I can only give my understanding on these questions, and I could be completely wrong. Well, maybe not completely wrong, but....My understanding is, the zafu is our seat of "enlightenment". We are bowing to our own "enlightenment", or at least to the representation of our own enlightenment. As for the rest of the bowing, to the Buddha, to the gal on the opposite cushion, to the empty room, we are bowing to Buddha nature. More importantly for me, as I understand my own bowing, we are humbling that troublesome "I". Reminding our "I's" that we aren't so important that we cant prostrate ourselves to a wooden incense holder in the shape of an old Indian dude. OR, once we get past all of the wondering and contemplating and trying to sort out why, we can get to the real answer. That we are bowing to bow. And mentally we shouldn't be doing or not doing anything other than what we are doing and not doing. Bowing.
But again, what do I know? I may have a completely distorted view on all of this bowing business. I will take my corrections, and then bow.
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Question on Ceremony
When doing gassho prior to sitting, directed at the zafu and then the room; what is the significance of this?
Also during ceremonies like zazenkai, when doing prostrations, and gassho; exactly who or what are we bowing to? What should be going on mentally during this? What is the spirit behind the action?
Thank you
Gassho, (to all)
C
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