April 6th-7th, 2018 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! - CELEBRATING BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY!

[Jundo]

Reminder: Daylight Savings has changed in most places. Check starting times below.

Our Zazenkai today is in CELEBRATION of BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY,
traditionally APRIL 8th in Japan!
The Readings for Today's Talk are Below in this thread.

We also CELEBRATE the Dharma Transmission of our Treeleaf Priests
Kyonin, Shingen and Shokai.

Please 'sit-a-long' with our MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI, netcast LIVE 8am to noon Japan time Saturday morning (that is New York 7pm to 11pm, Los Angeles 4pm to 8pm (Friday night), London midnight to 4am and Paris 1am to 5am (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/april-2018-zazenkai-talk-dogens-dharma-hall-discourses-celebration-of-the-buddhas-birthday/

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

SatTodayLAH

PS - There is no "wrong" or "right" in Zazen ... yet here is a little explanation of the "right" times to Bow (A Koan) ...

https://youtu.be/GR6POpsXh9Q

The other video I mention on Zendo decorum is this one, from our "Always Beginners" video Series:

Sit-a-Long with Jundo: Zazen for Beginners (12) - Basic Zendo Decorum At Home
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...093#post189093

[Jundo]

Today's Talk will dance with Dharma Hall Discourses by Master Dogen in Celebration of the Buddha's Birthday (from the Eihei Koroku, trans. Leighton and Okumura)

If you would like to read more of the Traditional legend of the Birth of the Buddha: (LINK)

---

42. Bathing Buddha Dharma Hall Discourse [for Buddha’s Birthday,1241]

Today my original teacher Shakyamuni Tathagata descended to be born at Lumbini Park. Every year on this day we always have Lumbini Park. Tell me whether the great sage is born or not. If you say he has descended to be born, I grant you [have done] one portion of practice. If you say he has not descended to be born, I grant you [have done] one portion of practice. If you are already like this, you are not obstructed by mountains or oceans and will be born to a king’s palace [like Shakyamuni Buddha]. If you are not obstructed by mountains or oceans, are you obstructed by birth or not? Even if previous buddhas and ancestors say that they are obstructed by birth, today this mountain monk [Dogen] simply says that I am not obstructed by birth. If we are not obstructed by mountains or oceans, and are not obstructed by birth, all people in the entire earth and the entire universe are born together with Shakyamuni Tathagata and say, “Above the heavens and below the heavens, I alone am the World-Honored
One.” After taking seven steps in the ten directions, this [statement] was the lion’s roar, and a baby’s crying. How do you express such a manifestation?

After a pause Dogen said: In the entire universe and pervading the heavens, good fortune arrives. The grandmotherly intimate heart is [expressed by] the sage’s descent to birth. How can we make offerings, serve, make prostrations, and bathe [to celebrate] the sage’s descent to birth? Together with the pure great ocean assembly, let us enter the Buddha hall and perform the ceremony

---

155. Dharma Hall Discourse for Bathing Buddha on the Eighth Day of the Fourth Month [Buddha’s birthday; 1246]

My root teacher, Great Master Shakyamuni Buddha, three thousand years ago this morning descended from the heavens and took birth in Lumbinı
park, [as son] of King Suddhodana. He took seven steps to the ten directions, pointed one hand to the heavens and one hand to the earth, looked
to the four directions, and said, “Above the heavens and below the heavens, I alone am the venerable one.”

The teacher Dogen said: Great assembly, do you want to see the birth of the World-Honored One? Dßgen held up his whisk, drew a circle, and said:
The World-Honored One has been born. In the entire world in ten directions, in mountains, rivers, and lands, all the human beings and all sentient or insentient beings, and all buddhas in the three times in the ten directions, all have been born simultaneously with Gautama, the World-Honored One. Not one thing is born before or after that. What is the reason for this? It is because the World-Honored One receives Daibutsu’s taking birth and takes birth; receives Daibutsu’s legs and takes seven steps; and receives Daibutsu’s open mouth and then says, “Above the heavens and below the heavens, I alone am the venerable one.”

Ultimately I should further state: Not receiving any receiving of sensation is what is called true receiving, or samadhi. If this is so, drops of water do not fall in different places. What is this principle of not falling in different places?

After a pause Dogen said: If we do not transmit the Dharma and save living beings, our practice cannot be considered to repay the kindness of Buddha. What is this principle of transmitting Dharma and repaying kindness? I will descend from the seat and together with the great assembly go to the Buddha hall and respectfully bathe the pure Dharma body of the Tathagata.

--

236. Dharma Hall Discourse for Bathing [the Baby] Buddha [1247]

Here is a story. When Zen Master Hongzhi was abbot at Tiantong he said in a Dharma hall discourse on this day [of Buddha’s birthday], “When the pure water of the emptiness of self-nature and the radiant body of the Dharma realm are only faintly distinguished, then this person is born. Without cleansing the dusts from the body, because of this water’s wonderful touch he expresses clear realization. I ask you, for many years he has been departed, so how can he return to be near us today? On
this day two thousand years ago, he pointed to heaven and to earth and gave the lion’s roar. Yunmen remained at war while thinking about great peace by saying that he would kill the baby Buddha and assuredly feed him to the dogs. This is pointing east and calling it west, making nonexistence into existence. Although I pour foul water on you, don’t get angry. Now that I see you, how will you accept it? Buddha said, ‘Not receiving any sensation is called right receiving.’ If you practice like this, each drop falls on exactly the same spot.”

The teacher Dogen said: Although the ancient Buddha Hongzhi said it like this, how should Eihei speak of the true meaning of this birthday? Dropping off the body within the ten thousand forms, naturally he had the conditions for this birth. In the single color after transforming the body, he saw the vital path afresh. What is the true meaning of our bathing the Buddha?

After a pause Dogen said: Holding together our own broken wooden ladle, we pour water on his head to bathe the body of the Tathagata.

---

427. Dharma Hall Discourse for Bathing Buddha [on Buddha’s Birthday, 1251]

[On this day] living beings find their father and manage the family business. Sages see their teacher and become cheerful. Hibernating insects must be glad for the present auspicious happiness. As the spring proceeds we increasingly love the thundering voice. Who says that he descends from Tushita Heaven? Why does only Maya [Shakyamuni Buddha’s mother] have a sacred womb? With virtue and wisdom as abundant as the sands of the Ganges River, in the great thousands of worlds the udumbara blossoms. Although this principle is as such, how is the house of patchrobed monks?

After a pause Dogen said: Destroying emptiness and tearing apart existence brings inexhaustible benefit. Through playing with a monk’s staff, another branch sprouts.

[Mp]

Wonderful Jundo, thank you ... I will be there live with instruments ready. =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Kyonin]

Thank you Jundo. I will be there live

Gassho,
Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Shokai]

Thank you Jundo;

I have another birthday party to attend but, I may be able to pop in later this evening.

gassho, Shokai

stlah

[Onkai]

Thank you, Jundo, and congratulations, Kyonin, Shingen, and Shokai! I will practice with the zazenkai two-way, tech permitting.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat

[Shinshi]

Thank you Jundo. I am still in recovery mode and will be time shifting a bit.

Gassho, Shinshi

SaT-LaH

[Sekishi]

There was a minor family medical issue today, so I might be a little late arriving, but will be there two-way technology allowing!

Happy birthday to all!

Gassho,
Sekishi

[Mp]

There was a minor family medical issue today

I hope all is ok Sekishi ... sending metta your way and hopefully all is ok.

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Doshin]

If possible I will link in 2 way.

Gassho
Doshin
St

[Ryokudo]

Hi all,

I will try to join from the UK but it's the first time so I don't know how the technology will be. I will probably try 1 way for the first time as I can make sure I pick up the etiquette of the sangha that way.

Gassho,

Neilio

[Mp]

Hello folks,

Here is the event link for tonights monthly zazenkai: https://hangouts.google.com/hangouts...blbzchwr5rngae

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Mp]

Wonderful,

Thank you Jundo and everyone ... and thank you to the birthday boy Buddha! =)

Gassho
Shingen

Sat/LAH

[Onkai]

Thank you everyone.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat

[Sekishi]

Thank you all for coming together for a birthday hokey pokey and Zazenkai!

Gassho,
Sekishi
#sat

P.S. Here is what I was referring to after the talk - the moon, Mars, and Saturn are hanging out together in the sky tonight: http://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-sat...e-dawn-april-7