November 2008 Archives

While Zazen is at the heart of our Way, other aspects of traditional Zen Practice also should be introduced and encouraged. I have been meaning to do so more and more around Treeleaf. One of the most vital is the non-doing of 'Samu' (traditional work practice) ...

Samu is well described in this excerpt ...

In zen, work has great value, because it allows us to practise the Way in action. In the dojo and during retreats (sesshins), zazen is followed by samu, which is when we do the chores to ensure the smooth functioning of communal life. Samu also means putting our efforts at the service of the community, without expecting anything in return. French version of the texts from Zen, by Bovay, Kaltenbach and De Smedt, Albin Michel Publishing, 1993

Yes, Samu is just Zazen in action. It may not look like seated meditation, but it is to be done from the same state of mental balance. Couple this with an attitude of goalless, non-striving, 'just doing', also a hallmark of Zazen. As well, work is to be performed mindfully, as the only action in and of the whole universe : One engaged in Samu should devote to it all care and attention, never wishing for or thinking of anything else.

Hi Everyone,

The Retreat Sitting Schedule is now available for download (PDF) at this link ...


Our 'Treeleaf Two-Day Online Retreat' shall be LIVE NETCAST over the weekend of DECEMBER 6 and 7, 2008! (and available in recorded form after that, for participation any time 'On Demand'). DETAILS CLICK HERE

I need to explain how the schedule will work for all the people sitting in different time zones around the world ... and I believe all will be surprisingly easy once I do:

We will be sitting in Japan from 6AM to near midnight both Saturday and Sunday (Japan time) . That means that the live netcast will actually run FRIDAY evening to SUNDAY morning/afternoon in most of North America and Europe (I have included in the schedule equivalent times in New York and London). There is a blank column on the attached schedule for you to pencil in your equivalent local times.

So, here is how you can do the Retreat:

I - One way is to just sit from your morning to late night, in your time zone Saturday and Sunday, using the recorded versions only (recordings of each segment, e.g., Zazen, Samu Work Practice, Oryoki, will be posted by me on the Treeleaf Blog as soon as we finish live sitting). You will follow us in "real time", but just a few hours after us in Japan. (You do not need to begin at 6am as we do, but I ask that you begin your day in your local time zone no earlier than 4am, and no later than 7am, adjusting the schedule accordingly)

II- The other way is to sit, as much as you can, with live segments, and then sit with any missed segments via their recorded version by simply adding the missed segments right on the end of each day. You will need to figure out the schedule to see which activities you can join live, and which you will need to join later as a replay recording.

I DO NOT CARE IF YOU CHANGE THE ORDER OF SEGMENTS, SO LONG AS ... AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ... YOU DO ALL SEGMENTS, AND OVER A SOLID TWO DAYS.

I have designed the schedule, as much as possible, so that you can do this. So, for example, the activities you miss while you are asleep (like Samu Work Practice) can be easily moved to the end. Other activities (such as meals) were positioned by me in about the right times so folks in most time zones can join us 'live' (at least most of the time).

NOTE TO PARENTS: Please feel free to devote Samu work periods to family/child care, extend or move Samu work periods as necessary to do so, or convert some "Zazen" periods to additional Samu. If you miss any Zazen, it would be nice if you do "make-up" Zazen by adding it at a convenient time. REMEMBER: All parental activities should be done with an attitude of Samu, and as much as possible, in Silence. All will be part of the Retreat!

A parent wrote to ask whether ... if really really really necessary, a parent can divide the Retreat into 3 or 4 days to allow for childcare duties: Yes, if really really necessary. It would be better to do the Retreat as a solid two days, but if you need to break it up over 3 or 4 days (and sit the Retreat when the kids are in bed, in school etc.) ... NO PROBLEM, if you really need to do so! Just consider the 3 or 4 days a 3 or 4 days Retreat, and try to spend those days with that attitude. However, the foregoing does not mean that folks without a very very very very good excuse should divide up the Retreat over more than two days.

Finally, I am terrible with numbers. I have checked several times, but if there are any mistakes in my time calculations ... please forgive me, and we will correct them.

We will just have a silent sitting today ...

We start with 3 floor prostrations (or deep Gassho), then chant the Heart Sutra in ENGLISH, then sit about 40 minutes of Zazen, then 10 minutes of Kinhin, closing with the chant of the "Verse of Atonement" and "Four Vows".

Please join in, one and all.

We continue preparations for our 'Treeleaf Two-Day Online Retreat' scheduled for LIVE NETCAST over the weekend of DECEMBER 6 and 7, 2008 (and available in recorded form after that, for participation any time 'On Demand'). DETAILS CLICK HERE ...

For our upcoming Retreat, I'd like to look again at ... Kinhin ...



When doing kinhin (walking meditation), walk clockwise around the room, holding your hands in shashu position (there are two versions, employed in different lineages - see photos at right and below). From the waist up, your posture should be the same as that in zazen. (Although exact procedures vary from place to place) take the first half step with your left foot at the peak of the first inhalation. Stand still while exhaling. At the peak of the next inhalation, take the next half step. This sequence is repeated for the whole of the kinhin period. Walk slowly and smoothly, without dragging your feet. Generally, keep up with the pace of the group, and maintain equal distance person to person. Do not drag your feet or make noise. At the end of kinhin, bow from the waste (some groups bow in Gassho, some in Shashu), walk quickly around the room until you return to your seat. Kinhin is usually for 5 or 10 minutes, between seated Zazen (today, we will walk a bit longer, about 20 minutes)

Shashu Hand Position.
Bring your left thumb to the middle of your left palm and close your fist around it. Hold your left fist in front of your chest and cover it with your right hand. Some lineages have the fingers of the right hand face forward (see photo above), some face upward (see photo below) Extend both elbows to the sides so that your forearms form a straight line.

At our 'Treeleaf Two-Day Online Retreat' scheduled for LIVE NETCAST over the weekend of DECEMBER 6 and 7, 2008 (and available in recorded form after that, for participation any time 'On Demand'). DETAILS CLICK HERE ...... there will be times...

It is traditional to have a Buddha Statue in the Zen Hall ... or, rather, a statue of Manjusri Bodhisattva astride a Lion, a symbol of Wisdom ...But, really, any Buddha (or Bodhisattva) statue or picture will do.In fact, where...

Today we will look at how to enter, walk through and be seated in the ''Zendo' ( 'Sitting Hall' ) ...For our Retreat, it is suggested that one find a quiet, isolated space at home, where one can be alone...

REMINDER: our 'Treeleaf Two-Day Online Retreat' is scheduled for LIVE NETCAST over the weekend of DECEMBER 6 and 7, 2008! (and available in recorded form after that, for participation any time 'On Demand'). DETAILS CLICK HEREWelcome to our Saturday "Live...

.We will have a few talks over the coming week or two, in preparation for our 'Treeleaf Two-Day Online Retreat', scheduled for LIVE NETCAST over the weekend of DECEMBER 6 and 7, 2008! (and available in recorded form after that,...

We have another guest teacher today, a praying mantis that my son Leon caught in the garden. I think I'll try to persuade Leon to let him go tomorrow, but before then ... maybe Master Mantis can preach the Dharma...

We had some more 'BIG' questions that some folks asked about ...Is the universe truly 'One'? HEREIs reality random, unintended? HERECan Buddhist's love? HEREThose followed previous 'BIG' questions! About Satori (HERE) and whether life has a purpose, and whether a...

I receive e-mails sometimes from folks who feel that my talks are 'too heavy' ... when I speak of dropping 'life' & 'death', time as a state of mind, our self as an illusion and the world just a dream...

Today, we finish our series of talks on 'The Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra' ... finishing with no beginning or end ... There/fore/ set/ forth/ the/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/ man/tra/.Set/ forth/ this/ man/tra/ and/ pro/claim/:Gate! Gate! (Already Gone, Gone)Paragate!...

Welcome to our Saturday "Live from Treeleaf" Zazen,We start with 3 floor prostrations (or deep Gassho), then chant the Heart Sutra in ENGLISH, then sit about 40 minutes of Zazen, then 10 minutes of Kinhin, closing with the chant of...

It's one handy dandy, nifty jifty, super duper Mantra!There/fore/ know/ that/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/ Is/ the/ sac/red/ man/tra/, the/ lu/min/ous/ man/tra/, the/ sup/reme/ man/tra/, the/ in/com/pa/ra/ble/ man/tra/ by/ which/ all/ suf/fe/ring/ is/ clear/. This/ is/ no/ o/ther/ than/ Truth/.Traditionally, a "mantra"...

A 'shout out' for my favorite of all Mahayana Sutras ... the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra.The story is noteworthy for a couple of reasons:First, in the tale, 'ol Vimalakirti is an unordained, married lay person (a father and businessman) who 'bests'...

... a classic sit-a-long ...The very next town to Treeleaf, Tsukuba happens to have, according to Guinness World Records, THE WORLD'S TALLEST BUDDHA IN THE WHOLE WORLD!! (and maybe the world's tallest statue in the whole world!!), taller than the...

...Continuing our look at "low self-esteem" ...Someone wrote to ask whether all the "self acceptance" and embracing ourselves "just as we are" which I described last time means that, for example, a wife beater or alcoholic or thief should just...

Welcome to our Saturday "Live from Treeleaf" Zazen (but on Sunday!),We start with 3 floor prostrations (or deep Gassho), then chant the Heart Sutra in ENGLISH, then sit about 40 minutes of Zazen, then 10 minutes of Kinhin, closing with...

NOTE: OUR WEEKLY 'LIVE' ZAZENKAI WILL BE TOMORROW (SUNDAY) THIS WEEK Someone wrote to ask about "low self-esteem".I'm curious about people's views on self-esteem. On one hand, having good self-esteem leads to a positive and happy life. People with high...

Picture of Buddha catching a cigarette breakFar/ be/yond/ all/ de/lu/sion/, Nir/va/na/ is/ al/rea/dy/ here/.All/ past/, pre/sent/ and/ fu/ture/ Budd/has/Live/ this/ Praj/na/ Pa/ra/mi/ta/*And/ re/al/ize/ su/preme/ and/ com/plete/ en/light/en/ment/.Press on arrow for 'play'NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE TO SEE THE SCREEN...

I sat today next to a noisy, smokey, busy construction site ... but my microphone did not work. (So there is no timing bell today too ... )Well, I think you get a sense just by looking.Silence and stillness are...

A silent sitting today. By the way, if you happen to be in the U.S. and voting today ... those long lines are an excellent place for standing Zazen!Press on arrow for 'play'NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE TO SEE...

After some consideration and hesitancy, I have decided to offer my political endorsement in the U.S. presidential race:GO BARACK! (having my endorsement should finally put him over the top!!)Although our Way transcends all differences and petty politics, and is beyond...

Please 'sit-a-long' with our November "Zazenkai" (running time: approx. 4 hours) ... The sitting schedule is as follows:00:00 – 00:50 CEREMONY (HEART SUTRA English Only / SANDOKAI) & ZAZEN00:50 – 01:00 KINHIN01:00 – 01:40 ZAZEN01:40 – 01:50 KINHIN01:50 – 02:30...