Thanks, Dave. I will add this one to my Christmas list :-) My practice definitely needs a jump start (restart) - sounds like this book may be the inspiration I need.
Kathy ---------------------- -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of dkotschessa Sent: Sunday, December 04, 2005 9:29 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Zen] Book Discussion: The Art of Just Sitting - John Daido Loori I saw there was something on the calendar regarding book discussions, so I thought as my introduction I would bring this book to your attention. I have been practicing Buddhism "seriously" for the past 2 or 3 years. It seems that all discussion, all text, all sutras, point ot the same place. "Practice." It's the same with other pursuits; music, running, computers. "just do it!" Compiled and edited by John Daido Loori, "The Art of Just Sitting" is kind of a "Greatest Hits" compilation of writings and Sutras. There is a good amount of Dogen. Also, Hongzhi Zhengjue, Shunryu Suzuki, Bodhidharma, and numerous others contribute. Some of the contributors are other monastics at Zen Mountain Monastery of which John Daido Loori is abbot. What warrants an entire book about "Just sitting?" "The volume of ancient and modern Zen literature is staggering, yet the works that address meditation are few and far between. Is this because zazen is so simple and direct that all that can be said about it has already been said? Or is it becuase there is a profundity within the realm of zazen that is essentially ineffable? I am inclined to believe the latter...Zen practitioners, as they progress beyond the beginning stages of zazen, encounter a unique landscape that reflects their own personality and individual life experiences. There is no map for this terrain, so an experienced guide is required. Shikantaza, tha zazen of "just sitting," is a continuous process of discovery that is aided by face-to-face encounters with an experienced teacher. yet even teachers are limited in what they can do. Ultimately, the practitioners themselves must write their own rule book. They must go deep within themselves to find the foundations of Zazen." For me this book provides something I'm almost hesitant to admit I need. "Inspiration" to just sit. We don't find the word "inspiration" in dicussions of Zen very much, but isn't that what all study is? It all points to practice. Really, what else can you do other than practice? If you have found your practice getting stale or mechanical I definately recommend this book. While this book is inspiring it's also very grounding. It's tempting to want to read it all in one sitting. But I think this is one of those books you need to digest bit by bit. Pick it up when you need it, refer back to it when something comes up. Dogen's writings of course, are the kind that not only CAN be read again and again, but SHOULD be. I don't think I grasp anything Dogen has said until I've read it at least 20 times! If anybody else here has any questions about it let me know. I'm barely 1/5th of the way through which hardly qualifies me as an expert on it or even capable of a "review." I really just wanted to give my impressions of it so far, as I've been paging through this book long before I finally decided to purchase it. -Dave K Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/S27xlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Current Book Discussion: Appreciate Your Life by Taizan Maezumi Roshi Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZenForum/ <*> 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/
