Sesshin Reflections on Old Buddha Heart

Last updated on: May 25, 2008 at 7:52 am by Dosho Port

Sesshin Reflections on Old Buddha Heart 2008-05-25T07:52:00-06:00 Dosho Port

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Today we finished sesshin (literally, “gathering the heart”), a Zen-style retreat with 13 forty-minute sittings, formal meals, service, etc. I’ve been doing this practice pretty regularly, usually monthly, for over 30 years. My oh my (pat on the back). I think of Leonard Cohen’s line “Death is old but its always new.” So too sesshin. Now I sit with a small group and sometimes alone. After 30 years, I can heartily say, sesshin is a wonderful lifestyle. Here’s a few other reflections so as to include you, blog reader, in the gathering.

1. We begin each sesshin with the Full Moon Ceremony. It includes the Formless Atonement, Ten Names of Buddha, Great Vows, Dogen’s Words on the Precepts, and the Refuges. It seems to me now that Formless Atonement is more about how to practice now than wiping the slate clean of any past wrongdoings. The karma from those actions may well appear as a big dog that bites us on the butt no matter how devotedly we pray. The Atonement verse teaches us how to meet the dog.

“All my past and harmful karma
born from beginningless greed, hate, and delusion
through body, speech, and mind
I now fully avow.”

Avowing, taking full responsibility, comes with a clear, open heart. Shame, blame, and denial all arise from various types of disturbed mind – we include them in the circle of the Way, for sure, and they have their own virtuous qualities. However, shame, blame, and denial are distinct from taking responsibility.

2. Bodhidharma (see above photo from TransformingThroughPlayTemple’s zendo) looks like one rough guy, doesn’t he? However, he comes with the gentle characters “Buddha Heart” in the upper left. I heard recently that his teacher, Prajnatara, may have been a woman. According to unreliable Zen lore, Bodhidharma came to China fifteen hundred years ago and was uncompromising with Emperor Wu and later with his small rag-tag band of students (including Wu’s daughter, Zongchi). See Sallie Tisdale’s Woman of the Way for a compelling retelling of the story from Zongchi’s perspective.

From any perspective, Bodhidharma’s circumstances and our circumstances are different. Still … his reputed unwavering authenticity inspires me still – even sometimes on the second day of sesshin (the hardest part of the journey according to unreliable Zen lore) when most of grosser forms of bullshit have burned away.

3. “The hardest part” ain’t as hard as it used to be. Usually, not hard at all (knock on wood). Yet, it seems to take most of us many years of practice to settle and soften. Despite my notions of specialness, apparent breakthroughs, and periods of utter bliss, probably took ten years of frequent sesshin for me to settle somewhat and twenty more to soften a little. From this experience, I don’t believe in spiritual shortcuts – although I still keep my eye out for them just in case. Paths I found along the way that I thought were shortcuts, almost always went the wrong way.

But hold up, some gross forms of bullshit have slipped back in already! What’s this about “wrong ways?” They too are an important part of the so-called Buddha Way. Wu-men’s first two cautions come to mind. “To maintain standards and follow rules is to tie yourself up without a rope.” AND “To indulge freely without restraint to to behave like heretics and demons.”

And while I’m into self critique, I would also like to challenge the blogger’s blather about ten-years, twenty-years, thirty-years. It is ridiculous, afterall. Every step of the way has been wonderful, especially through the dark. Especially from the perspective of a little light.

4. Finally, speaking of light, a summer recipe tip that we enjoyed during sesshin: for a delicious cool soup, see The Splendid Table’s cucumber soup: (http://www.elabs7.com/functions/message_view.html?mid=8137&mlid;=499&siteid;=20130&uid;=0f14583ac1.

Comments, questions, and contrary expressions are welcome.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 23, 2008

Wheel on Fire (Part I.a)

Next Post

May 26, 2008 Mindfulness and War Debunked (in part)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 August 2021 June 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 December 2016 October 2016 June 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

According to Philippians, what should we think about?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The suffering of Christ The word of God day and night Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable The needs of others