TREELEAF ZENDO PODCAST

SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: Knocking Down Monastery Walls

I often feel that monastic practice is so "yesterday" ... so "13th Century".It's true, and in some very important ways, it may be time to knock down the monasteries, throwing their cloistered inhabitants into the streets!
For most of its history, lay practice has taken a back seat to the "real spiritual action" said to happen only among the ordained Sangha, usually behind monastery walls. However, this no longer need be the case.
I in no way intend to deny the beauty and power of the monastic path for those called that way. There are depths and lessons to be encountered and awakened to and lived in that simple life, in the silence, in the sincere effort and routine. So much of that may not be easily perceived in the noise and distraction of an "in the world" practice. (Although, in my view, stillness is stillness, and the very same stillness can be encountered "out in the world" with a bit of diligence and attention to day-to-day life). I do not in any way intend to discount the importance of monastic practice for some folks ... and at appropriate times and doses for all of us.
However, there is also a beauty and power in paths of practice outside monastery walls that may be unavailable to those within the walls, with lay practice having depths and opportunities for awakening all its own. There are aspects of an "in the world" practice that are denied to those following a monastic way. There are depths and lessons of practice that can be encountered and awakened to only out in the city streets, in our work places, families, raising kids. Where is the Dharma not present?
Lay practice now is not the same as lay practice has been in centuries past.
One vital reason for monasteries and the like ... from the earliest days of Buddhism ... was an absence of other chances for communication with teachers and fellow practitioners, and a lack of other means to encounter "live teachings". In other words, wandering ascetics walking hither and thither in the Buddha's time needed to gather during the rainy seasons to "touch base" and reconnect with the group after being on their own for weeks and months. In the middle ages in China and Japan, one could not easily encounter a Buddhist teacher, teachings and opportunities to practice without going to live full time in a monastery. This is just no longer the case. Members of our Treeleaf Sangha, for example, can have 24 hour contact, using modern means of communication, with teachers, teachings, sittings, robe sewing, Sutra and Text study, sharing with fellow practitioners times of sickness and health and smiles and tears, Samu, spiritual friendships, "sharp stones crashing into each other" ... much of which, until the current times, was denied to people outside monastery walls.
In some important ways, sincere lay practitioners today may enjoy better surrounding circumstances for practice than did the average monk in, for example, Dogen's day. Things in the "Golden Age" were not so golden as we too easily romanticize. Most monks back then were half-educated (even in Buddhism), semi-literate (or what passed for literacy in those times), superstition driven, narrow folks who may have understood less about the traditions and teachings they were following ... their history and meaning and depth ... than we now know. The conditions for practice within old temples and monasteries might have been less than ideal, many teachers less than ideal, despite our idealization of the old timers. Studying Sutras by smoky oil lamp, living one's days out in Japan or Tibet while having no real information grasp on China and India and the customs of prior centuries, living in a world of rumor and magic and misunderstanding (in which all kinds of myths and stories and superstitions were taken as explanations for how the world works), unable to access a modern Buddhist library, or to "Google" a reliable source (emphasis on making sure it is reliable however!) to check some point, or to ask a real expert outside one's limited circle, being beholden to only one teacher at a time (no matter how poor a teacher), with no knowledge of the human brain and some very important discoveries of science ... and after all that effort ... getting sick and dying at the age of 40 from some ordinary fever. (Can you even imagine trying to listen to Dogen Zenji recite "live" a Shobogenzo teaching from way across the room ... without a modern microphone and PA system and "Youtube" to let one replay it all? I suppose many never heard a word!)
The "Good Old Days" were not necessarily the "Good Old Days".
In contrast, in many ways, the average lay person practicing today has very many better circumstances for practice than those monks in 13th century Eihei-ji. For that reason, it is time to re-evaluate the place and power of lay practice. What was true in the cultures and times of ages past need not be true today!
Now, we need the monastic way ... and we need the "in the world way" ... supporting each other.
Yesterday, a fellow posted to our Sangha a comment that:
the austere training at Eihei-ji ... [may be] required in 'dropping off' body and mind. The effort required to ensure that this is complete, 'dropping off dropping off', is something I think we find difficult in our lives since we live in more comfortable times. Can it be truly 'realised' outside a monastic setting?
I responded:
I rather disagree.
There are hard swimmers and runners, who push themselves to the limit ...
There are swimmers or runners who go at an easy and balanced pace forward ...
There are those who float along or stand perfectly still to admire the scenery ...
... and in all cases, it is the same ocean or road ... and no place to go.
Some folks may benefit from a hard practice, getting the hell beat out of them ... pushed along by a tough coach like a marine in boot camp. They may need this for a bit of discipline or to tame the wild bull of the mind. And some may not, encountering the Dharma in silence and stillness.
However, the answer really is not dependent on how hard we work for it, like a dog chasing its own tail.
Today’s Sit-A-Long video follows at this link. It is a longer talk (about 30 minutes), part of our July Zazenkai. A short Zazen and Kinhin follow.
Visit the forum thread here!

July 2nd, 2011- OUR MONTHLY 4-hour ZAZENKAI!

Dear All,
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE MOVED OUR NETCAST FROM USTREAM to JUSTIN.TV! CLICK ON LINKS 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 ...
LIVE ZAZENKAI NETCAST at JUSTIN.TV:
REMEMBER TO CLICK ON "FULL SCREEN" VERSION!
http://www.justin.tv/treeleafzen
But FEAR NOT if not possible for you to join 'live' in your location at those times, as the entire sitting is recorded in 'REAL TIME' and available for full participation 'ON DEMAND' at ANY TIME after that, no different from the 'live' sitting . Just click then on the links below:
THE 'REAL TIME, ANY TIME' recorded version is divided into 3 parts as follows (click on the links) :
00:00 - 00:50 CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA / SANDOKAI IN ENGLISH) & ZAZEN
00:50 - 01:00 KINHIN
01:00 - 01:30 ZAZEN
01:30 - 01:50 KINHIN
ZAZENKAI PART I LINK:
TO BE POSTED HERE AFTER LIVE NETCAST
01:50 - 02:30 DHARMA TALK & ZAZEN
02:30 - 02:40 KINHIN
TALK & ZAZEN PART 2 LINK:
TO BE POSTED HERE AFTER LIVE NETCAST
02:40 - 03:15 ZAZEN
03:15 - 03:30 KINHIN
03:30 - 04:00 METTA CHANT & ZAZEN, VERSE OF ATONEMENT, FOUR VOWS, & CLOSING
ZAZENKAI PART 3 LINK:
TO BE POSTED HERE AFTER LIVE NETCAST
Our Zazenkai consists of our chanting the 'Heart Sutra' 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 Chant Book (PDF) at the following link:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2231
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

SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: JOKO

Today's sitting is DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF CHARLOTTE JOKO BECK, who left our visible world this week, and whose ways (and books such as 'Everyday Zen' and 'Nothing Special' ... the titles say it all) have been so important to so many of us.
A couple of quotes:
"Life always gives us
exactly the teacher we need
at every moment.
This includes every mosquito,
every misfortune,
every red light,
every traffic jam,
every obnoxious supervisor (or employee),
every illness, every loss,
every moment of joy or depression,
every addiction,
every piece of garbage,
every breath.
Every moment is the guru."
Zen practice isn’t about a special place or a special peace, or something other than being with our life just as it is. It’s one of the hardest things for people to get: that my very difficulties in this very moment are the perfection...When we are attached to the.way we think we should be or the way we think anyone else should be, we can have very little appreciation of life as it is...whether or not we commit physical suicide, if our attachment to our dream remains unquestioned and untouched, we are killing ourselves, because our true life goes by almost unnoticed.
Today’s Sit-A-Long video follows at this link. Remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells; a sitting time of 15 to 35 minutes is recommended.

SIT-A-LONG with Taigu: Baike 5

Please visit the forum thread here!

SIT-A-LONG with Taigu: Baike 4

Please visit the forum thread here!

SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: In Retreat At Shogoji (See Ya!)

This will be the last Sit-A-Long by me for a couple of weeks, as I am heading into retreat at Shogoji Zen Monastery in the mountains of Kumamoto, Japan ... no phones, no computers and barely any electricity ...
http://www.shogoji.com/
.. but lots and lots of Zazen, Bowing, Zazen, Chanting, Oryoki, Takuhatsu, more Zazen, Samu, more Zazen and all the rest. Shogoji is famous for holding a very traditional Soto Zen Sesshin with the intent of keeping many of the "old ways" and rituals alive, and passing them on to the next generation, particularly western Zen priests.
I will be completely out of touch with Treeleaf for a couple of weeks I think. Mongen, our priest-in-training, is joining me for the retreat, flying all the way from Germany. The retreat is part of a longer, 90 day Ango period, but Mongen and I can only stay for a short part. (I almost did not make it at all due to the earthquakes, nuclear reactors, a typhoon storm last night that did more damage to some of our buildings, wife & child & job, and some health concerns ... and any of that may yet pull me off the mountain a bit early).
But this place keeps going as always, in the lovely hands of Taigu as it always is, assisted by Fugen and Shohei. Taigu will continue the "sit-a-longs", and we also have our monthly 4-hour 'netcast' Zazenkai this weekend, as always, led by Taigu. The Forum will keep jumpin' too!
As well, all of you will be with Mongen and me, in our hearts, as we sit at Shogoji.
Today’s Sit-A-Long video follows at this link. Remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells; a sitting time of 15 to 35 minutes is recommended.
Visit the forum thread here!

SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: Zazen as Refuge

Some think of Zazen as their quiet, safe refuge away from it all ...
... But were is not our safe refuge?
Today’s Sit-A-Long video follows at this link. Remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells; a sitting time of 15 to 35 minutes is recommended.
Visit the forum thread here!

SIT-A-LONG with JUNDO: Not-Thinking-Thinking-Non-thinking

Being the open, bright, boundless between the words, thoughts, good and bad things of life.
Being the open, bright boundless that shines through, that enlightens & enlivens the words, thoughts, good and bad things of life.
Once, when the Great Master Hongdao of Yueshan was sitting in Zazen, a monk asked him, "What are you thinking of (shiryô), sitting there so tall and straight? The master answered, "I'm thinking of not thinking (fu shiryô tei)." The monk asked, "How do you think of not thinking?" The Master answered, "Nonthinking (hi shiryô)."
Master Dogen said (Zazengi) ...
Sitting in balance and stillness like a mountain, think of "not-thinking." How can the state of not thinking be thought? Be "Non-Thinking."
This is the essence of zazen. Zazen is not meditation. It is the Dharma Gate of great ease and joy. It is stainless, undivided practice-realization.
PS -Thank you to the many folks who have written to ask how we are doing with the FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR REACTORS, just 100 miles from here as the crow flies. Well, we are fine, life is surprisingly normal. Of course, waking up each morning to headlines like these can be rather STARTLING!
http://enenews.com/
But fear and worry is a state of mind. I sometimes compare fear in this case, of cancer and radiation and the like, to the fear of flying. Each year, many people are killed and injured in airplane accidents, yet that does not stop most of us from boarding planes. We will likely arrive safely, but even if not ... it is all the trip, man!
Today’s Sit-A-Long video follows at this link. Remember: recording ends soon after the beginning bells; a sitting time of 15 to 35 minutes is recommended.