Re: Teachings Practices from other Schools / Traditions
Hi Mike,
Here is my personal feeling on this ...
We also encourage everyone in our Sangha to practice a recital of Metta each day ...
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1199
... and we have other folks around here who are Zennies while also Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic, chanting to Amida or Thor and the like.
So long as one sits (and is sat by) Shikantaza each day, Whole and Complete, Sacred and Still, with not one thing to add or take away, no other practice needed (not while seated anyway) to make being there more Whole and Complete ... not any other place to be, not one other thing to do in all time and space in that moment of sitting ...
... then when one rises from the cushion, one may wash the dishes or watch TV, have salad for lunch or a sandwich, pray to Jesus or not, chant to Amida or not, engage in anapanasati breath awareness meditation or not, take a doctor's medicine for a bad kidney or not, engage in Puja (acts of devotion) such as bowing or making offerings or not (and finding the sacredness of life and Buddha in other ways of expression ... e.g., I do not see any distinction myself between the sacred act of lighting incense on an altar and the sacred act of changing my daughter's soiled diaper, but that is just my personal feeling and I practice both!).
Hopefully, at some point, the "to the marrow" Wholeness and Completeness and "nothing more in need of obtaining or attaining-ness" of Shikantaza will come to underlay and bring to life all of that ... from washing dishes, to praying or not, to breathing, to changing diapers, to chanting metta ... all of life, on and off the cushion, not separate.
I hope that answers the question.
Gassho, J
Originally posted by Khalil Bodhi
Here is my personal feeling on this ...
We also encourage everyone in our Sangha to practice a recital of Metta each day ...
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1199
... and we have other folks around here who are Zennies while also Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic, chanting to Amida or Thor and the like.
So long as one sits (and is sat by) Shikantaza each day, Whole and Complete, Sacred and Still, with not one thing to add or take away, no other practice needed (not while seated anyway) to make being there more Whole and Complete ... not any other place to be, not one other thing to do in all time and space in that moment of sitting ...
... then when one rises from the cushion, one may wash the dishes or watch TV, have salad for lunch or a sandwich, pray to Jesus or not, chant to Amida or not, engage in anapanasati breath awareness meditation or not, take a doctor's medicine for a bad kidney or not, engage in Puja (acts of devotion) such as bowing or making offerings or not (and finding the sacredness of life and Buddha in other ways of expression ... e.g., I do not see any distinction myself between the sacred act of lighting incense on an altar and the sacred act of changing my daughter's soiled diaper, but that is just my personal feeling and I practice both!).
Hopefully, at some point, the "to the marrow" Wholeness and Completeness and "nothing more in need of obtaining or attaining-ness" of Shikantaza will come to underlay and bring to life all of that ... from washing dishes, to praying or not, to breathing, to changing diapers, to chanting metta ... all of life, on and off the cushion, not separate.
I hope that answers the question.
Gassho, J
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