Samadhi power

[Kyousui]

Domo Burk writes in

https://brightwayzen.org/samadhi-power-karma-relationship-1/

The terms “samadhi power” and “karma relationship” are ways my Dharma grandmother, Roshi Jiyu Kennett,[i] described the two sides of Buddhist practice. I’m not sure whether she more or less made them up, or whether they have their origin in Japanese terms.

Anybody here at treeleaf know?

sat/lah

[Jundo]

Domo Burk writes in

https://brightwayzen.org/samadhi-power-karma-relationship-1/

The terms “samadhi power” and “karma relationship” are ways my Dharma grandmother, Roshi Jiyu Kennett,[i] described the two sides of Buddhist practice. I’m not sure whether she more or less made them up, or whether they have their origin in Japanese terms.

Anybody here at treeleaf know?

sat/lah

Hi,

Jiyu Kennett Roshi had her own unique ways of expressing things sometimes. I have never heard it put just like this. However, I do not find anything unorthodox about it at all.

"Samadhi Power" in Master Dogen's Way is not an intense concentration (although it happens sometimes), but Just Sitting in which we realize that interindentity of Wholeness and our separate individuality in this world of apparently separate things. It is what we are discussing this week in our "No Words" Bookclub looking at Okumura Roshi's presentation of the Sandokai. Look here for more fingers and hand ...

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?16191-LIVING-by-VOW-Sandokai-pp-205-231

And if "Karma Relationship" means just realizing that our actions have consequences, and seeking to live in as gentle and beneficial ways as we can (all questions of rebirth aside) ... that is what we Practice in our Sangha too each day.

In much of Buddhism, "samadhi" refers to attaining deep concentration states in one's meditation. Dogen felt that the true Samadhi is not a matter of needing to pursue deep concentration states that take us away from the "Wholeness" found right here, in the act of sitting without need for such. This "Zen samadhi" as defined by Dogen is the "Just Sitting" of Shikantaza free of any need to run from or toward any states ... which "no need to run or place in need of fleeing" is, itself, a marvelous state of Wholeness!

"Karma" just means "action," but generally refers to the traditional belief system that good actions will have good effects, bad actions will result in bad effects, including good and bad rebirths after death (including in various heavens or hells, as animals or humans etc.). That is a traditional belief, but many modernists like me (and apparently Domyo) tend to focus on this life, and our actions and their effects here on oneself and others (who are not two, by the way). We leave any future lives aside, and are rather agnostic on the whole thing.


Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLAH

[Jakuden]

Thank you Jundo [emoji120]
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH


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[Mp]

.
Dogen felt that the true Samadhi is not a matter of needing to pursue deep concentration states that take us away from the "Wholeness" found right here, in the act of sitting without need for such. This "Zen samadhi" as defined by Dogen is the "Just Sitting" of Shikantaza free of any need to run from or toward any states ... which "no need to run or place in need of fleeing" is, itself, a marvelous state of Wholeness!

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Washin]

In much of Buddhism, "samadhi" refers to attaining deep concentration states in one's meditation. Dogen felt that the true Samadhi is not a matter of needing to pursue deep concentration states that take us away from the "Wholeness" found right here, in the act of sitting without need for such. This "Zen samadhi" as defined by Dogen is the "Just Sitting" of Shikantaza free of any need to run from or toward any states ... which "no need to run or place in need of fleeing" is, itself, a marvelous state of Wholeness!

Thank you, Jundo

Washin
just sat

[Kyonin]

Thank you Jundo.

Gassho,

Kyonin

[Rendulic]

Thank you Jundo; I very much appreciate your parenthetical (all questions of rebirth aside) with so many of these posts! Buddhism has had different types of scrutiny applied to it than Christianity and does not seem to have had the same pressures to conform to modern thought -- until the past century. Alfred North Whitehead had several interesting concepts towards limiting eternity by positing that only the present exists -- there is memory of the past and wise synthesis of the future, but not concrete existence. This helped progressive Christianity get past the need for an afterlife to demonstrate "justice." Instead, the potentialities all exist right now, as we are and where we stand. No need for future lives (but I bear no ill will against those who believe in them).

Gassho, Rendulic
SatToday LAH