July 4-5th, 2025 -OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI- Ocean Mudra Samadhi - The Living Sea

[Jundo]

We return to port one last time, after a long sail with Master Dogen's

“Ocean Mudra Samādhi” 海印三昧
... but these waters of life flow on forever ...
(text below)

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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]

40658950440_6071170cd1_z.jpg

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Ocean Mudra Samādhi (III - Finale)

STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Although this is our last sail upon Master Dogen's Ocean Mudra Samādhi (Kai’in Zanmai 海印三昧) ... the waters flows on and on ... a sea of life where one never sinks below the waves ...
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DOWNLOADABLE PDF:
Monthly Zazenkai Text Juy 4th.pdf

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Caoshan, Great Master Yuanzheng, was asked by a monk, “From the scriptures we learn that an ocean does not retain corpses. What is the ocean?” Caoshan said, “That which contains myriad things.” The monk said, “The ocean does not keep corpses. Why?” Caoshan said, “Those who have stopped breathing do not remain as they are.” The monk said, “The ocean contains myriad things, but those who have stopped breathing do not remain as they are. Why?” Caoshan said, “Myriad things stop breathing when they don’t function anymore.”

[Dogen commented:] Caoshan, a dharma brother of Yunju, was right on the mark of Dongshan’s teaching. From the scriptures we learn refers to the correct teaching of buddha ancestors. It is not the teaching of ordinary sages, nor is it a lesser teaching of the buddha dharma. The ocean that does not retain corpses is not the open water, an enclosed sea, or even one of the Eight Seas. This is not what the monk asked Caoshan. The monk understands what is not the ocean as the ocean, but also understands the ocean as the ocean.

A sea is not the ocean. The ocean is not necessarily an abyss of water with eight powers or nine trenches of salt water [the wondrous seas said to be in the Pure Land]; the ocean is where all elements come together. It is not limited to deep water. This being so, the monk’s question What is the ocean? refers to an ocean that is not known by humans and devas. The one who asked this question wanted to shake up fixed views.

Not retaining corpses is [as Puhua said], “When brightness arises, meet it with brightness; when darkness arises, meet it with darkness.” A corpse is as indestructible as ash, meaning [as Fachang said], “through countless springs [the dried-up tree in the cold forest], there is no change of heart/mind.” A corpse such as this has not been seen before; therefore it is unknown.

Caoshan’s words "That which contains myriad things" indicates the deep ocean. The point of his words is not about one thing that contains myriad things but about just containing myriad things [“containing is the myriad things.”]. He did not merely mean that
the deep ocean contains myriad things, but that what contains myriad things is nothing other than the deep ocean. Recognized or not, myriad things are just myriad things. Encountering the buddha face and the ancestor face is nothing other than fully recognizing myriad things as myriad things. Because myriad things are all-inclusive, you do not merely stand atop the highest peak or travel along the bottom of the deepest ocean. Being all-inclusive is just like this; letting go is just like that.

What is called the ocean of buddha nature or Vairochana’s ocean storehouse [Two common Buddhist expressions for the dharma-kaya, or all-embracing cosmic body of the buddha] is just myriad things. Although the ocean surface is invisible, there is no doubt about the practice of swimming in it. Duofu described a grove of bamboo as “one or two stalks are bent and three or four stalks are leaning” [the wholeness is just the separate things]. Although he referred to myriad things, why did he not say, “One thousand or ten thousand stalks are bent”? Why did he not say, “one thousand or ten thousand groves”? Do not forget that a grove of bamboo is like that. This is what is meant by Caoshan’s words That which contains myriad things. [Caoshan’s
saying, “it contains the myriad beings,” is precisely the “myriad beings.”]

The monk’s statement, Those who have stopped breathing do not remain as they are. Why? appears to be a question, but it is actually an understanding of what it is. When doubt arises, just encounter doubt. In investigating thusness, the monk said, Those who have stopped breathing do not remain as they are. Why? and The ocean does not retain corpses. Why? This is the meaning of his words: The ocean contains myriad things, but those who have stopped breathing do not remain as they are. Why? Know that containing does not allow things to remain as they are. Containing is not-retaining. [“containing” is not “belonging”; containing is “not housing.”] Even if myriad things were nothing but corpses, for ten thousand years the ocean would never retain them unchanged. The old monk, who does not remain the same, makes his move.

Caoshan’s words, Myriad things stop breathing when they don’t function anymore mean that even if myriad things do or do not stop breathing, they do not remain as they are. Even if corpses are corpses, the practice of being one with myriad things should be able to contain them; the practice should be all-containing. In the past and future of myriad things, there is a function
that goes beyond not-breathing.

This is the blind leading the blind. The meaning of the blind leading the blind is that a blind one leads a blind one [teacher and student merge]; blind ones lead blind ones. When blind ones lead blind ones, all things are contained. Containing contains all things. In the great way of going beyond, no endeavor is complete without being one with myriad things. This is ocean mudra samadhi.

Written at the Kannondori Kosho Horin Monastery on the twentieth
day, the fourth month, the third year of the Ninji Era [1242].

[Jundo]

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[Jundo]

This video is a nice, short introduction to what a jazz pianist does with an "old standard," in this case, the song Autumn Leaves. Check out the little notes on musical tricks and strategy on the screen. It is also a nice example of what Dogen does in similar fashion with traditional Zen and Mahayana teachings, such as the Koan story in today's Shobogenzo passage ...
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The pianist is the late, great Michel Petrucciani (LINK).

Gassho, J
stlah
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[mspice]

Jundo!
When you mentioned Autumn Leaves today, I was excited to listen to version I hadn't heard before.Thank you for bringing Mr. Petrucciani to my ears and awareness.
You talk about Dogen riffing with his words akin to jazz, why does he do this? I would guess just to drive the point home or for poetic reasons. I've noticed this in other parts of Shobogenzo where he just sort of swirls around in the subjects and objects of what he's talking about.
Gassho,
Michael
satlah

[Seikan]

Thank you all for coming together and sharing in this practice. And deep bows to you Jundo for the talk. As always, you help make Dogen far more accessible and easier to digest.

Gassho,
Seikan

sat/lah

[Bion]

Thank you all for your practice, whether you were here live, or you'll be joining later! To any friends in Russia or Belarus, because of our song, during our little dance break, the video is blocked in your territory. There's nothing we can do about it, so .. apologies to you!

Gassho
sat lah

[Jundo]

Thank you all for your practice, whether you were here live, or you'll be joining later! To any friends in Russia or Belarus, because of our song, during our little dance break, the video is blocked in your territory. There's nothing we can do about it, so .. apologies to you!

Gassho
sat lah

If they write me, I will get them a version without the song.

I did not know that Sponge Bob was so big in Belarus.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Bion]

If they write me, I will get them a version without the song.

I did not know that Sponge Bob was so big in Belarus.

Gassho, J
stlah

He's all the rage apparently! In all seriousness, every single month, this repeats, because of songs we play. In some territories, we always get blocked... It's unavoidable

Gassho
sat lah

[Jundo]

Okay, No more recorded songs. We will make Sponge Bob our grand finale.

Next month, you can sing.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Jundo]

You talk about Dogen riffing with his words akin to jazz, why does he do this? I would guess just to drive the point home or for poetic reasons. I've noticed this in other parts of Shobogenzo where he just sort of swirls around in the subjects and objects of what he's talking about.

I believe that, like a good Jazz fellow (Word Jazz), he is just "expressin'" ... trying to experiment in conveying what cannot easily be conveyed straight in ordinary language. In my book, Zen Master's Dance, I wrote this ...
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A modern jazz musician like saxophonist John Coltrane, by taking the basic melodies and themes of the standard score, by bending and turning them inside out, changing the beat and going to unchartered places, squeezes amazing sounds and fresh discoveries out of the well-worn original. The thing about appreciating Coltrane and many of the other jazz greats is to know that by their doing so, each player makes his own musical expression the same as, but different from, the standard tune it is based upon. Dōgen does the same in imaginatively re-expressing ancient teachings. Sometimes with Dōgen and Coltrane it is the sound, man, and the hinted implications, more than the straight meaning. People often get tangled in Dōgen’s style because they constantly look for Dōgen’s intellectual and philosophical meaning in every phrase. They shut the book in frustration or think that Dōgen was pulling the wool over people’s eyes. However, although I believe that Dōgen was often trying to impress his listeners with a “hot” set of startling phrases, I don’t think that he was ever just putting on a show. He said what he meant, and meant what he felt. Dōgen was being true to the Buddha’s sound. With Dōgen, we have to learn to feel the music more than to intellectually understand the score.

It’s not just Coltrane or jazz: Picasso took the concrete image of a table, a human face, or a guitar and, by pulling apart the pieces and reassembling them in unexpected ways, led us to discover new insights into ordinary table-ness, face-icity, and guitar-ism. Hendrix explored guitar-ism in his own ways, by bending a FenderTM, slamming poets or rappers do it, and modern DJs find it with a turntable and sampling old hits, spoken phrases, and random noises at a rave. T. S. Eliot and James Joyce did much the same with words, linking them together in unexpected ways and with powerful effect. (I have heard it said that Joyce did not, himself, always know what he “meant” in his own writing, but he knew that something alive was emerging.) Some 700 or so years before these modern folks, Dōgen had the equivalent approach, taking “standard” Mahayana Buddhist teachings, fanciful but traditional Buddhist images, and “samples” of quotes from well-known stories related to his intended topics, tearing them apart, and tossing all back together again, remixing them, in order to discover and uncover new feelings, sounds, implications, visions, and wisdom, all in what was often pretty wild imagery to start with!

To me, Master Dōgen was “blowing his Shōbōgenzō-sax” — riffing, rockin’, rollin’, ranting, and roof-raising by expressing-folding-bending-fractalizing- unfolding-straightening-teasing-releasing the “standard tunes” of the sutras and old kōans. The untrained ear can’t always make heads nor tails of the complex rhythms, flying notes, wild tempos — maybe sometimes even Dōgen himself could not grab hold of the animal he was creating — but I know that he felt what he meant, and that he knew that the creature he was fashioning had life. ...

... Dōgen does not deviate from the classic Mahayana teaching ... But once Dōgen establishes this standard Buddhist melody, he picks up his horn and lets loose. Tossing all intellectual knowledge away, we get Dōgen’s message by “digging the rhythms” — that is, the power, the feel of his words.

If you would like to read some more tips on "How to Read Dogen," I have some here ...

https://forum.treeleaf.org/forum/teacher-talks-tips/teacher-talks-tips-aa/talks-tips-and-topics-by-jundo/2990-how-to-read-dogen#post2990

Gassho, J
stlah

[Ryokudo]

Hi All, as ever it was wonderful sitting with my brothers and sisters.

Unfortunately I could only get online midway through the talk, but today I have rewatched and it was great, the dharma talk really resonated with me which is cool as it was text I was previously unfamiliar with.

So deepest gassho, Jundo for sharing and teaching

Gassho,

Ryokudo

Satlah

[Kotei]

Thank you Jundo. Thank you Onkai for chanting and Bion for managing the tech.
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Tairin]

Thank you everyone. I sat with you this morning.


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Shui_Di]

Thank you everyone. I have sat offline.

I like what Jundo Roshi said a door can't enter a door.
Maybe, because the door is everywhere, and everywhere is a door.
The Dharma door is the gate to deliver ordinary beings to be a Buddha.
But the Dharma is like Ocean. Fish doesn't need a door to enter the Ocean. But a foolish fish is still looking around the door.
In Zazen Shikantaza, we drop body and mind. It is a gateless gate. To touch the reality as it is.

Gassho, Mujo
Stlah.