February 4-5th, 2017 - Our SPECIAL "NEHAN-E" 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

[Jundo]

READINGS FOR TODAY'S DHARMA TALK ARE BELOW IN THIS THREAD.

WELCOME to our Memorial & Celebration of NEHAN-E, (Pari-Nirvana) the traditional day to mark the historical Buddha's death and passing from this visible world. This is also a day for each of us to remember in our homes those family and friends who have gone before. As well, we particularly mark the passing of Nishijima Gudo Wafu and Rempo Niwa Zenji ...

During this Zazenkai, we will commence with SPECIAL CHANTS & a CEREMONY to recall our parents, grand-parents, siblings, our relatives near and distant, all our ancestors reaching back through the generations, and our dear friends and other cherished ones who have passed.

This Zazenkai will be 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 IS HERE:
CLICK ON THE TAB ON LOWER RIGHT FOR 'FULL SCREEN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oaXTn2YM9A

Dharma talk audio / podcast episode:

https://treeleaf.podbean.com/e/february-2017-zazenkai-talk-our-special-nehan-e-4-hour-zazenkai/

To mark this time, our Ceremony at the start of the Zazenkai will include a chanting of “The Verse of Homage to Buddha's Relics, Shariraimon” and Heart Sutra in Chinese-Japanese (to mark our "roots"). Words and details are HERE, please print out if you wish.

Our sitting schedule for the 4-hour gathering will be as follows ...

00:00 - 00:50 CEREMONY (SHARIRAIMON in ENGLISH 3x / HEART SUTRA in JAPANESE) & ZAZEN
00:50 - 01:00 KINHIN
01:00 - 01:30 ZAZEN
01:30 - 01:40 KINHIN

01:40 - 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


For this special Zazenkai, a statue of the reclining ‘Buddha Entering Parinirvana’, and a Plaque dedicated to all past Generations of Zen Ancestors, will be given special prominence.

As always, we close with the 'Metta Chant', followed at the end with the 'Verse of Atonement' and 'The Four Vows'.


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]

Our reading for today's Nehan-e Zazenkai was changed to this passage that Dogen wrote late in life, showing his seemingly very traditional views on Rebirth at that time:

Eihei Dogen’s Shobogenzo Doshin, “Mind of the Way” (translated by Peter Levitt & Kazuaki Tanahashi)
“When you leave this life, and before you enter the next life, there is a place called an intermediary realm. You
stay there for seven days. You should resolve to keep chanting the names of the three treasures without ceasing
while you are there. After seven days you die in the intermediary realm and remain there for no more than seven
days. At this time you can see and hear without hindrance, like having a celestial eye. Resolve to encourage
yourself to keep chanting the names of the three treasures without ceasing: ‘I take refuge in the Buddha. I take
refuge in the Dharma. I take refuge in the Sangha.’ After passing through the intermediary realm, when you
approach your parents to be conceived, resolve to maintain authentic wisdom. Keep chanting refuge in the three
treasures in your mother’s womb. Do not neglect chanting while you are given birth. Resolve deeply to dedicate
yourself to chant and take refuge in the three treasures through the six sense roots. When your life ends, your
eye sight will suddenly become dark. Know that this is the end of your life and be determined to chant, ‘I take
refuge in the buddha.’ Then, all buddhas in the ten directions will show compassion to you. Even if due to
conditions you are bound to an unwholesome realm, you will be able to be born in the deva realm or in the
presence of the Buddha. Bow and listen to the Buddha.”

===================

... and also these readings on ceremonies for the deceased in Soto Zen (perhaps a surprise to some). I ask about their place in our Practice and modern times ...

Zen Buddhist Ceremonies for the Dead (most of which originated in tenth-century China, before Dogen)
Funeral ceremonies performed by the living can help the intermediate realm being (stream of consciousness) to
realize complete awakening, birth in a pure land, or at least rebirth in the upper realms of gods or humans. In
Soto Zen, the funeral for laypeople begins with ordaining the deceased as a Zen priest (shukke tokudo)—
receiving the bodhisattva precepts (jukai), initiation into awakening (abhisheka/kancho), and the blood lineage
document (kechimyaku) as a blessed talisman. Then there are words of guidance and encouragement (insho) for
the deceased, recitation of the ten names of buddha (nenju), and dedication of merit to adorn the deceased’s
place of destination (whatever it may be). Incense is offered as nourishment for the intermediate realm scenteater
(gandharva). Since nobody can know the destination of the deceased person’s stream of consciousness, the
living just encourage and assist it toward awakening. It is taught that the intermediate realm beings, and other
non-physical beings such as hungry spirits, can “hear” speech, perceive thoughts and intentions, and meet the
living in various ways imperceptible on the gross level, with their subtle immaterial bodies and sense faculties.

Memorial ceremonies are performed every 7 days after death, calling on different buddhas and bodhisattvas to
help the deceased realize awakening or birth in a pure land, for each of the 7 weeks of the intermediate realm up
to 49 days—when the intermediate being has either realized complete awakening, been born in a pure land,
been born into one of the six realms as a bodhisattva, or been born into one of the (hopefully upper) six realms
as an ordinary being. Annual memorials in Japan are traditionally performed up to 33 years, the maximum time
(in human years) it takes for a bodhisattva in a pure land to realize complete awakening (buddha).

Ceremonies for feeding the hungry spirits (sejiki/segaki) are performed every evening in Zen monasteries, and a
few times a year on a larger scale for any deceased who may have been born in the hungry spirit or hell realms,
as well as for nature spirits and all one’s deceased relatives (whether or not they are in the hungry spirit realm).
This ceremony gives them nourishment, human food transformed and made edible through the powerful
intention expressed by mantras and mudras, and encourages them to be born in a pure land and become
awakened ones to benefit all beings. Hungry spirits look for nourishment particularly in the evening, and during
the Ullambana (Obon) festival in mid-July or August. Ceremonies for liberating animals (hojo-e) are performed
occasionally for freeing animals from being killed, but also to encourage them to be born in their next life in the
pure land of Ratnashikin Buddha (as taught in the Golden Light Sutra), or at least in the upper realms.

Daily services in Zen temples involve making offerings, chanting, and dedication of the merit generated from
these. Morning service is generally dedicated to awakened ones (buddhas), awakening beings (bodhisattvas)
including Dharma protectors, and deceased Zen ancestors who have now become awakened ones or awakening
beings in a pure land. In this case the intention is to make offerings to them out of gratitude and to ask for their
assistance on our path to awakening. Evening service is generally dedicated to deceased relatives and friends,
hungry spirits, and all ordinary sentient beings. In this case the intention is to make offerings to them to assist
them on their path to awakening—they may be still in the intermediate realm, or have been born in one of the
non-physical realms such as gods, hungry spirits, or hell, or be practicing in a pure land.

Memorial tablets (ihai) and gravesite markers (stupa/toba) with the deceased’s name are a dwelling place in the
human realm for the deceased person who has now potentially become an awakened reality body (dharmakaya
buddha) or an awakening being (bodhisattva) in a pure land. Since the maximum time in a pure land before
becoming a buddha is 33 years, memorial tablets can be burned after that time has passed—or kept as tablets for
the new buddha, as is the case with those of Zen ancestors and teachers. There are also memorial tablets for the
myriad hungry spirits, used as a place to offer food to hungry spirits. If the deceased was reborn as a human or
animal, they would have a physical body and would not need a tablet as their physical dwelling place. Memorial
tablets and gravesite markers are the location in the human realm for making offerings to non-physical beings—
in the form of incense, flowers, light, water, food, and chanting—to assist them in their ongoing path to
awakening, or to ask them as awakened ones to assist us in our path. A home buddha-altar (butsudan),
especially if it holds memorial tablets, can be understood as a miniature representation of a pure land where the
deceased ones now dwell. Of course non-physical beings are not limited to that particular dwelling place, but
that is where humans can meet them, make offerings to them, or receive their blessings.

From: What Happens After Death According to Buddhas and Zen Ancestors
(and Zen Buddhist Ceremonies for the Dead Based on this Understanding)
by Kokyo Henkel

=============

Today's Talk closes with a brief look at some words from one of Dogen Zenji's most powerful statements on living and dying: Shobogenzo-Shōji (Life and Death), translated by Nishijima Roshi and Chodo Cross.

* * *

This life and death is just the sacred life of buddha. If we hate it
and want to get rid of it, that is just wanting to lose the sacred life of buddha.
If we stick in it, if we attach to life and death, this also is to lose the sacred
life of buddha. We confine ourselves to the condition of buddha. When we
are without dislike and without longing, then for the first time we enter the
mind of buddha. But do not consider it with mind and do not say it with
words! When we just let go of our own body and our own mind and throw
them into the house of buddha, they are set into action from the side of
buddha; then when we continue to obey this, without exerting any force and
without expending any mind, we get free from life and death and become
buddha. Who would wish to linger in mind?

[Getchi]

Thank you, very much looking forward to this.


Thank you,
Ge off.

Sat today.

[Kokuu]

Thank you, Jundo.

I wonder if mention could be made of the fact we lost a sangha member in the last year - Lee/Fugu?

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

[Jundo]

Thank you, Jundo.

I wonder if mention could be made of the fact we lost a sangha member in the last year - Lee/Fugu?

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

Of course. We will include Lee, and all our friends and loved ones named and unnamed.

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Rich]

Very nice
SAT today

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Mp]

Lovely Jundo, I will be there live ... Looking forward to it. =)

Gassho
Shingen

s@today

[Jakuden]

Will be there one-way as soon as I can get out of work.

Jundo, is Nishijima pronounced as it looks? I'm sure I must have heard you and others say it but I can't remember.

Gassho
Jakuden
SatToday


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jundo]

Jundo, is Nishijima pronounced as it looks?

Oh, I could say something really Koany here!

But actually, the best way is to wait until the Zazenkai, and you will hear me say his name again.

Gassho, Jundo

SatToday

PS -

I also posted a link to a film documentary made about him, and to his book which I translated ...

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?15088-Announcement-Parinirvana-Memorial-Zazenkai-2017&p=193870&viewfull=1#post193870

[Kyonin]

I'll be there with bell ready.

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

[Washin]

is Nishijima pronounced as it looks?

Here people pronounce it as "Nisidzima".
I wonder if it's close to the original spelling

Gassho
Washin
sattoday

[Jundo]

I also added to our reading for this week's Talk this passage that Dogen wrote late in life, showing his seemingly very traditional views on Rebirth at that time:

Eihei Dogen’s Shobogenzo Doshin, “Mind of the Way” (translated by Peter Levitt & Kazuaki Tanahashi)
“When you leave this life, and before you enter the next life, there is a place called an intermediary realm. You
stay there for seven days. You should resolve to keep chanting the names of the three treasures without ceasing
while you are there. After seven days you die in the intermediary realm and remain there for no more than seven
days. At this time you can see and hear without hindrance, like having a celestial eye. Resolve to encourage
yourself to keep chanting the names of the three treasures without ceasing: ‘I take refuge in the Buddha. I take
refuge in the Dharma. I take refuge in the Sangha.’ After passing through the intermediary realm, when you
approach your parents to be conceived, resolve to maintain authentic wisdom. Keep chanting refuge in the three
treasures in your mother’s womb. Do not neglect chanting while you are given birth. Resolve deeply to dedicate
yourself to chant and take refuge in the three treasures through the six sense roots. When your life ends, your
eye sight will suddenly become dark. Know that this is the end of your life and be determined to chant, ‘I take
refuge in the buddha.’ Then, all buddhas in the ten directions will show compassion to you. Even if due to
conditions you are bound to an unwholesome realm, you will be able to be born in the deva realm or in the
presence of the Buddha. Bow and listen to the Buddha.”

Gassho, J

SatToday

[Byokan]

Thank you Jundo
I'm on the road today so will celebrate this on the weekend.

Gassho
Byōkan
sat today

[RichardH]

I'll be here /there.

Gassho
Daizan

[Jundo]

Dear All,

Another a late substitution on readings for the Talk today ... (It may be a bit surprising for folks who assume that Soto Zen is not really about such ways) ...

Zen Buddhist Ceremonies for the Dead (most of which originated in tenth-century China, before Dogen)
Funeral ceremonies performed by the living can help the intermediate realm being (stream of consciousness) to
realize complete awakening, birth in a pure land, or at least rebirth in the upper realms of gods or humans. In
Soto Zen, the funeral for laypeople begins with ordaining the deceased as a Zen priest (shukke tokudo)—
receiving the bodhisattva precepts (jukai), initiation into awakening (abhisheka/kancho), and the blood lineage
document (kechimyaku) as a blessed talisman. Then there are words of guidance and encouragement (insho) for
the deceased, recitation of the ten names of buddha (nenju), and dedication of merit to adorn the deceased’s
place of destination (whatever it may be). Incense is offered as nourishment for the intermediate realm scenteater
(gandharva). Since nobody can know the destination of the deceased person’s stream of consciousness, the
living just encourage and assist it toward awakening. It is taught that the intermediate realm beings, and other
non-physical beings such as hungry spirits, can “hear” speech, perceive thoughts and intentions, and meet the
living in various ways imperceptible on the gross level, with their subtle immaterial bodies and sense faculties.

Memorial ceremonies are performed every 7 days after death, calling on different buddhas and bodhisattvas to
help the deceased realize awakening or birth in a pure land, for each of the 7 weeks of the intermediate realm up
to 49 days—when the intermediate being has either realized complete awakening, been born in a pure land,
been born into one of the six realms as a bodhisattva, or been born into one of the (hopefully upper) six realms
as an ordinary being. Annual memorials in Japan are traditionally performed up to 33 years, the maximum time
(in human years) it takes for a bodhisattva in a pure land to realize complete awakening (buddha).

Ceremonies for feeding the hungry spirits (sejiki/segaki) are performed every evening in Zen monasteries, and a
few times a year on a larger scale for any deceased who may have been born in the hungry spirit or hell realms,
as well as for nature spirits and all one’s deceased relatives (whether or not they are in the hungry spirit realm).
This ceremony gives them nourishment, human food transformed and made edible through the powerful
intention expressed by mantras and mudras, and encourages them to be born in a pure land and become
awakened ones to benefit all beings. Hungry spirits look for nourishment particularly in the evening, and during
the Ullambana (Obon) festival in mid-July or August. Ceremonies for liberating animals (hojo-e) are performed
occasionally for freeing animals from being killed, but also to encourage them to be born in their next life in the
pure land of Ratnashikin Buddha (as taught in the Golden Light Sutra), or at least in the upper realms.

Daily services in Zen temples involve making offerings, chanting, and dedication of the merit generated from
these. Morning service is generally dedicated to awakened ones (buddhas), awakening beings (bodhisattvas)
including Dharma protectors, and deceased Zen ancestors who have now become awakened ones or awakening
beings in a pure land. In this case the intention is to make offerings to them out of gratitude and to ask for their
assistance on our path to awakening. Evening service is generally dedicated to deceased relatives and friends,
hungry spirits, and all ordinary sentient beings. In this case the intention is to make offerings to them to assist
them on their path to awakening—they may be still in the intermediate realm, or have been born in one of the
non-physical realms such as gods, hungry spirits, or hell, or be practicing in a pure land.

Memorial tablets (ihai) and gravesite markers (stupa/toba) with the deceased’s name are a dwelling place in the
human realm for the deceased person who has now potentially become an awakened reality body (dharmakaya
buddha) or an awakening being (bodhisattva) in a pure land. Since the maximum time in a pure land before
becoming a buddha is 33 years, memorial tablets can be burned after that time has passed—or kept as tablets for
the new buddha, as is the case with those of Zen ancestors and teachers. There are also memorial tablets for the
myriad hungry spirits, used as a place to offer food to hungry spirits. If the deceased was reborn as a human or
animal, they would have a physical body and would not need a tablet as their physical dwelling place. Memorial
tablets and gravesite markers are the location in the human realm for making offerings to non-physical beings—
in the form of incense, flowers, light, water, food, and chanting—to assist them in their ongoing path to
awakening, or to ask them as awakened ones to assist us in our path. A home buddha-altar (butsudan),
especially if it holds memorial tablets, can be understood as a miniature representation of a pure land where the
deceased ones now dwell. Of course non-physical beings are not limited to that particular dwelling place, but
that is where humans can meet them, make offerings to them, or receive their blessings.

From: What Happens After Death According to Buddhas and Zen Ancestors
(and Zen Buddhist Ceremonies for the Dead Based on this Understanding)
by Kokyo Henkel