Myoju

Ekai Osho’s Dharma talk emphasises the need for both study and training to cultivate compassion in action in the world. He says, ‘Settling down to original nature is a good thing. You still have to stand up and go outside and speak to others.’

The Autumn edition of Myoju is now available. In this issue: Harry Laing sits with a friend; Annie Bolitho on Enku, the monk who carved 100,000 Buddhas; Karen Threlfall considers the common ant and Tony Crivelli shares his experience of India.

Welcome to the Summer edition of Myoju. Our theme is from Dogen Zenji’s Genjo-Koan: Flowers fall even though we love them; weeds grow even though we dislike them.

To understand the Heart Sutra, we need to be able to go beyond language. We need to be able to explore: ‘is this an automatic response?’ In moments when we are able to do that, what’s there?

In what is our third Practice Period, the theme is particularly relevant – ‘Reorienting oneself to Practice’. What does ‘reorienting’ mean? Let’s take a look at what some of our contributions say: In his Dharma talk, Ekai Osho reminds us that practice is not about attendance, but about being ‘right side up’ through harmonising the body, harmonising the breath, and harmonising the mind consciousness.

This Myoju’s theme is ‘Zen in Everyday Life’. It raises some interesting questions about our definition of Zen practice and our ideas of integrating it into everyday life.

In Osho-sama’s Teisho talk, ‘Zazen and Awakening’, he cuts right through by suggesting that we are already awake. “Awakening exists within your experience every morning. The moment of awakening is every morning.” So simple!

The theme for this Spring edition is ‘Seeing things as they are’, with Ekai Osho’s striking Teisho talk, ‘The Tathagatā’, painting a beautiful picture about Buddha’s activity. This is so aptly and eloquently complemented by Azhar Abidi’s ‘What I think of Zen’ and Roderick Marsh’s ‘Tōzan’s Question’.

In this special Winter edition of Myoju, Ekai Osho’s engaging Dharma talk, ‘What are you–Snake or Dragon?’, explores the transformative power of the snake. Indeed, as the Year of the Snake is unfolding and progressing, so is Jikishoan as a practice community.

The theme for this 50th edition is ‘My vision in life for training, practice and cultivation’. In this light, Ekai Osho’s inspiring Dharma talk about ‘Vision for Snakes’ uses the characteristics and nature of a snake as a metaphor for cultivating one’s own life and the transformational power of practice.

Each moment of zazen is equally wholeness of practice, equally wholeness of realization. This is not only practice while sitting, it is like a hammer striking emptiness: before and after, its exquisite peal permeates everywhere. How can it be limited to this moment? —Zen Master Dogen

Ekai Osho once more shares the ocean of his wisdom and gentle guidance in the Dharma talk entitled ‘Zen and the Reality Within’, where we are encouraged to embrace flexibility within the practice, to dissolve the separation between the external world and the internal reality; and return to the simplicity of just being, just acting, as it is, in the present moment—that’s all.

Ekai Osho’s Teisho teaching on bowing as “acquiring the essence” reminds us of the importance of having, together with the Teacher, a broad collective vision whilst individually and passionately engaging in practice here and now for innovative changes to occur.

The Jikishoan Zen Buddhist Community elected its 13th Committee, with Mark Summers as President. New, returning, and continuing members bring fresh perspectives and experience, while priorities include implementing a Harassment Policy, advancing the Building Fund for a city temple, and improving community communication. Retiring members were thanked for their service.

Meditation is a word. It has many, many sides or faces, according to each person’s influences, received culturally, through education and through other sources of information. Generally, the tendency I’d say in the West regarding meditation is, in most cases, to believe that it is psychological.

When you understand things as they really are, when this is experienced, then you must be practicing. When tea is served, you drink it! Or you say no thank you, whichever way it goes. When you are in the class, you listen, you discuss. When you hear the true Dharma you must practice it.

Particularly the style of Bendoho retreat we do where everything, each and everything, is nothing but an opportunity for practice. If we pay attention to the details there‘s no such thing as somebody is practicing, somebody is not. You are here practicing, everybody is practicing, whether they be in the Zendo or in the kitchen.

Some seasons, especially toward the equinox (Winter to Spring too) are very conducive to practising Buddhism, practising the Buddha way. Conducive because everything is coming to a sort of balance.

Hojo sama responds to question regarding compassion fatigue.

When I was a young monk in Japan, shortly after my first ordination, my teacher gave me this text and asked me to study it. He said I couldn’t progress the way I wanted just by reading alone. This comes only with study and practice, that is, meditation. He told me not to worry if understanding didn’t come immediately, to take my time and persist.