Joe,
>Thanks for the challenge. ;-) And well played. I see I by forcing your hand I got the chalice without the wine. >Eventually, Father, samadhi comes on. Father, do you know what samadhi is? Of course, when there's no chalice to receive the wine. Mike ________________________________ From: Joe <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, 4 August 2012, 2:57 Subject: Re: [Zen] Samadhi Mike, Thanks for the challenge. ;-) Neat question! Well, Father, shikantaza is a practice. In a way, it is a bit more like a result, though; do you know what I mean, Father? It's like when you go on your Jesuit retreats with your brethren, and, for a week or more, you contemplate The Sacred Heart of Jesus. Well, Father... do you know how, by, say, the 4th or 5th day, how you feel rather unable to grasp or practice the method anymore? And your Spiritual Director reminds you in Interview just to keep up the practice, no matter WHAT, but, nonetheless you are unable to grasp the usual method, and feel instead as if you are empty and comfortable, but not at all "taking it easy?" As if you truly have a Result?, that is, a state of mind that can maintain itself and carry you through the morning's or evening's contemplation? Well, that's not Shikantaza. That's something basically Human, which Shikantaza is also able to bring us to. Shikantaza, Father, is stopping the mind, but not by using force; and the second-half is allowing insight to come in while the mind is stopped. But, Father, this is a PRACTICE, and although I say it is in fact a bit like a RESULT, I mean that it is nonetheless a practice, and not a final state nor something you can abandon after a day or a decade. Nor can you begin your practice here! So we allow the mind to stop, simply by not following anything that arises. We give NO energy to anything. This is a lazy-man's method!, for sure; but only a very disciplined lazy man or Nun can do it. Just give no energy to anything. Let it all trail-off, like strains of Gregorian chants in the echo-y cathedral after the monks hit the final note. Just let it go. Then, watch, just watch. If anything arises, just let it go. Let it go. Keep letting it go. Give no energy, and no follow-up. Eventually, Father, samadhi comes on. Father, do you know what samadhi is? --Joe > mike brown <uerusuboyo@...> wrote: > > Joe, > > How would you describe shikantaza to someone from a religion such as > Christianity? > > Mike
