Finding the still point. A beginner's guide to zen meditation

Citation preview

A

Beginner's

Guide

to

Zen Meditation

JOHN DAIDO LOORI INCLUDES

A

CD OF GUIDED INSTRUCTIONS

$»

Boston Public Library

'/!^»

I

*h £+>!

V

:

•wi>

Finding the

Still

Point

DHARMA COMMUNICATIONS BOOKS

by John

Dai do

Loori

Cave of Tigers Modern Zen Encounters Celebrating Everyday Life

Zen Home Liturgy Hearing with the Eye Photographs from Point Lobos

Invoking Reality

Moral and Ethical Teachings ofZen

Making Love with Light Contemplating Nature with Words and Photographs Mountain Record of Zen Talks Finding the

Still

Point

A Beginner's Guide to Zen Meditation Teachings of the Earth

Zen and

the

Environment

Two Arrows Meeting

in

The Zen Koan

Mid-Air

Finding the Still

A

Point

Beginner's Guide

to

Zen Meditation

JOHN DAIDO LOORI

3MB

SHAMBHALA

•

Boston

&London

•

2007

Shambhala Publications,

Inc.

Horticultural Hall

300 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115

www.shambhala.com

©

2007 by Dharma Communications. This is a revised and updated edition of a book previously published in 1996 under the title The Still Point. The "Great Way" chapter is excerpted from Mountain Record of Zen Talks© 1988 by Dharma Communications. 1996,

No part

of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,

All rights reserved.

or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission

in writing

from the publisher.

987654321 First

Shambhala Edition

Designed by Lora Zorian Printed in Singapore

©This

edition

is

printed

on

acid-free paper that

meets

the American National Standards Institute Z39.48 Standard.

Distributed in the United States by

and

in

Random House,

Canada by Random House of Canada Ltd

See page

113 for

publication data

Library of Congress cataloging-in-

Inc.,

Contents

Part One

The Practice of Zen Meditation i.

What

Is Zazeri?

3

Body

2.

Positioning the

3.

Centering the Body

4.

Head and Hands

27 31

5.

The Hara

35

6.

Breathing

39

7.

Relaxation Exercise

8.

Counting the Breath

9.

Walking Meditation

10.

Home

Practice

11

61

43

47 57

Part Two

A Dharma Discourse Introduction 11.

71

The Great Way

Concluding Verse Glossary

75

97

99

Suggested Reading List

Photo Credits

103

109

About Zen Mountain Monastery

in

PART ONE

The Practice of

Zen Meditation

I

WHAT

IS

ZAZEN?

THERE ARE MANY SCHOOLS of Buddhism and

a vast array

of teachings on

how

to re-

alize

our true nature. Some schools focus on the

rules

of conduct. Others concentrate on academic

study and debate.

Still

others use visualizations

and chanting of sacred sounds and words. In Zen, the emphasis

is

the heart of the

on

zazen, or sitting Zen. Zazen

Zen

path.

is

To

practice zazen

early stages,

is

to study the

self.

In

its

zazen has the appearance of what

is

normally called meditation. But we should understand that zazen is

is

more than

just meditation. It

not mere contemplation or introspection.

It is

not quieting the mind or focusing the mind.

Zazen is

also

is

Zen

sitting

—one aspect of Zen. There

walking Zen, working Zen, laughing Zen,

and crying Zen. Zen is and

living one's

people.

No

rule

life,

a

way of using one's mind

and doing

this

with other

book has ever been written

that

can adequately describe Zen. You have to go very deep into yourself to find

The

great

Zen Master

To study the

its

Eihei

Buddha Way

foundations.

Dogen

is to

said,

study the

To study the self is to forget the self

self,

To forget the self is

enlightened by the

to be

ten thousand things.

To

study the self

is

zazen.

To

zazen.

To be enlightened by

things

is

zazen

—

it is

the self and the whole

The Buddha

forget the self

is

the ten thousand

to recognize the unity of

phenomenal

universe.

attained enlightenment while

form of seated meditation. Zen

practicing a

practice constantly returns to that basic seated

form. This practice has continued for twenty-five

hundred

years, transmitted

from realized

tioner to realized practitioner,

to generation.

It

traveled

from generation

from India to China,

from China to Korea and Japan, and tieth

century

Zazen

is

it

practi-

in the

twen-

arrived in the West.

a very simple practice. It

is

very easy

to describe and very easy to follow. But like practices,

it

to happen.

all

takes "doing" in order for anything

And what happens

transform our

with zazen can

lives.

Most of us spend our time preoccupied. We are constantly carrying

While we are involved miss the

on an

internal dialogue.

in talking to ourselves,

we

moment-to-moment awareness of our

We look, but we don't see. We listen, but we don't hear. We eat, but we don't taste. We love, life.

but we don't

feel.

The

senses are receiving

all

the

information, but because of our preoccupations,

cognition

is

not taking place. Zazen brings us

back to each moment. The

moment is where our

life

takes place; If we miss the

our

life.

moment we

miss

Every other creature on the face of the earth seems to

know how

to be quiet and

still.

A butterfly on a leaf; a cat in front of a fireplace; even

a

hummingbird comes

But humans

are constantly

to rest sometime.

on the

go.

We

seem

to have lost the ability to just be quiet, to simply

be present in the

stillness that

of our lives. Yet

we never get in touch with that

stillness,

we

if

never

fully

is

the foundation

experience our

lives.

When the mind is at rest, the body is at rest respiration,

heartbeat, and metabolism slow

down. Reaching

this

unusual or esoteric. being

alive

still

point

It is a

is

not something

very important part of

and staying awake.

on

All creatures

the earth are capable of manifesting this

stillness.

In zazen, as you practice letting go of your

thoughts and internal dialogue, and bringing

your mind back to the breath, the breath

will

mind

will

slowly get easier and deeper, and the 8

naturally rest.

The mind

is

like the surface

of

— pond.

When

the

turbed.

Then

there are waves and ripples, and

a

wind blows, the surface

moon

the image of the sun or the the surface

When the

reflecting

is

the

wind

pond becomes

like a mirror. It

When

there

When

flower.

gone. fire

is

When

engine.

flection

smooth

is

is

The

like glass.

a flower in front

When

is

fire

just reflects.

of it,

engine

is

is

it

reflects a

we

is

hear the

gone,

its

re-

gone. The mind returns to that original

surface.

A

still

mind

is

It

or attach to anything. At any free.

it

mind

gone, the reflection

always open and receptive.

it is

surface of

stilled

engine goes by, the

or whatever

down, the

doesn't process,

a fire

dis-

broken up.

quiets

the flower

is

unobstructed doesn't hold on

moment

in time,

POSITIONING THE BODY

In

starting the practice of

first

thing you need to do

ting position for the body.

influences

is

zazen, the

find a correct

Your posture

sit-

greatly

what happens with your breath and

your mind, so attention to

it is

important to pay meticulous

how you position yourself for zazen.

During the twenty-five-hundred-year evolution

of Buddhism, the most stable and powerful position found for the practice of zazen has

been the pyramidal structure of the seated

Buddha. Sit

raise

on

a zafu, a small

meditation pillow (to

your buttocks and to help your knees

touch the ground). With your bottom on the pillow and your the

body forms

two knees a tripod,

vides great stability.

The

against the ground,

with a base that pro-

spine

and not slumped. Your torso to the floor

—not

is

erect

is

atop your spine, not

tilting in

should wear loose clothing

ments of your 12

is

rib

not constricted.

free

stiff

perpendicular

leaning to the right or

forward or backward. Your head

your circulation

—not

left,

rests squarely

any direction. You

when

sitting,

so

and the breathing move-

cage and lower

abdomen

are

Cross-Legged Postures

There

are several different leg positions that

can assume while seated on the

floor.

The

you sim-

plest one, requiring the least joint flexibility,

the

Burmese position

(fig. i).

In the Burmese posture the right foot

drawn up and left

is

is

close to the thigh, allowing the foot

calf to rest

foot

is

on

the floor or sitting mat.

The

placed in front of the right calf so that

both knees touch the mat. The reverse position (i.e.,

with the

left

foot

drawn up to the thigh

and the right foot placed

in front)

can also be

adopted. If your knees don't reach the floor, consider using a zafu with

help,

more

loft.

you might consider placing support cush-

ions under your knees. Don't

14

If this doesn't

sit

middle of the zafu; instead, use

squarely in the it

as a

wedge

figure

i.

Burmese

position.

under your buttocks, with only the forward third actually supporting you. This adjustment will dis-

your weight more equally between the

tribute

three points of the tripod (your knees), relieving

The next

some of the

position

is

The

thigh. Because

the other foot to

tilt

foot

left

is

slightly to

on your

is

back.

(fig. 2).

tucked under the

In

left

then placed on the right

one foot

is

strain

the half lotus

this position the right leg

thigh.

bottom and your

is

up on the thigh while

under the thigh, the body tends

one

side.

sated for very carefully

This must be compen-

when you

are centering

yourself by positioning the zafu so that ports the opposite buttock.

To

it

sup-

balance out this

position, try reversing your legs every other time

you

sit;

instead of having the

left

foot up and the

right foot under, put the right foot

16

left

foot under.

up and the

figure

2.

Half lotus position.

By the

full

lotus

and

rical

the

far

most

(fig. 3).

difficult, if

is

ginner, mostly

your

thigh.

close to

both

not impossible, for

a be-

practice,

in the leg

mus-

however, the muscles

Once you have

seated

on

the zafu, place your right foot left

foot

on the

sure that your heels are

is

right

also pos-

drawn up

as

The

of

your abdomen

as possible.

should point

at the ceiling.

feet

symmetlotus

As before, the reverse position

Make

sible.

is

full

thigh and the

left

a perfectly

Assuming the

loosen up considerably.

on

is

due to tightness

With steady

yourself

of all of the positions

This

stable posture.

position

cles.

stable

soles

Kneeling Position

When

sitting in

the zafu

your

is

kneeling position, or seiza

turned on

heels. This

its

side

(fig.

4),

and placed between

arrangement keeps the weight

figure

3.

Full lotus position.

figure

4. Kneeling position.

of your body off your basic

model

for

your

sitting

posture

enough

so keep your knees far

broad, firm base.

Remember

feet.

You can

also use a specially de-

the weight erect

little effort.

Chair

Somehow people zazen in a

all

you to maintain an

off your feet, allowing

Sitting in a

a pyramid,

apart to create a

signed tilted sitting bench to keep

spine with very

is

that the

feel reluctant

chair, as

though

it

about practicing

were

less

authentic

or spiritual than sitting on the floor with legs crossed.

There

is

absolutely

no

esoteric signifi-

cance to sitting cross-legged on the chair

is

stable, solid,

you can

sit

easily

pling over. That

is

A

and enables the whole body

to relax with a minimal

so

floor.

amount of muscle tension,

without worrying about topits

importance. Ultimately,

21

figure

5.

Chair position.

the significance of zazen

is

what you do with

your mind, not what you do with your your

feet or

legs.

Thus there

is

no reason why you

can't

sit

effectively in a chair (fig. 5), either temporarily

you get

until

nently quires

zafu

if it.

in

shape for floor

sitting,

your age, physique, or condition

re-

When using a chair, it's good to place

on the

seat. Sit

on the forward

cushion and try to keep your feet floor.

or perma-

a

third of the flat

on the

Support your body with the strength of

your spine, without external props. The temptation

when

sitting in a chair

is

to slouch and rest

against the chair-back. This creates a tendency

toward lazy and sleepy

sitting.

Again, in this position, as in sitions, taking

all

the other po-

meticulous care of your posture

allows the skeletal structure to hold the

body

upright without unnecessary tension and

Thus, the body will able.

relax,

becoming

and

pli-

Coupled with deep, even, natural breath-

ing, these seated postures help the

nerves, and other organs of the freely,

24

soft

strain.

improving health and

blood

body

vitality.

vessels,

to function

CENTERING THE BODY

Once you have assumed sition,

whether on the floor with

crossed, kneeling, or ter

a sitting

on

a chair,

from

side to side.

Don't

independently, but keep

it

as

let

legs

you need to cen-

your spine. Begin by gently rocking

arcs

po-

in large

your head move

an extension of your

spine, so that the breathing passages are always

aligned and completely open. If you are sitting

cross-legged,

when

firmly planted

on the

swaying, keep your knees floor. Start

with wide

arcs,

slowly letting their size naturally decrease as

your

momentum

diminishes, until

you

just drift

to a stop. If you can avoid controlling the rate of

speed and duration of the swings, you become a

plumb bob

that naturally

comes to

rest in a posi-

tion perpendicular to the floor. In doing this,

you

are allowing the center

of your body to de-

clare itself.

The next

step

is

ine that the ceiling

your head

at a

to elongate the spine. Imagis

resting

on the crown of

point directly over your spine. Let

your spine begin to extend, from ward,

lifting

the head with

Feel that thrust

the

lifting.

lift

it

as

it

its

base up-

straightens.

the ceiling. Let your spine

do

In the lumbar region of the back, the

lower back, there

will

be a slight curve so that

your stomach pushes out don't

let

the spine cave

Balanced

sitting

slightly.

Now relax, but

in.

mostly a matter of getting

is

arranged properly. Keeping upright fort if you are using

a signal that

you

only an

you develop back

aren't sitting in a

way

pain,

that

balanced. Pay attention to any discomfort feel

when

sitting

ef-

your back muscles to remain

erect by brute force. If it's

is

and

let it

is

you

teach you about your

posture.

29

4

HEAD AND HANDS

When

doing zazen

closed. Unless

your mouth

you have

is

nasal blockage

you should breathe through your nose. The tongue

is

pressed lightly against the upper palate.

This slows

down

the

amount of salivation so vou

don't have to swallow repeatedly. The eyes are lowered, gazing at the ground about three feet in front of you.

The chin

is

slightly

tucked

though the zazen posture looks very the

body and muscles should be

tension in the body.

in.

Al-

disciplined,

soft,

with no

The hands

are held in

what we

call

the cosmic

mudva (fig. 6). The active hand is held palm up and it

holds the inactive hand. This means

right-handed, your right hand

is

you

are

holding the

left

if

hand. If you are left-handed, your left hand ing the right hand.

The middle knuckles

and the thumb-tips touch

lightly,

frame. If you are sitting in the

your heels form

ofyour hands. If you are positions,

you may

overlap

lotus position,

support the backs

sitting in

find that

hold-

forming an oval

full

a natural base to

is

one of the other

your hands are not

symmetrically arranged and supported, or that

your shoulders get sore from the

strain

of holding

up your arms during meditation. Rather than ing to place your hands in ply

let

them

32

some ideal position, sim-

rest naturally in

the cosmic mudra.

try-

your

lap, as

you form

figure

6.

Cosmic mudra.

THE HARA

The

HARA

is

a point

two or three

breadth below the navel.

It

fingers'

roughly corre-

sponds to the physical center of the body and center of gravity. In

Zen

it is

its

considered to be

the spiritual center of the body. While doing

zazen, place your attention there. In the West,

we have

a

tendency to focus our

attentiveness in our face, as that's

and project to the world.

We

what we show

are always aware of

our

face.

When we do

something embarrassing,

blood immediately rushes to our

face,

and

it

turns red. As your zazen matures, the hara will naturally ness.

hara,

You

will

the center of your attentive -

walk from the hara, work from the

and when you get embarrassed, you

have a little,

become

warm

hara instead of a red face. Little by

the hara will

your body.

will

When

become

the focus of power in

something unusual or unex-

pected happens, rather than feeling scattered,

you

will find that

energy

centrate in the hara. still

will automatically

You will have discovered

point out of which comes

your

con-

all

the

the activity of

life.

37

BREATHING

Breath breath.

is

life. The word

The words

spirit

ki in Japanese

means

and

chi in

Chinese, meaning power or energy, both derive

from breath. Breath vital

is

the key to zazen.

force in our bodies. In zazen

cover

how breathing and posture

to your emotions. Notice agitated,

your breath

is

you

It is

the

will dis-

are closely allied

how when your mind agitated. Discover

is

how

anger, for instance, affects the depth and rate of

your breathing. Check your body to see where

your muscles are tense. Notice is

if

your posture

unbalanced, your jaw clenched, or shoulders

hunched.

When

deep and

easy,

your mind

without

is

at rest,

breathing

is

effort.

In working with the breath you are automatically

working with the body and mind. Body,

breath, and

them

mind

separately,

are

one

reality.

We

tend to see

but in zazen they unify and

experience their interpenetration directly. In ting

and

in daily

life,

anced posture and

we sit-

try to return to an open, balfull,

even breathing. As you

recognize and consciously influence your posture

and breathing patterns, you

will discover

within

yourself more patience, calm, and emotional bility.

Such equanimity

tremendous strength.

40

is

sta-

an asset that imparts

Cl^r-

'

w " '!

[

4Cf* i

2

ay

-

Whichever zazen posture you the abdominal muscles and

work

like a

let

use, try to relax

the lower bellv

bellows, expanding with inhalation

and contracting with exhalation. Try not to move the belly consciously; instead,

of

air

move

it.

is

the

way

Do

not

overfill

This

the

let

volume

infants naturally

breathe.

Breathe

softly.

or empty the

lungs to the point of strain, nor hold your breath.

The

inhalations should be effortless. Just let go,

and your lungs

will naturally refill

by themselves.

Deep, natural breathing can't be forced.

It

occurs

spontaneously once you take the right posture, positioning your

42

body

properly.

7

RELAXATION EXERCISE

IF

you are

entirely

new

to

Zen

practice

and

unfamiliar with the zazen postures described earlier,

before you begin to concentrate

breath, there

can use

as a

is

on the

a short relaxation process

you

way of settling your body and mind.

Begin by taking one of the zazen postures,

making sure

that your posture

eves are lowered and

mouth

is

is

balanced.

closed.

You

The are

breathing through your nose. Focus your awareness

on

the muscles around the eyes. Be aware of

any tension that may be there, and then deliberately

and consciously

let all

the tension go.

Now turn your awareness to the jaw. Feel any tension there

consciously

let it

muscles of the

and deliberately and

go. Next, the muscles of the

shoulders and the neck, and those of the arms, forearms, and hands. Be aware of anv tension that

may be

held in these areas and deliberately

and consciously

let it

go.

Become aware of the muscles of the go of any tension

Feel your breath.

move your

atten-

go of any tension

there.

there, then

tion to the chest, letting It

back. Let

should be deep and

easy.

Imagine each inhalation bringing energy into the

body and each exhalation

44

Become aware of your

releasing

all

tension.

thigh muscles and release

anv tension there.

Now the muscles of the calves,

the tendons in the feet. Consciously release the tension.

Return your awareness to the breath. Taste the breath.

Be aware of the

tactile

sensation of

breathing. Feel the coolness of an inhalation in

the back of your throat. Feel the exhalation. If your

what

it is

mind begins

to wander, watch

doing. Acknowledge the thoughts,

them go, and bring your the breath

46

warmth of the

—

let

attentiveness back to

tasting, feeling, experiencing

it.

8

COUNTING THE BREATH

Zazen

practice begins with counting

the breath, counting each inhalation and

each exhalation. You count "one" on the inhalation and to ten.

and

"two" on the exhalation, counting up

When you

start all

get to ten,

come back

to

one

over again.

As you do yourself. If your

this,

make an agreement with

mind begins

to

wander and you

once you notice you are

are chasing thoughts,

distracted,

acknowledge the thought,

go,

let it

and return to the count of "one." Each time you acknowledge

a

thought and

empowering yourself with the

release

you

it,

ability to

put your

mind where you want it, when you want it, long

as

you want

it

there.

That simple

are

for as

activity

is

extremely powerful.

Random They and

thoughts

will

continue to occur.

are the natural activity

are not a

stop these

problem

of a healthy mind

in sitting. If you tried to

random thoughts you would

a trance state,

which

is

not what zazen

But becoming engrossed or discursive thoughts

is

are not practicing zazen.

in

fall

is

about.

imaginary story

a distraction.

You

into

lines

Then, you

are thinking.

A possible scenario runs like this. You are sit48

ting,

counting your breath when,

at the

count of

"four,"

The

you suddenly hear

thoughts

I

you hear

instant

siren, a

wonder whose house

going up the that way.

I'll

the right. to catch

God,

I

I

it is?

whole chain of

bet

it's

knew

an obvious kids

safe. Isn't it

blown

know

story.

You

it,

fire trap.

who were

what you

are a

awful that people .

.

.

a full-

thousand miles away from totally involved in this

imaginary drama.

are doing,

playing

you have developed

your breath and posture, self-created,

on

was going

don't take care of their homes

Before you

it's

the third house

that house

hope those

Since

must be up

street, the fire

fire, it's

outside are

by.

motion:

set in

is

its

engine go

a fire

When you

realize

acknowledge your thoughts,

49

them, and bring your atten-

deliberately release

tion back to the breath, starting the count again at

"one."

There has

are times

come up

you

in

find that

You

reoccur.

back.

You

your

life

when you let

let it

that happens,

when something important or you are in a

go of a thought

let

go of the thought;

go, and

it

its

engage the thought,

at

it,

When

it

and will

comes

again. If

really see it.

it,

be

Allow

course to exhaustion. But watch

aware of it. lease

it

comes back

aware of any feelings associated with to run

crisis,

it.

it

Be

the process feels complete, re-

come back

to the breath, and start again

"one." Don't use zazen to suppress thoughts

or emotions that need to sciousness. Similarly,

come up

do not suppress thoughts

of pain or discomfort. Thoughts that

to your con-

will

you need to deal with. That's not

come up a failure.

5]

Treating your thoughts in this open manner

is

another way of practicing. In the early stages of your practice, you think that you are becoming

than ever.

It

may seem

that

more

may

distracted

no matter how

you concentrate on your breath, you

strongly

are unable to get

beyond the count of "two"

without the mind voicing an opinion or judgment. Your thoughts are not increasing; you are simply hearing your incessant internal chatter for the

first

time.

We

constantly talk to ourselves!

It

is

this

scattering of mental activity that keeps us sepa-

rated from one another, from our environment

and, indeed, from ourselves. that

many weeks

Most people

or even months of practice are

necessary before the count of "ten" 52

for the

first

find

is

reached

time without being distracted by

thoughts. In the process of getting there you will

many

begin to notice

ticed before.

you never no-

They were always

there, but because

—that

incessant internal

of your preoccupations dialogue

things

—you

were too busy to see what was

happening within you and around you.

Once you

are able to stay with the

counting

and repeatedly get to "ten" without any

you can

start

effort,

counting every cycle of the breath.

Inhalation and exhalation

would count

as

"one,"

the next inhalation and exhalation as "two," and so on. This provides less feedback, but as time

goes on you need

less

focus on the breath

your mind

is

feedback because you can

more

easily,

and, in general,

quieter. settles

down and

your concentration deepens, you can

just follow

Eventually, as your

mind

the breath, abandoning the counting altogether.

5 3

Just be with the breath. Just be the breath. Let

the breath breathe

itself.

That's the beginning of

the experience of the falling away of

mind or samadhi. Samadhi

is

body and

the single -pointed-

ness of mind, a state of being in which the

mind

stops analyzing, judging, categorizing.

This whole process takes time. You shouldn't rush

it.

Don't move too

fast

from counting every

breath, to counting cycles of breath, to following

the breath. If you

go from one

stage to another

prematurely, you will not develop strong concentration, true

one-pointedness of mind.

It is

im-

portant to be patient and persistent, allowing stillness cally.

and

clarity to ripen

and emerge organi-

Each step along the way

is

the "real thing,"

and the progression from counting the breath to following the breath should not be thought of in

terms of spiritual progress or achievement.

55

WALKING MEDITATION

WALKING

meditation,

or kinhin,

is

moving meditation. Although zazen

is

the heart of our practice,

us to learn to

make

it is

also

the transition from the

ness of seated meditation into activity

important for still-

movement and

while maintaining the same degree of

concentration. Walking meditation helps us to practice just that.

figure

7.

Walking meditation.

When you

have finished a meditation period,

prepare to stand by

first

roeking your body from

side to side. Slowly unfold

your

feet.

making

a

Place your hands in the shashu mudra: fist

with your

your hara, cover

As

your legs and come to

it

left

lightly

hand

at the level

with your right hand.

vour eyes should remain lowered

in zazen,

order to minimize distractions

stay centered in

your hara. Keep your breathing slow and even,

take

as

help you to remain grounded. Take one

breath

full

in

(fig. 7).

During walking meditation,

this will

of

—

inhale,

and

you

as

finish exhaling,

one small half step forward, placing

all

of

your attention on the act of walking. Inhale, exhale, take another half step.

see

them,

let

When thoughts arise,

them go, and return to just walking.

Continue doing slow kinhin for then

move

into fast kinhin.

a

minute or two,

Keep

in

mind

that

this

is

either rushed or sluggish. Kinhin

and

not

a relaxed, natural walk. It should

it is

not exercise.

is

not

feel

a break,

It is practice.

If you've sat for a period

of thirty minutes,

ten minutes of walking meditation makes a

good

balance. Kinhin, like zazen, appears to be a very

easy practice, but very few of us ever really easy to say "just walk," but

It is

do.

The key

is

it is

to give yourself to

it

When you walk, just walk. When you This

you

60

is

what

give

life

it

means

it.

difficult to

completely. sit,

to be awake. This

to the Buddha.

do

just is

sit.

how

10

HOME PRACTICE

ZAZEN life, as

sleeping.

IS

AN IMPORTANT PART

important

The

best

as breathing, eating,

way

to

do

your daily routine. The key consistency.

ment with yourself to It is

it is

is

to

fit it

and into

continuity and

Do it every day — ten minutes in the

morning, ten minutes

of time.

of VOUr

at night.

sit

Make an

agree-

each day for a set period

much more

beneficial to

sit

consis-

tently for ten or fifteen minutes every dav than

to

sit

for

two or three hours every now and

You can use zazen the

morning and

as a

way of entering

letting

go of the day

then.

the day in as

you get

ready to go to sleep.

Zazen

is

end of each and

free

best practiced at the beginning and day, as these times are usually quiet

of interruption. Get up in the morning,

wash your

face,

brush your teeth, do zazen, have

breakfast, take a shower, get dressed,

Once zazen becomes you can do

it

go to work.

part of the daily routine

with ease.

Find a place to

sit

that can be left undis-

turbed. It can be the corner of the room, a closet,

or an entire able.

room

Wherever

it

zazen practice. In

if you is,

this

a sacred space for you.

62

have a lot of space

maintain

way that

To

it

avail-

as a place for

space will

reflect clarity

become

and

tran-

quillity,

should be neat, attractive and without

it

distractions.

You may want to set up need to be

a

Buddhist

If you are a Christian,

altar.

a Christian altar. If you are Jewish,

you can have

you can have bowl

a little altar. It doesn't

a special area

for incense. This area

the sacred space.

with a candle and a

becomes the center of

A stick of incense can be burned

to measure each sitting period, so

you don't need

to continually consult a conventional timepiece

during your Little

sitting.

by

day by day, your practice

little,

deepen, revealing a mind that receptive.

come

The more we

in contact

minds work.

We

sit

with our will

lasting peace in this

life

is

open,

zazen, the

lives

free,

will

and

more we

and the way our

never find complete and until

we

realize personally

63

the inherent perfection of our

ent freedom that

From

of us are born with.

and people

—our

teachers, par-

country, culture, neighborhood, friends,

ents,

peers. Everything

attitudes, opinions,

things

we

all

we

cherish

—our

positions,

of our attachments,

think give our

our conditioning. later,

an inher-

life,

we have been conditioned by

birth

different events

and

all

own

life

Now

identity

we

here

—

is

are,

trying to live our lives out of this

programming we

call

"my

life."

own

it.

And

it is

all

the

found

in

decades

random

We

feel

we

strongly about parts of the program

ready to die for

all

so are

created in our

mind.

There

beyond

is

this

no escaping the

fact that getting

accumulated conditioning

process. Thirty or forty years of takes time to

work through.

is

a

long

programming

We

look

at the

65

thoughts, acknowledge them,

come back to what

we

is

the breath.

underneath

discover

life. It is

all

Day by day, we uncover

of the conditioning.

called freedom. It

is

called

them go, and

let

is

human

called

wisdom and compassion.

What

It's

the

nature of all beings.

This inherent nature

is

the spiritual

brings us to ask questions, to probe, to It

keeps us from being

and by.

platitudes.

W e've r

We

come

satisfied

equipped

life

equipped

fully

we'll

as a

go out

buddha, realized or not. Some

some

will not,

and whether we do

will realize

it,

or don't

up to each one of us.

is

zazen.

don't need a rule book to go

into this

as a

sit

that

with pat answers

buddha, an awakened being, and fully

fire

It

depends on

how much we are willing to practice our life, how willing

66

it

we

direcdy.

are to search deeply

enough

to realize

Once ferences

realized,

all

merge and

a

the questions dissolve. Dif-

whole new

new way of understanding verse begins to develop.

drop

reality, a

whole

ourselves and the uni-

Reading

this

in the ocean, a beginning. If

drop, practice that drop, then

it

book

you use

is

a

that

will eventually

be

the ocean that covers the earth, encompasses the

heavens, reaching everywhere, touched by everything.

That

is

your

life.

67

PART

TWO

A Dharma Discourse

INTRODUCTION

Adharma discourse, or mal

talk

teachings. It

is

on

teisho, is a for-

a significant aspect

of the Zen

not an intellectual presentation or

philosophical explanation, but a direct expression of the spirit of

Zen by

the teacher to his or

her students.

Dharma koan

—

a

discourses generally deal with a

seemingly paradoxical

Zen

statement

or

question that challenges our understanding of

who we

are,

what the nature of the

self

is,

and

what the

many

activity

texts

of our

expresses.

life

with commentaries on

There

classical

are

Zen

koans by both Eastern and Western teachers cur-

These

rently available in English. access to the life

way Zen study

texts provide

has been brought to

through the lineage of realized teachers that

began with Shakyamuni Buddha twenty-five

hundred years ago.

Dharma the

discourses are said to be "dark to

mind but

that

we open

radiant to the heart."

ourselves to

what

They require

initially

may

ap-

pear to be an intentionally confusing and frustrating

way of using language. At Zen Mountain

Monasterv, dharma discourses are offered

lowing the community's formal

sitting periods,

but they are received with the same focus that

we have during

dharma discourse

in this

fol-

spirit

and

zazen. Receiving the

way

allows the

words to

flow freely through us, and works to open the center of our being.

Because reading

is

essentially solitary, the in-

timacy of heart-to-heart, mind-to-mind nication

that

characterizes

may be even more Please read the

dharma

accessible to

you

commu-

discourses as a reader.

words that follow with your heart

and give them your

full

go of all

attention, letting

the thoughts and analysis that are part of our habitual

way of using our minds.

The

dharma

practice of reading or hearing a

discourse does not involve acquiring information,

but instead

lies in

the direct and personal

experience of the awakened mind. get out of our

own

way, so that

Our

job

we can

is

to

experi-

ence what has always been present within each

and every one of us. 73

II

THE GREAT WAY

The Great Way

is

It only avoids picking

When

love

not difficult;

and

and hate are

both absent,

Everything becomes clear

Make

choosing.

and

undisguised.

the smallest distinction, however.

And heaven and earth are set infinitely apart.

Ifyou wish

to see the truth,

Then hold no opinions for or against anything.

To set up what you like against what

you Is

a

dislike

disease of the

When

the deep

mind.

meaning of things

is

not

understood,

The mind's

essential peace

is

disturbed to

no avail.

The

Way is perfect like

Where nothing is

is

vast space,

lacking

and nothing

in excess.

Indeed,

it is

due

to

our choosing

to

accept

or reject

That we do not see

the true nature of things.

Live neither in the entanglements of

76

outer things

Nor

in inner feelings of emptiness.

Be serene in

the oneness of things

And such erroneous views will disappear by themselves.

To deny the reality of things Is to miss their reality;

To assert the emptiness of things Is to miss their reality.

The more you talk and think about

it,

The further astray you wander from the truth.

Stop talking

and thinking

And there is nothing that you

will not be

able to know.

This passage Verses

is

from The Faith Mind Sutra:

on the Unfailing Source of Life by Master

Sengcan

(J.

Sozan).

It

deals with faith in mind,

how

faith in

the

mind

really functions. Later in

the sutra, Master Sengcan says:

One

thing, all things,

Move among and intermingle without distinction.

To live in this realization. Is to be

without anxiety about nonperfection;

To live in this faith

is

Because the nondual

the is

road

to

nonduality,

one with a trusting

mind.

One

thing, all things,

move among and

inter-

mingle without distinction points to the unfailing source of

life

that

Sengcan mentions

refers to the

title. It

in the sub-

metaphor of the Diamond

Net of

Indra. Everything throughout space

time

interconnected, and at each connection

is

and

at

—

each point

diamond

a

is

that reflects every

other diamond, so that in this vast net, each dia-

mond

contains every other diamond. This

one thing,

things,

all

moving among and

is

inter-

mingling without distinction. The diamond net is

"the unfailing source of life." Indeed,

itself,

your

life itself.

this unfailing

We

source of

separate ourselves life

all things,

is

way you can

mentally, because one thing,

move among and intermingle

whether we

way

it is,

less

of whether we

realize

live

our

it

lives

understanding or not, the

that

it is

way

things are.

anger

of life.

On

one

side

the

according to fact

remains

With our minds we

separate ourselves and immediately create dualities

is

or not. Regard-

this

the

from

with our mind, our

thoughts, our ideas. But the only separate yourself

it is life

we

all

the

create pain, greed,

— fundamental ignorance. We

also create

the other side

—

joy,

compassion, wisdom, and

enlightenment.

When

love

and

thing becomes clear ity is

hate are both absent, every-

and

undisguised.

absent, everything

becomes

When

clear.

shouldn't cling to this "clarity" either. side

of

clarity

is

dual-

But we

The other

confusion; both are diseases of

the mind. All of the dualities are mutually ing; they are

all

aris-

codependent. You can't have

one without the other: good and bad, heads and tails,

heaven and earth. That

Make the smallest distinction,

.

earth are set infinitely apart.

why

is

.

.

it

is

and heaven and

They

are not set

apart until

we

by "we"

do not mean only Westerners

I

separate

them

in

same thing holds true of people India,

and every place

founded on the

said,

our minds (and

in

—the

China, Japan,

else). Civilization itself is

dualistic use

of the mind. The

81

Buddha went beyond tinction

between

dualism, beyond the dis-

this

and

that, to

show

that

self,

that

what we

creation of our

own

consciousness, which sepa-

there

no

is

from everything

rates us

call

the "self"

is

a

else.

Picking and choosing, coming and going, love and hate, inside and outside, having and not

having, accepting and rejecting, asserting and

denying, form and emptiness, right and they

They

reality,

going

begin with the idea of a separate self

and the

rest

of

an inside and an outside. Coming and is

such a

difficult

and painful process. Our

are filled with the pains of

going:

new

all

boundary between the

self, a

lives

begin with making the smallest distinc-

all

tion.

wrong

coming

job, a

coming and

into a relationship, a marriage, a

new

place; leaving a relationship, a

marriage, a job, the place where you

live.

We do

not seem to understand

how

to execute these

life

functions without creating pain, anger, or confu-

We

sion.

away from some

are tearing ourselves

imaginary thing that

we

stick to

—that by

very

its

nature cannot be stuck to or torn away from.

Coming is is

always right here and right now.

Going

always right here and right now.

It is

because

no coming and no going

that

we

there

is

can

speak of coming and going.

Because of that illusion of separateness, find

to

it

hard to come and go.

come

people

We

find

together, difficult to part.

who

I

it

we

difficult

know many

have had wonderful relationships,

but because of the time, the circumstances, or various changes in their

go

their separate ways.

somehow sary.

lives,

they have had to

To be

the creation of anger

There

is

able to is

do

that,

usually neces-

that need to feel justified, to have a

reason to separate. Since love together

be what is

—that

our rationale

is

will drive us apart.

what brings us

is

—then hate must

So we

create anger. It

Coming and

unnecessary, and so poisonous.

going is a functioning of life, falling.

We

can learn to

coming and going. and choosing. So

like

waves

rising

and

come and go without

We can learn to avoid picking

how

can

we

avoid picking and

choosing, coming and going? Just to open our

mouths

to speak

is

say "avoid picking

choosing.

picking and choosing. Just to

and choosing"

What kind of

picking and

is

practice avoids picking

and choosing? Avoids coming and going? This suffering, this

painful

this

picking and choosing,

coming and going,

ignorance. Master Sengcan says, It choosing to accept or reject that

84

is

is

related to

due

we do not

to

our

see the

true nature of things. Later in the sutra, he

tells

us,

The changes that appear

to

occur in the empty

world we call real only because of our ignorance.

Ignorance means not knowing what

is

real. It is

very easy to get totally lost in the confusion be-

tween the apparent and are based

on

real.

that confusion,

assumption of a separate is

simply

false.

premise, and

from

it, is

all

self,

its

this basic

multitude of forms. The

is

and choosing, com-

the practice that avoids dualism,

that brings us back to the

Faith

an assumption that

the delusive thoughts that arise

practice that avoids picking

The

on our fundamental

The consequence of

suffering in

ing and going,

In a way, our lives

ground of our being.

great Master Joshu very often used this

Mind

Sutra of Master Sozan to teach his

monks. One dav that the Great

a

Way

monk is

picking and choosing.

not

asked him: "It difficult;

Now, what

it

is

is

said

only avoids

not picking

85

and choosing?" Zhaozhou

said, "I alone

throughout heaven and earth." The sponded, "That

And Zhaozhou

is

still

said:

ing and choosing?"

am holy

monk

re-

picking and choosing."

"Asshole! Where's the pick-

The monk was

Zhaozhou answered him with the Buddha: "I alone

am

the

speechless.

the words of

Honored One

be-

nothing outside of me;

I

He is saying there is am the Diamond Net

of Indra. In a sense, that

is

picking and choosing,

tween heaven and earth."

but only

when you

are

coming from

a position

other than the position Zhaozhou was standing in.

The monk was standing

from "that

his

outside of that, and

point of view he was justified in saying

is still

picking and choosing." Position

everything. Everything changes, even

circumstances remain identical,

86

your position. Try

it

when

when you

is

the

shift

sometime with someone

who

is

an adversary. Shift your position. Be that

person, and the adversary disappears. Shift positions with whatever barrier

zazen, in your

longer there.

Be the

life.

you

and

barrier,

only there because

It is

back, separate ourselves from pull back, the bigger gets,

are facing in

it.

we

no

pull

The more we

and more overwhelming

it

and the angrier or the more frightened we

become.

If we really look at the anger that

us crazy, or the fear that stops us cold, it

it is

we

makes

see that

develops step by step from our thought process.

And

the starting point of that thought process

separation. Is the cause of the fear

might be lurking falling

down and

your job? No,

it is

knowledge that

you

in a dark alley?

is

something that

The

possibility

of

breaking your neck? Losing yourself.

it is

realize this fact,

When you

really ac-

nothing but yourself, when

you cannot

live

your

life

in

the old way. You've suddenly taken responsibility for

it.

Before, the problem was outside

—your

bad luck, what others did to you, the circumstances

you could do nothing about.

When you empower

realize that the cause

yourself.

There

or going

is

—no

you, you

You suddenly become

thousand -foot- high buddha verse.

is

—you

fill

a ten-

the uni-

no picking and choosing, coming place to go,

no

from. Zhaozhou was trying to

place to

show

the

that ten-thousand-foot-high buddha.

come

monk

But the

monk was

standing in a different position. So

Zhaozhou

yelled, "Asshole!" Actually the Chi-

nese

word

usually

is

bumpkin" or "stupid tame

for

stun the

our

ears. It

monk

translated

as

"country

oaf," but this sounds too

was meant to shock, to

into experiencing the reality of

what the Buddha

said: "I alone

am

the

Honored

89

One between heaven and

earth!"

Nothing

is

outside of you.

Joshu was coming from the position of the absolute,

ness

if

"That

which would become

he stuck there. But is

still

a

when

kind of blind-

the

monk

said,

picking and choosing," Joshu

shouted, "Asshole! Where's the picking and

choosing?" immediately shifting positions, slam-

ming

right into that

standpoint.

He

We

the relativistic

was showing him: you and

the same thing, but

not me.

monk from

I

am

should not

stick

anywhere

To deny the reality of things miss their reality;

To assert the emptiness of things

90

Is to

miss their reality.

are

not you and you are

the relative, not in the absolute.

Is to

I

—not

in

Sticking to

clarity,

to enlightenment,

worst kind of delusion. In Zen there

beyond trace

clarity.

As Zen Master Dogen

of enlightenment remains and

is

is

the

going

says,

"No

this traceless

enlightenment continues endlessly." Going be-

yond

clarity, is

no

hold on

to.

There

not abiding

stink

In the vast

it,

is

very ordinary.

of Zen about

it,

no holiness to

in

Diamond Net of

Indra, each

thing contains everything, and each thing arate

and

distinct

ing, talking,

our see

lives,

from everything

else.

is

sep-

Think-

and doing are the ways we create

the ways

we

create our karma.

We

can

how our actions create causes, and we can see

that every cause has consequences.

true for our thought.

It is

The same

is

because of our inter-

connectedness, our intermingling and moving

among

this

one thing, that

it

works

in that way.

Because of that, talking and thinking and doing can create karma.

We can use karma to poison or

to nourish, depending

How that

do we manifest

it

heals?

upon how we manifest it

so that

it

it.

nourishes, so

By nontalking, nonthinking, non-

How do you do nonthinking and nondoHow can you possibly avoid picking and

doing. ing?

choosing?

The more you talk and think about

it,

The further astray you wander from the truth. Stop talking

and thinking

And there is nothing that you to

will not be able

know.

Stop knowing and not-knowing. Knowing

is

another kind of holding on, of separation; not93

knowing

is

blank consciousness, emptiness.

do we avoid ness,

these extremes of

How

form and empti-

enlightenment and delusion? By learning to

be ourselves, but not self-consciously, not passively

Be serene in

mean "Watch

the world

anything." That

about, and yourself

it is

does not

the oneness of things

is

go by" or "Do not do

not what Sozan

is

not what our practice

talking

is.

Being

means giving yourself permission to be

who and what you

are.

ing faith in your true that happens,

or anybody.

That

self,

fensiveness disappears.

"faith

mind," hav-

trusting yourself. Until

you cannot

When you

is

really trust

have that

trust,

anything

your de-

You don't need

to be

arrogant or to put yourself down, to hide, or to withdraw. These

two extremes

are the

same

thing, different ways of protecting that idea of a

94

separate

self.

yourself,

is

things.

Being yourself, being intimate with

the beginning of intimacy with

all

Being yourself is "no separation."

The Great Way

is

not difficult:

Direct word, direct speech.

In one, there are In two, there

is

many phrases:

one.

Difficulty difficult.

Picking

and

Be

watch.

still,

choosing,

coming and going.

See for yourself .

— From Mountain Record ofZen Talks by John Daido Loori.

95

Concluding Verse

me

Let Life

respectfully

and death

remind you,

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.

*This verse

is

Gatha. Gatha

generally referred to as the Evening

is

a short sutra that presents the

dharma

teachings in pithy wording, and this particular gatha is

chanted

ing day.

in

Zen monasteries

at the

end of each

train-

Glossary

C. = Chinese J.

= Japanese

S.

= Sanskrit

Buddha

(S.):

A

term that generally

refers to

awakened being. The Buddha Shakyamuni to Siddhartha

fically refers

of Buddhism

who belonged

an

speci-

Gautama, the founder to the Shakya clan of

India.

Dharma Discourse a

koan or on

(J.

Teisho):

significant aspects

A formal talk on

of Zen teachings; not

an intellectual presentation or a philosophical explanation, but a direct expression of the spirit of Zen by

the teacher.

Diamond Net of Indra: An Avatamsaka Sutra, pictured

as a

each intersection. Each jewel

image from the

net with a jewel at

reflects

every other,

graphically demonstrating the simultaneous mutual

interdependence and intercausality of all things.

Dogen Kigen

Zenji: (1200-1253) Founder of the

Japanese Soto School of Zen; Eihei-ji,

Dogen

established

the principal Soto training monastery in

Japan; he

the author of Shobogenzo, an important

is

collection of dharma essays.

Mind

Faith in

Sutra:

A

sutra

on nonduality

composed by Master Sengcan.

Hara

The physical and spiritual center of one's body/mind; an area in the lower belly used in center(

J.)

:

ing one's attention in meditation or any other

Joriki

(J.):

activity.

The power of concentration developed

through the practice of meditation that allows tioners to place their focus of attention

choose of time.

100

(i.e.,

practi-

where they

the breath, a koan) for extended periods

Karma

The

(S.):

universal law of cause

and

effect,

linking an action's underlying intention to that action's consequences;

it

equates the actions of the

body, speech, and thought as potential sources of

karmic consequences.

Ki

(

J.;

C. Chi):

meating

all

The

vital life force

present in and per-

things; the energy that

is

the source of all

creative activity.

Kinhin

(

J.)

:

Walking meditation;

it

provides a tran-

sitional stage for shifting the concentration devel-

oped

in

Koan

zazen to (J.):

An

activity.

apparently paradoxical statement or

question used in

Zen

an intense

of doubt that allows them to cut

level

training to induce in students

through conventional and conditioned descriptions of reality and see directly into their true nature.

Samadhi

(S.):

The

state in

which the mind

is

ab-

sorbed in intense concentration, free from distractions

and

goals; the essential nature

of the

self can

be

experienced directly within samadhi. IOI

Sengcan (C; garded

J.

Sozan): Died 606 C.E.

as the third

(J.):

is

re-

ancestor of Chinese Zen, and

the author of the Faith in

Sesshin

He

is

Mind Sutra.

"Gathering of the mind"; an ex-

tended period of intensive meditation practice that lasts

between

Sutra

(S.)

five

and ten days.

An important Buddhist text or scripture

:

containing the teachings of Buddhism. Sutras often

record the words attributed to Shakvamuni Buddha, or later Buddhist masters.

Teisho

Zafu

(J.)

Zazen Zen

(J.):

:

A round pillow used in sitting meditation.

(J.):

as the

See dharma discourse.

sitting meditation,

most

direct

way

practice of the .realization

102

which

is

taught in

to enlightenment; the

of one's

own

true nature.

Suggested Reading

List

Aitken, Robert, Taking the Path ofZen (San Francisco:

North Point to

Press, 1982).

Zen by one of

A thorough introduction

the foremost American

teachers. Covers basic

Zen

Zen

teachings, including an

emphasis on proper meditation practice.

Armstrong, Karen, Buddha (New York: Penguin, 2001).

A

short biography of the

mer Catholic nun. Uses the life

and analyzes

his historical

Buddha by

facts

a for-

of the Buddha's

context to explain his

teachings in a narrative format.

Beck, Charlotte Joko, Everyday Zen: Love

& Work{Szn

Francisco: Harper SanFrancisco, 1989). vice

on Zen

Sound

ad-

practice in plain, accessible language

from

a

prominent American Zen

ages practitioners at in their

life as

all

teacher.

levels to include

Encour-

everything

part of their practice.

Chodron, Pema, Start Where Ton Are (Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1994). Instructions

on compas-

sion framed around fifty-nine traditional Tibetan

Buddhist maxims. Provides basic Buddhist teachings and applies first

them to

century.

Fields, Rick,

How the Swans Came to the Lake: A Nar-

rative History of

Buddhism

Shambhala Publications, that

practicing in the twenty-

combines

America (Boston:

in

1992).

A

historical narrative

seminal book

with extensive

references to Buddhist texts in order to trace the

development of Buddhism sections cial

on the

role

in

of women

in

America. Includes

Buddhism and

so-

action.

Kapleau, Roshi Philip, ed., The Three Pillars of Zen: Teaching, Practice,

and Enlightenment (New York:

Anchor Books, 2000).

104

A comprehensive

overview

of the history and discipline of Zen drawn from

the author's experiences studying and translating for Japanese itation

Zen

masters. Includes detailed

med-

instruction and actual transcripts from

teacher-student interviews. Loori, John Daido, ed., The Art ofJust Sitting: Essential

Writings on the Zen Practice of Shikantaza

(Boston:

Wisdom

Publications, 2002).

Explains

the simple yet subtlest form of zazen practice,

shikantaza. Includes essays by ancient and con-

temporary masters. .

The Eight Gates of Zen:

A

Program of Zen

Training (Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2002).

on establishing a Zen practice, guided by Daido Roshi's unique American Zen Essential instructions

training matrix. Explores

manifest

how

practice allows us to

wisdom and compassion

in

our everyday

lives.

Mountain Record ofZen Talks (Ml. Tremper, N.Y.: Dharma Communications, 1988). A collec.

tion of talks investigating

Zen

practice as a spiritual

journey of self- discovery. Begins with basic

talks

on 105

zazen, progresses to discussions of how zazen leads to realizing the true nature of reality,

how

plores

and

finally ex-

to actualize these insights in our daily

activities.

.

Path of Enlightenment: Stages in a Spiritual

Journey'(Mt. Tremper, N.Y.:

Dharma Communica-

tions, 1999). Explains the ancient

tures as a

map

for studying the

ox-herding pic-

self. Clarifies

phases of practice encountered

the ten

on the path of real-

ization.

,

ed.,

Sitting with

Publications, 2006).

modern

writings

A

Koans (Boston: Wisdom collection of classic

on the meaning,

history,

and

and dy-

namics of koan practice. Includes commentaries by Chinese, Japanese, and American Rahula, Walpola,

Grove sive,

Zen

masters.

What the Buddha Taught (New York:

Press,' 1989).

A

scholar-monk's comprehen-

readable account of the Buddha's teachings

the Four

on

Noble Truths.

Master Sheng-yen, Getting the Buddha Mind, ed. Ernest

Heau (Elmhurst,

N.Y.:

Dharma Drum Pub-

lications, 1982).

A compilation

of lectures given by

Ch'an Master Sheng-yen during basic advice

on

retreats.

practice as well as a sense of the at-

mosphere of a Ch'an

retreat.

Suzuki, Shunryu, Zen Mind, Beginner's bull,

Offers

Conn.: Weatherhill, 2001).

of Zen practice from one of the

Mind (Trum-

A classic explication first

Zen

teachers in

America. Includes advice on posture and breathing, discipline

and

religion,

and how to maintain

basic

motivation.

107

Photo Credits

Photographs appearing

in this

book

are

used cour-

tesy of:

—page 45 Sansho Benton — pages Michael Joen — page 30 John Daido Loori — pages 74 National Buddhist Archive — pages Robert Aichinger

Joel

13, 25, 36,

41, 87

54, 68,

7, 15, 17, 19,

33, 58,

64, 92, 96

—page 80 Don Symanski — page 50

Matt Pokoik

20, 22,

About Zen Mountain Monastery

Zen Mountain Monastery dhist

is

an American Zen Bud-

monastery and training center for monks and

practitioners. It

is

per Mountain in

rounded by

located

on

a 230-acre site

New York's Catskill institute.

Zen meditation,

Mountains,

program

practice, art practice,

precepts. training

fall

work

practice,

and study of the Buddhist

Each month an introductory weekend Zen

workshop and

a

week-long

tatation retreat (sesshin) are offered.

and

that in-

various forms of face -to -face

teaching, academic studies, liturgy,

body

sur-

The monastery pro-

vides a year-round daily training

cludes

on Trem-

and featuring an

state forest wilderness

environmental studies

lay

silent

Zen medi-

During the spring

quarters of each year, ninety-day intensive

programs

are conducted.

regular daily schedule

and workshops dhist studies,

in the

is

Throughout the

year, the

supplemented with seminars

Zen

arts,

the martial arts, Bud-

and other areas relevant to present-day

Western practitioners. Students can

train in either

full-time or part-time residency or as nonresidents

whose "home

practice"

is

fueled by periodic

the monastery.

For further information, contact:

Registrar

Zen Mountain Monastery P.O. Box 197 871 South Plank Rd.

Mount Tremper, (845) 688-2228

[email protected]

www.mrp.org 112

N.Y. 12457

visits

to

Library of Congress cataloging-in-publication data Loori, John Daido.

Finding the

Still

Point: a beginner's guide to

Zen meditation/John Daido p.

Loori.

cm.

Originally published:

The

still

Dharma Communications,

point. Boston:

1996.

Includes bibliographical references.

isbn 978-1-59030-479-2 (pbk: alk. paper) 1. Meditation Zen Buddhism. I. Loori, John Daido.

—

The

still

point.

II. Title.

BQ9288.L663 2007 294-3'4435— dc22 2006051276

ZEN BUDDHISM Through Zen meditation amidst our everyday reveals how. John offers everything

basics of the

where

needed

body (complete

Zen meditation

sit

possible to find stillness of mind, even

is

activities

Daido

to

it

Loori, to

—and one

book-and-CD

set

Zen teachers,

of America's leading

begin a meditation practice.

with instructional photographs),

to discover the

He

covers the

how to posture and how to practice

CD

is

freedom of a peaceful mind. a meditation companion.

thirty-minute timed practice sessions, Loori

practical

(on a cushion, bench, or chair),

The accompanying

Daido

this

and an encouraging

It

has

ten-

and

along with guided instructions from

talk

on the benefits of meditation.

JOHN DAIDO LOORI

is

one

of the most

esteemed

Zen teachers in the United States, and he is the author of numerous books, including The Eight Gates of Zen and The True Dharma Eye. Daido Loori is the founder and director of the Mountains and Rivers Order, an organization of Zen Buddhist temples, practice centers, and meditation groups in the U.S. and abroad. Cover design: Graciela Galup

Cover photograph courtesy National Buddhist Archive

© 2007 Printed

in

Shambhala

A Dharma Communications Book

Publications, Inc.

Singapore

www.shambhala.com

ISBN =176-1-5^030-147^-2

Shambhala BOSTON & LONDON

9

5

1400

CAN

$18.00

781590 M 304792 US

$14.00