Bro. Brad Warner's comments on Online Zazen ... and my response ...

[Meian]

Saw this today ...



Gassho, J

STLah

[emoji1]

Gassho
Kim
stlh

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[Heisoku]

Gassho to all.
I haven’t been active in Treeleaf forum for many years, but I did really appreciate the opportunities to sit live in weekly zazenkai, which was beautiful. I also sat with several G+ Zazen groups until life fousted different schedules. Anyhow the live online sitting really helped me start a shikantaza practice I simply can’t stop!
Thank you Jundo and also Shokai for the teachings and inspiration.
Gassho
Heisoku
ST still!!!


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[Choboku]

I am very thankful for an online Sangha. I practiced without one for some time, but, it is wonderful to have a community to participate in. That being said, I also appreciate Brads stance. A difference of opinion isn't bad.

I like the use of "for me" language. In my recovery and as a part of my professional life, "for me" language is crucial.

Brad has a bunch of good talks, his books are good as well. He has a lot of knowledge to pass along. If I go to a store to buy a pair of shoes, I don't buy every size of that shoe.

Thank all of you for giving your feedback on this. I'm grateful to learn along with all of you.

Jundo- as always, thank you for maintaining this space and for teaching.

Sat Today

[Kyotai]

Jundo- as always, thank you for maintaining this space and for teaching.

I'll second that. Thank you Jundo.

Gassho Kyotai
ST



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[Seishin]

Different strokes for different folks. I've enjoyed and got a lot out of Brads books but at the end of the day, if it wasn't for Treeleaf, I would not be practising. Thank you Jundo for making that happen and allowing me to sit real time with my brothers and sister via Treeleaf Now and you all On Demand via the Zazenkai recordings.

Sat

[Meian]

Different strokes for different folks. (...) at the end of the day, if it wasn't for Treeleaf, I would not be practising. Thank you Jundo for making that happen and allowing me to sit real time with my brothers and sister via Treeleaf Now and you all On Demand via the Zazenkai recordings.

Sat

Gassho2
Kim
St lh

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[Heiso]

Different strokes for different folks. I've enjoyed and got a lot out of Brads books but at the end of the day, if it wasn't for Treeleaf, I would not be practising. Thank you Jundo for making that happen and allowing me to sit real time with my brothers and sister via Treeleaf Now and you all On Demand via the Zazenkai recordings.

Sat

This.



Gassho,

Neil

StLah

[Kendrick]

It was actually through a Reddit thread of criticism for online sanghas that I found Treeleaf. So, I am happy someone posted their reply to that thread or I may have never heard of Treeleaf. I had wanted to be a part of a sangha for a long time but there isn't anything in my city or within any reasonable drive I could regularly make with my schedule. I had looked for local Buddhist meetups or groups and watched for them for years without any luck. To this day I still haven't met any other Buddhist in my city (it's not very big). If it weren't for Treeleaf I wouldn't have a sangha to participate in.

As others have said, to each his own. If an online sangha doesn't meet someone's needs then it's perfectly understandable to look elsewhere. It seems aggressive to discredit anyone's practice as somehow not real enough as I have seen some criticisms state of online practice. Criticism like that could discourage some people without access to in-person community to from practicing at all. I know this is a possibility of such criticism because I've faced it before online from general Buddhist groups on social media (mostly Facebook) I've been a part of before. I had even been told that I "couldn't be a Buddhist" without "properly" seeking refuge in person with a teacher and sangha and that I should stop and go back to "whatever culture I came from" or is "available to me" (because of karma that I was just born in the wrong place). I personally don't believe that simply location or where someone is born should determine their view of the world. It should be investigated and developed through that investigation and trial - not by zip code, and shunning anyone that participates in online community with a sangha as somehow "lesser" is enforcing that flawed and harmful principle, in my opinion.

Jundo, thank you so much for Treeleaf. /\

Gassho /\
Kendrick
SAT

[Meian]

(...)that I should stop and go back to "whatever culture I came from" or is "available to me" (because of karma that I was just born in the wrong place). I personally don't believe that simply location or where someone is born should determine their view of the world.

The belief that each culture has its own religion is unfortunately rather popular, but is also a stereotype (and racist, in some ways). I don't understand why people are so concerned about what religion other people choose to follow? Or through what medium (online, in-person, etc)?

I'm in an intense (and unexpected) process of trying to make peace with my ancestry and my birth religion. The same questions of legitimacy, identity, and religions come up. And the challenges of forgiveness. It's not easy.

Gassho
Kim
St lh

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[Ishin]

I don't have a brick and mortar Sangha that I feel comfortable attending. Some are too far away and others I have ethical issues with. Treeleaf is available, ethical, and in my opinion an easy place to educate oneself about Zen. Even if I had a brick and mortar Sangha that I was comfortable with, I would still be coming here. I have sat with Jundo in person and I have sat with him online. Either way it's me ( not me ) who has to do the sitting. If you can only sit when the situation is ideal to your liking then maybe you need to do more sitting when the situation is not ideal to your liking.
As far as Mr. Brad goes, I do not feel like I need his approval for anything I do. Regardless of what he says about "for him"; what definitely is not, has not been said is any support for an online experience either. This Dogen Sangha split in 2007, but maybe some people are still carrying it. I can't help but think that differences in opinion THEN are not still filtering/ influencing differences of opinion now.

Gassho
Ishin
Sat Today Lah

[Onka]

I would not have found Soto Zen Buddhism without somehow stumbling across Brad's writing. I interacted with him via email a number of times and received positive advice every time, especially about alternative sitting positions for someone with spinal disabilities.
He was also adamant that I sit with a 'bricks and mortar' Sangha at least once during my Zen journey. I did. But the travel time, discomfort getting there, the nearing agony of sitting (and moving regularly) while worrying how the hell i was going to manage to get home, then riding along Australian country roads deep into the night when big bouncy critters like to jump in front of vehicles... Well you can imagine that the whole experience was less than ideal.
Don't get me wrong, the people at this very small but extraordinarily beautiful Zendo were mostly lovely and welcoming. The teacher was also very caring and nurturing, making it clear that i was very welcome and that my physical needs were in no way a problem.
I went to this Zendo for a couple of months but for one mid week Zazen sitting I found myself literally bedbound for 3 full days after - and that's not mentioning the full day rest i needed just to get there.
So there i was at home, digesting Brad's teachings, learning about Nishijima and Dogen and 'just sitting'. It made sense. Brad's language was accessible to me as an old Hardcore punk and Red and Anarchist Skinhead. His punk years mirrored mine in a small town although I suspect he was into dinosaurs while i was into developing a bit of a different kind of reputation. Aside from the odd dodgy moment i fast started seeing Brad as a teacher i was comfortable with.
Enter a video from Brad talking about online interactive stuff being somehow inferior to IRL practice. I made a comment about disabilities and was at the right place at the right time when a Treeleaf Sangha member sent me a link to here. It took a few more weeks to act on it but here i am having found my true teacher and home Sangha.

Long-winded as usual. Apologies.

Gassho
Anna

St/lah

[Nenka]

Honestly? Sometimes I think we get a little too worked up around here about what Brad Warner thinks and feels.

Gassho

Jen

ST

[Shugen]

Honestly? Sometimes I think we get a little too worked up around here about what Brad Warner thinks and feels.

Gassho

Jen

ST

Gassho,

Shugen

Sattoday/LAH


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[bayamo]

Ha, I've been virtual my entire life

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5615[/ATTACH]
Potty time will never be the same again!!

gassho, Shokai
stlah

This is wicked brilliant. #sattoday

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[bayamo]

I think, as many have said already, that Brad was just stating his own personal dislike of online Zazen. That said, it was beautiful response and explanation of what we do here and why.

Gassho,

Neil

STLah.

Well said. #sattoday

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