True Nature

[johns]

How does one see their true nature?

Gassho,

John

SatTodayLAH

[Bion]

Hi, John!

I don’t have an answer of my own, so please allow me to point to the very first lines of master Keizan’s Zazen-Yojinki, which we are currently studying during Zazenkai:

"Sitting is the way to clarify the ground of experiences and to rest at ease in your Actual Nature. This is called "the display of the Original Face" and "revealing the landscape of the basic ground."

or an alternative translation:

“Zazen means to clarify the mind-ground and dwell comfortably in your actual nature. This is called "the display of the Original Face" and "manifesting the original-ground."

Hope that serves as an answer

Gassho
Sat and lah

[Jundo]

How does one see their true nature?

Gassho,

Hi John,

In a nutshell, Zazen is our traditional way to untangle the divided mind filled with thoughts of "me who is not you," "this that and the other thing," good and bad" "coming and going" "life and death" that create division which is separate from wholeness. In Zazen, all of such division and judgement is rested, the hard divisions soften or fully fall away, and such flowing Wholeness is considered Buddha, the True Nature.

In Soto Zen, one does not pause with such a limited view, for the Wholeness and the "me who is not you," "this that and the other thing," good and bad" "coming and going" "life and death" thereupon prove to be one Whole, facets of a single jewel, True Nature. Thus, there is birth and death, you and me ... yet not ... yet so again.

In Soto Zazen, one sits in Shikantaza, allowing those divisions and judgements to soften and, perchance, fully fall away ... all to show again as this whole, fertile world.

Our recent Yojinki talks are about just this, if you wish to dive in ...

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?22487-TREELEAF-PODCAST-ZAZEN-YOJINKI-SERIES

Gassho, J

stlah

PS - John, I must ask you to help us see YOUR human face. I see you put a profile picture, but not a picture with your posts. They are different for some mysterious reason. Would you kindly take care of that for me? Thank you.

https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?21721-Often-Asked-How-to-Add-Edit-Avatar-and-Profile-Picture

[Antonio]

Thanks for sharing this sensei!

[johns]

Thank you for this teaching. I think I fixed the avatar issue (maybe?).
I don't see pictures of anyone in the forum posts, is it possible there is something with MY settings?
Gassho,

John

SatTodayLAH

[Bion]

Thank you for this teaching. I think I fixed the avatar issue (maybe?).
I don't see pictures of anyone in the forum posts, is it possible there is something with MY settings?
Gassho,

John

SatTodayLAH

Yes! We can see you and yes, there is a setting you should enable to see avatars: click on Settings ( top right ) > General settings ( on the left hand bar ) > Thread Display Options and enable Show Signatures, Show Avatars and Show Images

Gassho
Sat and lah