Sept. 5-6th 2025 -OUR MONTHLY 3-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI- Commencing Jukai/Ango Season!

[Jundo]

We commence our Jukai (Undertaking the Precepts) preparations and Ango (Peaceful Abiding) season ...
... with a writing by Master Dogen on living wisely and well in this day-to-day life ...

Hachi Dainin Gaku
八大人覺

'The Eight Understandings of the Great Person'
(text below)

Dear All,

Getting our Ango and Jukai Celebrations Started!

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 11am Japan time Saturday morning, New York 7pm to 10pm, Los Angeles 4pm to 7pm, Friday night, London midnight to 3am and Paris 1am to 4am 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 during Zazenkai are available here:
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Dharma Talk Audio / Podcast Episode:
LINK

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The Sitting Schedule is as follows:
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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 - 01:40 KINHIN
01:40 - 02:20 DHARMA TALK & ZAZEN
02:20 - 02:25 KANNON STRETCH
02:25 - 02:55 ZAZEN and METTA VERSES
02:55 - 03:00 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]

Our Readings from Master Dogen's "Self (Non-Self) Help Book" ... Hachi Dainin Gaku (八大人覺) ...
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'The Eight Understandings of the Great Person'
DOWNLOADABLE PDF : Hachi Dainin Gaku - Zazenkai Study.pdf

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This essay was written in early 1253, just months before Master Dogen's passing from this life, so is often placed at the end of the Shobogenzo. The text 1s a very wise, yet very practical, list of eight spiritual attitudes and directions for living a good and rewarding life. Dogen really does not say much in his own words until the last pages, primarily quoting from two other works, the "Compendium of Meanings of the Great Vehicle," by the sixth-century scholar Jingying Huiyuan and the verbatim quotes from a very popular Sutra, the Fo yijiao jing (Sutra of the Bequeathed Teachings of the Buddha), that is said to be the final teaching of the Buddha before his passing from this life. At the end of the text, Master Dogen adds some brief remarks lamenting that the Sutra is not studied more, and encouraging everyone to do so.

This month, we will look at the first four of the eight understandings, with the rest next month.

A new book of Uchiyama Roshi's talks on the Eight Understandings has recently been released: The Roots of Goodness: Zen Master Dogen's Teaching on the Eight Qualities of a Great Person: LINK
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~ ~ ~

The buddhas are great persons. What the great person understands is called the “eight understandings of the great person.” Understanding of these dharmas is the cause of nirvana. They are the final teaching of our Buddha Sakyamuni, on the night he entered nirvana.

1) Few desires. Among the objects of the five desires, not widely pursuing those not yet acquired Is called “few desires."

The Buddha said, "Bhiksus, you should know that those with many desires, because they seek much fame and profit, also have much suffering. Those of few desires, being without seeking and without desiring, are without these troubles. Having few desires should be practiced in its own right; how much more, then, when having few desires can produce merits. Those of few desires do not flatter others in order to please others, nor are they led about by their sense organs. In those who practice few desires, the mind is at ease, without anxiety or fear; they have plenty in all matters, never feeling unsatisfied. For those with few desires, there 1s nirvana. This is called 'few desires.'”

2) Knowing contentment. is to know how much is enough. Even if you already have something, you set a limit for yourself for using it, so you should know how much is enough. 1s called “knowing contentment.”

The Buddha said, "Bhiksus, 1f you wish to be liberated from sufferings, you should contemplate knowing contentment. The dharma of knowing contentment — this is a place of wealth and joy, peace and tranquility. Those who know contentment are happy even when sleeping on the ground; those who do not know contentment are still dissatisfied even when staying in a heavenly mansion. Those not knowing contentment are poor even when rich; those knowing contentment are rich even when poor. Those who do not know contentment are always led about by the five desires and are pitied by those who know contentment. This is called 'knowing contentment.'”

3) Enjoying quietude. Living alone in a vacant space, apart from hustle and bustle, is called “enjoying quietude.”’

The Buddha said, "If you bhiksus wish to seek the unconditioned joy of quietude, you should live alone in a quiet abode, apart from hustle and bustle. Those who live in quiet places are all respected by Lord Sakra and the other devas. Therefore, abandoning your own group and other groups, you should live alone in a vacant space, thinking on eradicating the root of suffering. Those who enjoy groups suffer multiple afflictions. They are like a great tree troubled by withering and breaking when birds gather in 1t. When we are bound to the world, we drown in sufferings, like an old elephant sinking in mud, unable to extricate itself. This 1s called 'isolation.'”

4) Diligent exertion.' It is to engage ceaselessly in wholesome practices. That is why it is called “diligent effort.” It is refinement without mixing in other activities. You keep going forward without turning back.

The Buddha said, "If you bhiksus diligently exert yourselves, things will not be difficult for you. Therefore, you should diligently exert yourselves, just as even a small amount of water constantly running can penetrate stone. If the mind of the practitioner repeatedly neglects and abandons the practice, it is just as if one, boring wood to make a fire, were to stop before it got hot: one may want the fire, but the fire will be hard to get. This is called 'exertion.'”

... to be continued ...
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[Anthony]

It was really great sitting with you all live! "Be content to be discontent sometimes" was exactly what I needed to hear. It hit me like a truck (in a good way!).

Let's go Ango!

Gassho,
Anthony satlah

[Bion]

Thank you everyone. It's been so long since I've seen 2 screens needed to host everyone participating. It really was wonderful to practice with you all! Time to get Ango serious! Have a beneficial and fruitful practice period!

Gassho
sat lah

[Austin C]

Good sitting with you all.

desire is like fire.

Deep bows,
Austin

satlah

[Seikan]

Thank you all for sharing in this practice together! It was so good to see so many people in real time this week.

Now . . . ready, set, AnGO!

Gassho,
Seikan

stlah

[Jinjitsu]

Sat Zazenkai with the livestream, so grateful to have the opportunity to practice with everyone and begin this Ango season!

Gassho,
Josh
satlah

[JaredY]

It was great sitting with all of you live today. Really excited for Ango!
Gassho,
Jared
sat/lah

[cloudtyger]

Ah, I'm sorry I missed this. I was looking forward to beginning my first Jukai. Perhaps next year!

Sat, Lah
-cloudtyger

eta: unless the 6th is not too late? Of course, no worries. Gassho

[Kotei]

Thank you Jundo. Thank you Koushi for the Ino-ing and Bion for the Tech and everyone for sitting together.
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[k1982]

This was the first entire zazenkai I've "been" to with Treeleaf. What a cool experience to do so online with so many others.

As an aside, Jundo...we really need some putt-putt golf here! I think it would be huge. We've tossed around how fun of an idea that would be in our neck of Tokyo but had no idea the red tape was so thick! Hopefully you can get it sorted out someday, I'd love to get a few rounds in!

Gassho,
Kyle
Sat/lah

[Shui_Di]

Just sitting with you all.

Thank you Jundo and everyone.

Gassho, Mujo
Stlah

[Tairin]

Thank you everyone. I sat with you this morning.


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Shujin]

Sat with the recorded version - happy start of Ango, y'all.

Gassho,
Shujin

[Chikyou]

This was a great talk! I hadn’t encountered the Eight Understandings of a Great Person yet - I’m glad I did and I’ve added the book to my reading list.

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō