Chanting & Zazen Circle (Mo thru Sa)

[Kotei]

Thank you everyone.
I enjoyed chanting and sitting together.
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Guest]

Thanks everyone, it was great to sit and chant in your company !

[Shokai]

I\m sorry I misswd it. I had it marked on my to do list but got tied up with getting appointments made for Covid vaccines.
try again tomorrow

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Ryokudo]

Hey no problem Shokai,

You were there in spirit anyway and are always welcome.

Gassho

Ryokudo

SAT/LAH

[Ryokudo]

As ever gang thank you for joining the circle today and for listening as I droned on

Its always great to share the practice with you.

Gassho,

Ryokudo

SAT/LAH

[Risho]

Apologies for being late - thank you for this - this is a point of sanity in my workday when i can join

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Ryokudo]

There's no need to apologise Risho. And its great to be part of the oasis for you. Its great to see you whenever u can make it.

Gassho,

Ryokudo

SAT/LAH

[Guest]

Thanks for the excellent reading of Words for each day !

Yuki
Sat today

[Ryokudo]

Merci Beaucoup, mon frere Quebecois

Gassho,

Ryokudo

SAT/LAH

[Ryokudo]

Hi all,

Many thanks for joining us in our chanting and sitting today. As ever it was great to see y'all.

As promised I am posting the Song of Zazen by Hakuin Ekaku, which is the suggested chant for next week. It is also available in the Treeleaf Retreat Chant book which can be found in the following place on the site (it's formatted better too)

Home > Sutras > Treeleaf Retreat Chant Book > TREELEAFCHANTBOOKFORRETREAT11252011.pdf

Zen Master Hakuin's Chant in Praise of Zazen * (Hakuin Zenji Zazen-Wasan, a traditional Rinzai chant)

From the very beginning all beings are Buddha. Like water and ice, without water no ice, outside us no Buddhas. * How near the truth, yet how far we seek, like one in water crying, “I thirst!” Like a child of rich birth wandering poor on this earth, we endlessly circle the six worlds. The cause of our sorrow is ego delusion. From dark path to dark path We’ve wandered in darkness— how can we be free from birth and death? The gateway to freedom is zazen samadhi— beyond exaltation, beyond all our praises, the pure Mahayana. Upholding the precepts,

repentance and giving, the countless good deeds, and the way of right living all come from zazen. Thus one true samadhi extinguishes evils; it purifies karma, dissolving obstructions. Then where are the dark paths to lead us astray? The pure lotus land is not far away. Hearing this truth, heart humble and grateful, to praise and embrace it, to practice its wisdom, brings unending blessings, brings mountains of merit. And when we turn inward and prove our True-nature— that True-self is no-self, our own Self is no-self— we go beyond ego and past clever words. Then the gate to the oneness of cause and effect is thrown open. Not two and not three, straight ahead runs the Way. Our form now being no-form, in going and returning we never leave home. Our thought now being no-thought, our dancing and songs are the voice of the Dharma. How vast is the heaven of boundless samadhi!

How bright and transparent the moonlight of wisdom! What is there outside us, what it there we lack? Nirvana is openly shown to our eyes. This earth where we stand is the pure lotus land, and this very body the body of Buddha.


Gassho,

Ryokudo,

SAT/LAH

[Jundo]

We chanted the Zazen Wasan for many years in honor of my mentor, Doshin Cantor from the White Plum lineage of Maezumi Roshi, who is someone who has been a great influence on Treeleaf. (I learned how to facilitate a Sangha by participating with Doshin's community for many years, and much of what we do here is inspired by Doshin's group.) He is a good friend, and they chant the Zazen Wasan each day.

The words of the Zazen Wasan, the Song in Praise of Zazen, are lovely and wise.

dlt doshin.jpg

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Risho]

Ryokudo - what you said today - think how amazing it is we get to all chant together - it's not only unique that we have found this practice but from such far places - at the same time not so far as we are all in each others' hearts. good stuff

Ah Hakuin's poetry is beautiful!

Awww that's really awesome and touching Jundo - we're in good company

Thank you all for this little chanting group. I will post the 2 versions of the evening gatha later: the normal one and the Jundo/Emptiness version which is really cool and the other side of the no-sided coin just in case you want to write it down; it's like the poem that Huineng comprised: what mirror is there for dust to alight? But still we polish/dust not to clear or to change but because that's what Buddha's do hahahahah

Gassho

Risho
-stlah

[Risho]

As promise

Evening Gatha

Let me respectfully remind you,
Life and death are of supreme importance.
Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost.
Each of us should strive to awaken...
...awaken,
Take heed. Do not squander your life.

Jundo's Evening Gatha

No "me" no "you", no life or death.
No time to pass no opportunity lost.
No "us" to strive, no goal or striving.
Thus Awakened! AWAKENED!
How could one squander this life

I love the 2nd version to compliment the first but, of course, it isn't license to do whatever we want. We have to strive to get to the place of not striving. Preaching to the choir

Gassho

Risho
-st

[Seiko]

As promise

Evening Gatha


Jundo's Evening Gatha


I love the 2nd version to compliment the first but, of course, it isn't license to do whatever we want. We have to strive to get to the place of not striving. Preaching to the choir

Gassho

Risho
-st

Hello Risho,
Those are great. And echoes of Fukanzazenji.

In Gassho
Seiko
stlah

[Ryokudo]

Hey man its all good and it was great to hear your voice.

Cheers

Ryokudo

SAT/LAH

Ryokudo - what you said today - think how amazing it is we get to all chant together - it's not only unique that we have found this practice but from such far places - at the same time not so far as we are all in each others' hearts. good stuff

Ah Hakuin's poetry is beautiful!

Awww that's really awesome and touching Jundo - we're in good company

Thank you all for this little chanting group. I will post the 2 versions of the evening gatha later: the normal one and the Jundo/Emptiness version which is really cool and the other side of the no-sided coin just in case you want to write it down; it's like the poem that Huineng comprised: what mirror is there for dust to alight? But still we polish/dust not to clear or to change but because that's what Buddha's do hahahahah

Gassho

Risho
-stlah