Do we need to practice at real Zendo?

[Risho]

I really think this is a personal choice. For some, they may like a brick and mortar zendo. I actually prefer Treeleaf. I think it also has to do with me not having a traditional approach to Zen practice. I personally like practicing on my own for the most part. To me, the core of Zen is practice, study, conversation with other practitioners to deepen the practice, so what I have here is exactly what I want. I practice on my own, but I also practice with you all.

Again, and this may sound odd coming from a Zen practitioner, I just don't feel at home at the zendos I've gone too. I prefer the practice here. I also don't want to sound provocative, but I have a physical zendo about 30 miles from me; I've been there a few times, but I don't feel right there. I just like it here better. It's just a personal choice for me.

So I don't think it's always about not having a physical location, so Treeleaf will have to suffice. For me, I'm here because this is my first choice. It fits, and I really enjoy it; I feel it helps my practice.

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

[Jakuden]

I really think this is a personal choice. For some, they may like a brick and mortar zendo. I actually prefer Treeleaf. I think it also has to do with me not having a traditional approach to Zen practice. I personally like practicing on my own for the most part. To me, the core of Zen is practice, study, conversation with other practitioners to deepen the practice, so what I have here is exactly what I want. I practice on my own, but I also practice with you all.

Again, and this may sound odd coming from a Zen practitioner, I just don't feel at home at the zendos I've gone too. I prefer the practice here. I also don't want to sound provocative, but I have a physical zendo about 30 miles from me; I've been there a few times, but I don't feel right there. I just like it here better. It's just a personal choice for me.

So I don't think it's always about not having a physical location, so Treeleaf will have to suffice. For me, I'm here because this is my first choice. It fits, and I really enjoy it; I feel it helps my practice.

Gassho,

Risho
-sattoday

I feel the same way. Therefore, I think I am going to turn my attention back toward finding a physical zendo to do a longer retreat, because it would be too easy to go along with my personal preference and not! (Maybe I will get the seat next to the fart-happy guy/gal, what great practice )

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday

[Eishuu]

I actually had a dream last night that I was in a physical/actual Treeleaf Zendo. It had a wonderful atmosphere. I take that as my subconscious already interpreting this as a 'real' place. I did go to a zendo once in London. I got scolded for being late and found it very intimidating.

Gassho
Lucy
Sat today

[Jundo]

To each their own. Some may even prefer the Tibetan or Theravada group, the Baptist Church or Mosque, or the Richard Dawkins book signing! To each their own.

And don't worry ... I am in touch with some of the best technological minds on the cutting edge at Tsukuba University, the "MIT of Japan" ...

... and they are very very close to having a way to send farts over the internet. Really.

http://www.euronews.com/2015/02/02/share-touch-smell-and-taste-via-the-internet/

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Risho]

hahahhhahahhaha

[Entai]

As far as I know the nearest zendo for me is about 2 1/2 hours away. My work schedule isn't consistent so it's a difficult option. I have attended retreats at ZMM several times in the past, but again, life is different now.

Without Treeleaf I wouldn't have any contact with another practitioner. I value this Sangha greatly. I get to participate in conversations and learn from others. We support each other without being in the same building and that says a lot. If a brick and mortar zendo was to open in my neighborhood (highly unlikely) I'm sure I would visit there on occasion. But I think Treeleaf is where I belong.

Gassho,
Entai
#Sitting Soon

[Myogan]

なぜここには日本語がありませんか？


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

私達の日本語は悪いです。Your english is better.

Gassho
Sat.

[Jundo]

Just as a footnote, when a Japanese person does come to the Zendo in Treeleaf, I attempt to offer instructions in Zazen as well as any Zen Talk in bilingual fashion ... offering a running translation, or at least a shorthand summary of whatever I am saying in English.

However, doing so has given me a great respect for the several great Japanese priests ... such as Shunryu Suzuki ... who struggled to teach westerners in sometimes halting English. I have become convinced that several of the most "profound" teachings in "Zen Mind Beginners Mind" sound more like a mistranslation due to his wrestling to explain Zen in a foreign language! I barely understand what I am saying in English sometimes during a Talk ... What must it sound like in Japanese!?!

(By the way, I once had a Japanese visitor ask me why I was talking about a character on the TV series "LOST" (also named "Dogen) ... )



As an aside, here is what happens if you take the above words, put them into the Google automatic translator into Japanese, then back into English:

However, as do footnote people of Japan comes to Zendo in Treeleaf, I, as well as instructions on the offer ... meditation translation running my shorthand summary at least anything, any of Zen meditation in bilingual methods it provides the story, or it tries to liked in English.

However, so you like me, sometimes Suzuki struggled to teach the West to stop the English Toshitaka ... like, some of the great Japanese priest ... to doing given great respect. Some of the teaching most of the "deep" in the I hear the mistranslation so by his wrestling because "Zen Mind Beginner's Mind", we have become convinced that to explain the Zen in a foreign language! [I'm scared]

Suzuki struggled to teach the West to stop the English Toshitaka ... like, some of the great Japanese priest ... to doing given great respect.

Very Zen!

Gassho, J

[Kaishin]

I guess I see it like Risho. Part of it is just that we are a busy family with young kids, and I can't imagine going to a sesshin until they are much older and self sufficient (if not out of the house entirely).

Another part of it is just that I'm not a very social nor a verbal person. I like the mostly asynchronous, non-verbal nature of Treeleaf. So I guess I'm like a mountain hermit who likes to come down to the village sometimes for a bit of interaction, but then quickly scurries back off to the misty hills

I'll get to a sesshin eventually, but I can't imagine doing so in brick-and-mortar locations will ever be feasible on a regular basis until I'm an old, retired guy (if that ever happens!)

-satToday

[Kyonin]

Hi Mr. K

I agree with all my fellow Treeleafers. This is a real zendo, it's just that we have adapted to the new ways of being together. In many ways, this is a better experience because this zendo never closes and we are in touch all day long!

However, I also think that we must experience a traditional zendo in order to be with people and enjoy farty or angry fellows. It's all part of the experience.

The thing is... for many of us a trip to Japan is way beyond the possible. In other cases, finding a zendo in our countries is impossible since they just don't exist.

Since there are no Zen temples in Mexico, I have to go to wherever I can if time and money allow.

Maybe someday, though

Oh and I would love to see more Japanese friends joining in.

Gassho,

Kyonin

[Kakunen]

When I was at Antaiji.When we sit we feel breath of member and we work under danger situation.

We feel breath and blood of our Sangha friend,so when I suffer hard situation,someone help me and help together.
Over age and country,we help together.When I was at Antaiji,I talk to Jundo such like this.

Here in Antaiji I do not help neighbour,just throw our mind to Buddhism,we are at together under Sangha.
This mean not help neighbour but we are all together.

So we can do hard practice,in rice field,green field,moutain,Takuhatsu at city,Darma talk,sit under snowing.
I think we feel emptiness like this situation by our experience.When we do not concentrate moment,we will die.

I went another temple Annonji,here is introduce by Bryson and Scott.Annonji is Soto temple at near Tokyo.
We have monthly 7day Sesshin,and join 10-20 people.But they are different style of Antaiji.But I respect them.
They search enlightenment by brain,Koan style.So when I talk my experience at Antaiji,they deny Antaiji.
But I do not feel sad.I just feel as is.Because they talk about our Sangha always.

So I feel real when I can feel breath and seriousness.

But here at Treeleaf how do I check ? I sometimes feel sad when person moving under Zazenkai and someone who want know more too much.
If we have a system of checking good direction,we can say here is real.But now we can not check,so I feel difficult to say real.

Abbot Muho always said DO NOT MOVE! at Zazen.How do we became emptiness under desire of moving?
I do not think that always do not move at Zazen,but I practice to live right here right now,before we talk about emptiness,we sit DO NOT MOVE!

In Antaiji person come from oversea by hitchhiking sometimes.In Annonji person who have a job,they come after job and sit and come back to job early morning 4AM... I do not think this is difficult..

When I went to Antiji,I let go my family,job,money,and Pride.

[Frank]

Kyonin... I so agree. This IS a real Zendo. There are a few nearby me, with their own "flavor", but none where I've truly felt at home as Sangha. Treeleaf has adapted to the world, as we all should, and as you've elequently stated 24/7 too!

ive found myself a home, and I feel like a sponge yearning to absorb and learn more and more.

Im very happy to be here with all of you.....true Gassho to you all.

Feank
sattoday....needs to sit more

[Jundo]

I went another temple Annonji,here is introduce by Bryson and Scott.Annonji is Soto temple at near Tokyo.
We have monthly 7day Sesshin,and join 10-20 people.But they are different style of Antaiji.But I respect them.
They search enlightenment by brain,Koan style.So when I talk my experience at Antaiji,they deny Antaiji.
But I do not feel sad.I just feel as is.Because they talk about our Sangha always.

Let Antaiji be Antaiji, Annonji be Annonji, Treeleaf be Treeleaf.

When is Rome, sit as the Romans sit.

郷に座っては郷に座え

But here at Treeleaf how do I check ? I sometimes feel sad when person moving under Zazenkai and someone who want know more too much.
If we have a system of checking good direction,we can say here is real.But now we can not check,so I feel difficult to say real. .... When I went to Antiji,I let go my family,job,money,and Pride.

Here at Treeleaf, I recommend a kind of "self checking method" (or better said "self-non-self checking method"

自己チェック方法 = 自己非自己チェック方法

When this Way is "working well" amid all the sunny days and storms of family job money and pride, life and death, sickness and health loss and gain, all the chaos of Samsara ...

... one just knows for how one now sees right through all the chaos of Samsara even amid all the chaos of Samsara. At Antaiji, one might know by how well one digs a hole, cuts down a tree, proper sitting posture for 10 hours ... here we know by how well we face flat tires, crying babies, happy babies, cancer, cancer cures, birthday parties, beautiful mountains, ugly urban scenes, a single flower or blade of grass ...

ときにこの方法は、すべての嵐ファミリージョブお金と誇り、生と死、病気や健康の損失と利得、輪廻のすべて の混乱の中で、「うまく機能して"されています...

...一つはただ一つ、今でも輪廻のすべての混乱の中で輪廻のすべての混乱を介して正見ている方法について は知っています。安泰寺で、1は1つが、穴を掘る, 10時間のための適切な着座姿勢、我々がすることによって知っているここに...木をカットダウンどれだけ によって知っているかもしれないどれだけ私たちは、フラットタイヤ、泣いて赤ちゃん、幸せな赤ちゃん、癌、 癌の治す、誕生日パーティー、美しい山々、醜いに直面都市のシーン... 一輪の花、草の刃 ...

古い禅みんなが言ったように、「一つは、熱いとして熱い, 冷温水などの冷水を知っています。」

As the old Zen Guys said, "One knows cold water as cold and hot water as hot. "

Gassho, J

SatToday

PS - It is my considered belief, talking with a lot of Zen folks over the years, that in the old days the Koan Zazen folks knew when someone "passed a Koan", not so much by the "right answer" they gave in the Dokusan room, but more by seeing their total behavior day in day out, how they reacted to life's crap in the monastery.

誰かが唯一の "正解"彼らは獨參ルームで与えたが、一日中そこに総行動の日に基づいて、「公案を通過した」ときに、古い 時代に公案座禅の人々は知っていた、彼らは人生のイベントに反応する方法による.

Actually, more than the Teacher knowing, it was the Teacher seeing the confidence in the student's life, and knowing that the student knew. Thus even then, it was a kind of self-not-self checking method.

実際には、知っている先生よりも、それは弟子の生活の中で自信を見て先生があって、弟子が知っていたことを 知っています。これはその時でさえ、それは自己非自己チェック方法のようなものでした

[Joyo]

When this Way is "working well" amid all the sunny days and storms of family job money and pride, life and death, sickness and health loss and gain, all the chaos of Samsara ...

... one just knows for how one now sees right through all the chaos of Samsara even amid all the chaos of Samsara. At Antaiji, one might know by how well one digs a hole, cuts down a tree, proper sitting posture for 10 hours ... here we know by how well we face flat tires, crying babies, happy babies, cancer, cancer cures, birthday parties, beautiful mountains, ugly urban scenes, a single flower or blade of grass ...



Gassho, J

SatToday

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Mp]

When this Way is "working well" amid all the sunny days and storms of family job money and pride, life and death, sickness and health loss and gain, all the chaos of Samsara ...

... one just knows for how one now sees right through all the chaos of Samsara even amid all the chaos of Samsara. At Antaiji, one might know by how well one digs a hole, cuts down a tree, proper sitting posture for 10 hours ... here we know by how well we face flat tires, crying babies, happy babies, cancer, cancer cures, birthday parties, beautiful mountains, ugly urban scenes, a single flower or blade of grass ...

Great minds think a like Joyo, I too very much like this, thank you Jundo. =)

Gassho
Shingen

#sattoday