Attachment to zazen?

[Tom0206]

Greetings All.

Forgive my daft question but can one become attached to zazen?
I feel zazen has enriched my life in many subtle ways - I’m calmer and less impulsive, for two examples.
But having just sat, it occurred that I’m quite protective about ‘zazen time’. Possibly for the benefits / perceived results but also the sense of’ahhh’ sometimes felt during a sit when the mind chatter quits. Whilst I think I’ve understood zazen and Shikantanza to be sitting with whatever arises and allowing it to be, and On reflection the attachment question hasn’t arisen during zazen... perhaps I’m just over analysing after the sitting? Anyone had something similar?

Gassho
Tom
Sat today

[Mp]

Hello Tom,

Yes of course one can become attached to zazen. Like anything in life, if one is not aware of how one reacts to such things, it can become a problem. As you may already know, in zazen we sit with and allow all conditions of life to arise and fall away. Sometimes when we sit there is banging from the kids in the kitchen, noising cars from the traffic outside, chirping from the birds in the tress, or sometimes none of the above and just filled with silence. Also, there are times where we may set aside 30mins to sit, but only get 5mins due to life and the demands it has. Regardless of what arises, just be present and accepting, this is good zazen. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Tom0206]

Thank you for your response Shingen.
It’s the ‘just be present and accepting’ that sounds simple enough and where I thought I was improving. But I think I want silence and peace when sitting which bothers me as I thought I had passed that stage(?). I understand, certainly at some level that practice is just being with what is at that time and not a checklist of states to attain but at another level I’m sittting towards attaining something. Hmm.
Gassho.

[Jishin]

Hi Tom,

Attachments are unavoidable. [emoji106]

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Mp]

But I think I want silence and peace when sitting which bothers me as I thought I had passed that stage(?). I understand, certainly at some level that practice is just being with what is at that time and not a checklist of states to attain but at another level I’m sittting towards attaining something. Hmm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHNyCAJXUXE

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Ishin]

Hello

Have you seen the instructional video of Jundo sitting zazen on a busy city street? It occurs to me that if you are sitting to attain peace then you are not JUST sitting.

That's all I have to say, other than peace

Gassho
Ishin
Sat today/ lah

[Jishin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHNyCAJXUXE

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

Nice Shingen.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Michael Joseph]

Thank you for your response Shingen.
It’s the ‘just be present and accepting’ that sounds simple enough and where I thought I was improving. But I think I want silence and peace when sitting which bothers me as I thought I had passed that stage(?). I understand, certainly at some level that practice is just being with what is at that time and not a checklist of states to attain but at another level I’m sittting towards attaining something. Hmm.
Gassho.

Hey Tom,

If I had to wait for silence in my house, I'd rarely sit, especially in the morning: cats demanding to enter my "zendo," wife showering, wife singing to cats, school buses picking up kids. But when I sit, in all this, there is peace.

Gassho,

Michael

STLAH

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Tairin]

Well put Michael. All of Life is Our Temple.


Tairin
Sat today

[Tom0206]

Thank you all.

The sitting routine changed from morning to evening. Morning was quiet and so less distractions.
Then changed to evening, straight after I’d put the kids to bed. They have a chat and a sing- song, I’d sit and stew!
Sat last night, after reading your responses and the video. The kids sang and chatted. It was just singing and chatting and sitting. It was.
Gassho.
Tom
S/T

[Jishin]

Hi,

A family physician friend of mine once remarked that kids screaming and being loud was music to his ears. He is a scream fixer. [emoji2]

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[Jundo]

What Shingen (and Suzuki Roshi) so beautifully said about sitting with all conditions of life. Yes.

As well, I think that it is impossible to be attached to Zazen or, from another angle, Zazen is the Attachment of all Attachments.

First, for all the people and things in life we love and cherish, I feel that it is good to embrace, be dedicated to, savor when present ... but do not cling to the point of being a prisoner or strangling them. Be present and attentive with them when present, yet willing to let them go when they must go. Life is changing on and on, so one must be willing to allow this moment, and then allow the next without demanding that life freeze. So, please be dedicated to Zazen, committed to Zazen and diligent in Zazen each day when it is the time for Zazen. Then, when the bell rings, get up and get on to the next moment of life.

On our practice, there is the famous example of the lute strings, not too loose nor too tight. If the strings are either way, then no good sound will arise. Be the same in your practice, neither too tight nor too loose. On the other hand, like learning to play the lute ... if you do not stick with it, practice, be diligent and dedicate, and love the music ... you will never play well.

Next, Zazen is not two. It is one beyond one. Zazen is the whole universe sitting you as sitting, only sitting sitting sitting. There is no other place to be, there is no other action, there is no "you" or "Zazen" when sitting. There is only you you youing Zazen Zazen Zazening Buddha Buddha Buddhaing. (Even if you do not realize so, we trust that it is so). As such, "who" is there to be attached, and "what" is there to be attached to, for one need two to tangle. Check here for further details ...

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?16360-Buddhism-Plain-and-Simple&p=226673&viewfull=1#post226673

Thus, one might say that Zazen is sitting as the Ultimate Attachment, or that there are no "two" to be attached and never were from the start.

Very simple.

Gassho, Jundo

SatTodayLAH

[Ishin]

Thank you all.

The sitting routine changed from morning to evening. Morning was quiet and so less distractions.
Then changed to evening, straight after I’d put the kids to bed. They have a chat and a sing- song, I’d sit and stew!
Sat last night, after reading your responses and the video. The kids sang and chatted. It was just singing and chatting and sitting. It was.
Gassho.
Tom
S/T

Gassho
Ishin
Sat Today/ lah

[Rosui]

Do like a rohatsu sesshin. After like three days in if your back gets sore from hokkai join don't surprised if thoughts like 'did the jikido fall asleep standing or something' (actually did happen once. never seen someone actually sleep standing before) or 'Jeez my legs hurt. Dont know how much longer I can take this' happen. I may have even hated zazen a few times. Really that's the most important time to stick to it I think. Hope you can keep that passion for zazen.


Gassho

Rosui

st

[Jundo]

Do like a rohatsu sesshin. After like three days in if your back gets sore from hokkai join don't surprised if thoughts like 'did the jikido fall asleep standing or something' (actually did happen once. never seen someone actually sleep standing before) or 'Jeez my legs hurt. Dont know how much longer I can take this' happen. I may have even hated zazen a few times. Really that's the most important time to stick to it I think. Hope you can keep that passion for zazen.


Gassho

Rosui

st

I need to translate Roshui's post into English.

Rohatsu Sesshin is the usually 8 day retreat in December to commemorate the Buddha's enlightenment. We have an abbreviated, 2 day netcast version here at Treeleaf each December.

Hokkai Join is the mudra (the way we hold the hands) in the oval during Zazen, sometimes called the Cosmic Mudra or Meditation Mudra.



(By the way, don't sit in jeans pants like the photo. They constrict the legs).

The Jikido in Japan is a fellow who walks around with the Kyosaku stick and slaps folks on the shoulders who are sleeping or sagging. We do not employ the Kyosaku at Treeleaf or among most of Nishijima Roshi's students.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MY49oHRoYk

Deshimaru Roshi, apparently, really packed a wallop!

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH