Dharma in Soto Zen?

[Jundo]

Hi David,

Here is a longer post by me related to this. Hopefully it is helpful. Someone new also asked the following ...

I have studied/practiced Zen on and off for many years, mostly on my own and using books. It has been my experience that most books and websites discussing Zen rarely talk about the basics of Buddhism. For example, the four noble truths, the noble eightfold path, etc. Rather, most Zen resources seem to only discuss zazen. While I completely agree zazen is of primary importance (especially in Zen), I always wondered why the other aspects of Buddhism were so rarely discussed, and further, why there was so little discussion of how to integrate them into our lives.

I responded here ...

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?16081-Zen-and-the-basics-of-Buddhism&p=220529&viewfull=1#post220529

Also, we do have this series for folks newer to Buddhism ...

Buddha-Basics

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?64-Buddha-Basics

As to "Namu Sambo" ... I have never heard that, and cannot find it being used as a chant. D.T. Suzuki mentions it in a short passage ...

https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=hyqGDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT290&lpg=PT290&dq=%22namu-sambo%22&source=bl&ots=V3s374Tn8Z&sig=ACfU3U25DG1B79-JGmtpRAhnlkH7RuG-kQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjItfi8j53mAhWZA4gKHfnYBMIQ6AEwAXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22namu-sambo%22&f=false

More common is the Verse of Threefold Refuge (San kie mon 三歸依文) ... A short version is:

namu kie butsu  南無歸依佛
namu kie ho  南無歸依法
namu kie so  南無歸依僧

Hail refuge in buddha.
Hail refuge in dharma.
Hail refuge in sangha

A longer version here ...

https://global.sotozen-net.or.jp/eng/library/glossary/individual.html?key=verse_of_threefold_refuge

Gassho, J

[BigDavid]

Awesome, thank you! Kie sounds like key eh?
Stlah

Gassho
David Somers

[Jundo]

Awesome, thank you! Kie sounds like key eh?
Stlah

Gassho
David Somers

Yes. I am surprised that I cannot find it online or in video for you to hear. Hmmm.

I will look some more.

Gassho, J

STLah

[BigDavid]

Thank you.
Getting back to the thread at hand. When one says that they have received Dharma Transmission, does that mean that they have been taught, and memorized these Dharma teachings by heart, and has the ability to explain them?

Gassho
David

[Kokuu]

When one says that they have received Dharma Transmission, does that mean that they have been taught, and memorized these Dharma teachings by heart, and has the ability to explain them?

Hi David

In my opinion it is far more that they embody the teachings and their practice. Academic Buddhists understand the teachings and can teach them but may or may not manifest them in their life.

A Zen teacher should teach with everything they do - every movement, every word and every breath. They are a full and complete expression of the Buddhadharma, albeit still with their own quirks and flaws at times!

There is also the necessity of learning something about the tradition, its history and ancestors and the specific rites and practices associated with it in order to pass on the Zen way to others.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

[BigDavid]

Thank you for your reply.

Gassho
David Somers

[Jundo]

A Zen teacher should teach with everything they do - every movement, every word and every breath.

Yeah, that's a bit optimistic!

Let's just say that they should be good living examples most of the time, although not robots or golden statues. A master violinist does not hit every note right, a master surgeon can sometimes make a bad cut. Generally, however, you should hear harmony and beauty from the strings of the maestro, and the doctor's patients should walk out alive.

The moon is always shining, seen or unseen, even on the days of rain.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Onka]

Yeah, that's a bit optimistic!

Let's just say that they should be good living examples most of the time, although not robots or golden statues. A master violinist does not hit every note right, a master surgeon can sometimes make a bad cut. Generally, however, you should hear harmony and beauty from the strings of the maestro, and the doctor's patients should walk out alive.

The moon is always shining, seen or unseen, even on the days of rain.

Gassho, J

STLah

Bubble burster

Gassho
Anna
stlah

[Jundo]

Yeah, that's a bit optimistic!

I should also say that I am not sure how much "teaching" I am doing when I am sitting on the sofa, eating chips, scratching myself and watching reruns of Sherlock (I suppose it is in there somewhere). Even "Zen teacher" does not operate 24/7 ... although, of course, we are always beyond "time." I am sure that even the Buddha and Dogen had "me" time.

The moon is always shining, seen or unseen, even when on the sofa watching Sherlock.

Gassho, J

STlah

[Jishin]

Hi,

Although being the object of the messiah complex can be fun, I think Jundo would like to be left alone by his students. It’s kind of like psychotherapy. The goal is to go to therapy until one realizes that therapy is not necessary. Good therapists wish that all their patients get well and don’t came back. Same goes for good teachers. They want their students to go away and don’t come back. Ultimately teachers have nothing to teach. Sort of like that saying, if you see the Buddha kill the Buddha. Hanging out in a Sangha and practicing as a group is a different story. Just friends with similar interests having a drink at the local pub.

Sorry Jundo. Gave away your secret wishes.

Gassho, Jishin, __/stlah\__

[Jundo]

Hi,

Although being the object of the messiah complex can be fun, I think Jundo would like to be left alone by his students. It’s kind of like psychotherapy. The goal is to go to therapy until one realizes that therapy is not necessary. Good therapists wish that all their patients get well and don’t came back. Same goes for good teachers. They want their students to go away and don’t come back. Ultimately teachers have nothing to teach. Sort of like that saying, if you see the Buddha kill the Buddha. Hanging out in a Sangha and practicing as a group is a different story. Just friends with similar interests having a drink at the local pub.

Sorry Jundo. Gave away your secret wishes.

Gassho, Jishin, __/stlah\__

Truly, I would like to close this place, maybe turn it into a site for cute cat videos. No kidding. For sure, we would get more internet visitors!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYf3iRcAvEI

Gassho, J

STLah

[Jishin]

Dharma in Soto Zen?



Gassho, Jishin, __/stlah\__

PS: The video above is the best example of Shikantaza that I have ever seen.

[Tairin]

Cats are truly Zen masters.

[Shokai]

Cats prove that the world is round; if it were flat they would have pushed everything off.

gassho, Shokai
stlah