A test

[Echo]

Re: A test

....Wait, if you're here, how can your mind go somewhere else?

Re: A test

All over. On both. :shock:

[ChrisA]

Re: A test

Sorry, Alan, but I reject your rules. Love the questions, though!

1) Where does your mind go during zazen?
a. the past
b. the present
c. the future
d. nowhere

I have four baskets when I sit zazen: past, present, practice, skandha. When a thought arises, I try to be aware of what it is, welcome it by calling its name, and let it fall. Sometimes that's easy: "There you go, replaying that meeting in your head" or "Of course your foot is falling asleep again; who cares?" That sort of thing. Where it gets tricky is down the skandha range toward mental reactions and concsciousness, where "a thought" strings with other thoughts into an idea, monologue, or more.

At times, I really do imagine baskets, btw! To the left of the altar is past; right, future; behind, practice; in front (nearest to my body), skandhas.

2) Where does your mind go when you're not doing zazen?
a. the past
b. the present
c. the future
d. nowhere

I don't know.

[Hoyu]

Re: A test

1) e. None of the above :twisted:
Actually I had to answer e. because while on the Zafu my mind drifts into thoughts of made up things. Most of which haven't, nor will most likely ever happen. Nothing future, present or past just more like watching the unfolding of a fictitious story. Realizing it I then try to shut off the (mental)TV but it always ends up more like changing the channel because before I know it another show starts playing.

2) c. Forever going through a mental checklist of things I need to do!

[Kaishin]

Re: A test

1) c
2) c

[AlanLa]

1) Where does your mind go during zazen?
a. the past
b. the present
c. the future
d. nowhere

2) Where does your mind go when you're not doing zazen?
a. the past
b. the present
c. the future
d. nowhere

All of the above is not an acceptable answer, not is none of the above, nor is it an essay question; you must choose only one response from above.
Each question is worth a ciliocosm of points over endless kalpas.