Study Buddism?

[Hoyu]

Re: Study Buddism?

Hi Edward,
It is your studies in Buddhism which has brought you to this very passage you quote! Is there still no value in study?

Gassho,
John

[edward]

Re: Study Buddism?

Hi Edward,
It is your studies in Buddhism which has brought you to this very passage you quote! Is there still no value in study?

I sincerely think there is a great value in study, and I certainly will keep on doing it besides sitting of course...
I just wanted to take another perspective and investigate that.

Gassho, Edward

[Heisoku]

Re: Study Buddism?

Just a thought....

...Do we study Buddhism or does Buddhism study us?

[Taigu]

Re: Study Buddism?

A nice thought...

It is actually really what I try to convey but somehow this doesn't generally reach most people. People want to express their opinions about this and that, bibs and bobs instead of really practising and listen.
This is one of the issues of any forum.
I often get the blues, baby. All teachers do. You repeat the same and very few are interested.

In numerous occasions I wrote that we are the gate, we are the other shore. It fell almost flat at the time. A few days ago Pontus posted these womderful lyrics and it spoke to many people. Life is funny. My teachers taught me so much and I resisted so much, every inch of the way. It is part of human nature.

gassho


Taigu

[Heisoku]

Re: Study Buddism?

Hi Taigu

I guess here is someone who has listened, tried to understand, tried not to understand then just sat.
I am very grateful for all your posts, teachings and videos.

With many thanks to you Taigu this old head doesn't feel so old any more!

[Jundo]

Re: Study Buddism?

I often get the blues, baby. All teachers do. You repeat the same and very few are interested.

Well, people are just people and don't always do as we expect. That is life, and part of the teaching too.

Gassho, Jundo

[Taigu]

Re: Study Buddism?

And the blues is also part of the teaching. Moon Buddha.
I am nothing but a human being.

Thank you brother

gassho

Taigu

[Taigu]

Re: Study Buddism?

Hi Nigel199,

I dont doubt it one bit. You see, we generally end up with a few people, as many as the fingers of one hand. And that's great. I would like to reach so many...But let's face it, it is sooooo tricky.

One week ago, the most amazing rakusu, a funzoe rakusu was dropped in my lap. Sewn by a guy that I am never heard of, a student of the nyohoe kesa who wanted to thank me for my empty vids and limited talks. This rakusu was made in Argentina. The sewing he did is something out of this world: when Shohei saw it, he could hardly believe it. Just incredible.

But more important ( And I am sure he does too) are people willing to drop the rat-race mind , the I want to get it mind, and really sit their bum on a cushion. For nothing. Not for Buddha, daddy or mummy. Ten thousand people will come through the gate of Treeleaf, very few will stay and practice and transmit. That's very likely. And that's OK.

So sometimes teachers are happy, sometimes unhappy. You should not pay too much attention to this ( many vids of Jundo feeling not up to it, same here). Teachers are human beings.

Thank you so much anyway for your kindness and practice

gassho

Taigu

[Jinyu]

Re: Study Buddism?

But more important ( And I am sure he does too) are people willing to drop the rat-race mind , the I want to get it mind, and really sit their bum on a cushion. For nothing. Not for Buddha, daddy or mummy. Ten thousand people will come through the gate of Treeleaf, very few will stay and practice and transmit. That's very likely. And that's OK.

Having the opportunity to hear the teachings is not given to everyone... taking the time to practice them is yet something else. Rooting our life in Zazen, with no idea of good and bad is a wonderful thing. But beyond this fearless state, turning back to the direct simplicity of the here... what a challenge for our always wondering mind!

I'm a bit of the subject again,
Thanks to everyone for this thread!

deep gassho,
Jinyu

[Shohei]

Re: Study Buddism?

Lots of good reading in this thread!
I am a bit of a numbskull when it comes to learning in books and so many thanks and apologies to Taigu and all that make the effort!!.
Though I read Burn the books and just sit, I had a gut instinct tell me that was out of sorts :lol:

My useless 2 bits (which have been covered here many ways and many times better - hmmm yet still I go a head and post ) are like this, for now -

When the words and actions are no longer words and actions and are our very flesh and bones (we are fresh and understand well our reference points) then we can toss the books and just sit... not even on the cushion... all is shikantaza, as it were! Reenter the "marketplace" as aware and compassionate Bodhisattvas. When would we need words and letters? Well we are these things by times, but to "get to there" and "being there", this not a final states, not something permanent. We will need to revisit these points by times and often we find teachings that alluded us or speak to us in a way that may never have before with out some time and experience.

Today I may fully understand the key concepts and hold them in my heart and express them fully in my boring daily activities, to the best of my understanding, at that time.
These teachings are time sensitive. The student and teacher (Zazen, human, book, birds or Whack on the noggin) may be perfect at that moment or maybe out of step a bit. For this reason I can never really toss the books (well maybe Free-cycle them?), stop sitting and stop listening to my teachers even after they are seemingly gone!!

This is just my humble view on things and really there is always room for improvement in my understanding!

Thank you all that have posted above for opening my eyes and reminding me to get off my hands!

Gassho
Shohei

[Jundo]

Re: Study Buddism?

But more important ( And I am sure he does too) are people willing to drop the rat-race mind , the I want to get it mind, and really sit their bum on a cushion. For nothing. Not for Buddha, daddy or mummy. Ten thousand people will come through the gate of Treeleaf, very few will stay and practice and transmit. That's very likely. And that's OK.

Here is how I look at it.

Ten thousand people may come, some to stay for a few days ... some for weeks ... some for months, some years. All are benefited from this practice in some way, nobody is left worse. (I can't really think of any way it might really do harm to someone). Almost everyone I know might benefit in some way from its lessons in stillness, wholeness, dropping so many games of the mind.

And some will truly probe the depths and find the treasures.

Perhaps we are not unlike a swimming school, where some just dip a toe in, some go up to their knees, some learn a few handy stokes ... and some lose themselves in the waters, swimming like fish without traces. I wish everyone could learn to do so. I wish I were a better teacher, so that every single person coming here could master such swimming.

It has been like that for centuries and centuries, and that is how these traditions have continued and been passed on. Some folks stay for a few days, some for months ... but some will still be here 20 years from now, 50 years from now, maybe continuing for lifetimes. That is the way it has always been, since the Buddha's time.

Gassho, J

[Heisoku]

Re: Study Buddism?

Taigu and Jundo you are keeping this 'thing' going.

The thing is that in the end we have to make the difference in ourselves (a difficult concept for most).
Treeleaf expands the number of views and perspectives available to interact with.
As Shohei said, the teachings in the books are decontextualised from the situations in which they were given.
Treeleaf keeps all these interactions alive, present, updated, re-energised.

Still, in the end the work must and can only be done by ourselves within.

The fantastic thing is we have the real deal, Taigu and Jundo, to keep 'things' on track.
(And also Shohei, Fugen and Mongen! And soon Jinyu and Soen!!)

Its spring, things are still to sprout!

[Hoyu]

Re: Study Buddism?

Jundo wrote:
Some folks stay for a few days, some for months ... but some will still be here 20 years from now, 50 years from now, maybe continuing for lifetimes. That is the way it has always been, since the Buddha's time.

Jundo it's nice to see you are planning on living to(at least) 100 :shock:

Hey if Ray Kurzweil(technological prophet and author of the book "The Singularity Is Near") is right we will all have our consciousness uploaded and will have attained a state of immortality! Treeleaf forever!

Seriously though, this is reassuring and speaks of your comitment to Treeleaf.

Gassho,
John

[Jundo]

Re: Study Buddism?

Jundo wrote:
Some folks stay for a few days, some for months ... but some will still be here 20 years from now, 50 years from now, maybe continuing for lifetimes. That is the way it has always been, since the Buddha's time.

Jundo it's nice to see you are planning on living to(at least) 100 :shock:

Hey if Ray Kurzweil(technological prophet and author of the book "The Singularity Is Near") is right we will all have our consciousness uploaded and will have attained a state of immortality! Treeleaf forever!

Seriously though, this is reassuring and speaks of your comitment to Treeleaf.

Gassho,
John

Oh, I didn't say that I'd necessarily be here. But someone may keep the lights on.

[Hoyu]

Re: Study Buddism?

Jundo wrote:
Oh, I didn't say that I'd necessarily be here. But someone may keep the lights on.

Hence the priests in training I would imagine. Japan has the Iemoto system so perhaps Leon will


Gassho,
John