May 23rd-24th Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai - The Heart Sutra is Lit! Let's Hanya Jiggy!

[Jundo]

Dear All,

WE WILL BE DANCING THE HEART SUTRA CLUB VERSION FOR OUR CEREMONY TODAY,
by Gary Azukx Dyson ...

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Our Treeleaf Zazenkai is for 90 minutes 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 >> ( 10am Japan Saturday morning, NY 9pm, LA 6pm Friday night, London 2am and Paris 3am Saturday morning) or sit this Zazenkai any time thereafter here:
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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.

00:00 – 00:15 CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA in English) and Dedication
00:15 – 00:45 ZAZEN
00:45 – 00:55 KINHIN
00:55 – 01:25 ZAZEN
01:25 – 01:30 VERSE OF ATONEMENT & FOUR VOWS
01:30 - 01:45(?) INFORMAL TEA TIME (ALL WELCOME)
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Chant Book is here for those who wish to join in:
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CHANT BOOK LINK

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For some more information about Zendo etiquette at Treeleaf and to help you be more comfortable with joining the Zoom room, please have a look here:
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ZENDO ETIQUETTE

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!
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Gassho
sat lah
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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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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
(LINK)

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
(LINK)

[Jundo]

For a little background ... we are dancing the Heart Sutra by Gary Dyson, a Tibetan Practitioner who is a student of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, the movie director. When I wrote him to ask, Gary said it was okay to "use the recording in any way that is beneficial. Share, play, give away, what ever. It is for the benefit of all."

So, I will be playing the recording during our Zazenkai, as our Heart Sutra Recitation. Everyone, please come dance! Dance of Emptiness!

By the way, if you are wondering, Tibetan Practitioners and some others tend to use a somewhat longer version of the Heart Sutra, with a little more at the startless start and endless end. I highlight that. I also include link to Mr. Dyson's page below for those interested. .

The Sutra of the Heart of Transcendent Knowledge

Thus have I heard. Once the Blessed One was dwelling in Rajagriha at Vulture Peak mountain, together with a great gathering of the sangha of monks and a great gathering of the sangha of bodhisattvas. At that time the Blessed One entered the samadhi that expresses the dharma called "profound illumination," and at the same time noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, while practicing the profound prajnaparamita, saw in this way: he saw the five skandhas to be empty of nature. Then, through the power of the Buddha, venerable Shariputra said to noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, "How should a son or daughter of noble family train, who wishes to practice the profound prajnaparamita?" Addressed in this way, noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, said to venerable Shariputra, "O Shariputra, a son or daughter of noble family who wishes to practice the profound prajnaparamita should see in this way: seeing the five skandhas to be empty of nature. Form is emptiness; emptiness also is form. Emptiness is no other than form; form is no other than emptiness. In the same way, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are emptiness. Thus, Shariputra, all dharmas are emptiness. There are no characteristics. There is no birth and no cessation. There is no impurity and no purity. There is no decrease and no increase. Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness,
there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no formation, no consciousness; no eye, no ear, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind; no appearance, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no dharmas, no eye dhatu up to no mind dhatu, no dhatu of dharmas, no mind consciousness dhatu; no ignorance, no end of ignorance up to no old age and death, no end of old age and death; no suffering, no origin of suffering, no cessation of suffering, no path, no wisdom, no attainment, and no non-attainment. Therefore, Shariputra, since the bodhisattvas have no attainment, they abide by means of prajnaparamita. Since there is no obscuration of mind, there is no fear. They transcend falsity and attain complete nirvana. All the buddhas of the three times, by means of prajnaparamita, fully awaken to unsurpassable, true, complete enlightenment. Therefore, the great mantra of prajnaparamita, the mantra of great insight, the unsurpassed mantra, the unequalled mantra, the mantra that calms all suffering, should be known as truth, since there no deception. The prajnaparamita mantra is said in this way:
TADYATHA OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SVAHA

Thus, Shariputra, the bodhisattva mahasattva should train in the profound prajnaparamita. Then the Blessed One arose from that samadhi and praised noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, saying, "Good, good, O son of noble family; thus it is, O son of noble family, thus it is. One should practice the profound prajnaparamita just as you have taught and all the tathagatas will rejoice." When the Blessed One had said this, venerable Shariputra and noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva mahasattva, that whole assembly and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the words of the Blessed One.

Thus concludes the Sutra of the Heart of Transcendent Knowledge

https://garyazukx.bandcamp.com/track/heart-sutra

Gassho, J

STLah

[Kotei]

Thank you for the dance, Jundo, Koushi and everyone dancing across time and space.
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Tairin]

Thank you everyone. I sat and dance with you this morning.


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Shui_Di]

Thank you Jundo Roshi,

I just did the Zazenkai offline for yesterday I went outside the town for working.

I love when you said that we are not just watching the dance, but we are also dancing with the world, and we try to dance nicely.

Gassho, Mujo
Stlah