Bowing

[Kokuu]

Joe, I just started reading Opening the Hand of Thought and it contains this beautiful poem by Uchiyama Roshi:

Putting my right and left hands together as one, I just bow.
Just bow to become one with Buddha and God.
Just bow to become one with everything I encounter.
Just bow to become one with all the myriad things.
Just bow as life becomes life.

Gassho
Andy

[Emmet]

I remember a teisho once about bowing; the paradox of when bowing there should simply just be the bow, and the need for everything to have clear purpose and intent to avoid becoming empty ritualism, thoughtlessly practiced by rote. When I feel the need to think too much, this is what I do.
When I enter the zendo, I recall a story I read years ago, of a fellow way out in some very remote part of the country, who used his seven days vacation every year to travel very far to attend sesshin. This was his one and only opportunity a year to sit with his sangha and meet his teacher face-to-face. I live 10 minutes north of a Zen Center. When I enter the zendo, I recall to mind all of the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work of all of those beings, both known and unknown to me, which gave me this opportunity to practice, and I bow.
When I bow before the Buddha, I am bowing to my Teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha. I am bowing to all of the teachers in my life, those past, present, and those to come. I am bowing to my lineage; the generations of teachers which have transmitted the teachings to me over 2500 years. I bow to my own Buddha nature; the Light unto myself. When I stand before the altar, I recall to mind all of the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work of all of those beings, both known and unknown to me, which turn the Dharma Wheel on my behalf, and I bow.
When I bow to my sangha, I am bowing to my Dharma brothers and sisters, whose wisdom, example, and never failing help has supported my practice through praise and blame, gain and loss, joy and sorrow, without ever once turning their eyes away. When I stand before the sangha, I recall to mind all of the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work of all of those beings, both known and unknown to me, which support my practice without asking anything in return, and I bow.
When I bow to my row, I am am bowing to those to either side of me who sit resolutely through discomfort, doubt, and avalanches of thoughts to attain the Buddha Way. When I stand before my row, I recall to mind all of the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work of all of those beings, both known and unknown to me, which sit not only for the liberation of all beings but for my liberation too, and I bow.
Yes; sometimes I think too much, but this does seem to put my mind in a good place for zazen when I take my seat.
YMMV.

[Taigu]

No.


NO and NO.


when you bow, you just bow.

To nothing.

for nothing.

Not even for Buddha or yourself!


bow.


Drop the I


drop every inch of your body~mind

the teachers, blabla, stuff
sacrifice, and wisdom
and the rest of it...

throw it away



nobody 's left.

Bow


just


bow



Thank you for your patience


.................................................. ...



T.

[Mp]

No.


NO and NO.


when you bow, you just bow.

To nothing.

for nothing.

Not even for Buddha or yourself!


bow.


Drop the I


drop every inch of your body~mind

the teachers, blabla, stuff
sacrifice, and wisdom
and the rest of it...

throw it away



nobody 's left.

Bow


just


bow



Thank you for your patience


.................................................. ...



T.

Yes, thank you Taigu.

Gassho
Shingen

[Shokai]

(bow) _/\_

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[Genshin]

Thank you Taigu.

Gassho,
Matt

[Shohei]

Gassho!

Shohei

[Rich]

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