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