Suresh, Yes, indeed. Practice is a day-long, life-long process.
The way you express it is the same as the attitude with which Zen people (practitioners) approach it. But the flavor of practice may be a little different here and there, if you come to know practice at one teacher's place, and then sample or take up practice at another teacher's place. The differences might also influence your practice at home to change, if a style or approach to practice becomes established in you. For example, one of my teachers emphasized the practice of prostrations very much, whereas another did not, but I practice them at home. For me, formal sitting practice is the practice of Samadhi. Samadhi is more a result than a practice, but when it becomes established and easy to return to, it is a practice, also. This state can be engendered by preliminary practices, using various methods of Zazen as taught in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and western countries (areas where Ch'an and Zen teachers have settled within, and also created successor disciples there). Samadhi is a condition that is slow to develop over the weeks and months or years, and even then it is susceptible to change as we become more established with our practice overall. In certain quite intensive practice situations -- such as on Zen retreat, or "Sesshin" -- the Samadhi-state can break up suddenly, and a person then and thus awakens. This is Zen awakening, the sudden awakening of the Zen sect, which is so famous. It can be called "kai wu" in Chinese, or "kensho" in Japanese. It is the experience of emptiness, and the experience of seeing our true nature, and living from the basis of our true nature perhaps for days or weeks or months. This is the development and condition that no book can convey. Authors can try to describe it, or give hints about it, but it is always "A finger pointing at the Moon". In fact, the entire Zen tradition is that finger, pointing. A book cannot do the work for you. A baby seeing the finger will grasp the finger, and will not follow the line of sight of the finger to the Moon. Oh, well! And, just as the baby will grasp the finger, almost all adults will grasp it, too! ;-) But, practice will change all that. One's faith is built-up and becomes stronger as one's experience grows; and, when one awakens, the experience of emptiness and of our true nature is convincing and clear, to put it most mildly. Truly, yes, "Like drinking water, and knowing for oneself whether it is warm or cold". One then knows the lay of the road, and realizes that practice is a life-long reality, and that practice is an expression of our true nature. Master Dogen of 12th Century Japan famously teaches that "Zazen is the expression of our true nature". But one must awaken in order to see what he had in mind. ;-) I believe that Mr. Tolle may have had the experience of "One Mind", or a taste of Unified Mind. But I doubt he had the experience of "No Mind". This is the mind of Zen. Now, had Tolle gone to a Zen teacher to have his self-attributed realization tested, my guess is that the teacher would have congratulated him on having sunken so far as to reach the elementary and enabling condition of One Mind. But he would have urged Tolle to sink further by learning Zen methods and actually practicing in our school, and "finally" experience No Mind. Then, after experiencing No Mind, Tolle would have to learn to continue to practice so the No Mind condition remains bright and un-covered, and attachments have nowhere to come back to, to stick. That is a life's-work, of a mature Zen practitioner. I doubt he's begun that, if he relies just on his memory of a near-death experience. Memory is a very weak force, and is not a practice. Suresh, don't be too sure that you may never meet a living Zen teacher. Even if we rely on "Accident", we just never know! But, if you point yourself in the direction of a Zen teacher, and travel there, your probability of meeting will definitely be One Hundred Percent. As a true simpleton, this is the way I see it. ;-) But if practical books have to serve in the meanwhile, I can recommend Philip Kapleau, THE THREE PILLARS OF ZEN; and, Sekida, ZEN TRAINING. I would stay away from chatty or impractical books. Robert Aitken's TAKING THE PATH OF ZEN is pretty good, but the first two I mentioned are far more valuable over a lifetime, I think, and especially at the beginning. Aitken's book has the merciful virtue of at least being short. Now, these books are only if you care to practice in the Zen way. I know you are already practicing awareness-methods, and I am not trying to change you. But since you are a participant at a Zen discussion group, maybe you are in fact interested in Zen? And if it is books you want or must have, the three I mention above are the most practical that I know, and useful, and I recommend them most warmly. You can trust them to teach some foundational methods very simply, regarding posture in Zazen, and some methods of applying the attention. All best!, --Joe PS I find good prices on reprints of books from the Indologist purveyor, Motilal Banarsidass, based in Delhi. He has a very large back-list on Buddhism and Zen, and brings out new titles occasionally. Books are usually just a few hundred rupees. There are branches in Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna, Pune, and various franchises, including one in Jaipur. His main website is: http://www.MLBD.com > SURESH JAGADEESAN wrote: > > Dear Joe, > > Thanks for stressing on Practice. The situation of mine does not > permit to meet any living zen teacher. Even if I want to learn Zen, I > need to buy book and read it and then practice comes. > > Joe: How did *he* come to his clarity about what he expresses? He did > it by practice. > > Suresh: He himself mentions that it happened all of sudden just like > how it happened to Ramana Mahairhi. i.e. sudden death experience lead > to realization that they are not body, from then no end for their > experience. There is no doer like you state in zen practice, it is all > happening. > > Enlightenment is just like can happen when you contact with a > enlightened guru if you are matured. Just like when a burning wood > come in contact with dry wood, it will also catch fire. But when > burning wood come into contact with wet wood or some rock, it will not > able to burn immediately, but heat has been transferred to some > extent. > > Please note I do not take any one as authority. Authority comes only > when you don't understand. For example I don't know veda, and wanted > to learn, then I go to a teacher and learn from him. So for veda > learning he becomes my authority. But for book reading, there is no > need to assume author as some authority. > > I don't know whether you know what is `understanding'? When one states > I have understood?, what is that process that take place when one > understands? Certainly understanding happens when one's mind is > totally alert and in the present moment, then the things which are > perceived / read appear with high clarity and then it dissolves with > one's consciousness. Than whatever was perceived / read becomes his > own, and not of the other who gave. Just like mathematics formula > (a+b)2 = a2 + b2 + 2ab, I can use values and see it is right and then > it becomes my consciousness, I don't remember it, but it is part of > me. > > Similarly when I read Eckhart Tolle, or J.Krishnamurti or Ramana > Maharishi, they do not become my authority. But I understand them; > their work becomes part of me as because it is proven by my > experiment. In other words, I use `experiment' and you use "practice'. > If JK states `see' and show a direction and I see, and I see what was > indicated and realize the truth personally. > > I am now sure you are like horse eyes tied and go only one direction > and do not want to put effort to understand me rather you are glued to > Zen `Practice'. Who said I am not practicing? And What are you > practicing? Certainly you practice `awareness'. And I do practice > `awareness' on every activity of life, even in writing this mail to > you. > > Practicing is not just sitting in lotus posture with half closed eyes. > This posture makes one to be aware of present moment and prevents to > fall back on thoughts. But one can practice `awareness' by doing any > activity. > > More will come. ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! 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