ED and JMJM, >From what I've seen posted (and I have seen and read JMJM's posts even though >he claims nothing he's posted has any value) I think 'shikantaza' and 'Chan >mediation' (as descibed below by JMJM) are exactly the same.
JMJM described Chan meditations as: "Just "feel" and "sense". Not visualizing, not imagining. No counting." That's what I do (and don't do) when I do shikantaza...Bill! --- In Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com, Jue Miao Jing Ming - 覺å¦ç²¾æ <chan.j...@...> wrote: > > Hi Ed, > > Well, since my name has mentioned in your post. I thank you for > granting me this opportunity. > > 1. I don't know what Shikantaza is. Sorry. > 2. I don't know what Samatha is. Sorry again. > 3. I know how to sit the Chan way as I described below. > 4. I don't compare either, as you may notice, because comparing > definition or words is not something Chan recommends. > 5. Nor do I discuss, because nothing I have posted has any value. > 6. Everything I have posted everyone already "know". > 7. There is only one thing I recommend -- meditate the Chan Way. > 8. When you begins to witness something different, then ask me. Not > quotes from others, only your personal experience. > > I hope you don't find my answers harsh. Because my job really is just > to share what I have experienced. No more and no less. Every word is > my personal witness. Yet word has no value. They are just descriptions > of some real phenomenon and not the phenomenon itself. > > I respect your persistent search for the truth. But truth is not out > there. Truth is always within you. And truth exists in every moment > and in every being, big or small. > > All you have to do is to stop search outward and begin searching > inward. Once you found it, you will said to yourself, "Amazing. It is > really really simple." > > Yes, Absolute Dharma is like the period at the end of this sentence. > > :-) > > BTW, FYI. Chan meditation is really routed in Tao. If you read > XinXinMing. You will discovered it is quite Tao. I hope this helps. > > Be Enlightened In This Life - We ALL Can > http://chanjmjm.blogspot.com > http://www.heartchan.org > > > On 12/28/2010 5:00 PM, ED wrote: > > > > Hi JM, Bill and All - > > > > What is described below by JM is 'concentration meditation' or > > 'samatha', which in zazen is preliminary to the main practice of > > shikantaza. This preliminary samatha can be brief for a practitioner > > who can stabilize her mind quickly. > > > > "Samatha comprises a suite, type or styleof Buddhist meditation or > > concentration practices designed to enhance sustained voluntary > > attention, and culminates in an attention that can be sustained > > effortlessly for hours on end." (Wiki) > > > > "According to Dôgen Zenji, shikantaza i.e. resting in a state of > > brightly alert attention that is free of thoughts, directed to no > > object, and attached to no particular contentâ"is the highest or purest > > form of /zazen/, /zazen/ as it was practiced by all the buddhas of the > > past." (Wiki) > > > > In later posts, we shall compare different techniques for the samatha > > meditation portion of zazen. > > > > JM, is Chan meditation comprised of the samatha practice described > > below, without any subsequent shikantaza? > > > > --ED > > > > --- In Zen_Forum@yahoogroups.com, Jue Miao Jing Ming wrote: > > > > > > > > Follow the path of our breath in a slow and continuous fashion. > > > > > "Feel" the chi going through our nose, to our throat, into our lung, > > into our > > > belly. > > > > > The key is SSDL. (Slow, Soft, Deep and Long). > > > > > The objective is to be able to breathe about 4 times in one minute > > maximum. > > > > > Just "feel" and "sense". > > > > > Not visualizing, not imagining. > > > > > No counting. > > > > > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: zen_forum-dig...@yahoogroups.com zen_forum-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: zen_forum-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
