January 6th-7th, 2016 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI! Reflections on Jukai!

[Jundo]

Today's Talk will look at the words of our upcoming JUKAI CEREMONY (text below)

Please 'sit-a-long' with our MONTHLY 4-hour 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 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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU1xl75QZ7o

Dharma talk audio / podcast episode:

https://treeleaf.podbean.com/e/january-2017-zazenkai-talk-reflections-on-jukai/

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]

The Talk this time will look at aspects of the wording and content of our upcoming Jukai "Undertaking The Precepts" Ceremony, to be held next week ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?15029-ATTENTION-THE-JUKAI-CEREMONY-GUIDE-is-HERE-%21%21-%28for-this-Sunday-January-15th-2017%29

The complete guide and content to our Jukai Ceremony (PDF) ...

https://sites.google.com/site/jundotreeleaf/TREELEAF01102015JUKAIPRECEPTCEREMONY%28NOVO%29.pdf?attredirects=0&d=1

-------------------------

BOWING:

When directed, all Recipients Prostrate (or deep Gassho) in the direction of their own parents (or in the direction that their parents are buried if both are deceased) ...

... When directed, all Recipients Prostrate (or Deep Gassho) to the seat of the Kaishi three times (the Kaishi will first say a few words to explain the meaning of this, that the bow is not to Kaishi as a person but to the Kaishi’s place and role on behalf of the Buddhas and Ancestors).

----------

REQUEST:

The Recipients say the following words after bowing, when directed by the Kaishi:

Life and death are of supreme importance, and time swiftly passes by. Thus, I wish to receive the Great Precepts of Gautama Buddha. Please permit me to receive the Precepts.

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RECITATION OF LINEAGE/VERSE OF ATONEMENT (AT-ONE-MENT):

The Words of the Kaishi:

The Great Precepts of Gautama Buddha were kept by all Buddhas; they were transmitted from Buddha to Buddha, and they were received by Ancestor after Ancestor. The receiving of the Precepts transcends the three kinds of time, past, present and future, and the experience of Truth will continue forever. Our great Teacher, Gautama Buddha, transmitted the Precepts to Master Mahakasyapa; Master Mahakasyapa transmitted the Precepts to Master Ananda and, it is said, the Transmission of the Precepts has continued in this way, passing from orthodox successor to orthodox successor in one line, and so, after many ages, has come to me. Now, I am bestowing the Precepts upon you to return the profound benevolence of our great Teacher, Gautama Buddha, and to make you the standard for human beings and all life. We trust this to be the true reception of Gautama Buddha's wisdom and life. Respectfully following the approval of Gautama Buddha, we would like to devote ourselves to the Precepts and atone.

Listen to my words and wholeheartedly say the same words after each line:

All harmful acts, words and thoughts, ever committed by me since of old,
On account of beginningless greed, anger and ignorance,
Born of my body, mouth and mind,
Now I atone for them all.

Kaishi will say
Now we have cleansed ourselves of the products of body, speech, and mind with the approval of Gautama Buddha, all Buddhas and Ancestors. We have gained great purity though our atonement.

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THREE DEVOTIONS (REFUGES):

Kaishi says:

And so, now receive the Precepts precisely. Thus, first we undertake the Three Devotions:

Please repeat after me:

Respectful devotion to Buddha, Respectful devotion to Dharma, Respectful devotion to Sangha.
Devotion to Buddha, the Guiding One; Devotion to Dharma, the Reality & Teaching; Devotion to Sangha, the Embracing Community.
Sincere devotion to Buddha, Sincere devotion to Dharma, Sincere devotion to Sangha.

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THE LEAF:

When directed, please pick up the leaf (or pine twig) that is on your altar. When instructed by the Kaishi, hold the leaf out in the direction of the Kaishi, then symbolically touch your leaf to the leaf being held out by the Kaishi, then touch your own forehead with the leaf three times (This is just a physical symbol of connection). The Kaishi will say:

The giving of the Precepts of Three Devotions is like this. From now on, Gautama Buddha and All Buddhas are your Great Teachers. Never devote yourself to false teachings, harmful teachings, or the like. These Precepts were retained by Buddhas of the past; they were transmitted by the Ancestors. Now I give them to you. You should retain them sincerely.

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THE THREE PURE & UNIVERSAL PRECEPTS:

No.1: To seek as you can, in this body and life, to avoid doing harm

This Precept was retained by Buddhas of the past. It was transmitted by Ancestor to Ancestor. Now I bestow this upon you. Will you seek to keep this Precept from now to the end of your life?

Yes I will.

No.2: To seek as you can, in this body and life, to live in a healthful and helping way, doing good

...

No.3: To seek as you can, in this body and life, to live for the benefit of all Sentient Beings

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TEN FUNDAMENTAL PRECEPTS:

The Ten Fundamental Precepts. I shall read them, please hear with all sincerity:

I. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to refrain from the killing of life
II. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to live in generosity and refrain from taking that which is not given
III. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to refrain from misusing sexuality and all desire
IV. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to refrain from false and malicious speech
V. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to refrain from intoxication in its many forms
VI. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to refrain from unconstructively criticizing the errors and faults of others
VII. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to refrain from praising oneself and judging others
VIII. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to refrain from stinginess in bestowing the Buddhist Teachings and all precious things
IX. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to refrain from all anger
X. To seek as you can, in this body and life, to refrain from disparaging the Three Treasures, Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

These Precepts were retained by Buddhas of the past. They were transmitted by Ancestor to Ancestor. Now I bestow them upon you. Will you seek to keep these Precepts from now to the end of your life?

Yes I will.

(Repeat three times after “Will you seek to keep this Precept?”)

Kaishi says: You should do your best to keep these Precepts.

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TAKKESAGE, VERSE OF THE KESA:

Robe of liberation boundless
Field beyond both form and formless
Wearing the Tathagatha's teachings
Vowing to free all sentient beings

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JOINING THE CIRCLE:

The Kaishi will say:

We will now symbolically exchange places. Symbolically, as I circle around you, all members of the Sangha who have previously undertaken Jukai, all Teachers, all Buddhas and Ancestors are circling around you to welcome you. Please close your eyes and see that you are now sitting where I am sitting. Picture yourself sitting in this chair where I have been sitting. Place your hands in Gassho and see me, and all the Buddhas and Ancestors, as we now circle you three times and I intone the traditional words.

A person who receives the Buddhist Precepts enters the state of Buddha at once. They stand at the same level as Gautama Buddha. We can say they are a child of Buddha.

[Mp]

Wonderful, thank you Jundo I will be there live with bells ready. =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

[Kaisho]

I look forward to sitting this one this weekend with the recording. Been awhile since I sat for longer than an hour.
Gassho
Sat2day

Sent from my LGLS675 using Tapatalk

[Banto]

Will be there with you, but if the Hangout fills up I'll hop off to make room for the Jukai ceremony participants

Gassho
Rodney SatToday

[Sekishi]

Will be there with you, but if the Hangout fills up I'll hop off to make room for the Jukai ceremony participants

Ditto.

Gassho,
Sekishi

#sattoday

[Kyonin]

Hi Jundo!

I'll be there live

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Byokan]

Thank you Jundo, I'll be here live one-way.

Gassho
Byōkan
sat today

[Jundo]

I believe this is the link ...

https://hangouts.google.com/call/bd5cyxkcyfd3hpyw6jvmx7zevee

[Mp]

Hello everyone,

Here is the event link for todays zazenkai if needed: https://hangouts.google.com/hangouts...pyw6jvmx7zevee
Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Jakuden]

Still at work so will be late, but will attend one-way as soon as I get home!
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday

Just got off the phone with a client who flew out of Ft. Lauderdale shortly before the shooting today--

[Onkai]

I will sit with this later in the weekend. Thank you.

Gassho,
Onkai
SatToday

[Jakuden]

Bahaha!! Knowing what "dabbing" is is a sure sign of having a teenager in the house.
Thank you Jundo and everyone!!
Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Banto]

"May we be free from in-ear-monitor failures"
"May we be free from wardrobe malfunctions"

Too fun!

This coming Jukai will be my one year Treeleaf Jukai-versary, and my 2nd year with Treeleaf. Neat!
And along with what we were discussing in the Zazenkai hangout, it has me reflecting over this last year ...
The verse of atonement and four vows are part of my daily sitting practice. They struck a chord with me early on and continue to resonate as it were.
The heart sutra as well, though the middle-majority of it is still a bit foreign, it continues to work in me.

I mention this because unlike the chant book things like our vows and verses, I've only gone over the precepts a few times since Jukai 2016. This coming ceremony will be good for me to really open then back up in my heart, and I'm wondering if I can make them a "chant" of sorts and reflect more frequently on them this coming year so they can continue to mold me.

Anyways I'm just rambling ...
And time to ramble on

Thanks everyone, grateful for you
Sat with you today
Rodney/Banto

[Mp]

Thank you Jundo and everyone, lovely to sit and practice with you all. Have a great night. =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today