ED, Refers to zazen without any specific focus or technique. So JM's Heart Chan is different, as he cultivates 'chi', instead of no technique. I think this is the key point that zazen has no focus or technique, while sitting with other schools involves manipulating chi, or concentration on an object. Shikantaza is literally 'just sit'. It can result in varied directions, such as clear mind or stillness, as well as sex dreams or comprehensive murder plans. Anthony
--- On Tue, 23/11/10, ED <[email protected]> wrote: From: ED <[email protected]> Subject: [Zen] Re: FW: Quote from St. Thomas Aquinas To: [email protected] Date: Tuesday, 23 November, 2010, 10:12 PM Definitions of shikantaza on the Web: Shikantaza|`üŠÇ`Å�¿ is a Japanese term for zazen introduced by Rujing and associated most with the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, but which also is "the base of all Zen disciplines." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikantaza (Japanese): "just sitting"; a state of attention that is free from thoughts, directed to no object, and attached to no particular content. www.kwanumzen.com/misc/glossary.html �gJust sitting.�h Refers to zazen without any specific focus or technique and is characterized by intense non-dual awareness. greatwave.org/glossary-of-zen-terms/ It appears that 'shikantaza' applies to both the zazen practice of striving to do 'just sitting' with a clear mind; or it signifies the goal itself of abiding in a content-free non-dual awareness. --ED --- In [email protected], <billsm...@...> wrote: > > I was definitely told the Japanese word 'shikantaza' meant 'clear mind'. See > the quotes attributed to Rujing and Dogen Zenji in the definition in my post > below. Perhaps it is an extreme interpretation of 'just sit' which means you > are just sitting and not thinking or doing anything else.
