to change it or not.
avatar image:-
I assume I still need to upload a 80x80 pixel photo? Am not sure how to find something so small (I'm a Luddite by choice which can be a problem when you actually need to use the machine!) - I will work on that later today.
Gassho
ScottComment
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Hi Scott,
I love dogs (honestly, well, I am more of a cat fellow although dogs are great too!), but would prefer a human face. It helps keep things warm and human (not furry) around here. Thank you.
Instructions are here ...
Gassho, Jundo
STLahALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLEComment
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Could you please look at posts at end of Precepts on anger? I have I think been angry about weather or not Shikantaza was going well, but today somewhat sad’ I followed directions for Zazen as best I can and used insight timer. Time felt like nothing and when I finished at about 17 min 40 sec I felt nothing at first then calm.
Tai Shi
sat
Gassho
Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkPeaceful, Tai Shi. Ubasoku; calm, supportive, for positive poetry 優婆塞 台 婆Comment
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One should sit in equanimity and patience, accepting even days when it is sunny or when it rains, when Zazen feels "right and calm" or feels "off" somehow. Then, if sitting with such equanimity and patience, Zazen is always right and there is nothing to be angry about.Could you please look at posts at end of Precepts on anger? I have I think been angry about weather or not Shikantaza was going well, but today somewhat sad’ I followed directions for Zazen as best I can and used insight timer. Time felt like nothing and when I finished at about 17 min 40 sec I felt nothing at first then calm.
Tai Shi
sat
Gassho
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Gassho, Jundo
STLahALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLEComment
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True beginners mind here.
History:
I have been sitting zazen twice a day for 30 minutes each session. I've been doing this for the last 14 days. I've also read "Beginners Mind" by Suzuki, "Why Buddhism is true" by Wright, "What is Zen" by Fisher and Moon, "The Circle of the Way" by O'Brian, and now reading "Taking the Path of Zen" by Aitken.
Question:
When I sit, the "clouds" that come into my mind are zen sayings and zen focused thoughts instead of being emotions or other issues in my life. Should I quit reading about zen until I asorb what's bouncing around and the zen clouds quite down?
Gassho, DrewComment
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