Greetings friends!
I gave a brief introduction about my background, you can find here. I am still getting familiar with all the great content each of you have offered this community, and it seems I have much to learn about this culture. The reason I am posting this topic in the Zen Practice section is that this is my only Zen practice.
When I was 4 my mother asked my older brother what his earliest memory was. She couldn't recall being his age, and he couldn't recall being mine. This inspired me to remember, though at the time I had no words to describe it. Over the years I collected words to describe it, but they always failed to articulate it fairly. At best there is pointing, as such I composed this poem and offer it to the community:
White lotus
Weaving spider can't enter here.
Nothing's said so you can hear.
Weaving spider can't enter here.
Return to you with all your fear.
On the pond of clear reflection.
Beyond the void without detection.
Sits a flower of pure perfection.
Blossoms found every direction.
In the mirror made of mind.
There's no forward or behind.
The only peace there you'll find.
Is it's all made of pure mind.
On the mirror of bright reflection.
There's nothing more than connection.
Nothing to gain in any direction.
Nothing to lose is pure perfection.
In the mirror made of mind.
There's no forward or behind.
The only peace there you'll find.
Is it's all made of pure mind.
I have studied the Zen record for a number of years now. Much of that study is about observing how various masters would meet their students where they were at in life. The causes and conditions that brought the student to the master in the first place. Then utilizing an assortment of expedient means or turning phrases to encourage the student to turn the light of their awareness around, and observe the mind.
One stark contrast between the Chinese Zen record and what I have observed so far about Soto Zen, is that the Chinese masters utilized no fixed form, and Soto Zen utilizes fixed form. I do not find this to be a contradiction however, as no fixed form does not exclude fixed forms. Based on my limited knowledge about Soto history, there are some honest facts to consider about Dogen's Zen school. One important observation is that Dogen spent only a few years in China, didn't know Chinese, and had very little exposure to a tradition that had existed for hundreds of years prior to his visit.
As a matter of conditions I would expect that Dogen would return to Japan with a teaching reflective of those conditions. For example, based on his view point it appeared to him that Zazen was the main practice of Zen throughout the many schools, though he does acknowledge many means existed. The means he brought back were based on his experiences and that is fair.
However, due to access to the extensive Zen record we can now know more about the landscape Dogen navigated, and learn more about the Zen that has been passed down to today. In China there were a number of different schools existing at different time periods. One function of each school was to get to know the students on a personal level, then determine whether or not that school's means were suitable for the student's conditions, and if it wasn't a match, they would send them to another school. Sometimes this went back and forth, sometimes it was a good fit, and other times it was ineffective.
Based on the little I know, it seems that dynamic still plays a role today in the evolution of Dogen's Zen school. Different schools, even within Soto, have their own sort of style. Some rigid and extremely formal, others more laid back and personable. I am here to learn about this school's means and how it's being applied.
It seems to me in this sense Zazen is a means to remember what might be called the spirit of enlightenment as Vimalakirti put it. A sort of practice of observing the absolute in a consistent and sustained way. Not merely peering into buddha-nature for a momentary taste of Prajñā, but a continued experiential engagement with Prajñā directly. The emphasis of bringing it off the cushion cannot be overstated, and the continued experiential engagement cannot be exhausted.
While I deeply value learning through studying the textual and video teachings, I consider community interaction to be equally rewarding. With that being said, I want to pause here and get some feedback from the community. No doubt that what I've offered here is my great ignorance about these matters, so I welcome any corrections, insight, or feedback any of you have to offer me. Hopefully through that feedback we can explore these matters more deeply together!
Much love everyone!
Update: SatTodayLAH
Salem
I gave a brief introduction about my background, you can find here. I am still getting familiar with all the great content each of you have offered this community, and it seems I have much to learn about this culture. The reason I am posting this topic in the Zen Practice section is that this is my only Zen practice.
When I was 4 my mother asked my older brother what his earliest memory was. She couldn't recall being his age, and he couldn't recall being mine. This inspired me to remember, though at the time I had no words to describe it. Over the years I collected words to describe it, but they always failed to articulate it fairly. At best there is pointing, as such I composed this poem and offer it to the community:
White lotus
Weaving spider can't enter here.
Nothing's said so you can hear.
Weaving spider can't enter here.
Return to you with all your fear.
On the pond of clear reflection.
Beyond the void without detection.
Sits a flower of pure perfection.
Blossoms found every direction.
In the mirror made of mind.
There's no forward or behind.
The only peace there you'll find.
Is it's all made of pure mind.
On the mirror of bright reflection.
There's nothing more than connection.
Nothing to gain in any direction.
Nothing to lose is pure perfection.
In the mirror made of mind.
There's no forward or behind.
The only peace there you'll find.
Is it's all made of pure mind.
I have studied the Zen record for a number of years now. Much of that study is about observing how various masters would meet their students where they were at in life. The causes and conditions that brought the student to the master in the first place. Then utilizing an assortment of expedient means or turning phrases to encourage the student to turn the light of their awareness around, and observe the mind.
One stark contrast between the Chinese Zen record and what I have observed so far about Soto Zen, is that the Chinese masters utilized no fixed form, and Soto Zen utilizes fixed form. I do not find this to be a contradiction however, as no fixed form does not exclude fixed forms. Based on my limited knowledge about Soto history, there are some honest facts to consider about Dogen's Zen school. One important observation is that Dogen spent only a few years in China, didn't know Chinese, and had very little exposure to a tradition that had existed for hundreds of years prior to his visit.
As a matter of conditions I would expect that Dogen would return to Japan with a teaching reflective of those conditions. For example, based on his view point it appeared to him that Zazen was the main practice of Zen throughout the many schools, though he does acknowledge many means existed. The means he brought back were based on his experiences and that is fair.
However, due to access to the extensive Zen record we can now know more about the landscape Dogen navigated, and learn more about the Zen that has been passed down to today. In China there were a number of different schools existing at different time periods. One function of each school was to get to know the students on a personal level, then determine whether or not that school's means were suitable for the student's conditions, and if it wasn't a match, they would send them to another school. Sometimes this went back and forth, sometimes it was a good fit, and other times it was ineffective.
Based on the little I know, it seems that dynamic still plays a role today in the evolution of Dogen's Zen school. Different schools, even within Soto, have their own sort of style. Some rigid and extremely formal, others more laid back and personable. I am here to learn about this school's means and how it's being applied.
It seems to me in this sense Zazen is a means to remember what might be called the spirit of enlightenment as Vimalakirti put it. A sort of practice of observing the absolute in a consistent and sustained way. Not merely peering into buddha-nature for a momentary taste of Prajñā, but a continued experiential engagement with Prajñā directly. The emphasis of bringing it off the cushion cannot be overstated, and the continued experiential engagement cannot be exhausted.
While I deeply value learning through studying the textual and video teachings, I consider community interaction to be equally rewarding. With that being said, I want to pause here and get some feedback from the community. No doubt that what I've offered here is my great ignorance about these matters, so I welcome any corrections, insight, or feedback any of you have to offer me. Hopefully through that feedback we can explore these matters more deeply together!
Much love everyone!
Update: SatTodayLAH
Salem
Would that be fair to say? 
Comment