ATTENTION! Our "AT HOME" 2-DAY ROHATSU RETREAT - December 5th to 7th! BE READY!

[Jundo]

Hello!
It looks like a will be sitting the rohatsu sesshin the weekend after the live retreat. But maybe I can pop in and sit live on some part. Is it possible and ok to just join in two-way one sitting?

Gassho
Kantai
Sat today

And everyone ... do note that our Retreat will be guided in various portions by Fugen, Shokai, Yugen, Kyonin, Shingen and Shugen from Sweden, Canada, USA and Mexico (besides me in Japan). Because of time zone and other circumstances, some portions of the retreat had to be "pre-recorded". These include sections Day 1 Units 4 thru 8 and Day 2 Units 1 and (maybe) 4 thru 5. The rest should be live netcast.

Of course, when sitting, we drop aside all divisive thoughts of "then" and "now" and "here" and "then" .... all such categories of the mind. Thus, there is actually a great Teaching in our "non-distances" in time and place!

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

[Jundo]

RETREAT PREPARATION LESSON III -



Our topic today is Work Practice, Samu … which will be featured various periods during our Rohatsu Retreat.


While Zazen is at the heart of our Way, other aspects of traditional Zen Practice are also "Zazen Off The Cushion" ... the vital and energetic non-doing of ‘Samu‘ traditional work practice is so.

Samu is well described in this excerpt …

Samu is manual work done with the same concentration as zazen. All masters of transmission, especially Master Hyakujo (720-814), have insisted on this. Even in his old age, Master Hyakujo worked every day in the field with his students. One day, they hid his tools, thinking that their master should spare himself. Hyakujo declared: "A day without working, a day without eating." And he stopped eating until his disciples gave him back his tools.
In zen, work has great value, because it allows us to practise the Way in action. In the dojo and during retreats (sesshins), zazen is followed by samu, which is when we do the chores to ensure the smooth functioning of communal life. Samu also means putting our efforts at the service of the community, without expecting anything in return. from Zen, by Bovay, Kaltenbach and De Smedt, Albin Michel Publishing, 1993

Yes, Samu is just Zazen in action. It may not look like seated meditation, but it is to be done from the same state of mental balance. Couple this with an attitude of goalless, non-striving, ‘just doing’, also a hallmark of Zazen. As well, work is to be performed mindfully, as the only action in and of the whole universe : One engaged in Samu should devote to it all care and attention, never wishing for or thinking of anything else in that moment of action.

The result is a job performed diligently and patiently and with certain goals, but with no thought of anything to achieve (of course, not a contradiction in Zen). It may be a continuing job that just needs to be done without end, but we do it with all care moment by moment by moment for the time we have.

I usually describe Samu in a nutshell as working diligently and carefully at one's task trying to get 'er done all while, simultaneously, dropping all thought of any goal to attain or anywhere to get! (Yes, seems contradictory, like seeing things two ways at once, as one)

For example, we clean the dishes trying to get them clean (because nobody wants filthy dishes!) ... all the while dropping all thought of "clean" vs. "dirty" and anything to achieve, thereby achieving a certain Purity that sweeps in and through both clean and dirty. Thus, we achieve a Clean that cleans up as both clean and dirty!

Those parents and workers with heavy family or employment duties even during Retreat can make that part of that their ‘Samu’, approaching it with the mindset described above. Treat every changed diaper, cooked meal and bedtime story read during the Retreat as 'Samu'. Treat every staple stapled, copy made on the copy machine, customer greeted as 'Samu' if needing to work during part of the 'Retreat'.

Now, if you can, and the weather permits, it is lovely to do some outdoor work for Samu. Or one can clean (beyond "clean vs. dirty") around the house. However, if someone has physical or other limitations, even small tasks are fine.

In years past, I have gathered fall leaves and cleaned the bathtub (an activity, frankly, I usually do not enjoy!) ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYnMZsbyjrI#t=671

... but I also have scrubbed dirty coins with an old toothbrush, repeatedly washing the same coins for the entire period (a seemingly pointless activity ... and that is also the point!).

Fugen will be leading a section in which he will be sewing flags. I am not sure what that is about, but he explains here (who said Samu can't sometimes be fun too?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWO6L_xQqUc

All Good Samu, All Good Practice!

Gassho, Jundo

[Theophan]

Looking forward to this.
Gassho,
Theophan
Sat Today

[Ishin]

Hello all

Thank you for these instructional videos and writings. I raise a practical question for the preparation of food. If we are to have the food and tea, etc for the Oryoki meal; when do we prepare it? When will or won't we be able to take the time to heat the soup rice or tea for example? Just trying to make sure I am prepared for the retreat properly.

Gassho
C
Sat Today!

[Jundo]

Hello all

Thank you for these instructional videos and writings. I raise a practical question for the preparation of food. If we are to have the food and tea, etc for the Oryoki meal; when do we prepare it? When will or won't we be able to take the time to heat the soup rice or tea for example? Just trying to make sure I am prepared for the retreat properly.

Gassho
C
Sat Today!

There is a short break period of 20 or 30 minutes between each Oryoki. I would have soup, cereal, tea pre-prepared and just warm it if you wish during that period. It will get cold again during all our long chanting ... before starting to eat ... but that is true for Oryoki in the monastery too.

Gassho, J

[Ishin]

There is a short break period of 20 or 30 minutes between each Oryoki. I would have soup, cereal, tea pre-prepared and just warm it if you wish during that period. It will get cold again during all our long chanting ... before starting to eat ... but that is true for Oryoki in the monastery too.

Gassho, J

Thank you yes, I see the time now in the schedule you refer to.
Gassho
C

[Jundo]

RETREAT PREPARATION LESSON IV -

We have some Bowing and Prostrations during our annual retreat ... especially times of prostrating (Raihai), done in a series or three (Sanpai) ...

Many Westerners don't care for it, because it is not part of our culture generally. We see it as humiliating, embarrassing, somehow "idol worshipping" or undemocratic. I am often asked to whom or what we are bowing ... Is it to some thing, god, place like Mecca, person or effigy?

I answer by saying that there is nothing that's true that is omitted from our bow. We might consider that we're simply bowing to the whole universe, and to ourself and the other people around us … after all, 'All is One'! The hands, palms upwards, are raised in a gesture traditionally symbolic of lifting the Buddha's feet over one's head, but that truly means lifting all things of the universe over one's head. It's appropriate to cultivate an attitude of emptying, letting go, receptivity and gratitude in our bows.

I do not necessarily think anything when bowing ... although I usually feel in my heart that "Great Gratitude" I sometimes mention.

If there is some physical or personal reason not to prostrate, a simple Gassho can be substituted. However, there is greatness in the humility of the prostration.

No less, are we raising something up or ... seen another way ... is the whole world raising us up at the same time?

The Korean Zen folks are very big with the Prostrations, often recommending at least 108 each day. This site also has some good pictures on "how to" Prostrate.

http://london-zen-centre.weebly.com/bowing-prostrations.html

It is a powerful physical Practice. These days, I usually practice a deep Gassho during our Zazenkai and such. However, I engage in Prostrations also, during our more formal monthly Zazenkai, Rohatsu Retreat and like times.

Many Tibetans (many Christians pilgrims too) will travel for hundreds of miles, prostrating with each step ...

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

(Usually repeated in groups of 3x)

[Yugen]

Dear all,
Day Two Unit Three will be netcast live! Hope to have the honor of practicing with you -

Deep bows
Yugen

[Myosha]

Gratefully participating.


Gassho,
Myosha sat today

[Shoka]

I plan to participate. But I have a question, the long service has a note

Please follow along in the Sutra Books that will be provided.

. Is this part of the chant book? Or is it part of Samadhi of the Treasury of Light or something else entirely? I'm trying to get everything printed and together ahead of time, so I'm prepared.

Gassho,
Kathryn

Sat Today

[Jundo]

Hi Kathryn,

It is the Chant Book for Rohatsu Retreat, the link for which is above and also here ...

https://sites.google.com/site/jundotreeleaf/TREELEAFCHANTBOOKFORRETREAT11102014.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

Gassho, Jundo

[Nindo]

Hi Nindo, I would be happy to do Day 1/Unit 1 and Day 2/Unit 1 with you. Due to family commitments my participation past the morning will be kind of random. Let me know if that works for you. 6am central works for me.


_|sat2day|_

Hi Troy,
thanks for offering, but I don't think I will make it that early after all.
Good sitting to all!

Gassho,
Nindo

sat today

[Troy]

Ok, no worries


_|sat2day|_

[Daiyo]

Hi all, just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Rohatsu before the forum closes.
I'll be sitting live from time to time.
When not live, I'll still be with you all.


PS: BTW, how does one celebrate on Rohatsu day?

Gassho,
Walter

#SatToday.

[RichardH]

Daizan
sat today