January 2-3rd 2026 - OUR JOYFUL NEW YEAR 3-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Eko Echoes

[Jundo]

TO WELCOME and CELEBRATE an AUSPICIOUS NEW YEAR ...

... We will look through the beautiful and meaningful words of our
'Dedication of Merit' (Eko 回向)

Dear All,

Please sit our Monthly 3-Hour Treeleaf Zazenkai LIVE with Zazen, Heart Sutra and more. We meet 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 Practice Calendar (8am to 11am Japan time Saturday morning, New York 6pm to 9pm, Los Angeles 3pm to 6pm, Friday, London 11pm to 2am and Paris midnight to 3am 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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Treeleaf Zendo Podcast

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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]

The Deep Meaning of our Eko ... the Dedication of Merit for our Chants ... written 回向, which kinda means "Goes Around and Comes Around" ... and happens to be read "Echo" too. It is sometimes called the 普回向, Fueko, which is something like "Sending Around Far and Wide."

I wrote our version years ago to be traditional, but also to bring the traditional wording down to earth a bit. For example, some Soto-shu Ekos might have phrasing like this ...

Having chanted the Heart of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, we transfer the merit generated thereby to the eternal three treasures [Buddha Dharma Sangha] in the ten directions; to the countless disciples in the sea of buddhahood; to the sixteen great arhats [https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/dic/Content/S/219]; and to all beings associated with the class of worthy ones.

We further offer it to the dharma-protecting devas [heavenly gods and benevolent deities]; to the dharma-protecting saints; to the earth spirit of this place and to the monastery-protecting spirits; to Jōhō Shichirō Daigen Shuri Bodhisattva [another monastery-protecting spirit enshrined in the earth spirit's hall even in Dogen's time]; and to the tutelary deities enshrined in all halls. ...

We pray that you will use your three awarenesses [a Buddha's or enlightened being's ability to see their own and all the past lives and course of liberation of all sentient beings] and six supernatural powers [including celestial hearing, to read the hearts and minds of others and more] to turn the age of the end of the dharma [the final, declined age of Buddhist history] into the age of the true dharma; use your five powers [of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom] and eight liberations [https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/dic/Content/E/23] to lead living beings to the birthless; continuously turn the two wheels of the monastery [the offering of Dharma and receiving of Alms]; and forever prevent the three disasters [from flood, fire or wind] from afflicting the land. ...

Our Treeleaf Eko is as follows ...

DEDICATION (EKO)
READ BY INO (CHANT LEADER) ONLY:

Buddha Nature pervades the whole universe, Reality, existing right here now:
In reciting THE HEART OF THE PERFECTION OF GREAT WISDOM SUTRA
(and THE IDENTITY OF RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE)
we dedicate our sincere efforts to:

• Shakyamuni Buddha Honored One; the Historical Buddha and Teacher,
and to those ancestral teachers:
Eihei Dogen Honored One
Soji Keizan Honored One,
All successive Honored Ones up until
Zuigaku Rempo Honored One and
Gudo Wafu Honored One
and to all other Honored Ones throughout history, same yet diverse Honored Ones,
whose names have been forgotten or left unsaid.

We also dedicate these efforts to the Three Treasures,

Buddha, Dharma, Sangha,

To all Awakened Ones and Teachers in all places and times.

We especially seek tranquility & well being for all creatures now suffering or ill in health.
May they be serene through all their ills.
May their lives be at peace and Wisdom pervade the darkness of ignorance.

We dedicate our hopes and aspirations:
To all victims of war and violence and natural events
To the injured and to all families touched by these tragedies
To the healing of hatred in all countries and among all peoples
To the wisdom and compassion of our world leaders
To the peace of the world and harmony of all beings.

Thus, let the harmful effects of words, thoughts and actions be dispelled
and Compassion bloom in perpetual spring.
May we all realize and live the Enlightened Way together:


EVERYONE CHANTS TOGETHER:

• All Buddhas throughout space and time
• All Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas
• Maha • Prajna • Paramita •••••••

[Kotei]

Thank you for sitting together everyone!
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Tensei]

i'm sad to have missed everyone, but I was waylaid with family activities. I'm looking forward to remotely catching up with you this weekend!

Gassho,
Tegan
satlah

[Bion]

i'm sad to have missed everyone, but I was waylaid with family activities. I'm looking forward to remotely catching up with you this weekend!

Gassho,
Tegan
satlah

Do not think you were not missed See you on the FINALLY-NON-HOLIDAY-WEDNESDAY

Gassho

[Tairin]

Thank you everyone. I sat with you this morning.


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Hokuu]

I noticed how we and Soto Shu in general, dedicate efforts/merit of chanting (Heart Sutra, etc.) but not of sitting zazen. Is it me just being misinformed? Does it mean we assume zazen doesn't bring merits? Or is it just "pastoral" unwillingness to attach value to the goalless practice?

gassho
satlah

[Jundo]

Does it mean we assume zazen doesn't bring merits?

Oh no, we dedicate the merit of that too. Everything. I guess there is no particular words said, because it is a "silent ceremony" ... but the merit is dedicated silently too.

Gassho, J
stlah

[Shinshi]

It took me a bit, but it was wonderful to sit with everyone.

Gassho,

Shinshi

[Onki]

Wonderful! Your talk has inspired me.

Gasshō,

On

[Shui_Di]

Thank you Jundo.

I am from a more traditionalist Buddhist community here in Indonesia. But a modern approach of Buddhism also can touch the heart of other people from other religious community here in my country. And modern approach can be more easily accepted by plural society. But interestingly, some Buddhist community here also incorporate some of local Indonesian folk tradition too, like what Keizan did, and it is okay too, as long as it can make people get more access and feel touched by Buddha's teaching which can be taught in many ways.

For my self, Zazen is the core. But, for application, I am so open with many approach.

And you are right, many Buddhist people I know, they somehow become "Good Karma" digger. Want to collect as much as they can so they can get a better life in the next life. Well it is okay if it can make them be a better person. But, too much also will make people less sincere in doing goodness.

The dedication for me, means we should understand that our every single action will bring effect to the world. I have read an articoe about "butterfly effects" which also coincide with interdependence theory, that all are interconnected. So dedication means to bring awareness to our action, that all we did matter. So to create a more lovely and peaceful world for human beings, that's why we bring more love, kindness, and peaceful mind and action in our daily activity. Our single deed is matter.

Gassho, Mujo
Stlah