October 23rd-24th Treeleaf Weekly Zazenkai - A Ukulele Hannya

[Jundo]

Our Heart Sutra today will be for all our many, many Ukulele fans ...

Dear All,

Please sit our Treeleaf Zazenkai for 90 minutes with Zazen, Heart Sutra and more:

10am Japan Saturday morning, NY 9pm, LA 6pm Friday night, London 2am and Paris 3am Saturday morning, or any time thereafter here:

https://youtu.be/tgynCl2rbIs

However, "one way" live sitters are encouraged to come into the Zoom sitting, and just leave the camera and microphone turned off: Join live (with or without a camera & microphone) on Zoom at: TREELEAF Now OR at DIRECT ZOOM LINK, password (if needed): dogen

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) ...

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:

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

[Jundo]

Our Heart Sutra this time will feature this very mellow Ukulele version from Japan ...

https://youtu.be/J7edMiKWg3g

However, in finding that, I have also discovered that, apparently, "Tap Dancing" the Heart Sutra is a "thing" in Japan! Who knew!?!

https://youtu.be/ObtYxDRYU6A

Here's an even bigger tap performance before the VERY BIG 1300 year old "Great Buddha" in Nara ... Wow ...

https://youtu.be/TANMOcFgeYw

I came really, REALLY close to asking all our Zazen participants today to tap dance for our ceremony. But, another time ...

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Bokugan]

I will be sitting with the recording this time around. I look forward to joining you all later [emoji120]

(Grad school has piled up on me a bit this week...)

Gassho,

Ryan
Sat Today

[Jakuden]

Will be there with bells [emoji348]

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


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[Sekishi]

See you all soon.

Gassho,
Sekishi
#sat

[Science Abbot]

Inspiring.

Thank you.

Gassho,
Mui
Sat/LAH

[Sekishi]

Deep bows to the whole band.

Gassho,
Sekishi
#sat

[Yokai]

Thanks all for sharing in the music of Zazenkai & tea.

Gassho, Chris satlah

[Jakuden]

Beautiful music.

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


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[Bion]

Beautiful music.

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


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Thanks for chanting us through smiling all the way [emoji3526]

[emoji1374] SatToday

[Bion]

Deep bows to the whole band.

Gassho,
Sekishi
#sat

What would we do without our tech guru?!?! I think I speak for all when I say we’re especially fond of you [emoji3526]

[emoji1374] SatToday

[Onkai]

Wonderful zazenkai and musical tea time.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat/lah

[Jundo]

The story of Sona and the Lute ...

[The Buddha said], "Sona, you were a musician and you used to play the lute. Tell me, Sona, did you produce good music when the lute string was well tuned, neither too tight nor too loose?"

"I was able to produce good music, Lord," replied Sona.

"What happened when the strings were too tightly wound up?"

"I could not produce any music, Lord," said Sona.

"What happened when the strings were too slack?"

"I could not produce any music at all, Lord," replied Sona

"Sona ... You have been straining too hard in your meditation. Do it in a relaxed way, but without being slack. Try it again and you will experience the good result."

-- Sona Sutta, Anguttara Nikaya 6.55

And I also recalled the figure of Benzaiten, much beloved in Japanese Buddhism (although actually a Hindu god in origin), a muse and protector of musicians and all that flows ...

Origin = Hindu River Goddess Sarasvatī

Every major city in Japan has a shrine or temple dedicated to Benzaiten. Her places of worship number in the thousands and are often located near water, the sea, a lake, a pond, or a river. She is one of the nation's most widely venerated deities. ... As the personification of this sacred river and of water in general, Sarasvatī came to represent everything that flows (e.g., music, poetry, writing, learning, eloquence, wisdom, performing arts). ... Temples and shrines devoted to her are still found everywhere throughout Japan, where she is worshipped by musicians, painters, sculptors, writers ... But the introduction of Mikkyō 密教 (Esoteric Buddhism) and the mandala art form in the early 9th century stressed instead Benzaiten's role as the goddess of music and portrayed her as a two-armed beauty playing the biwa 琵琶 (four-stringed lute). This iconic two-armed biwa-playing image of Benzaiten was probably derived from earlier depictions in India, where Sarasvatī was portrayed by at least the 6th century CE playing the zither. In Japan, she appears throughout the Heian era in the Taizōkai Mandala 胎蔵界曼荼羅 (Womb World, Matrix Mandala). This portrayal reflects her conflation with Myō-on Bosatsu 妙音菩薩 (Wondrous Sound Bodhisattva). The latter is described in the 24th chapter of the extremely popular Lotus Sutra -- -- wherein we learn that, in a previous life, Myō-on offered homage in the form of hundreds of thousands of kinds of music. Benzaiten, as the Japanese goddess of music, is commonly equated with Myō-on Bosatsu. Why the biwa rather than some other musical instrument? It's hard to say unequivocally, but in Japan, the ritual performance of biwa was used in association with the cult of Myō-on Bosatsu by at least the late 8th century. Also, in Japan, the practice of chanting sutra with biwa music reportedly started around the same time.
https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/benzaiten.shtml

Gassho, J

STLah

[Seikan]

Thank you Jundo, Jakuden, Sekishi and all for another wonderful Zazenkai.

Gassho,
Rob

-stlah-

[Darren]

Sat with the recording for my first Zazenkai. It was beautiful thank you all.

Gassho
Darren
Sat Today