Return to Sender....maybe! (Jundo: Maybe Not!)

[Kokuu]

bricking it in case I am wasting my time zoning out in some blurry attempt to avoid the hard work of Samatha/Vipassana.

Actually, Tony, I think sitting with this non-doing is much harder work for you than vipassana would be!

Gassho
Kokuu
#sattoday

[dharmasponge]

Actually, Tony, I think sitting with this non-doing is much harder work for you than vipassana would be!

Gassho
Kokuu
#sattoday

Possibly - but sitting is not non-doing, its sitting.

[Jundo]

I am a little concerned by this thread all day, and wanted to put my finger on what it is.

So, let me ask folks to truly examine one's sitting. Be careful and aware of what I am going to say, please!

Please, please avoid all functionality, use of Zazen as some tool, thoughts of benefit, payoff and results, some bad place to go from, a better place to get to. There is still so much of that unintentionally running through descriptions here, with advice like "If you do this, then the good thing will eventually happen." It is a trap. One must radically drop all hope or need of benefit, payoff and result. Don't look to get something, don't think of Zazen as a tool to get it. Be the Mirror of Equanimity.

Why?

Counter-intuitive as it may sound, the Real Benefit, Payoff and Results of Zazen can only come through radically abandoning the tail chasing and hunt for payoff and results. (Otherwise, you are like a person standing in Times Square who feels lost and unable to find New York City! The more she keeps hunting, the more she is blinded to where she stands. She needs to stop and just open her eyes.) Counter-intuitive as it may sound, giving up all chasing (provided it is sufficiently to the marrow) --does not-- result in resignation, stagnation, blindly accepting all faults, wallowing in one's present mess. Quite the contrary. (If you think I am advising folks to just continue in ongoing ignorance and confusion, wallowing in their mess, I am not at all.) Rather, the "giving up of chasing" results in finding that which can only be found by being very still. In abandoning all running after change ... radical changes occur! The way to find peace and satisfaction is NOT by feeling dissatisfied that one lacks satisfaction, determined to find satisfaction somewhere down the road. It makes no sense whatsoever to hunt for satisfaction by being dissatisfied by satisfaction's absence, never satisfied by the absence of satisfaction. Rather, the way to find peace and satisfaction is simply to be satisfied here and at peace with that fact.

If you do that, then the good thing will eventually happen. I promise. If you do that, Zazen is a most effective tool.

Next, also counter-intuitive, one must sit fully and energetically in the Wholeness and Completeness of what is, feeling that there is not one thing in need of change, adding or taking away ... but NONETHELESS letting thoughts go and not latching on, not getting caught in or wallowing in excess or negative emotions.

Why?

Only by doing so does one realize clearly that there is nothing in need of changing and never was! Only by fixing these things about us do we taste that there was never anything to fix!

Next, never forget to sit Zazen as Sacred Action, the one place to be, one action to do in all the universe in that moment! Folks do not emphasize this anywhere enough in their sitting (as if it would suddenly be too "religious" or something. But it is not just some silly ritual or matter of faith, not anything superstitious.) Truly, a minute of sitting is a minute of Buddha Sitting!

Why?

Simply because we human beings rarely perceive the little things we do each day as so whole, complete and sacred. We feel that things are okay at best, substandard at worst, and that something is always lacking or needs more to be added on. We do not know how to sit still, in the Total Fruition of Just This, Yippee! Please sit in the Sacredness and Wholeness and Buddhaness of Just Sitting. If you fail to do so, then sitting while abandoning "all functionality, thoughts of benefit, payoff and results", will in fact result in mere resignation, stagnation and wallowing. One must sit in energetic "This is Buddha" to avoid that dead end.

Kinda get it? I know it is kinda crazy, and seems sometimes like it doesn't make sense. But this is Zen after all, which don't always make "sense." It is, in fact, very functional and goal oriented, but only when one stops thinking in such terms.

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Meishin]

Thank you, Jundo

Gassho
Meishin
Sat today

[Joyo]

Thank you, Jundo. As a forever beginner, I cannot read this advice too often. It is lifechanging.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Jundo]

Oh, Joyo and Rich.

You two keep emphasizing the simplicity of your sitting ...

I, personally, like to keep my practice of shikantaza simple and not overthink it. As Rich said, just return to the clear space. Sometimes the open space is clearly there, other times it is clouded by layers and layers of thought. Just sit.

That's fine! That's the way!

Of course, just never forget how Whole, Self-Fulfilling and Sacred just that is, simple as pie. If sitting with that energy and attitude, then simple is the best!

Gassho, J

[Stacy]

KISS, keep it simple...silly.


Gassho,
Stacy

#SatToday

[Mp]

Thank you Jundo, simplicity in it's simplest form has always been a good friend. =)

Gassho
Shingen

SatToday

[Joyo]

Oh, Joyo and Rich.

You two keep emphasizing the simplicity of your sitting ...



That's fine! That's the way!

Of course, just never forget how Whole, Self-Fulfilling and Sacred just that is, simple as pie. If sitting with that energy and attitude, then simple is the best!

Gassho, J

Oh Jundo, you are a smart one, because with everything that you said, the one thing I thought I could work on is to view my sitting as "sacred." Is it wrong to have the attitude of just letting it go, not fretting over the busy mind? I sit and my mind races, but I just do my best with a "come what may" attitude. (your blender analogy often comes to mind while I am sitting) I don't want to get stressed over my monkey-mind. It is there, and other times it is not. Does that seem too carefree of an approach?

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Risho]

Thank you Jundo.

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

Edit -- my "struggle" is that I know that most of the time I sit for myself and not others, that I'm trying to use zazen instead of being used by zazen. I have to laugh when I hear the old distinction of Hinayana and Mahayana and how Hinayana is not as "good" because it only is for the good of oneself. But in a way, don't we all come the practice as Hinayana? Anyway, just rambling.

[Rich]

Jundo, thanks for the reminder. Being present for this sacredness is truly joyous.
Joyo, I think you are headed in the right direction

Sat today

[Troy]

Thank you Jundo for your wonderful teaching here!


..sat2day•

[Heisoku]

Thank you for this teaching Jundo.
Gassho
Heisoku
Sat 'just sitting' today

[Dosho]

Hi all,

Too...Many....Words! Brain....Will....Explode! Must....Find....Zafu!

(To be read in a William Shatner voice while appearing to be tossed back and forth by an invisible force).

I don't care if it's a cliche...just sit. Please?

Gassho,
Dosho

Sat today

[Anshu Bryson]

But of course!

Gassho,

Bryson

sat today