Sunday Sit with Washin - September 1st, 2024

[Kotei]

Hello everyone,

there is still no end in sight to the war in the Ukraine and so many other places around the world.
Led by our Washin from Odessa, we'll continue sitting for peace in the Ukraine and around the world this coming Sunday.

You can check with the Treeleaf Practice Calendar for your local time, under the listing Sunday Sit (Zazen for Peace): https://www.treeleaf.org/now/#calendar

We meet in the Treeleaf Scheduled Sitting Room: https://www.treeleaf.org/now/go.php?l=ssr password if needed is << dogen >>

A livestream of the meeting can be found here:

The format of the sitting will be:

- Heart Sutra
- Zazen 40 minutes
- Verse of Atonement and the Four Vows

All are welcome. Please, join us! No prior experience is required - just follow along - come sit with us.

Gassho,

[Washin]

It has been almost a week after the latest massive attacks and we are back to stabilizing blackouts since then.
I will do my best to be there, however.

Gassho
Washin
st/lah

[Jundo]

I would like to point out these terrible events:

Russian bomb hits high-rise building in Ukraine's Kharkiv, killing seven LINK and LINK

A child died, other children seem targeted in a playground.

Somebody broken hearted wrote me about this. I told them ... the only thing that I can say ...

Let me say this clearly.

There is evil in this world. Even if only in the hearts of men, there is evil. Evil is the doing a violence, killing in anger, abuse, uncaring.

There was evil in the Buddha's day, in Dogen's, and there is still today. What you show is evil.

However, there is also good in this world, also in the hearts of people. This is the Bodhisattva's Vow. We are to combat evil by bringing good, not letting the evil doers win. It is simple.

This is why we practice, this is our Precept.

Yes, your heart is broken. This is because you are one of the people who care, feel for others' pain, wish for good!

Good will win, even if evil raises its ugly head sometimes. Please do not forget.

It is natural to want to cry (because you have a heart) and feel nothing (because it is shock, too much) all at the same time. Do not be ashamed of this humanity in you.

The Buddha said not to fight anger with more anger. I know it is hard, against our nature somehow ... but it is wise, and we try to do that.

I will dedicate Zazen today to these victims and all who love them. And all who cry.

I cry too.

Gassho, J
stlah