February 2nd-3rd, 2018 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

[Jundo]

Today's Talk is based on the Sandokai (Identity of Relative & Absolute) that we chant each month. (text below)

Please 'sit-a-long' with our MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI, netcast LIVE 8am to noon Japan time Saturday morning (that is New York 6pm to 10pm, Los Angeles 3pm to 7pm (Friday night), London 11pm to 3am and Paris midnight to 54am (early Saturday morning)) ... and visible at the following link during those times ...

... to be visible on the below screen during those times and any time thereafter ...

LIVE ZAZENKAI NETCAST at YOUTUBE HANGOUT IS HERE:
CLICK ON THE TAB ON LOWER RIGHT FOR 'FULL SCREEN

Dharma Talk Audio / Podcast Episode:

https://treeleaf.podbean.com/e/february-2018-zazenkai-talk-sandokai-the-identity-of-relative-and-absolute/

FOR THOSE NOT ALREADY MEMBERS OF THE CIRCLE WHO WISH TO JOIN TO SIT LIVE WITH A CAMERA, INSTRUCTIONS are posted AT THIS LINK. WE ARE NOW LIMITED TO 10 INDIVIDUALS WITH CAMERAS, BUT ANY NUMBER CAN WATCH LIVE 'ONE WAY' AND SIT-A-LONG VIA THE ABOVE SCREEN. IF JOINING WITH CAMERA, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR MICROPHONE IS MUTED:

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

02:40 - 03:15 ZAZEN
03:15 - 03:30 KINHIN
03:30 - 04:00 METTA CHANT & ZAZEN, VERSE OF ATONEMENT, FOUR VOWS, & CLOSING


Our Zazenkai consists of our chanting the 'Heart Sutra' in Japanese and the 'Identity of Relative and Absolute (Sandokai)' in English (please download our Chant Book at the link below), some full floor prostrations (please follow along with me ... or a simple Gassho can be substituted if you wish), a little talk by me ... and we close with the 'Metta Chant', followed at the end with the 'Verse of Atonement' and 'The Four Vows'. Oh, and lots and lots of Zazen and walkin' Kinhin in between!

Please download and print out the Chants we will recite at the following link (PDF):

Chant Book (PDF)

or

Chant Book (SHORT VERSION HTML)

Not everyone realizes that they can join in the Chanting of the Heart Sutra, Identity of Relative & Absolute, Metta Verses, Verse of Atonement and Four Vows (although we ask that you keep your microphone down). Please follow along with the Chant Book, and let your voice ring!

I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU POSITION YOUR ZAFU ON THE FLOOR IN A PLACE WHERE YOU ARE NOT STARING DIRECTLY AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN, BUT CAN GLANCE OVER AND SEE THE SCREEN WHEN NECESSARY. YOUR ZAFU SHOULD ALSO BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE COMPUTER SCREEN WHILE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE ZAFU FOR THE CEREMONIES, AND HAVE ROOM FOR BOWING AND KINHIN.

ALSO, REMEMBER TO SET YOUR COMPUTER (& SCREEN SAVER) SO THAT IT DOES NOT SHUT OFF DURING THE 4 HOURS.

I hope you will join us ... an open Zafu is waiting. When we drop all thought of 'here' 'there' 'now' 'then' ... we are sitting all together!


Gassho, Jundo

[Jundo]

OUR TALK FOR THIS MONTH IS BASED ON THE SANDOKAI:


The Identity of Relative and Absolute
(Sandokai)

EVERYONE:

The mind of the Great Sage of India

Is intimately conveyed west and east.

While human faculties are both wise or dull

In the Way there are no northern or southern ancestors.

The subtle Source shines clear in the light;

The branching streams flow in the dark.

To be attached to things is primordial illusion;

To encounter the absolute is not yet enlightenment.

* All spheres, every sense and field

intermingle even as they shine alone,

Interacting even as they merge,

Yet keeping their places in expressions of their own.

Sights differ primally in shape and character

And sounds in harsh or soothing tones.

The dark makes all words one;

The brightness distinguishes good and bad phrases.

The four elements return to their true nature

As a child turns to its mother.

Fire is hot, water is wet,

Wind moves and the earth is dense.

Eye and form, ear and sound, nose and smell,

Tongue and taste, the sweet and sour:

Each independent of the other

Like leaves that come from the same root.

And though leaves and root must go back to the Source

Both root and leaves have their own uses.

Light is also darkness,

But do not think of it as darkness.

Darkness is light;

Do not see it as light.

Light and darkness are not one, not two

Like the foot before and the foot behind in walking.

* Each thing has its own being

Which is not different from its place and function.

The relative fits the absolute

As a box and its lid.

The absolute meets the relative

Like two arrow points that touch in mid air.

* Hearing this, simply perceive what is,

Make no criterion.

If you do not see the Way,

You do not see it even as you walk upon it.

Walking forward in the way

You draw no nearer, progress no farther.

One who fails to see this truth

Is mountains and rivers away.

* Listen, those who would percieve this subtle matter:

* Live well your time by night and day!

[Kakunen]

February 2nd-3rd, 2018 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

Thank you very much.

I will try to sit two way from beach house.

Nine bows
Gassho
Sat today
Kakunen


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[Seishin]

Looking forward to this talk. It will be ZOD for me over a few days. Thank you.

[Enjaku]

I'm hopeful to join in LIVE but I might have to go to bed after the Dharma talk and finish off in the morning!!


Gassho,
Enjaku
Sat LAH

[Jundo]

I'm hopeful to join in LIVE but I might have to go to bed after the Dharma talk and finish off in the morning!!


Gassho,
Enjaku
Sat LAH

The "on non-demand" any time version is just the same, especially if one drops from mind "now and then, here and there" ... which is the point of the "Absolute" by the way.

Gassho, J

SatTodayLAH

[Mp]

Thank you Jundo, will be sitting with you all live two way. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Jakuden]

I have to do a home euthanasia after hours tomorrow, so I will either join late or sit this over the weekend.

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

[Shinshi]

I'll be there sitting one way.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Kyonin]

I'll be there live with my instruments ready

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Doshin]

Doshin
St

[Jundo]

I have to do a home euthanasia after hours tomorrow, so I will either join late or sit this over the weekend.

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday/LAH

This is your place of Practice, where the Relative and Absolute truly meet.

Gassho, J

STLAH

[Jakuden]

This is your place of Practice, where the Relative and Absolute truly meet.

Gassho, J

STLAH

[emoji120]


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[Sekishi]

Thank you for caring for sentient beings Jakuden.

Will sit two-way tomorrow, tech willing.

Deep bows,
Sekishi
#sat


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[Mp]

Hey folks,

Here is the link for the zazenkai if needed: https://hangouts.google.com/hangouts...mjbnpxvqntrpye

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH