Hi Tony,
Here is what I usually say about the object of attention during Zazen, and where we might "return" if lost in trains of thought:
I sometimes feel that emphasizing the feelings of posture too much might mislead some people into concluding that Zazen is about attaining some particular physical sensation of balance of body. I do not feel that is so. That leads to your next comment:
Yes, this is the method of no-method. Attaining non-attaining. So, a little different from the other kinds of meditation you name. Ultimately, one finds that there is such which cannot be "returned to" nor ever "departed from". We are not trying to attain some special or unusual state but, by allowing the thoughts to still a bit and clear a bit, one realizes what what present all along.
Yesterday, I posted a short film of a Buddha snow globe. Suppose one were searching for the Buddha or the lovely water ...
By allowing the thoughts and emotions to settle a bit, one finds the Buddha present all along, the clear water which was present all along as they slowly emerge. They never went away somewhere, were always present right before one's eyes never truly hidden. However, that is not all, for one also discovers that the Buddha was beautifully reflected in each shining snowflake of thought, that the water was brought to life in the ripples even when not settled ... thus there really was not need to clear the thoughts at all! To the Wise Eye, all was Clear Flowing Buddha all along, settling or no settling, snowing or not snowing. Understand?
Thus, one settles the thoughts as a beginner but, to the advanced practitioner, Buddha Clarity is not a matter of settled thoughts or no settled thoughts (for always present and always seen even as the snow). There was really nothing to settle and clear, for all is Settled and Clear from the startless start, each twirling snowflake and rippling drop of water is Buddha too. Understand?
Gassho, J
SatToday
Here is what I usually say about the object of attention during Zazen, and where we might "return" if lost in trains of thought:
Every form of Shikantaza has to place the attention somewhere. There are many small variations in Shikantaza, teacher to teacher. One has to place and focus (and simultaneously not place/focus) the mind somewhere!
So, for example, Uchiyama Roshi was a "bring your attention back to the posture" guy. Nishijima Roshi was a "focus on keeping the spine straight" fellow, and there are others who emphasize focusing on the breath or the Hara (also called the "Tanden", the traditional "center of gravity" of the body, and a center of Qi energy in traditional Chinese medicine) ...
...
Dogen once advised to place the mind in the left palm. Some merely emphasize the wall or floor one may be facing. All are forms of Shikantaza ... so long as the objectless nature of sitting is maintained even if focused on an object.
In fact, all forms of Shikantaza have an "object of meditation", a place to focus or place the mind to build a degree of concentration and quiet the thoughts (hopefully to soften the border and pass through "object" and "subject"), while dropping all effort to attain and releasing all judgments. At Treeleaf, ... as our central "objectless" object of meditation, I recommend open, spacious sitting centered on everything and nothing at all ... sitting with open, spacious awareness ... sitting with the whole world but without being lost in trains of thought (which I also sometimes describe as having the mind focused on "no place and everyplace at once"). That open stillness is our "object of concentration" (I emphasize such because it makes it clearer that Zazen is not a tool, and makes it easier to take our Practice off the cushion and into the rest of the world, than simply following the breath or focusing on a part of the body).
So, for example, Uchiyama Roshi was a "bring your attention back to the posture" guy. Nishijima Roshi was a "focus on keeping the spine straight" fellow, and there are others who emphasize focusing on the breath or the Hara (also called the "Tanden", the traditional "center of gravity" of the body, and a center of Qi energy in traditional Chinese medicine) ...
...
Dogen once advised to place the mind in the left palm. Some merely emphasize the wall or floor one may be facing. All are forms of Shikantaza ... so long as the objectless nature of sitting is maintained even if focused on an object.
In fact, all forms of Shikantaza have an "object of meditation", a place to focus or place the mind to build a degree of concentration and quiet the thoughts (hopefully to soften the border and pass through "object" and "subject"), while dropping all effort to attain and releasing all judgments. At Treeleaf, ... as our central "objectless" object of meditation, I recommend open, spacious sitting centered on everything and nothing at all ... sitting with open, spacious awareness ... sitting with the whole world but without being lost in trains of thought (which I also sometimes describe as having the mind focused on "no place and everyplace at once"). That open stillness is our "object of concentration" (I emphasize such because it makes it clearer that Zazen is not a tool, and makes it easier to take our Practice off the cushion and into the rest of the world, than simply following the breath or focusing on a part of the body).
Yes, this is the method of no-method. Attaining non-attaining. So, a little different from the other kinds of meditation you name. Ultimately, one finds that there is such which cannot be "returned to" nor ever "departed from". We are not trying to attain some special or unusual state but, by allowing the thoughts to still a bit and clear a bit, one realizes what what present all along.
Yesterday, I posted a short film of a Buddha snow globe. Suppose one were searching for the Buddha or the lovely water ...
By allowing the thoughts and emotions to settle a bit, one finds the Buddha present all along, the clear water which was present all along as they slowly emerge. They never went away somewhere, were always present right before one's eyes never truly hidden. However, that is not all, for one also discovers that the Buddha was beautifully reflected in each shining snowflake of thought, that the water was brought to life in the ripples even when not settled ... thus there really was not need to clear the thoughts at all! To the Wise Eye, all was Clear Flowing Buddha all along, settling or no settling, snowing or not snowing. Understand?
Thus, one settles the thoughts as a beginner but, to the advanced practitioner, Buddha Clarity is not a matter of settled thoughts or no settled thoughts (for always present and always seen even as the snow). There was really nothing to settle and clear, for all is Settled and Clear from the startless start, each twirling snowflake and rippling drop of water is Buddha too. Understand?
Gassho, J
SatToday
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