February 4th-5th, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI

[Jundo]

Today's Talk will reflect on
Living Beings with the Vimalakirti Sutra
(text below in this thread)

... and we welcome a new computer and camera system in our Zendo,

THANK YOU to ALL OUR DONORS!

Please sit our Monthly 4-Hour Treeleaf 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 4am (early Saturday morning)), and also sitable any time thereafter:

https://youtu.be/otcsy7rowRk

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

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) ...

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/showthread.php?18494-SIT-A-LONG-with-Jundo-Small-Things-in-the-Zendo

[Jundo]

Dear Living Beings ... let us grove with Chapter 7 of the Vimalakirti Sutra ... REGARDING LIVING BEINGS ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At that time Manjushri asked Vimalakirti, "How does the bodhisattva regard living beings?"

Vimalakirti replied, "As a conjurer looks on the beings he conjures up-thus does the bodhisattva regard living beings. As the wise view the moon in the water, or a face or form seen in a mirror; as shimmers of heat in a torrid season, as the echo that follows a cry, as clouds in the sky, as foam on the water, bubbles on the water, as a thing no firmer that the trunk of the plantain, no longer lasting than a flash of lightning; as a fifth great element ... thus does the bodhisattva regard living beings.

.... Manjushri said, "If the bodhisattva looks on beings in this way, how can he treat them with compassion?"

Vimalakirti replied, "When the bodhisattva has finished regarding them in this way, he thinks to himself. 'For the sake of living beings I must preach this Law to them!' This is true compassion.

... He treats them with a compassion of tranquil extinction, for it results in no birth; treats them with a compassion unburning, for it is void of earthly desires; treats them with a compassion that is impartial, as the three existences of past, present, and future are impartial; treats them with a compassion free of contention, for nothing arises to oppose it; treats them with a compassion undualistic, for internal and external have no place in it ...

...

Vimalakirti: "If he hopes to rely on the power of the Tathagata's blessings, he should devote himself to saving and liberating all living beings."

Manjushri: "If he hopes to save living beings, what must he free them from?"

Vimalakirti: "If he hopes to save living beings, he must free them from earthly desires."

Manjushri: "If he hopes to free them from earthly desires, how should he proceed?"

Vimalakirti: "He should proceed by the method of correct mindfulness."

Manjushri: "How does one proceed by the method of correct mindfulness?"

Vimalakirti: "One proceeds on the premise of no birth and no extinction."

Manjushri: "What has no birth, and what has no extinction?" Vimalakirti: "The not good has no birth, the good has no extinction."

...

At that time there was a heavenly being, a goddess, in Vimalakirti's room who, seeing these great men and hearing them expound the Law, proceeded to make herself visible and, taking heavenly flowers, scattered them over the bodhisattvas and major disciples. When the flowers touched the bodhisattvas, they all fell to the floor at once, but when they touched the major disciples, they stuck to them and did not fall off. The disciples all tried to shake off the flowers through their supernatural powers, but they could not do so.

At that time the goddess said to Shariputra, "Why try to brush off the flowers?"

"Such flowers are not in accordance with the Law," he replied. "That's why I try to brush them off." [Because the wearing of flowers or other personal ornaments was forbidden to members of the Buddhist order.]

The goddess said, "Don't say these flowers are not in accordance with the Law. Why? Because the flowers make no such distinctions. You in your thinking have made up these distinctions, that's all. If one who has left the household life to follow the Buddha's Law makes such distinctions, that is not in accordance with the Law. One must be without distinctions to be in accordance with the Law Look at the bodhisattvas-the flowers do not stick to them because they have already cut off all thought of distinctions. Just as evil spirits are able to take advantage of a person who is beset by fear, so because you disciples are fearful of the cycle of birth and death, the senses of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch are able to take advantage of you. But once a person has done away with fear, then the five desires that arise from these senses will not be able to get at him. So long as one has not done away with all such entanglements, the flowers will stick to him. But they will not stick to someone who has eliminated them all."

...

Shariputra said, "Why don't you change out of this female body?"4

The goddess replied, " ... What is there to change? If a sorcerer were to conjure up a phantom woman and then someone asked her why she didn't change out of her female body, would that be any kind of reasonable question?"

... At that time the goddess employed her supernatural powers to change Shariputra into a goddess like herself, while she took on Shariputra's form. Then she asked, "Why don't you change out of this female body?"

Shariputra, now in the form of a goddess, replied, "I don't know why I have suddenly changed and taken on a female body! " The goddess said, "Shariputra, if you can change out of this female body, then all women can change likewise. Shariputra, who is not a woman, appears in a woman's body. And the same is true of all women-though they appear in women's bodies, they are not women. Therefore the Buddha teaches that all phenomena are neither male nor female."

Then the goddess withdrew her supernatural powers, and Shariputra returned to his original form. The goddess said to Shariputra, "Where now is the form and shape of your female body?"

Shariputra said, "The form and shape of my female body does not exist, yet does not not exist."

The goddess said, "All things are just like that-they do not exist, yet do not not exist. And that they do not exist, yet do not not exist, is exactly what the Buddha teaches."

[Jundo]

For a little change, let us celebrate CHINESE NEW YEAR today ... HAPPY 4720 EVERYONE!! ...

https://youtu.be/gM_QSDCjHKY

[Huichan]

Hi All

Last week was my first Zazenkai and it was a little difficult to be honest (although I think it was mainly down to sitting posture, so I'm going to sit seiza). I have not done a 4-hour one yet though, so wondering if anyone has any advice?

Gassho
Ross
STLAH

[Nengyoku]

Hi All

Last week was my first Zazenkai and it was a little difficult to be honest (although I think it was mainly down to sitting posture, so I'm going to sit seiza). I have not done a 4-hour one yet though, so wondering if anyone has any advice?

Gassho
Ross
STLAH

Thinking of it as 4 hours may be a little overwhelming, especially when you are new to Zazen (although every moment is a moment to be new to everything).
Instead, just take it moment by moment. It isn't four hours, it is just right now.

If you begin to experience pain please reposition yourself, no one will mind.

Gassho,
Nengyoku
Sat

[Jundo]

Hi All

Last week was my first Zazenkai and it was a little difficult to be honest (although I think it was mainly down to sitting posture, so I'm going to sit seiza). I have not done a 4-hour one yet though, so wondering if anyone has any advice?

Gassho
Ross
STLAH

Acceptance and resistance are greatly between your ears. 4 hours is not much when it comes to sleeping or a cricket match, yet seems forever just to sit.

That said, break it up, sit a bit, come and go early and leave late. All fine. However, know that this is not painful, not torture (if the legs really hurt, switch them around) ...

... but most of that resistance is all between your ears.

Gassho, J

[Bion]

Hi All

Last week was my first Zazenkai and it was a little difficult to be honest (although I think it was mainly down to sitting posture, so I'm going to sit seiza). I have not done a 4-hour one yet though, so wondering if anyone has any advice?

Gassho
Ross
STLAH

Don’t stress over it. If you’d like to attend, just come and do one segment at a time. If you get to the point where you feel it’s too much, you bow out. The monthly sounds ominous, but it is very enjoyable. We sit normally, have long kinhins where you can rest or stretch, take a break, we stop for a long talk, we dance a bit… If anything, it’s just fun and an amazing way to be with the sangha! [emoji3526] If you come, I’ll be there to give encouragement and moral support

Sorry for running long!!

[emoji1374]

[Nengyoku]

If you come, I’ll be there to give encouragement and moral support

This.

Every single person who is at that Zazenkai through all of space and time is there manifesting dharma for you.
If you ever feel overwhelmed, I'm sure one of us can take some of the load.

Gassho,
Nengyoku
Sat

[Showan]

Hi All

Last week was my first Zazenkai and it was a little difficult to be honest (although I think it was mainly down to sitting posture, so I'm going to sit seiza). I have not done a 4-hour one yet though, so wondering if anyone has any advice?

Gassho
Ross
STLAH

Hi Ross,

Long sits can be physically tough for me, too. I usually have to switch it up, even for the shorter zazenkai--do the first 30 minutes seated on the floor and the second 30 minutes in a chair, or take a little bit longer in kinhin sometimes. Tonight I'll probably alternate between the floor and the chair. Thankfully, no one has yelled at me yet


Showan
Sat today/lent a hand

[Bion]

Hi Ross,

Long sits can be physically tough for me, too. I usually have to switch it up, even for the shorter zazenkai--do the first 30 minutes seated on the floor and the second 30 minutes in a chair, or take a little bit longer in kinhin sometimes. Tonight I'll probably alternate between the floor and the chair. Thankfully, no one has yelled at me yet


Showan
Sat today/lent a hand

If you’re searching for that experience, I’d be happy to yell at you! [emoji1787]

[emoji1374] Sat Today lah

[Mrcpt11]

Thinking of it as 4 hours may be a little overwhelming, especially when you are new to Zazen (although every moment is a moment to be new to everything).
Instead, just take it moment by moment. It isn't four hours, it is just right now.

If you begin to experience pain please reposition yourself, no one will mind.

Gassho,
Nengyoku
Sat

This is great advice! I plan to attend for the first time tonight; looking forward to sitting with everyone

Gassho,
William
Sat

[Sekishi]

Zoom and YouTube are ready to go! See you all soon.

Gassho,
Sekishi #sat #lah

[Nengei]

I will be sitting Zazenkai tonight, but will be starting it late, so one-way from the recording.

Gassho,
然芸 Nengei
Sat today. LAH.

[Jundo]

Hi Ross,

Long sits can be physically tough for me, too. I usually have to switch it up, even for the shorter zazenkai--do the first 30 minutes seated on the floor and the second 30 minutes in a chair, or take a little bit longer in kinhin sometimes. Tonight I'll probably alternate between the floor and the chair. Thankfully, no one has yelled at me yet


Showan
Sat today/lent a hand

That's is great if the body needs so! Recline too if you need.

Hey, we have a couple of members who even recline the Hokey-Pokey!

Gassho, Jundo

STLah

[Bion]

This is great advice! I plan to attend for the first time tonight; looking forward to sitting with everyone

Gassho,
William
Sat

Awesome! See you in a bit! Bring your dancing shoes as well (although, no shoes or socks in zendo .. shhhhh [emoji2958][emoji1] )

[emoji1374] Sat Today lah