April 2-3 OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI -Remember Daylight Saving AND CLOTHES!

[Jundo]

Remember DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME CHANGE!

We will continue our series of reflections on the Heart Sutra (Hannya Shingyo)
(text below in this thread)

Also ... Please --DO-- WEAR CLOTHES!

Please sit our Monthly 4-Hour Treeleaf 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 also sitable any time thereafter:

https://youtu.be/qckkN55oJew

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

Dharma Talk Audio / Podcast Episode:
TO BE HERE IN A FEW DAYS

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 & HOKEY-POKEY RITUAL

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

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) ...

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

I also recommend a little Talk on why small rituals and procedures are so cherished in the Zendo:

SIT-A-LONG with Jundo: Small Things in the Zendo
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...s-in-the-Zendo

[Jundo]

We continue our dance with the Heart Sutra with these lines ...

O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, form/ is/ no/ o/ther/ than/ emp/ti/ness/,

Emp/ti/ness/ no/ o/ther/ than/ form/;

Form/ is/ pre/cise/ly/ emp/ti/ness/, emp/ti/ness/ pre/cise/ly/ form/.

Sen/sa/tions/, per/cep/tions/, for/ma/tions/ and/ con/scious/ness/ are/ al/so/ like/ this/.

O/ Sha/ri/pu/tra/, all/ things/ are/ ex/pres/sions/ of/ emp/ti/ness/,

Not/ born/, not/ des/troyed/, not/ stained/, not/ pure/;

Nei/ther/ wax/ing/ nor/ wan/ing/.

Thus/ emp/ti/ness/ is/ not/ form/; not/ sen/sa/tion/ nor/ per/cep/tion/,

not/ for/ma/tion/ nor/ con/scious/ness/.

About Shariputra:

Śāriputra was one of the top disciples of the Buddha. Śāriputra had a key leadership role in the ministry of the Buddha and is considered in many Buddhist schools to have been important in the development of the Buddhist Abhidharma. He frequently appears in Mahayana sutras, and in some sutras, is used as a counterpoint to represent the "Lesser Vehicle" schools of Buddhism.

Śāriputra is said to have played a key role in the development of the Abhidharma texts of the Buddhist Tripitaka. Buddhist scholar monks Rewata Dhamma and Bhikkhu Bodhi describe the Abhidharma as "an abstract and highly technical systemization of the doctrine". According to Theravada tradition, the Abhidharma, or "Higher Dharma", is said to have been preached by the Buddha to devas while he was spending the rainy season in Tavatimsa Heaven. It is said that the Buddha returned to earth daily to give a summary to Śāriputra, who classified and reordered the teachings and relayed it to his disciples, in what would become the Abhidharma Pitaka.

In prajñāpāramitā sutras [[Perfection of Wisdom sutras such as the Heart Sutra] Śāriputra is often depicted as the counterpoint to the true meaning of prajñāpāramitā. In the Astasahasrika Prajñāpāramitā Sutra, Śāriputra is portrayed as being unable to understand the ultimate meaning of prajñāpāramitā and instead ... Śāriputra has to be instructed in this sutra because, despite his great wisdom, prajnaparamita doctrine was too advanced for his comprehension. ... Śāriputra plays a major role in the Heart Sutra, where the teaching is directed at him. Śāriputra prompts the teaching of the sutra by asking the Mahayana bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara how to practice wisdom. Avalokiteśvara's response to Śāriputra, then makes up the body of the sutra.

The five-aggregate model of the mind describes subjective conscious experience ... The five aggregates are described as constituting the basic components that make up “oneself” (Analayo, 2006, p. 201; Bodhi, 1995, p. 27). The first aggregate is material form that includes both the physical body and external matter .... The other four aggregates are feelings, perception, volition, and sensory consciousness. In this model, feelings relate to the subjective affective repercussions of an experience, perceptions represent being aware of attributes of an object, and volition describes the reactive or purposive aspect of the mind (including both intention and behavior). Volition can find expression in bodily behavior, verbal behavior, or psychological behavior. The term sensory consciousness in this context refers to being conscious of something, and constitutes experiencing a sensory stimulus (i.e., visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, or taste), or being conscious of a thought (a thought concerning the past, present, or future). The teachings describe that sensory consciousness can result in the generation of any of the other three aggregates, namely feelings, perception, or volition (Analayo, 2006). The five aggregates are also described in terms of “internal” and “external” (Analayo, 2006, p. 203). We experience, observe, and analyze not only the external world but also observe and analyze the internal world ...

The Five Aggregates and Their Descriptions With Examples.

1. Material form
Elementary components that make up not only the physical body but the external environment. Example: Atoms and molecules that continuously move to and
from the body.

2. Feelings
Subjective affective repercussions of an experience. Examples: Pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feelings.

3. Perception
Being aware of attributes of an object or an event. Examples: Recognizing the color of an object, its shape, size, or any other perceptions that result from analyzing the world, our material bodies or the mind.

4. Volition
Reactive or purposive aspects of the mind that include intention as well as behavior. Volition can manifest as follows: (a) Bodily behavior (any activity), (b) Verbal behavior (speech, scolding, etc.), (c) Psychological behavior (proliferating thoughts, cultivating thoughts of compassion, analyzing, practicing
mindfulness, etc.).

5. Sensory consciousness
Being conscious of something. Examples: Knowing a sensory stimulus (visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, or taste) or a thought (concerning the past, present, or future).
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf...58244015583860

Master Dogen in Shobogenzo Maka-hannya-haramitsu:

When this principle is preached and realized, it is said that “matter [form] is just the immaterial [emptiness]” and the immaterial [emptiness] is just matter [form]. Matter is matter, the immaterial is the immaterial.

Gassho, J
STLAH

[Jundo]

Today's Hokey Pokey comes with a bit of trivia: "in Denmark [it is known as] the Boogie Woogie and in the Philippines it is called the Boogie Boogie." So, this time, let's head to Denmark ...

https://youtu.be/xI-t8JRikZw

Mek Pek (born 4 January 1964) is a Danish singer and actor from Aarhus. Mek started his career in 1979 in the punk band Lost Kids in which he played the bass. Lost Kids eventually dissolved as a band and in 1982 he started his own band called Mek Pek Party Band. ... Mek Pek has been active as an actor in several movies such as Casanova and Hvor kommer mælk fra? and television ads. He has published albums for children and has been voted the sexiest man in Aarhus in 1987.

Gassho, J

STLah

[Kyonin]

Hi Jundo,

I'll be there with instruments ready!

Gassho,

Kyonin
Sat/LAH

[Onkai]

Thank you, Jundo and Kyonin. I look forward to this zazenkai.

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat/lah

[Sekishi]

Video gubbins connected and ready to go. See you all soon!

Gassho,
Sekishi
#sat #lah

[Ryokudo]

Hi all I'm afraid I can't make it tonight but I will sit with you all across the weekend.

Gassho

Ryokudo

SAT/LAH

[Naiko]

Feeling a bit green around the gills today. I hope to sit at least part of tonight with you all.
Gassho,
Naiko
stlah

[Kakunen]

I will sit at Internet cafe at Tokyo.

Gassho
Sat today
Kakunen

[Jakuden]

Sorry to come late and leave early! But all just empty nevertheless [emoji120] Thank you Jundo, Kyonin, Sekishi and everyone!

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Shokai]

ditto, What she said. My eyes are having problems, going to take them to bed.

gassho, Shokai
stlah

[Amelia]

Joining in one-way now, thank you all.

Gassho
Sat, lah

[Doshin]

Doshin
St

[Amelia]

Happy Spring, Easter, Oestara, Sunday, Weekend to all.

Gassho
Sat, lah

[Onkai]

Thank you, Jundo, Kyonin, Sekishi, and everyone. Lovely, though empty, zazenkai. Have a great weekend!

Gassho,
Onkai
Sat/lah