what is the practice of zen?

[Naturyl]

Without self-nature,

Form is seen as emptiness;

Emptiness as form.



No being, no void,

No arising, no ceasing,

No clinging, no fear.



Abiding nowhere,

Gone, gone utterly beyond,

True mind awakens.

[teopiltzin]

To me zazen is just sitting. As written in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, all you need is the correct posture, back straight in half lotus. Do a mudra if you will, but you could also sit with your hands on your knees. Thinking nothing. Just be. That's what i've learned. Thanks for listening.



Yours,

--Teopiltzin

[Mornings Son]

isnobad wroteICTURE THAT YOU ARE A FOREIGNER IN JAPAN WHO WANTS TO
LEARN ZEN IN SOME FAMOUS ZEN TEMPLE THERE.  THEN
PICTURE THAT ON THE WAY TO THE TEMPLE YOU COME UPON A BIG GARDEN THAT IS OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ZEN. 
YOU THEN DECIDE TO JUST GO SIT ON A BENCH AND DRINK IT ALL IN.  AS YOU ARE SITTING THERE, YOU DISCOVER THAT
YOUR BRAIN HAS STOPPED TALKING TO ITSELF. 
IT IS SILENT AND THE GARDEN ENTERS INTO YOUR MIND.



NOW, HAVING DONE THIS LITTLE MENTAL EXERCISE, LET
EVERYTHING ENTER YOUR MIND UNTIL YOUR MIND IS NO LONGER YOUR MIND.     


WELCOME TO ZEN.        

what is the experience of zazen - the state of Mind of Zen training is in question.

[scout1]

The Master Obaku - Chuang Po - on zazen:



"Sitting properly and peacefully, not bound by the world ? this alone is called liberation! Everybody should strive diligently. Out of thousands and thousands of Dharma students in the Dhyana School, only three or five attain the fruit. If we do not care about our practice, misfortune could easily arise in the future. All of us should practice diligently and finish the task of liberation in this life. Who can or wants to bear misfortune for endless kalpas?"





In



The Dharma of Mind Transmission:

Zen Teachings of Huang-po



http://www.abuddhistlibra...ings%20of%20Huang-po.htm





----







Dont be stupid, please. Zen is zazen as to the practice. Zen is dhyana.







---------





"Life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. Each of us should strive to awaken. Awaken. Take heed, do not squander your life."



- Master Dogen

[scout1]

I suspect You folks here (and You folks here who comment on "zen", you have NO UNDERSTANDING of Zen) You have a weak zen=dhyana practice, or simply NONexistent practice, thats up to your conscience, there is no gain in deceiving oneself)



Look up what is dhyana (e.g. dhyana in yoga, thats zazen, Buddhas zazen, originally). Samadhi..



So the zen practice, dhyana, is the practice of zazen.



I know the Rinzai school too - what do You think thats is Hakuin Zenji Zazen Wasan.. still no zazen ?



Rinzai zen is unthinkable without zazen , too.



I hope You get this and You become a real/sincere Zen-buddhist practitioner.



I know all the buddhist texts and teachings about formlessnes.



Dont be mistaken - all the Masters did zazen extensively or the state of zazen, including the Sixth patriarch and Rinzai himself.



Without Zazen (samadhi) You are only shallow, internal blablabla. There is no zen, no satori without zazen.

[scout1]

Genjo koan (Truth unfolding)



When various things are Buddhist things... ZAZEN PRACTICE





then there is wisdom

and there is practice, there is life and there is death,

there are buddhas and there are sentient beings. When all

things have no self, there is no delusion and there is no satori,

there are no buddhas and there are no sentient beings,

there are no beginnings and there are no endings. The way

of the buddha inherently soars above such extravagance

and austerity, uniting beginnings and endings, uniting delusion

and satori, uniting sentient beings and buddhas. It is

falling blossoms uniting love and sorrow, spreading weeds

uniting indifference and dislike, nothing more.



http://www.bob.myers.name/pub/Truth%20Unfolding.pdf

[Gonzo]

You're discussing here the practice of Zen, which might be called "Formal Zen" and therefor relates to zazen, the formal meditation procedures with all the bells and whistles. While there's definitely a place for ritual for those who need it, what frequently gets lost is what might be called the essence of Zen. In my opinion, that has been quite well communicated primarily via the anecdotes and koans in "The Blue Cliff Record".



For example:


In clear illumination, there is no such thing as awakening. The concept of "having awakened" turns around and deludes people. When you stretch out both feet and sleep, there's no fals and no true - thus there isn't a single concern in ones heart. When hungry one eats; when tired, one sleeps.

[scout1]

practice.



Huang Po s practice is very well outlined: stop of all conceptulizations, abiding in the Absolute.



Zazen is the best aid for that, its Buddhas practice. Infinite.

[scout1]

Huang Po came down from the Mountain after long year of zazen practice, the Buddhas practice. All the Masters were practicing zazen for long years before they came down so to speak.

[scout1]

Gonzo is misleading.



Zen is dhyana practice. It is practiced in zazen, and also at walk (kinhin), at work, all day long, the essence is this: concentrated presence. Mindfullness.

[Mornings Son]

isnobad wroteICTURE THAT YOU ARE A FOREIGNER IN JAPAN WHO WANTS TO
LEARN ZEN IN SOME FAMOUS ZEN TEMPLE THERE.  THEN
PICTURE THAT ON THE WAY TO THE TEMPLE YOU COME UPON A BIG GARDEN THAT IS OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ZEN. 
YOU THEN DECIDE TO JUST GO SIT ON A BENCH AND DRINK IT ALL IN.  AS YOU ARE SITTING THERE, YOU DISCOVER THAT
YOUR BRAIN HAS STOPPED TALKING TO ITSELF. 
IT IS SILENT AND THE GARDEN ENTERS INTO YOUR MIND.



NOW, HAVING DONE THIS LITTLE MENTAL EXERCISE, LET
EVERYTHING ENTER YOUR MIND UNTIL YOUR MIND IS NO LONGER YOUR MIND.     


WELCOME TO ZEN.        
This is a very well told dharma-story ... living ZEN
Gassho

[Guest]

[Guest]

[Guest]