TREELEAF ZENDO PODCAST

Whattsa Who'sa Bodhisattva? - The Virtue of Vow & Commitment

In keeping with our 100-day Ango Practice Season, we look at the Bodhisattva Virtue of  ....
Vow and Commitment (pranidhana)
The most fundamental Bodhisattva's vows are these four, which we chant daily ...
To save all sentient beings, though beings numberless
To transform all delusions, though delusions inexhaustible
To perceive Reality, though Reality is boundless
To attain the Enlightened Way, a Way non-attainable
Likewise,  'Ango' is a time of many other vows ... an expression of dedication and intention sustaining effort, practice and beneficial activities toward our self and others (not two)

Whattsa Who'sa Bodhisattva? - The Virtue of Skillful Means

We continue with our series on the Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" of a Bodhisattva ....
 
with Skillful Means (Upaya)
 
Historian and Soto Zen Priest Taigen Dan Leighton writes ...
Skillful Means, upaya in Sanskrit ... is an essential concept in Mahayana Buddhism. Skillful means, sometimes translated as tactfulness, expedients, or ingenuity, is the practice of applying awakening teaching to the diverse variety of students or practitioners. ...
The idea of skillful means became crucial to the adoption of Buddhist ideas into China, and thereafter in all of East Asia. Skillful means is fully expressed and elaborated in the Lotus Sutra, probably the most influential Buddhist text in East Asia. Several colorful parables depict aspects of skillful means. In the parable of the burning house, a man comes home to find his house in flames and his children playing inside. When he tells them to flee the house they refuse, as they would rather play with their toys. The father finally entices them from the house with descriptions of many colorful carriages waiting outside. They exit to find only one ox cart, symbolizing the One Vehicle of Buddha's Way that can carry everyone. The One Vehicle includes all the various skillful teachings for saving beings from the flames of worldly suffering. The sutra emphasizes that the father in the parable was not lying, as he lured the children from the burning house to save them. ...
The idea of many teachings and practices applied skillfully to the single aim of spiritual awakening is an appealing approach for a modern Western understanding of the sometimes confusing abundance of Buddhist schools. Moreover, skillful means might be a way of respecting the pluralism of all religious traditions in our contemporary global interconnectedness. All traditions may be equally respected for the value of their teachings as they apply to different peoples' particular approaches to ultimate religious truth, and to primary principles such as kindness and compassion. ...
The practice of skillful means reminds us to listen to others respectfully, honor their differences, and recognize that others may have different needs and benefit from different teachings and practices. Following the model of the bodhisattva of compassion, we must not self-righteously cling to any particular method. We can learn various useful approaches, and as we learn to trust and respond with whatever is at hand, our skillfulness can develop.
(from An Introduction to Skillful Means)

Whattsa Who'sa Bodhisattva? - The Virtue of Wisdom

Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" are fundamental to the Bodhisattva path.
Now we come to Wisdom (Prajna Paramita)
In Mahayana Buddhism, this means seeing into, piercing  ... emptiness ... 
being, allowing, witnessing and losing ourselves in ... the dance of emptiness ...

Whattsa Who'sa Bodhisattva? - The Virtue of Meditation

On Today's "Top Ten" Countdown of the  "Pure Virtues of the Bodhisattva" ...
... we come to No. 5 ...  Meditation .. Dhyana ...
(not to be confused with the 50's song 'Diana' ...
 Hold me, darling, ho-ho hold me tight  Squeeze me baby with-a all your might
Oh, please stay by me, Diana  Oh, please, Diana  Oh, please, Diana  Oh, please, Diana)
 
Anyway, we spoke about this just a few days ago, in looking at Master Dogen's 'Bendowa" ... how 'Zazen' may thus appear to be well down the list ... just one of many Buddhist practices ...
... but is better seen as the very center of all ... Zazen as the heart & foundation of the Bodhisattva Virtues. 
Zazen is the spindle which makes the whole record spin, baby! (for those old folks who remember 'records')
And if you think too that Zazen's just some narrow form of 'meditation' ... a little tool, bit of a mind trip, some one hit wonder ...
... change that tune!
Like that song says ...
You and I will be as free  As the birds up in the trees  ... Dhyana

Whattsa Who'sa Bodhisattva? - The Virtue of Effort

Last time, in our discussion of the Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" (Paramitas) of the Bodhisattva path ...
we talked about "Patience" ...
... and today we will talk about the Perfection of Effort and Diligence (Virya Paramita).
All the perfections go hand-in-hand, each supporting and nurturing the others. Each is part of the Bodhisattva's vow to "Save All Sentient Beings". But "Patience" and "Diligent Effort" have a special bond ...
Our way might be called "patience in effort", "stillness in motion" "quiet in action" ...
... for, with the latter alone, we are always running headlong through life, trying to find the end of a rainbow which we never reach, rarely at ease, unsatisfied, never arriving at the ultimate goal  ...
... while the former alone leads to passivity, inaction, complacency and resignation.
   Thus, remember that our teachings emphasize, not just stillness ... but stillness in, as and amid the motion. Yes, we are like a stone Buddha in the garden, sitting with come what may, not budging if it rains or if the sun comes out. It is all the same
.
... yet the stone Buddha rises, dances and lives life!
This is the reason I repeatedly emphasize that our Way is stillness in action ... effort without effort ...

Whattsa Who'sa Bodhisattva? - The Virtue of Patience

Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" (Paramitas in Sanskrit) are fundamental to the Bodhisattva path.
Today, we will discuss the Perfection of Patience  (Kshanti Paramita)
If the video does not work today ...  please consider it a perfect chance to put this Perfection into Practice!

Whattsa Who'sa Bodhisattva? - The Virtue of the Precepts

Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" (Paramitas in Sanskrit) are fundamental to the Bodhisattva path.
Today, we will discuss the Perfection of an ethical life,  in keeping with the Precepts  (Shila Paramita)

Whattsa Who'sa Bodhisattva? - The Virtue of Generosity

Ten Pure Virtues or "Perfections" (Paramitas in Sanskrit) are fundamental to the Bodhisattva path.
Today, we will discuss Generosity (Dana Paramita)