Combined Practice?

[Seiko]

A new colleague, who practices Tibetan Buddhism, is enquiring whether we can meditate together and maybe host/facilitate meditation sessions together.

Does anyone here have experience of dual practice of Sōtō and Tibetan Buddhism? If you practice in a group do you combine elements from each tradition? How is it working out?

Thank you

Seiko
stlah

[Kokuu]

Does anyone here have experience of dual practice of Sōtō and Tibetan Buddhism? If you practice in a group do you combine elements from each tradition? How is it working out?

I would say that you could do it by sitting together and each doing their own practice. Or else alternate practices week to week.

As someone who has practiced a great deal in both Tibetan Buddhism (Gelug, Kagyu and Nyingma) and Sōtō, I would personally not try to combine them.

But, that is not to say that others have not found a way. Maybe keeping it extremely simple (bells at the beginning and end and dedicating merit) would work.

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

[Meian]

I agree with Kokuu's assessment. I also have spent some time studying and practicing with a Tibetan Lama (Kagyu), in group settings, but my experience is limited.

Occasionally I practiced Soto while in the group, when Lama was teaching from a text, but not doing guided meditations. Other sessions he would focus on guided meditation practice, and less on texts.

I personally have not been able to practice both Soto and Tibetan at the same time.

What I occasionally do is practice one, then the other. Breathwork, chanting, sound, vipassana, etc., but I find that Soto is 'portable' nearly everywhere and does not necessarily require the same "tools" and preparations that Tibetan does.

I agree with Kokuu's suggestion of 'together but separate' practice.

This has just been my experience, which is limited compared to more knowledgeable practitioners. I'm interested to know if anyone has found a 'happy medium'.

Gassho2, stlh

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[Jundo]

I am with all that was said above.

(It is nice when other folks say things in such a lovely way, and I just need to say "like they said." )

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Ekai]

I prefer to keep things simple so I would not combine. My life is crazy enough lol. It actually gives my anxiety thinking about it.

Gassho,
Ekai

SAT

[Shonin Risa Bear]

We have a trained Tibetan style practitioner in our local Soto sangha, just does everything Soto but when asked can tell us quite a bit about their "other" practice. Very ecumenical person, though, also spends time with a Rinzai group. Does not seem to suffer from cognitive dissonance, and can do some HAIR-RAISING Tonglen.

gassho
ds sat, lah

[Tomás ESP]

I agree with what has been shared above. Even though they share some core tennets of Buddhist understanding, when it comes to practice they are quite different. I like Kokuu's suggestion, keeping it very simple might work out. For example, focusing on Shikantaza while having a metta or Tonglen practice can be great.

Gassho, Tomás
Sat

[michaelw]

The Serene Reflection Sanga I sometimes sit with are looking for a new premises.
As there are so many different sangas in Exeter I suggested that we should all get together and have a common shared zendo.
I can still hear them laughing.

On the practical side the Soto sitters would be facing the wall.
The Rinzai sitters would be backs to the wall.
The Plums would be sitting across the hall facing front.

Gassho

M

sat

[Jundo]

The Serene Reflection Sanga I sometimes sit with are looking for a new premises.
As there are so many different sangas in Exeter I suggested that we should all get together and have a common shared zendo.
I can still hear them laughing.

On the practical side the Soto sitters would be facing the wall.
The Rinzai sitters would be backs to the wall.
The Plums would be sitting across the hall facing front.

Gassho

M

sat

All our ways are precisely the same, yet sometimes very different in approach. One can mix and match, but it must be done with some good sense. I like to say this:

Mixing and matching is a fine art. One must pick and choose from the spiritual cafeteria well, not just head right for the desert section while neglecting the vegetables that are not as sweet on your tongue. Also, bananas are lovely and ketchup is lovely, but a little strange to mix for most (although, Kyonin pointed out once, some folks do, and this is popular in Mexico! It is just that the flavors need to be blended carefully or it is a mess) ...

...

One should pick the Path suited for one ... and GO DEEP! DEEP! MEASURELESSLY DEEP! Do not neglect the garden veggies, even if a little bitter sometimes. Experience is a good teacher, if one is a person of some sense and fine taste. If one is mixing and matching to choose a menu, do so with the eye of a master cook ... not grabbing whatever one sees off the convenience store shelf.

Many Buddhist Paths are pretty much a complete path. One can mix and match, but needs to be careful. For example, when sitting Shikantaza, when on the cushion ... THAT IS ALL THERE IS, THAT IS ALL NEEDED, WHOLE AND COMPLETE! Of course, one can get up from the cushion of Shikantaza and do other things ... bow down to Mecca or pray to the Goddess Isis. But when on the cushion sitting Shikantaza, just sit Shikantaza ... one does not sit Shikantaza while contemplating Allah or praying to the Goddess.

Gassho, J

PS - Turning from food to sports analogies ...

Treeleaf is a Dojo where a particular style is taught. It is much like saying that one can play tennis, but also like football, and both may be great sports. It is just that one needs to be careful about playing football with a tennis racket, or tennis with goal posts. Some ways do not mix well.

And while football may be a lovely sport, here in the Treeleaf Tennis School we play tennis ... not football. So, leave your cleats outside.

[Seiko]

Thank you everyone. My friend knows shikantaza as "open awareness" meditation. So we will begin there. Regardless of doctrine, we both share the four noble truths and the eightfold path.

Seiko
stlah

[Tokan]

Hey Seiko

Some years ago I lead a sitting group, people came from various backgrounds which generated some interesting and occasionally heated debates. However, my only 'rule' was that when we sat we stayed silent and thereby were respectful of both the things we had in common and the differences in our varied practices. Not everyone was okay with this, some wanted to 'rotate' the practices, which I said no to, feeling that others were not comfortable with this, but I did say that everyone could have the opportunity to talk about their practice, so the others could take more interest if that was their wish. In the end it fell over due to the personality clashes, but I'm still glad I gave it a try, and will have another go one day (as a specifically zen group though!)

Gassho, Tokan (satlah)