July 1st-2nd, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

[Jundo]

Today's Talk will carry off recent Koans from the Book of Serenity, POSTED BELOW.

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 GOOGLE+ IS HERE:
CLICK ON THE TAB ON LOWER RIGHT FOR 'FULL SCREEN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWi2VOum8Bs

EVENT PAGE:

https://plus.google.com/events/cd22piig6dooosr79p8f3aiu6n4

Dharma talk audio / podcast episode:

http://treeleaf.podbean.com/e/july-2016-zazenkai-talk-cases-from-the-book-of-serenity/

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)

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

[Jundo]

Cases from the Book of Serenity

CASE 54
Ungans Great Compassionate One

PREFACE TO THE ASSEMBLY
The eight compass points bright and clear. The ten directions unobstructed. Everywhere, bright light shakes the earth. All the time there is marvelous functioning and the supernatural. Tell me: How can this occur?

MAIN CASE
Attention! Ungan asked Dogo, ''What does the great compassionate bodhisattva do when she uses her manifold hands and eyes?" Dogo said, "It's like a man who reaches behind him at night to search for his pillow." Ungan said, "I understand." Dogo said, "What do you understand?" Ungan said, "All over the body are hands and eyes." Dogo said, "You've really said it—you got eighty percent of it." Ungan asked, "Elder brother, how about you?" Dogo replied, "Throughout the body are hands and eyes."

APPRECIATORY VERSE
One hole penetrates space. Eight directions are clear and bright.
Without forms, without self, spring follows the rules.
Unstopped, unhindered, the moon traverses the sky.
Clean, pure, jeweled eyes and virtuous arms:
Where is the approval in "throughout the body" instead of "all over the body"?
Hands and eyes before you manifest complete functioning.
The great function is everywhere. How could there be any hindrance?

~~~~~~~~~~

CASE 55:
Seppo the Rice Cook


PREFACE TO THE ASSEMBLY
Ice is colder than water. Green derives from blue.
When one's viewpoint excels that of the teacher, one is ready for transmission.
If the children who are raised are not equal to their parents, the family will decline in a single generation.
Tell me: Who is the one who snatches up the father's function?


MAIN CASE
Attention! Seppo served as cook while at Tokusan's monastery. One day the meal was late. Old Master Tokusan arrived at the Dharma hall holding his bowls.
Seppo remarked, "Old fellow, the gong has not yet rung. The drum has not yet sounded. So where are you going with the bowls?"
At that, Tokusan returned to his quarters.
Seppo told Ganto about this, and Ganto remarked, "As you might expect, Tokusan does not yet understand the last word."
Hearing of this, Tokusan called an attendant to summon Ganto, and asked, "Don't you approve of this old monk?"
Ganto whispered his intended meaning, whereupon Tokusan desisted.
The next day, when he went to the Dharma hall to speak, Tokusan was not the same as usual. Rubbing his hands and laughing,
Ganto cried, "Luckily, the old fellow has understood the last word. From now on, no one under heaven will be able to prevail over him."


APPRECIATORY VERSE
The last word: understood or not?
Tokusan, father and sons, are exceedingly abstruse.
Within the group there's a guest from Konan.
Don't sing the partridge's song before men.

~~~~~~~~~~

CASE 56
Mishi's White Rabbit

PREFACE TO THE ASSEMBLY
Although one is forever sinking down, one doesn't seek the sage's liberation. In the Hall of Constant Torment, Devadatta experienced the joy of the third stage of Zen. From the Heaven above, the great being Udraka Ramaputra fell down into the body of an otter. Tell me: Where is the gain or loss?

MAIN CASE
Attention! When Mishi Haku was accompanying Tozan, he saw a white rabbit run across in front of them. Mishi Haku said, "How quick!" and Tozan said, "How's that?" Mishi Haku replied, "It's like a commoner being appointed magistrate." And Tozan chided, "As great and experienced a person as you using such words!" Mishi Haku said, "How about you?" Tozan said, "The Ancestor's crown has sunk low for a time."

Contending strength with frost and snow,
footsteps alike in cloud and heaven:
Kake left the country; Shojo crossed the room.
Shoso's strategy made the Han Dynasty prosper.
Sokyo's body and mind wanted to avoid Gyo.
Favor and disgrace do unsettle.
Have firm faith in yourself.
The genuine spirit--mingling footprints, mixing with fishermen and woodcutters.

~~~~~~~~~~

CASE 57
Genyo's One Thing

PREFACE TO THE ASSEMBLY
Fiddling with shadows, toiling with forms.
It's not understood that forms are the basis for shadows.
Raising the voice to quiet an echo.
It's not known that the voice is the root of the echo.
You don't ride on an ox to look for an ox.
This is using a wedge to remove a wedge.
How can you avoid this error?


MAIN CASE
Attention! Venerable Genyo asked Joshu, "Where there is not one thing, what then?"
Joshu replied, "Throw it away."
Old Master Genyo said, "With not one thing, what is there to throw away?"
Joshu remarked, "Then carry it off."


APPRECIATORY VERSE
Be inattentive to careful moves and you lose to the opponent.
Learn for yourself that it's a shame to be surrounded due to carelessness.
The game ended, an axe-handle at the waist has rotted.
Washing clean a bumpkin, sporting with hermits.

~~~~~~~~~~

[Mp]

Thank you Jundo, I will be there live. =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Onkai]

Thank you, Jundo. I plan to be there two-way, tech allowing; otherwise one-way.

Gassho,
Onkai
SatToday

[Anshu Bryson]

It has been ages since I have been able to sit with you all, as I have been traveling lately and haven't been able to coordinate timings. I was keen to be there tomorrow, but I am off to Phnom Penh in the morning; maybe next week!

Gassho,
Anshu

-st-

[RichardH]

Will be here/there.

Gassho
Daizan

Sat today

[Joyo]

Will try to make it for at least the end. I can't join for the full 4 hrs as I've got family commitments today.

Gassho,
Joyo
sat today

[Byokan]

I will be there live one-way

Gassho
Byōkan
sat today

[RichardH]

We have visitors this evening for Canada Day. Need to be part of it. I'll sit over the weekend.

Gassho

Daizan

sat today

[Mp]

Thank you Jundo and everyone, always lovely to sit and practice with you. Had to leave a little early, as I too have a Canada Day event to attend. Happy Canada Day! =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Kyonin]

Thank you all for sitting.

Thanks to Sada for making us laugh

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Jakuden]

Got a bit of a late start but was able to sit most of this one! Didn't expect all the entertainment, LOL! Jundo your daughter is adorable. Thank you for the talk, the Koans are getting less intimidating.

Thanks everyone and have a good Canada Day and Fourth of July weekend!

Gassho,
Jakuden
SatToday

[Onkai]

Thank you all for sitting.

Thanks to Sada for making us laugh

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

My feelings exactly.

Gassho,
Onkai
SatToday

[Byokan]

Perfect! Thank you dear Sangha!

Gassho
Byōkan
sat today

[Tai Shi]

Dear Zendo

I am still struggling with my pain procedure so I was not here tonight--I will sit quietly with the video in the morning--Thank you.

Tai Shi
sat today
Gassho