Dogen’s Circle of the Way

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  • Jundo
    Treeleaf Founder and Priest
    • Apr 2006
    • 40842

    #16
    I sometimes write like this on having "goals in life" ... on the job, to loose some weight and head to the gym, to learn to play the guitar, to bring world peace ... all while being "Goalless". It is often confused that they are mutually exclusive. Nonetheless, one much have balance and not be a prisoner of one's goals and ambitions ...

    ================

    I like to speak of "goals without goals" or "goals while simultaneously dropping all need to attain".

    Zennies can be very "goal oriented" people, as much as anyone! Dogen brought Soto Zen from China and built a great monastery! Buddha got up from under the Bodhi Tree and started teaching, walking all across India to do so. These were folks with goals, dreams and plans. It is just that Zen folks can hold "Goalless goals" ... seeing every step by step and inch by inch as itself a Total Arrival and Complete Culmination, both when we are sitting still and walking up up up the mountain. We see every instant as a prize, no matter whether our goals are achieved or crash in flames (but work diligently and sincerely at them nonetheless). So, I would say that we are "Goalless" folks, but not that we can't have goals.

    We also have "not a thing in need of change", yet simultaneously some bad habits in ourselves that we need to change! Both views as one. This is a good reminder at this time of year of "resolutions". I spoke about that too in one of the "we're always beginners" series ...



    One can shed a few pounds around the waist, all why experiencing that there is not one thing to gain or lose! (Said as someone trying constantly to lose 30 pounds) ...

    Zazen is rather like a diet in which we drop all thought of loss (or gain), and see that we are always 'perfect' just at whatever weight we are. If we 'cheat' and eat a big piece of chocolate cake ... that is just what is. If we are 'good' and eat lots of carrots and celery ... that is just what is. We drop all thought of a target, any need to be or look some way other than we do. Be at one with all, just as it is ... even one's rotundness. We are always a perfect Buddha ... even if we look like this ...



    However, accepting that "the chocolate cake is just the chocolate cake" is not an excuse to eat chocolate cake! If fat and unhealthly, we are perfectly fat and unhealthy ... yet also can strive to lose and be healthy, AT ONCE! As strange as it sounds, we embrace that we are "perfect just as we are, right here and now, and there is nothing to lose, gain or change" even as ... simultaneously from another perspective ... there is much to change, bad habits to fix, much to gain or lose. ALL AT ONCE, AS ONE.

    A ZEN DIET: No thought of gain or loss (even as we may cut or add the calories to get healthy) ... nothing to achieve, even as we stick with it. Nothing to measure, even as we check the scale.

    Gassho, Jundo
    Last edited by Jundo; 02-19-2014, 07:56 AM.
    ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

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    • Ishin
      Member
      • Jul 2013
      • 1359

      #17
      Gassho
      C
      Grateful for your practice

      Comment

      • Steven
        Member
        • Sep 2013
        • 114

        #18
        Originally posted by Risho
        I have to sit for just sitting's sake even though I constantly catch myself sitting for other reasons. I honestly do find myself sitting for stress relief, etc. But then I just come back, sitting for sitting's sake.
        Oddly for me, sometimes shikantaza can be stressful. Many times the thoughts that come to me are disturbing past events and current uncertainties. Most of the time I can let them drop away, but other times they persist in my thoughts (this is not the norm by any means). I think this really depends on the individual. I would say that I started sitting because of some kind of goal (stress reduction, enlightenment, etc.), but as of late, I've noticed it's been more like "Oh, hey it's 9 o'clock, time for zazen!"

        Gassho,
        Steven

        Comment

        • Jundo
          Treeleaf Founder and Priest
          • Apr 2006
          • 40842

          #19
          Hi Steven,

          Yes, this is part of the "non-process" too. Sometimes, in the "sensory deprivation chamber-like" quiet wall staring of Zazen, thoughts and emotions well up (often things that we usually distract ourselves from by having our heads so busy and racing all day). We remember a hard memory, a problem seems to loom large, we feel some anger or fear about something ...

          The greatest Peace is the one which says "oh, here is a stressful thought, a disturbing event, a fear, a current uncertainty ... I will just let this be, simply observe, allow this to rest." I will allow such, just as I allow the chair across the room, the sounds of birds or passing cars. Usually, the memory, the problem, the anger or fear grow smaller (becomes less controlling of us, or may even fully vanish), becomes light, and a certain Peace, Stillness and Illumination shines through.

          Such is a more profound Peace and Harmony than any valium pill or glass of booze will temporarily bring.

          Gassho, J
          Last edited by Jundo; 02-19-2014, 07:01 AM.
          ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

          Comment

          • Steven
            Member
            • Sep 2013
            • 114

            #20
            Originally posted by Jundo
            Such is a more profound Peace and Harmony than any valium pill or glass of booze will temporarily bring.
            I struggled for a while before I figured out that getting drunk to start the day would not solve my problems. In the end, drugs and alcohol only worsen the condition that was trying to be suppressed, and often times we don't even notice until we've hit rock bottom.

            Gassho,
            Steven


            Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

            Comment

            • Shokai
              Dharma Transmitted Priest
              • Mar 2009
              • 6443

              #21
              The very reason I drive a Dodge Journey; otherwise I would have bought a Destination

              gassho, Jindo Shokai, an itinerant monk emeritus still learning the way and knowing nothing.
              合掌,生開
              gassho, Shokai

              仁道 生開 / Jindo Shokai

              "Open to life in a benevolent way"

              https://sarushinzendo.wordpress.com/

              Comment

              • Risho
                Member
                • May 2010
                • 3178

                #22
                Originally posted by Shokai
                The very reason I drive a Dodge Journey; otherwise I would have bought a Destination
                Hahahahaahahahaahahahah

                Gassho,

                Risho
                Email: risho.treeleaf@gmail.com

                Comment

                • Myosha
                  Member
                  • Mar 2013
                  • 2974

                  #23
                  Never give up; never, never, never, never give up.
                  W. Churchill

                  "On the great road of buddha ancestors there is always unsurpassable practice, continuous and sustained. It forms the circle of the way and is never cut off. Between aspiration, practice, enlightenment, and nirvana, there is not a moment’s gap; continuous practice is the circle of the way. This being so, continuous practice is unstained, not forced by you or others. The power of this continuous practice confirms you as well as others. It means your practice affects the entire earth and the entire sky in the ten directions. Although not noticed by others or by yourself, it is so.” - Dogen


                  Gassho,
                  Myosha
                  Last edited by Myosha; 02-20-2014, 01:04 AM. Reason: "
                  "Recognize suffering, remove suffering." - Shakyamuni Buddha when asked, "Uhm . . .what?"

                  Comment

                  • shikantazen
                    Member
                    • Feb 2013
                    • 361

                    #24
                    Originally posted by Jundo
                    By the way, I have given up on trying to get Brad here to lead a Zazenkai for us at Treeleaf. After months and months of promising, he kept pleading that he was too busy and promised it would be soon and soon. I have finally given up, and expressed my regrets to him....
                    Gassho, Jundo
                    Having met Brad a number of times over the past year, I came to the conclusion that he some how lacks interest or doesn't really care about this whole teaching zen stuff. He doesn't have the same amount of diligence and care that Jundo, Taigu or other sincere Zen teachers have. I feel he is doing a kind of disservice by signing up for being a zen teacher and not giving his 100%.

                    I have become quite frustrated trying to attend his saturday meetings as you don't know when he is in and when he is out of town (and one of his students is leading the sittings). On top of that recently he ordained two of his students as priests and they now even have the permission to teach. One of them is a yoga teacher and based on whatever I have seen she is certainly not qualified to be a zen teacher. The other guy is okay but not sure if he is ready to be a teacher yet. Whether it is Brad or these guys leading, during the dharma talk periods most of what they discuss about is music, movies and other general "cool stuff" with occasional zen. He is a good writer, has the knowledge, has good sense of humor but it looks to me like he is not really dedicated to being a teacher.

                    Gassho
                    Sam

                    Comment

                    • Daitetsu
                      Member
                      • Oct 2012
                      • 1154

                      #25


                      Gassho,

                      Daitetsu
                      no thing needs to be added

                      Comment

                      • Amelia
                        Member
                        • Jan 2010
                        • 4980

                        #26
                        Originally posted by Daitetsu
                        求道芸化 Kyūdō Geika
                        I am just a priest-in-training, please do not take anything I say as a teaching.

                        Comment

                        • Joyo

                          #27
                          Great stuff, Jundo thank you for what you posted. Let's just say it was very timely advice for me

                          Gassho,
                          Joyo

                          Comment

                          • Jundo
                            Treeleaf Founder and Priest
                            • Apr 2006
                            • 40842

                            #28
                            Originally posted by shikantazen
                            On top of that recently he ordained two of his students as priests and they now even have the permission to teach.
                            Brad is Brad. Everyone has their own style. I sometimes describe Brad as more an artist, a wandering troubadour, a wise man ... someone like Alan Watts. Even if his Teaching style seems too loose and relaxed for one's taste, well, he is a punk rocker playing his music.

                            I will say that one place I do disagree with Brad is on the fact that one should not simply Ordain folks and cut them loose. Not except in very special cases. I am not about building dusty churches or seminaries with all kinds of institutiony hoo-hah, but then again, I don't just hand someone a white coat and knife and tell 'em to start being a heart surgeon (and don't think that Zen Teachers ain't messing around with folks' hearts, and have no skills to master). This ain't Domino's Pizza, where we give someone an hour of instruction and they can start making pizza! This has been a point of some disagreement between me and Brad, and I have spoken openly about it ... I think one of the reasons he is not willing to come here. I have written this about our own Ordinations at Treeleaf. The wording is a bit formal because it is based on language contained in the recommended training standards that most Soto Zen groups in America who are members of the SZBA are abiding by:

                            The period of formation that follows upon novice ordination (shukke tokudo) may continue for any number of years prior to possible (although never inevitable) Dharma Transmission, but truly continues as a lifelong endeavor that will sustain individuals dedicated to exemplifying the Dharma and the Bodhisattva ideal. Completing formal priest training will mean that an individual has internalized the tradition, is capable of transmitting it, and vows to devote her or himself to a life of continuous practice and service.The individual’s dedication to the elements of priest training must enable him or her to maintain a regular, disciplined zazen practice, to instruct and guide others in their practice, to present and discuss the history and teachings of Buddhism and Soto Zen, to perform services and ceremonies in the Soto style as appropriate and required in the circumstance, and to actively nurture and serve both Sangha and the larger community and society.

                            In addition, priest training must make the individual aware of the highest ethical standards which must always be maintained by a member of the clergy, thereby assisting him or her in maintaining such standards in his or her personal life at all times. Training will also enable the individual to demonstrate personal qualities that inspire trust and confidence and encourage others to practice. Finally, training will enable the individual to clearly understand – and communicate to others – the relationship of Zen teaching and practice to everyday life.

                            http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...ng-ORDINATIONS
                            Somewhere between building some stiff and stuffy churchy institution and just handing out Teaching Certificates right and left like they are pizzas is a good Middle Way.

                            That is all I have to say.

                            Gassho, J
                            Last edited by Jundo; 02-20-2014, 03:32 AM.
                            ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLE

                            Comment

                            • Ishin
                              Member
                              • Jul 2013
                              • 1359

                              #29
                              I feel very fortunate to have all of you rockstars as my teachers. Thank you for being part of our path.
                              Gassho
                              C
                              Grateful for your practice

                              Comment

                              • Steven
                                Member
                                • Sep 2013
                                • 114

                                #30
                                Originally posted by Jundo
                                This ain't Domino's Pizza, where we give someone an hour of instruction and they can start making pizza!

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