Neat reply!
On 8/3/2012 9:57 PM, Joe wrote:
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
