Zazen: Basic Shapes

Last updated on: November 21, 2008 at 5:36 pm by Dosho Port

Zazen: Basic Shapes 2008-11-21T17:36:00-06:00 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.

Here are some more questions about zazen that come from comments to the last post. I welcome addressing these issues because zazen is the heart of Soto Zen – and I love Soto Zen.

Before I get started, I want to acknowledge that I’m addressing the issues as best I can from my experience and using traditional sources soemtimes to clarify or amplify. I don’t suggest that you believe what I’m saying or the source. I suggest you focus on verifying the truth of the buddhadharma. Being of whatever assistance I can on this road is the purpose of these posts.

Belief does have a role but it shouldn’t replace verification – and verification is usually not quick and easy. To verify you gotta be like a person who doesn’t flinch when struck on the head by a board. Or at least like the person who gets back up shaking his/her head and cussing and then continuing.

Occurs to me now that one way to reframe practice-enlightenment (i.e., verification) is belief-verification. When these foci are engaged in intense, intimate dialogue, then your rice is getting cooked.

Okay, here goes.

Question: I have entered into short periods of non-thinking only to have my awareness of the state trigger a thought about it.. (This is interesting, I’m not thinking.. oops!) This has happened everyday off and on for about six years. I seem to be able to enter a nonthinking state readily enough now but it only lasts a short time before thinking again and then stopping and repeating the cycle..   My question is, When you say Completely Dropped, Do you mean dropped for the length of the sitting, or dropped completely for short periods within the time of the sitting?

Response: Sounds to me like you are tasting deep quiet but not quite not-thinking. The more the mind quiets down, the more we can appreciate how incredibly subtle thinking is. With not-thinking there are no eyes, no ears, no nose, no witness. However, as Shi-Tou says, “Merging with sameness is still not enlightenment.”

It is an iterative process – so what you report is normal and necessary. Keep exploring and keep letting go of excitement and laxity as they appear.

Passing through not-thinking, non-thinking is unobstructed by comments like, “Wow! Cool….” Complete dropping can last from very brief to long periods of time – I’ve heard reports of many hours. For the person who has dropped, of course, there is no time. If you wonder if you’ve dropped completely, then you haven’t. The experience is distinct. Dongshan says, “A hairsbreadth’s deviation, and you are out of tune.”

Question: Do you feel that it might be accurate to also consider this ‘dropping off’ as happening from moment to moment: arising/dropping off, arising/dropping off, arising/dropping off…i.e. as an on-going function?

Response: Yes. Arising and dropping in profusion.

Question: “Thinking can be completely dropped, a.k.a., not-thinking. Vital to know this for oneself. It isn’t enlightenment, but we can drop body and mind.”  

Yes, there’s nothing there to be enlightened. What’s missing?

Response: Hmmm.

Question: What is it that is enlightened?  

Response: The 10,000 things.

Question: As you see it, is non-thinking freely coming forth in not-thinking the ‘Big E’ then?

Response: Could be big, could be not so big. Size doesn’t matter.

May we all together realize the Buddha Way.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 19, 2008

What Are You Thinking There In Zazen?

Next Post

November 21, 2008 Leaping

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

Who's sight was restored by Ananias in Damascus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Paul of Tarsus Pontius Pilate Saul of Tarsus King Saul