On 4/17/2014 10:51 AM, Michael Jackson wrote: > true Shikantaza by definition. > Zen Master Dogen got the Soto Shikentaza Zen practice from his teacher in China - Dogen was a master linguist and the author of 'Shobogenzo' in which he describes in detail the Soto Zen practice - sitting meditation. According to Shunryo Suzuki, a master in the Soto Zen sect, meditation is 'zazen', regular sitting, based on the teachings of Zen Master Dogen. It's just like TM practice, sitting meditation. Everyone who has practiced TM and Soto Zen knows this - it's pretty common knowledge without even goin in to linguistics.
There's no difference between being 'enlightened' and being unenlightened. I first started thinking about this after reading some of the old Zen koans or riddles. Dogen, the founder of the Soto Zen sect in Japan, compiled many koans. According to Shunryu Suzuki, a Soto master, the main practice of Shikentaza Zen is 'just sitting'. This just sitting IS enlightenment. That's it! You are not going to get any more enlightenment than you are going to get. So, just stop striving, just be - be aware of being aware. In a recent visit to Sonoma it seemed like almost the entire northern half of California meditates using various breath awareness techniques or various yoga techniques. I know that in northern California lots of people practice zen meditation and qigong. Go figure. --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com
