Dogen Sangha Blog

　　by Gudo NISHIJIMA

Japanese / German

Gudo Master Gudo Nishijima has been practicing Buddhism for more than sixty years. He was a student of Master Kodo Sawaki, an itinerant priest famous for his efforts to restore Zazen to its rightful place at the center of Buddhism. Master Nishijima was ordained as a priest by the late Master Rempo Niwa, formerly head of the Soto Sect, and has written many books on Buddhism in both Japanese and in English. For over twenty years, he has been giving instructions on Zazen and lectures in English.
See here for details.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

How should we practice in daily life?

Dear Gudo Roshi,

Thanks for making this blog. Frankly speaking, there is no any zen master in Indonesia. So I hope I can learn about Zen in this blog.
Btw, I have some questions that I want to ask for your advices...

1. How should we practice Zen for our daily life? Is our daily practice only Zazen, and what kind of practice should we do in daily activities, such as working, have lunch, walking with friends and others activities?

2. When I practice Zazen, sometimes I get Sleepy, can you give me some advices for me?

Thanks for your advice

Isahito

posted by Isahito | 3:24 PM

1 Comments:

Blogger GUDO NISHIJIMA said...

Dear Isahito San,

Thank you very much for your questions, and I would like to answer questions one by one.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

(Isahito San) Thanks for making this blog. Frankly speaking, there is no any zen master in Indonesia. So I hope I can learn about Zen in this blog.
Btw, I have some questions that I want to ask for your advices...

1. How should we practice Zen for our daily life? Is our daily practice only Zazen, and what kind of practice should we do in daily activities, such as working, have lunch, walking with friends and others activities?

(Gudo) As members of Dogen Sangha, we practice Zazen two times a day at least, and each time it might be adequate for 30 minuts as a term.

Generally speaking, Buddhism is relying upon our daily behavior of life, and so we should be cearful in our daily life too.

I have wrote how we behave our daily life in Dogen Sangha Blog a few year ago, and so I would like to ask you to read such instructions too.

Buddhist practice is not only Zazen, but it is important for us to behave well in our daily life, but the most important practice in Buddhism is just Zazen, and so it is the most important practice for us to practice Zazen everyday.

(Isahito San) 2. When I practice Zazen, sometimes I get Sleepy, can you give me some advices for me?

(Gudo) When we feel sleepy in Zazen, we should stretch our spine straight vertically to fight against sleepiness.

Thanks for your advice

Isahito


(Gudo) Thank you very much for your questions.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima

8:43 PM, November 22, 2007  

Post a Comment

<< Home