Great Dharma Talk by Tenzin Palmo

[Biko]

Some of you may have heard of Tenzin Palmo. She spent 12 years meditating in a cave in the Himalayas. Her lineage is Tibetan but the underlying concepts are of course universal. One of the most lucid talks on meditation I have heard.

Enjoy and Gassho,
Jeffrey

[Jundo]

Hi,

Thank you Jeff. I listened to the talk. It is a lovely introduction to the general approaches of the many flavors of Buddhist meditation, including Shikantaza. Much of what she says applies to Shikantaza Zazen and what results. But what she presents is also a bit other from Shikantaza in some vital respects.

As folks around here have heard me say many times, one sits Shikantaza as a whole, complete and self-fulfilling act ... the only place to be, the only act in need of doing in that moment while sitting. Nothing lacks.

One is not sitting to attain some special state, or even "to relax", but to fully allow just what is with total equanimity. In so allowing (as counter-intutitive as it may be), that radical equanimity is a most special state ... and relaxing to boot! Such is a special "Big R" Relax that holds and allows both ordinary times of being relaxed and times of the greatest stress. As I often say ...

"Shikantaza" Zen practice is a radical, to the marrow, dropping of the self's demands that something needs to be attained to make this world "right", that something must be added or removed from our lives to make life complete, that something is defective and needs to be changed., that we need to get some place to find our "True Home".

HOWEVER, radically dropping, to the marrow all need to attain, add, remove, or change in order to make life right and complete --IS-- A WONDROUS ATTAINMENT, ADDITION and CHANGE TO LIFE! Dropping all need to "get somewhere" is truly finally GETTING SOMEWHERE! The True Home is here and everywhere! Abandoning all need in life's race to cross some finish line over a distant hill, is simply arriving at the finish line which is our every step!

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?7461-How-to-attain-enlightenment

Finally, Tenzin speaks of the two traditional flavors of medition ... Samatha and Vipassana. Most Zen folks believe that Zazen holds both. That is a big topic, so I just link to an older thread.

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?11196-Bringing-Awareness-to-Everyday-life-%28And-the-Practice-of-Recollection-%29&p=106106&viewfull=1#post106106

Gassho, J

[Myosha]

Hello,

Thank you for the link.

"Tenzin speaks of the two traditional flavors of medition ... Samatha and Vipassana. Most Zen folks believe that Zazen holds both." Z Jundo Cohen


Gassho,
Myosha

[Jinyo]

Thank you Jeff - I really enjoyed listening to this talk by Tenzin Palmo. I am just reading a book by Martine Batchelor 'Women on the Buddhist Path'
- and Ani Tenzin Palmo's story is the first in the book.

Gassho

Willow

[Kokuu]

Thank you. Will listen later.

The story of Ani Tenzin Palmo's 12 years in a cave is beautifully told in Cave in the Snow by Vicki Mackenzie. One of my favourite ever dharma books.

Gassho
Kokuu

[Jundo]

She is an amazing Teacher, with an amazing story. I should have said that earlier.

Gassho, J

[Mp]

Thank you Jeffrey ... wonderful talk. =)

Gassho
Shingen

[Jundo]

The Amazing description of Shikantaza which Sam just introduced ties in nicely with this talk, and perhaps highlights nicely the special flavor of Shikantaza amongst paths of Buddhist meditation ... I really recommend the following reading ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?12876-Nice-Article-Art-of-Zazen-by-Nyogen-Roshi

Gassho, J

[Kyotai]

Watched this morning with the kids. Thank you.

Grassho, Shawn

[Christopher]

Yes, Thank you, Jeff. Her talk put a number of puzzles on the way to being resolved for me.

I think it will help.

Gassho....................................Christop her