First of all, it is necessary for you to meet a person, who knows the method of how to practice Zazen, first.
If it is difficalt for you to meet such a person, please read my book " Wow to practice Zazen" through Amazon. Of course, in my Dogen Samgha Blog there are also so many precise teachings
having written already, and so you can read them totally free.
Therefore it is possible for you to read my "Dogen Samgha Blog," freely, you can get so many knowledge about Buddhism and Zazen .
When we practice Zazen, it is necessary for us to practice Zazen everyday without fail. If we practice Zazen, not everyday, but only several times as we like, such kind of flimsy practice might be useless almost at all. In other words it is perfectly important for us to practice Zazen everyday as if we have to eat meals everyday.
Zazen is a kind of habit, and it is necessary for us to establish the daily habit without fail. It is not necessary for us to get the so-called enlightenment. Because the so-called enlightenment is just a Romantic story, which many children love. But Buddhism is never a Romantic story, but it is just Action. It is just sitting. It is just Practice. It is just Reality.
Roshi,
ReplyDeleteThank you deeply. Please follow up with more posts of this nature.
Regards
Al
I also want to express my gratitude. This post triggered me to get back on my cushion.
ReplyDeleteRoshi, can you please give your opinion on how to restrict the time for a single sitting?
ReplyDeleteShould I put an alarm clock every time I sit or is there any other measures?
Igor, incense that burns for ~30 minutes (or however long you want to meditate for) is commonly used. It's pleasant, you will realize when it's done, and you won't have to look at a clock.
ReplyDeleteDear Ven. Igor San,
ReplyDeleteI think that it is better for you to decide a simple schedule of outline in your daily life, and you will fix the time of Zazen following your own schedule.
Dear Ven. Igor San,
Thank you very much for your gratitudes to me so much.
Dear Ven. Al San,
Thank you very much for your affirmation of me so much.
Master Nishijima,
ReplyDeleteI was very moved about how you said, "It is not necessary for us to get the so-called enlightenment. Because the so-called enlightenment is just a Romantic story, which many children love".
The goal of the practice of zazen and Buddhism to just simply be, right?
Also, it troubles me that there are sects of Buddhism that believe in a 'god', that they will become god once enlightened, and other mystical beliefs. What attitude should I take towards this?