Posts on on The The Zennist Zennist Atom Atom Posts Posts on on The The Zennist Zennist RSS RSS Posts Posts on on The The Zennist Zennist RSS RSS Comments Comments on on The The first first church church of of Zen Zen Atom Atom Comments Comments on on The The first first church church of of Zen Zen RSS RSS Home Home Bodhidharma Bodhidharma s s wall wall The The tree tree of of Chinese Chinese Zen Zen The The Zennist Zennist Going Going to to the the very very heart heart of of Zen Zen Home Home Archives Archives Profile Profile Subscribe Subscribe Bodhidharma Bodhidharma s s wall wall Main Main The The tree tree of of Chinese Chinese Zen Zen November November The The first first church church of of Zen Zen I I sometimes sometimes think think American American Zen Zen centers centers are are becoming becoming more more like like Christian Christian churches churches There There is is the the flock flock otherwise otherwise called called the the Sangha Sangha and and the the minister minister the the Zen Zen master master wearing wearing his his twenty twenty pounds pounds of of robes robes who who leads leads his his flock flock in in chanting chanting the the Heart Heart Sutra Sutra and and doing doing shikantaza shikantaza lit lit just just sitting sitting The The only only book book the the Zen Zen master master reveres reveres is is Dogen Dogen Zenji Zenji s s Shobogenzo Shobogenzo lit lit Treasury Treasury of of the the True True Dharma Dharma Eye Eye We We can can think think of of it it as as the the New New Testament Testament of of Zen Zen not not Old Old Testament Testament Zen Zen the the sources sources for for which which are are mainly mainly Chinese Chinese and and Indian Indian The The only only sacrament sacrament is is doing doing shikantaza shikantaza always always remembering remembering that that practice practice and and Buddhahood Buddhahood are are one one and and the the same same thing thing Each Each parishioner parishioner is is instructed instructed to to do do shikantaza shikantaza as as mindlessly mindlessly as as they they can can manage manage in in other other words words do do not not use use the the frontal frontal lobe lobe which which by by the the way way is is an an important important part part of of the the brain brain noted noted for for such such executive executive functions functions as as suppressing suppressing unacceptable unacceptable social social behavior behavior recognizing recognizing future future consequences consequences and and choosing choosing between between wholesome wholesome and and unwholesome unwholesome actions actions to to name name just just a a few few The The more more a a Zen Zen parishioner parishioner does does shikantaza shikantaza the the more more Buddha Buddha they they become become If If a a person person can can manage manage to to do do shikantaza shikantaza for for only only ten ten minutes minutes before before their their back back gives gives out out that that is is ten ten minutes minutes of of Buddhahood Buddhahood Faith Faith in in the the efficacy efficacy of of shikantaza shikantaza to to make make us us Buddhas Buddhas just just by by sitting sitting I I can can t t stress stress enough enough is is as as important important to to Zen Zen as as the the Nicene Nicene Creed Creed is is to to Christianity Christianity which which still still serves serves to to this this day day as as a a measuring measuring rod rod of of orthodox orthodox faith faith which which incidentally incidentally pretty pretty much much rubbed rubbed out out the the mystical mystical side side of of Christianity Christianity One One of of the the great great Saints Saints of of the the modern modern Zen Zen church church Zen Zen master master Dainin Dainin Katagiri Katagiri helps helps us us to to see see where where the the new new Zen Zen church church with with its its New New Testament Testament are are heading heading Pay Pay careful careful attention attention to to his his words words Katagiri Katagiri seems seems to to be be suggesting suggesting that that the the Buddha Buddha s s words words are are not not to to be be believed believed completely completely lest lest we we fall fall into into the the trap trap of of mysticism mysticism Italics Italics are are mine mine Buddhist Buddhist faith faith includes includes understanding understanding practice practice and and realization realization It It is is not not a a belief belief it it is is not not something something that that seems seems to to be be true true mentioned mentioned by by somebody somebody else else Dogen Dogen Zenji Zenji warns warns us us not not to to believe believe Buddha Buddha s s or or the the ancestors ancestors messages messages as as the the truth truth completely completely Even Even the the Buddha Buddha and and ancestors ancestors can can make make a a mistake mistake This This doesn doesn t t mean mean you you should should be be arrogant arrogant and and create create Buddha Buddha s s teaching teaching as as you you like like We We should should accept accept the the Buddha Buddha s s and and ancestor ancestor s s teachings teachings but but still still keep keep our our eyes eyes open open This This is is very very important important because because it it s s pretty pretty easy easy to to fall fall into into the the trap trap of of mysticism mysticism there there are are lots lots of of things things we we cannot cannot know know But But if if we we totally totally accept accept something something we we don don t t know know it it becomes becomes clear clear for for us us This This is is our our practice practice faith faith is is to to make make the the mind mind clear clear and and pure pure Katagiri Katagiri Returning Returning to to Silence Silence p p We We can can t t help help but but note note that that when when Katagiri Katagiri says says But But if if we we totally totally accept accept something something we we don don t t know know it it becomes becomes clear clear for for us us his his words words chime chime almost almost perfectly perfectly with with the the Christian Christian Tertullian Tertullian who who said said It It is is believable believable because because it it is is absurd absurd true true because because it it is is impossible impossible Besides Besides other other remarkable remarkable thoughts thoughts by by Katagiri Katagiri that that faith faith is is not not belief belief one one cannot cannot help help but but be be amazed amazed that that faith faith alone alone will will make make the the defiled defiled mind mind clear clear and and pure pure thus thus we we avoid avoid the the mystical mystical trap trap of of having having to to actually actually realize realize pure pure Mind Mind We We just just sit sit in in other other words words Faith Faith belief belief alone alone shall shall save save thee thee Posted Posted at at AM AM in in Buddhism Buddhism Christianity Christianity Religion Religion Weblogs Weblogs yoga yoga Zen Zen Permalink Permalink Comments Comments Feed Feed You You can can follow follow this this conversation conversation by by subscribing subscribing to to the the comment comment feed feed for for this this post post Jundo Jundo I I think think you you misunderstand misunderstand Shikantaza Shikantaza as as taught taught in in modern modern japanese japanese soto soto zen zen and and the the west west is is unauthentic unauthentic crap crap as as are are it it s s practitioners practitioners Try Try if if you you dare dare to to deeply deeply penetrate penetrate a a real real koan koan and and stop stop wasting wasting your your time time Posted Posted by by James James November November at at PM PM Hi Hi I I think think you you misunderstand misunderstand and and mischaracterize mischaracterize Shikantaza Shikantaza at at least least as as I I have have ever ever found found taught taught We We do do not not ignore ignore the the Sutras Sutras but but bring bring them them to to life life on on and and off off the the Zafu Zafu which which has has no no on on or or off off Seems Seems that that Katagiri Katagiri was was saying saying that that we we do do not not just just believe believe the the Buddha Buddha s s teachings teachings but but realize realize them them realize realize as as make make real real bring bring to to life life Don Don t t need need to to believe believe everything everything you you read read however however If If you you want want to to argue argue that that all all of of the the Suttas Suttas and and Sutras Sutras are are right right while while none none are are wrong wrong or or at at least least apply apply to to some some people people in in some some situatons situatons not not to to each each and and every every situation situation the the ol ol Skilful Skilful Means Means view view then then why why are are they they filled filled with with such such seemingly seemingly contradictory contradictory positions positions recommendations recommendations and and statements statements Someone Someone has has to to be be wrong wrong Thus Thus in in a a moment moment of of Shikantaza Shikantaza all all such such is is pierced pierced transcended transcended revived revived made made to to walk walk in in the the world world on on solid solid ground ground We We walk walk right right seek seek not not to to head head wrong wrong all all while while right right and and wrong wrong are are no no longer longer the the issue issue Gassho Gassho Jundo Jundo Posted Posted by by Jundo Jundo Cohen Cohen November November at at PM PM How How do do you you use use your your frontal frontal lobe lobe when when meditating meditating I I ask ask sincerely sincerely Posted Posted by by Account Account Deleted Deleted November November at at AM AM The The comments comments to to this this entry entry are are closed closed My My Photo Photo Search 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