Thanks to all of you who took the time to reply...I will take time to digest what you have said and put it into practice...[maybe not until I have a day off of work, though...busy, busy, busy.] :) thanks.
--- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@...> wrote: > > Mike, > > I agree. For me that was made apparent when I stopped creating delusions > while working on the koan Mu. I think you need to stop these delusions so > you have a reference (Buddha Nature) so you can then realize they are just > that - delusions. > > ...Bill! > > --- In [email protected], "mike" <uerusuboyo@> wrote: > > > > Bill!, > > > > I agree with everything you wrote, but i would add that most Buddhist > > teaching techniques ( including Zen) aim to not only stop creating > > delusions, but to see that the delusions we create are due to a belief in a > > mind and a self and ignorance of impermanence. I add this only for > > Stephen's interest, not because ts news to you. > > > > Mike > > > > --- In [email protected], "Bill!" <BillSmart@> wrote: > > > > > > Hi, and welcome to the group. > > > > > > All Zen Buddhist teaching techniques are geared toward one thing, and > > > that is halting the mind from creating delusions. These include > > > chanting, bowing, koan study, work detail and of course zazen (zen > > > meditation). Zazen is the most often used and I think the most effective. > > > > > > The best way to learn zazen is to go to a Zen Buddhist sangha and receive > > > firsthand instruction. If you can't do that there are many sites on the > > > WWW that can give you step-by-step instructions on how to begin > > > practicing zazen. > > > > > > In the beginning I was taught to 'count my breathes'. That's 1 on an > > > exhale, then 2 on the inhale, 3 on the exhale, 4 on the inhale, etc..., > > > until you get to 10 and then just start over. If you loose count (which > > > you will) or if you find yourself counting 15, 17 (which you will) just > > > go back to 1 and start over. Try to concentrate on the numbers and if > > > you start thinking about anything else, like 'I wonder what's for dinner' > > > or 'gee, I'm really sitting well today', just go back to 1 and start over. > > > > > > Keep doing this until you can successfully count your breathes for 10 > > > minutes or so. This ought to be enough for you for about at least a week > > > of more until you can do that. > > > > > > It doesn't really matter how long you sit at one time. I'd suggest you > > > start with 10 minutes and work up to 20 or so. There's no need to go > > > longer than that unless you really want to. I usually sit 40 minutes but > > > I've been doing this for almost 50 years so I'm used to it. > > > > > > Keep us informed of how your sitting is going. And of course good luck, > > > although luck really has nothing to do with it. I guess it would be > > > better to say 'good determination'... > > > > > > ...Bill! > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "shepherdspie1962" <shepherdspie1962@> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > Hi: > > > > I've read several books on Zen. My favorite being "the teachings of zen > > > > master huang po". In it he says that the cause of our delusion is our > > > > analytical thinking, i.e., always judging things as good/bad, > > > > right/wrong, etc. From his perspective the point of practice seems to > > > > be to discipline our minds so that we can stop this kind of thinking. > > > > But I wonder if there are different techniques that work sufficiently > > > > well or, if some techniques might work for one person while another > > > > technique works for someone else [for example: chanting versus silent > > > > meditation]. Also when sitting I'm not sure if I should be trying not > > > > to think at all, or if I should be repeating a mantra, or repeating a > > > > koan, or just sitting and letting my mind do whatever it > > > > does...feedback appreciated. thanks. > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ 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/
