The Dōjō

"The Dōjō" number 36 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

My dōjō.

A fellow traveler posted a while ago a picture of where he sits. The View From Where I Sit (Dosho Port) and another fellow traveler posted this inspiring picture of where he sits. ZAZEN & HEARTBURN 98662 (UPDATED) (Jordan & ZMH). We almost have a meme going here.

Robert Aitken reminds us that where ever we sit is our dōjō. Yes indeed.

We've shown you ours (view from where we sit), now show me yours!??

Me to You

"Me to You" number 35 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Gasshō

Why isn't this stuff more actively taught beginners. No one has ever said anything to me about how to gasshō. I've learned what little I know, which is wrong, from watching others. Now with such few words of guidance, gasshō becomes fresh.

Excerpt from technical notes on gasshō from the internets. Check link for more details.

THE FIRM GASSHO. The most formal of the gasshōs, this is the one most commonly used in our daily practice. It is the gasshō we use upon entering the zendo, and upon taking our seats. We also use it at least sixteen times in the course of a formal meal, and during all services. It is made by placing the hands together, palm to palm in front of the face. The fingers are placed together, and are straight rather than bent, while the palms are slightly pressed together so that they meet. The elbows are held somewhat out from the body, although the forearms are not quite parallel with the floor. There is about one fist's distance between the tip of the nose and the hands. Fingertips are at about the same height from the floor as the top of the nose. This gasshō has the effect of helping to establish an alert and reverential state of mind.

THE GASSHO OF NO-MIND. This is the next most commonly used gasshō . It is basically used in greeting one another or our teachers. In this position, the hands are held a little more loosely together, with a slight space between the palms, although the fingers still touch. The elevation of the elbows from the floor is not so great as in the Firm Gasshō; forearms should be at approximately a 45-degree angle to the floor. This gasshō has the effect of deepening one's state of samadhi.

http://www.dharmaweb.org/index.php/Notes_on_Gassho_&_Bowing,_by_Maezumi_Roshi

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What is the point? What is the point of this web log? What is the point of this particular posting?

The point is not to make progress nor is it to get something out of this practice. Examining and questioning is enough. This is the practice of Zen. In the article referenced above, there is a story about a Zen Master who often admonished his students with "Don't expect anything from
the Three Treasures." When caught bowing, a student asked him what he expected to get out of bowing. His reply, which applies not just to bowing, was "Don't expect. Just bow."

So it is in that spirit I post here. Just keep going, keep going.

Six Essentials

"Six Essentials" number 34 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Here are the six essentials as Aitken Roshi sees them.
(Through the filter of Will. Reminder, any errors or delusion here is owned by me alone.)

1. There is no need to rush. Everything has its own pace.
   
2. We are constantly presenting our koan. Sometimes skillfully, sometimes not.
3. Be present to what is actually happening. Reality rules!
   
4. There is a difference to life when intimate. Be ordinary. 
   
5. Don't be fooled by opinion. Especially our own.
6. "What does "mu" mean to you? What does "body and mind drop away" mean to you? Show me!" 

What are your six essentials?

The Impact of Truth

"The Impact of Truth" number 33 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

One of the confusing aspects of studying Zen is that all the characters have multiple names. The names are not their given names but the names are made up of geographical places. Here is a case in point Aitken refers to a certain tenth century teacher as Chanyue Guanxiu then points to a translation of some of his writings and there in the translation the translator refers to the author as Zengetsu with no reference at all to Chanyue Guanxiu. Go figure?

Yet none of this is of any importance.

Zengetsu , is famous for his powerful "Suggestions for Zen Students" and I'll quote it here in its entirety.

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Suggestions for Zen Students
by Zengetsu
Translated by Nyogen Senzaki

   Living in the world, yet not clinging to or forming attachments for the dust of the world, this is the way of a true Zen student.
   In witnessing the good actions of another person, encourage yourself to follow their example. In hearing of the mistaken action of another person, advise yourself not to emulate it.
   Even though you are alone in a dark room, conduct yourself as though you are facing a noble guest.
   Express your feelings, but never become more expressive than your true nature.
   Poverty is your treasure. Do not exchange it for the easy life.
   A person may look like a fool and yet not be stupid. They may be conserving their wisdom and guarding it carefully.
   The virtues are the fruits of self-discipline, and do not drop from heaven of themselves like rain or hail.
   Modesty is the foundation of all virtues. Let your neighbors find you before you make yourself known to them.
   A noble heart never forces itself forward. Its words are as rare gems seldom displayed.
   Every day is a fortunate day for a true student. Time passes but they never lag behind.
   Neither glory nor shame can move their heart.
   Do not discuss right or wrong. Always censure yourself, never another.
   Some things, although right, were considered wrong for many generations. Since the value of righteousness may be recognized after centuries, there is no need to crave immediate appreciation.
   Why do you not leave everything to the great law of the universe and pass each day with a peaceful smile?

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Aitken Roshi was moved to write about the line "Modesty is the foundation of all virtues. Let your neighbors find you before you make yourself known to them." Nice one! Modesty and quietude are foundational. When expressed, life flows. Trouble ensues when immodest.

I'm moved by the line "Even though you are alone in a dark room, conduct yourself as though you are facing a noble guest." How do I conduct myself when alone, when I know nobody is watching? Sometimes not so upright. Plenty to explore here.

Which 'suggestion' moves you?

The Shorter Kannon Sutra

"The Shorter Kannon Sutra" number 32 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

This short sutra is chanted a couple of times a day at sesshin. Our tradition chants it in Sino-Japanese. Below are both this Sino-Japanese version and an English translation. At my last sesshin I noticed myself chanting the Sino-Japanese like everyone else, not want to be a rebel or standout, while I was reading to myself the English translation. I use the sutra book and don't yet chant from memory. This is a fun one to chant as the Ino (chant leader) sets the pace and it accelerates through the chanting. This one is chanted a bunch of times in a row.

EN-MEI JIK-KU KAN-NON GYO

KAN ZE ON
NA MU BUTSU
YO BUTSU U IN
YO BUTSU U EN
BUP-PO SO EN
JO RAKU GA JO
CHO NEN KAN ZE ON
BO NEN KAN ZE ON
NEN NEN JU SHIN KI
NEN NEN FU RI SHIN

Ten Verse Kannon Sutra for Prolonging Life

Kanzeon:
Veneration to the Buddha.
With Buddha I have origin;
With Buddha I have affinity;
Affinity with Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha;
Eternity, joy, self, and purity.
Mornings my thoughts are Kanzeon;
Evenings my thoughts are Kanzeon;
Thought after thought arise in the mind;
Thought after thought are not separate from mind.

These last two lines are worth further exploration. Thought after thought arise in the mind; Thought after thought are not separate from mind. Only chanting the Sino-Japanese version we miss this exploration.

Watch out! Don't be deceived!

Seeing and Hearing

"Seeing and Hearing" number 31 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.


"Who is it now that hears sounds?" Bassui's big question. Will's big question. Your big question.

Sounds are funny things. We carry them around with us were ever we go. We create them on the spot. We manufacture them out of thin air. How little attention we pay to them. Just like our visions, our seeings. We see all the time, even when sleeping. Maybe you've never considered it but you are also hearing in your sleep. Hear never stops. Seeing never stops.

Cheri Huber is like to say, paraphrasing, the tenor of your life is a reflection of the focus of your attention. In other words we can not steer our hearing or our seeing or our thoughts for that matter, except by challenging and developing the focus of our attention.

Pay attention! Wake up! Be here now! These are the battle cries of those challenging their status quo.

How hears? Yes. Settle into the question. The mind wants to figure it out. It seeks an opening, a conclusion, a resolution. It sees spaciousness where it wants ideas. It screams 'What is the answer?' To attention, the question is enough.

The question for us could just as easily be "Who is it now that sees sights?" Why is this not the emphasis? I notice when sitting on the cushion, the sounds change more than the sights. Sights don't seem to have a succinct rising and ending. Of course they do but they don't appear to suddenly appear and disappear like sounds do. Sights flow together too easily. Not sounds.

Look what I've done, again - talk, talk, talk.

The printer hums,
rain washes the tin roof.
My ears ring
and together we settle.
Mu...
Mu...
Mu...

The Meaning of Jukai

"The Meaning of Jukai" number 30 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Some synergy around jukai is happening. We were asked to explain the meaning of the precepts in our book discussion group yesterday, I turned six rakusu rings in the shop yesterday and today Aitken explores jukai.

To be human, to be humane, to observe the precepts, this is what it means to practice Zen. Our rakusu are meant to remind us of our grounding in the humane, our connection with all that is human, our commitment to live the precepts. To remind us of those who have practiced in the past and will practice in the future, that the practice of Zen extends through out all of space and time.

Fun stuff. Really, sounds serious but I hold all this lightly and it helps.

Taken after jukai at the 2007 Golden Wind Sesshin.
Jack Kenzan Duffy Roshi, Pat Hine, me, Sicco Rood

The two top ones are Walnut.
The two on the lower left are Lacewood
and the last one is Madrone Burl .

This set of rakusu ring I turned yesterday. The Walnut came from a urban tree harvest and has been air drying for about 10 years. The Lacewood comes from Australia and I can not attest to the harvest practices used. The Madrone Burl is from a off cut shared to me from Dale Larson, a Portland Oregon woodturner.