Nov 1-2 2024 -OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI- More Blue Cliff Koans & Daylight Savings!

[Jundo]

ATTENTION: PLEASE NOTE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS CHANGE IN EUROPE
(NOT YET IN NORTH AMERICA. NZ and Australia on their own ... )


Dharma Talk will reflect on more wise Koans of the ...
Blue Cliff Record
碧巌録
... looking at the meaning in our ordinary lives ...

... including, yes, for the impending U.S. election!
(text below)

Dear All,

Please sit our Monthly 4-Hour Treeleaf Zazenkai LIVE with Zazen, Heart Sutra and more. We meet virtually in our Zoom Scheduled Sitting Room here:
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JOIN ZOOM >>.
The password (if needed): << dogen >>

For local times, please check the Practice Calendar here: TREELEAF NOW >> (8am to noon Japan time Saturday morning, New York 7pm to 11pm, Los Angeles 4pm to 8pm, Friday night, London midnight to 4am and Paris 1am to 5am on early Saturday morning) and also sittable any time thereafter:
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However, "one way" live sitters are encouraged to come into the Zoom sitting, and just leave the camera and microphone turned off.
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Audio recordings of the Talks in this series are available here:
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Dharma Talk Audio / Podcast Episode:
LINK

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The Sitting Schedule is as follows:

00:00 - 00:50 CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA IN JAPANESE / SANDOKAI IN ENGLISH) & ZAZEN
00:50 - 01:00 KINHIN
01:00 - 01:30 ZAZEN
01:30 - 01:50 KINHIN

01:50 - 02:30 DHARMA TALK & ZAZEN
02:30 - 02:40 KINHIN & HOKEY-POKEY RITUAL

02:40 - 03:15 ZAZEN
03:15 - 03:30 KINHIN
03:30 - 04:00 METTA CHANT & ZAZEN, VERSE OF ATONEMENT, FOUR VOWS, & CLOSING

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ATTENTION: Everyone, when rising for Kinhin or Ceremonies after Zazen, get up slowly, don't rush, hold something stable, you won't be "late," so TAKE YOUR TIME! Make sure you are careful getting up!

Gassho, Jundo

STLah


PS - There is no "wrong" or "right" in Zazen ... yet here is a little explanation of the "right" times to Bow (A Koan) ...
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Chant Book is here for those who wish to join in: CHANT BOOK LINK

The other video I mention on Zendo decorum is this one, from our "Always Beginners" video Series:
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Sit-a-Long with Jundo: Zazen for Beginners (12) - Basic Zendo Decorum At Home
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...093#post189093

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I also recommend a little Talk on why small rituals and procedures are so cherished in the Zendo:
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SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: Small Things in the Zendo
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...s-in-the-Zendo

[Jundo]

tsuku.jpg X 3

We will reflect on further Koans of the Blue Cliff Record (碧巌録; Hekiganroku in Japanese) compiled in Song China in 1125 ... relevant for life today in 2024 ... including the craziness of the upcoming U.S. election (but I won't be getting too political to make my point) ...

CASE 7:
A monk (named Hui Ch'ao) asked Fa Yen, "Hui Ch'ao asks the Teacher, what is Buddha?"
Fa Yen said, "You are Hui Ch'ao."

CASE 8:
At the end of the summer retreat Ts'ui Yen said to the community,
"All summer long I've been talking to you, brothers; look and see if my eyebrows are still there."
Pao Fu said, "The thief's heart is cowardly."
Ch'ang Ch'ing said, "Grown."
Yun Men said, "A barrier."

CASE 9:
A monk asked Chao Chou, "What is Chao Chou?"
Chao Chou replied, "East gate, west gate, south gate, north gate."

CASE 10:
Mu Chou asked a monk, "Where have you just come from?" The monk immediately shouted.
Mu Chou said, "I've been shouted at by you once." Again the monk shouted.
Mu Chou said, "After three or four shouts, then what?" The monk had nothing to say.
Mu Chou then hit him and said, "What a thieving phoney you are! "

CASE 11:
Huang Po, instructing the community, said, "All of you people are gobblers of dregs;
if you go on travelling around this way, where will you have Today?
Do you know that there are no teachers of Ch'an in all of China?"
At that time a monk came forward and said,
"Then what about those in various places who order followers and lead communities?"
Huang Po said, "I do not say that there is no Ch'an;
it's just that there are no teachers."

CASE 12:
A monk asked Tung Shan, "What is Buddha?"
Tung Shan said, "Three pounds of flax."
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[Jundo]

Our dance this time ...
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Not exactly a fully Buddhist message throughout, but ...

And, alas, I fear that it will not end with the election ...

Gassho, J
stlah

[mdonnoe]

Case 11 was the subject of an entire Rohatsu sesshin's talks I attended once upon a time! I love it!

I will join you all this time asynchronously, rather than live - I'll be out of town, but will sit with you this weekend, which I'm really looking forward to doing.

Gassho,
Michael
Satlah

[Tokan]

Good morning NZ time!

I'll have to sit later once again, at work today. I'm sure the talk will be illuminating.

Gassho, Tokan

[Jundo]

A little late today. Please sit Zazen a few minutes ...

[Bion]

Dear friends sitting with the recording. We started today's zazenkai directly with sitting, as we were waiting for Jundo who was a little late. Make sure you get comfortable from the beginning, cause we ended up doing the entire sitting period. There is no bell at the beginning and ceremony comes after the first sit! Thank you for sitting with us!

Gassho
sat lah

[ZenJay]

Thank you everyone! It was great to sit with you all last night! Thank you to Jundo, Onkai, and Bion for a lovely service and a great talk!

Gassho,
Jay

Sat/lah today

[Tairin]

Thank you everyone. I sat with you this morning. Thanks for the heads up on the recording Bion. I might have been a little confused otherwise


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Bion]

Thank you everyone. I sat with you this morning. Thanks for the heads up on the recording Bion. I might have been a little confused otherwise


Tairin
Sat today and lah

I figured you guys would be more comfortable sitting properly, rather than trying to figure out what´s going on!

Gassho
sat lah

[BikeZen]

I sat with you today. The Metta was very timely and will help me this afternoon when we go to my wife's family reunion. May i keep my mouth shut and think, say and do things heathfully and helpfully.

Gassho,
Bill
Sat

[Tai Shi]

The song, choral piece prom Grease brings a lot of fear to me. I experience American politics because of the Paris Environmental I am an American and watched Election and Trump's outrageous comments, and I am truly fearful. Let me say this again This November Election which was a week ago today, fulls me with dread, and my stomach is upset, and I am really sick. I am afraid beyond everything! I am wondering what a Trump presidency will brink.I think it will be horrible. If he follows through with his campaign promises, the US will be a totalitarian state, and Trump will be a dictator, my anxiety is thick and horrible. I can only think of him as a dictator like Pol Pot, or Edi Amin. He is promising to dismantle the military, and get out NATO, have full relations with Russia, demand tariffs from China, and the rest of the world, call out the National Guard to keep order, fire the tom generals, admirals, and commanding officers of the military, demand full obedience to him, treat Americans like children. I am afraid of Trump. I am not afraid to tell you that I am a Democrat, and Republicans are in full power. My whole body is wracked with pain from the anxiety I feel from Trump, and he is allowing Big Business, and Billionaires to take over these UNITED STATES which I have thought stood for freedom and democracy.What do I do to cut the beads of sweat forming across my forehead. Each morning for the past week I have felt like I have a case of Influenza type A and this is the sickest Ihave been in twenty years. L am calling my Behavioral Health Hospital now. I am sweating profusely.
Gassho
lah/say

[Tai Shi]

For me, one who has taken the vows, one who has said I will follow the precepts, it is to say, "I have not followed the precepts. I have followed the precepts," and I did comment on honesty so am I a Lier, or am I honest when I say I have a bad back, or neck, or feet, well ours is the honesty of this American election,. We, my wife and I say it did, it did not go our way, and my wife says, "Quit watching the news, and it is time to quit watching and to live your life. You gave money, and you m, must hold your tongue because others will speak their voice." Finally, I have gotten, I get it. Let it be and live for Peace for after all my name is Peaceful Poetry, Tai Shi, and even our daughter holds her tongue for she is a teacher of Japanese. It is enough that I be proud, and I say to Matt, I have not been entirely honest. Let me say it is time to be the Precepts and says that honesty is the way even if a candidate does not become president, or does become president. It is enough for me to say she did curse the day, but in the end, she was gracious, and she congratulated this man, and the current president does say he will be peaceful, and we hope for the best, and now even some in his party are complaining about his cabinet and he must change too, and all will even out as in three pounds of flax are enough, and we find our flax seed, and I say to Matt, I will tr harder, and perhaps, as the teacher, because I have been trained as a teacher, it is time for me to teach. Thank you Matt for being with me so far!
Gassho
lah/sat