Mike and M, Counting breaths (and chanting, bowing, koans, etc...) are just techniques used to focus the mind on repetitive thoughts to the point where it shuts down (usually out of boredom) which allows the experience of Buddha Nature.
Any way you can halt the creation of dualism (intellectualizations) and enter into samadhi (or what I call shikantaza) is fine. Do whatever works for you. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], uerusuboyo@... wrote: > > M,<br/><br/>I began practicing Zen 10 years, or so, ago. I discovered > Vipassana meditation about 5 years ago. I have found that Vipassana explains > things that Zen leaves empty (pun noted). My (Zen) practice has deepened > considerably since discovering Vipassana and one of the factors is focusing > on bodily sensations as the doorway into reality. The sutras talk about this > a lot and Buddha himself said that within this "fathom long" body will you > discover the truth. No where in the sutras does it say to observe thoughts or > count the breath. Since dropping both my meditation has changed considerably. > For me, when my mind wanders I just come back to the sensation of air on the > entrance of my nostrils. Very grounding.<br/><br/>Mike<br/><br/><br/>Sent > from Yahoo! Mail for iPad > ------------------------------------ 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/
