It's a great little gem becuase it just brings together a lot of good texts that are out there. It's under 250 pages but it's the kind of stuff you can (and should) read slowly as well as repeatedly, so I think you can get a lot of mileage out of it. I'm skipping around a bit too. I read Dogen's "Zazenshin" which contains the famous Koan "to polish a tile." Daido has a discussion fo that koan later in the book so I jumped ahead to read that. Now I think I have to read zazenshin again.... You know. Freakin' Dogen! I love him. :)
--- In [email protected], "Kathy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > 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/
