May 3rd-4th 2024 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Zazen-Yojinki III

[Jundo]

We continue our series on

Master Keizan's 'Zazen-Yōjinki'

坐禅用心記

'Notes to Keep in Heart for Zazen'
(text below)

Dear All,

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:

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:
https://www.treeleaf.org/forums/show...408#post339408

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/show...s-in-the-Zendo

[Jundo]

This is Part III of our series on Keizan Jokin Zenji's 13th Century ...

... 'Zazen-Yōjinki'

(坐禅用心記; 'Notes to Keep in Heart for Zazen')

This week, Master Keizan offers practical advice

(relevant even today, although some maybe more suited to the 13th Century )

on one's life surrounding Zazen Practice.

~ ~ ~

Avoid getting caught up in arts and crafts, prescribing medicines and fortune-telling. Stay away from songs and dancing, arguing and babbling, fame and gain. Composing poetry can be an aid in clarifying the mind but don't get caught up in it. The same is true for writing and calligraphy. This is the superior precedent for practitioners of the Way and is the best way to harmonize the mind.

Don't wear luxurious clothing or dirty rags. Luxurious clothing gives rise to greed and then the fear that someone will steal something. This is a hindrance to practitioners of the Way. Even if someone offers them to you, to refuse is the excellent tradition from ancient times. If you happen to have luxurious clothing, don't be concerned with it; if it's stolen don't bother to chase after it or regret its loss. Old dirty clothes should be washed and mended; clean them thoroughly before putting them on. If you don't take care of them you could get cold and sick and hinder your practice. Although we shouldn't be too anxious about bodily comforts, inadequate clothing, food and sleep are known as the "three insufficiencies" and will cause our practice to suffer.

Don't eat anything alive, hard, or spoiled. Such impure foods will make your belly churn and cause heat and discomfort of bodymind, making your sitting difficult. Don't indulge in rich foods. Not only is this bad for bodymind, it's just greed. You should eat to promote life so don't fuss about taste. Also, if you sit after eating too much you will feel ill. Whether the meal is large or small, wait a little while before sitting. Monks should be moderate in eating and hold their portions to two-thirds of what they can eat. All healthy foods, sesame, wild yams and so on, can be eaten. Essentially, you should harmonize bodymind.

~~

When you are sitting in zazen, do not prop yourself up against a wall, meditation brace, or screen. Also, do not sit in windy places or high, exposed places as this can cause illness.

Sometimes when you are sitting you may feel hot or cold, discomfort or ease, stiff or loose, heavy or light, or sometimes startled. These sensations arise through disharmonies of mind and breath-energy. Harmonize your breath in this way: open your mouth slightly, allow long breaths to be long and short breaths to be short and it will harmonize naturally. Follow it for awhile until a sense of awareness arises and your breath will be natural. After this, continue to breathe through the nose.

The mind may feel as if it were sinking or floating, it may seem dull or sharp. Sometimes you can see outside the room, the insides of the body, the forms of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. Sometimes you may believe that you have wisdom and now thoroughly understand all the sutras and commentaries. These extraordinary conditions are diseases that arise through disharmony of mind and breath. When this happens, sit placing the mind in the lap. When the mind sinks into dullness, raise attention above your hairline or before your eyes. When the mind scatters into distraction, place attention at the tip of the nose or at the tanden. After this rest attention in the left palm. Sit for a long time and do not struggle to calm the mind and it will naturally be free of distraction.

Although the ancient Teachings are a long-standing means to clarify the mind, do not read, write about, or listen to them obsessively because such excess only scatters the mind.

Generally, anything that wears out bodymind causes illness. Don't sit where there are fires, floods, or bandits, by the ocean, near bars, brothels, where widows or virgins live, or near where courtesans sing and play music. Don't live near kings, ministers, powerful or rich families, people with many desires, those who crave name and fame, or those who like to argue meaninglessly. Although large Buddhist ceremonials and the construction of large temples might be good things, one who is committed to practice should not get involved.

Don't be fond of preaching the Dharma as this leads to distraction and scattering. Don't be delighted by huge assemblies or run after disciples. Don't try to study and practice many different things.

Do not sit where it is too bright or too dark, too cold or too hot. Do not sit where pleasure-seekers or harlots live. Go and stay in a monastery where there is a true teacher. Or reside in the deep mountains or glens. A good place to practice walking meditation is where there is clear water and green mountains. A good place for purifying the mind is by a stream or under a tree. Contemplate impermanence; do not forget it. This will encourage you to seek the way.

[Jundo]

Of course, against Keizan Zenji's advice ... and some small risk of cultural appropriation ... we have to dance ....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlShE51-4pk&t=19s

[Doshin]

Excuse my non video status because I will be coming and going since I am out of town chauffeuring my wife to her religious events then sitting Zazen in a parked car.

Doshin
Stlah

[Shigeru]

Thank you everyone! Had to sit this one on my own

Stay away from.. arguing and babbling.. This is the superior precedent for practitioners of the Way and is the best way to harmonize the mind.

Especially relevant in our day and age of online opinion wars, and for my own life at times

Gassho
SatLah

[Bion]

Thank you everyone! Had to sit this one on my own



Especially relevant in our day and age of online opinion wars, and for my own life at times

Gassho
SatLah

Thanks for sitting with us all!

Gassho
Sat and lah

[Kotei]

Thank you everyone!
Gassho,
Kotei sat(with this) and lah today.

[Bion]

Thank you everyone!
Gassho,
Kotei sat(with this) and lah today.

The Sangha humbly requests the Kotei Courtesan Dance!

Gassho
Sat and lah

[Kotei]

The Sangha humbly requests the Kotei Courtesan Dance!

I've once had a postman looking through the window while doing that... I bet he told it the neighbors :-D
Gassho,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Bion]

I've one had a postman looking through the window while doing that... I bet he told it the neighbors :-D
Gassho,
Kotei.

Zehr ist ein strange man in eine dress doing vierd dance in zehr!! [emoji1787]

Gassho
Sat and lah

[Doshin]

Thanks

Bion and Kotei you made me laugh, thanks

Doshin
Stlah

[Ryokudo]

Thanks everyone for last night, I had to leave just after the coutesan dance, tiredness took me over I'm afraid. However the good news was I got to see and indeed partake in the courtesan dance. Who would of known I was indeed sitting in the company of harlots. What would Keizan have thought?
Gassho
Ryokudo
SATLAH

[Houzan]

Sat with you on this one.
Thank you, all[emoji120]

Gassho, Hōzan
Satlah