I love beths honesty and devotion to the path. Also her very gentle way with answering questions and conducting grouo sessions.. Hopefully i will Learn more about this. Also i loved the reading, seeing hiw defilements cause our reality to change... and how that the wholesome states all come together. The unity, oneness
I have a question, why does it feel very heartless or ‘meh’ among a lot of American ajahns in Theravada tradition. Very dry, as if there hearts aren’t being properly watered. That’s a huge curiosity of mine 😊
thank you, Beth and Aaron, for sharing this beautiful conversation. it's very relevant to where i am in my career path right now and helped put some things in perspective. pursuing a trade so i can support a life where i can share my gifts!
Hi Aaron and Beth, thanks for hosting such an interesting and wonderful conversation. The depth of feeling for the topic and sincerity with which it is discussed is palpable. Keep up the good work.🙏
Very interesting that the more refined breathing method you taught is really that which good singers use. There really is not much movement in the belly area, and to allow a free tone to be sung there is a certain un tense holding of the area above the belly button area, or a resistance to allowing it to cave in. Of course, correct posture, relaxed but expanded chest, are also key.
It's so fascinating to see the way you both are weaving Dharma with technology as a way to bring the teachings to new people and places. Thanks for sharing!
Rinzai " When I eat I only eat, and when I sleep I only sleep" Somebody said " But nothing special in that, everybody is doing it" Rinzai " If everybody is doing it, everybody is a Buddha, everybody is enlightened then".
No, there's no old man in the sky. The truth is that be the material universe exists. That the spirit is zero dimensional and outside of spacetime. The spirit is comprised of awareness, conscience, and the power of intent. The spirit binds to a field of consciousness, a field wherein sensory input is radiated, due to sensual intents. It only unbinds at death and during Cessation. Creatures with a nervous system evolve to capture spirits with an offering of consciousness because evolution finds that the unpredictability of a spirit mediating I/O is superior to hardwired I/O. A spirit reads consciousness with awareness, filters with conscience, and optionally writes back via the power of intent. The ultimate goal of a spirit is to remain unbound at death via a death free of sensual intents. The end of Samsara is the ability to experience anything except those things with roots in sensuality, the tree of good+evil.
It is not really the Rinzai path. It is the Hakuin Ekaku path. Rinzai (Lin Chi) advocated an non striving. While Hakuin strived very hard after reading a manuscript called "Spurring Zen Students Through the Barrier." There could not be two teachings more different than Lin Chi and Hakuin Ekaku.
Interesting. I find Linji Chan quite interesting and have trained in it a bit. I no longer believe in self- power practices or effortful striving, as I found after 23 years of Buddhist study and practice that such practices just reinforce egoism and strengthen samsara.
But usually people have to practice effortful paths of striving and self-power for a long time before they realize that. Humility and honesty is the key!
What is the special Rinzai way of breathing called? I couldn't quite catch it And is it used in Soto as well? What is the brown piece of garment with the ring called? What is it for?
Hello! I'd recommend emailing Meido this question or asking on the Rinzai Zen Discussion facebook group. Meido and few other senior practitioners post there frequently. This is also an interesting resource on breathing in Rinzai by Shodo Harada Roshi, but I do believe it's somewhat different than what Meido was instructing in this video. Links: still-breathing.net/zazen-instruction /facebook.com/groups/183043823782 Korinji's Email: info@korinji.org
Katsuki Sekida in his book "Zen Training" called it bamboo breathing. Shodo Harada Roshi in his book "The Path to Bodhidharma" calls it susokkan breathing. Basically it is breathing firmly into the hara (2 inches below the navel and 3 inches in from the abdomen).
@@McLKeith Thanks! Been with a teacher in the meantime who did Soto and Rinzai for many many years. He even says that zen is wrong if they say it's about breathing. He says it's about awareness in the hara region, breathing being a sufficient but not necessary tool.
If Zen is all about physical sitting then we will never understand the phrase, 'Buddha held up a flower and Kāśyapa smiled'. Because Chan (Zen) is the intuitional school of Buddhism we can directly intuit our true nature and join the lineage of Buddhas. This lineage transcends the six senses and the five aggregates. This lineage is empty of all conditionality (samskrita). By relying on thought you've missed this transcendent lineage - and when you hold back thought you've also missed the lineage. Welcome to Zen.
Hello! Great question. I'd recommend filling out our advising form at Dharma-gates.org/advising. We may be able to help you if we have a few more details about your situation.
I liked the lecture very much. I wonder if it could be possible to say more about what else besides breath counting can be done in zazen. What are formless practices? What is energetic cultivation? etc.
Hi! Great questions. I'd recommend reaching out to Meido directly with practice questions or checking out his Patreon. His email is info@korinji.org and patreon is here: www.patreon.com/korinji
