Totally agree on the posture. I wish we could introduce a word "body/mind" to English usage. It is much more precise.
The riff on giving up hope is my summary of a lot of Joko Beck's transcribed dharma talks in "Nothing Special." -- e.g.: In talking about Sisyphus: "What would be the enlightened state for King Sisyphus? If he pushes the rock a few thousand years, what may he finally realize? .... Just to push the rock and to have abandoned hope that his life will be other than it is. .... if we simply push our current boulder and practice being aware of what goes on with us as we push, we slowly transform." Thanks, --Chris [email protected] +1-301-270-6524 On Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 9:25 AM, Joe <[email protected]> wrote: > Chris, > > Further on your question, I would say, "No". > > The first principle of Zen is good posture. ;-) > > On your question, my teacher Sheng Yen also used to say, "Keep your feet warm > and your head cool". > > The physical is stressed -- There *is* no mind. > > I myself, personally, would say that it is not necessary to abandon ANYTHING. > When it comes to sitting practice, what is important is "simply" to give all > attention to the method of practice. Doing anything else -- like > "abandoning" -- is doing something else! Stay with the method of practice > and don't pick up other threads, whether positive threads or negative. Those > other things will then not arise. > > Of course we have other practices besides the central practice of sitting. > Again, and there, to give all attention to the practice is the way to be true > to it. > > And we all know these things, I know. ;-) > > --Joe > >> ChrisAustinLane <chris@...> wrote: >> >> Isn't the first principal of Zen to abandon hope and optimism? > [snip] > > > > ------------------------------------ > > Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are > reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links > > > ------------------------------------ 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: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
