True or false?
The reason our style of practice appears more simple than others is: • to remove elaborate Japanese traditions for a Western sangha. • because elements other than zazen have no value. • to make the practice more serious and intensive. The main elements of the Sanshin style are: • 50-minute periods of zazen • Sesshin consisting only of 14 zazen periods, three meal breaks and six hours' sleep • Genzo-e False—all false. None of these is the basis of the Sanshin style. |
Looking for information on Sanshin manners and customs?
See this page. |
Sanshin spirit: the source of the style
In this lineage we look to a core group of principles and elements that make up the backbone of our particular style of practice—that in which we ourselves engage and the practice in which we lead others. These come from the teachings of the Buddha, Dogen Zenji, Sawaki Roshi, Uchiyama Roshi and Okumura Roshi as well as from widely accepted standards and guidelines for Western clergy and for spiritual health. The mission of Sanshin Zen Community as an organization is to enable the practice of shikantaza in the style of Uchiyama Roshi, deep study of Dogen Zenji’s teachings, and commitment to beneficial action. These three elements—zazen, study and work—are the foundation of Sanshin’s practice vision and calendar of activities. Shikantaza in the style of Uchiyama Roshi is characterized by three elements: - The study of the meaning of zazen in the context of Buddha’s teachings, understanding the common thread that runs from the teachings of Shakyamuni through the Mahayana tradition, the teachings of Dogen Zenji, Sawaki and Uchiyama Roshis, down to Okumura Roshi and the practice of shikantaza at Sanshin today. - Keeping forms and ceremonies simple in order to understand what we're doing and why, and to maintain their connection with zazen. Rather than being merely performances, forms should come from the mind of shikantaza as an expression of respect and gratitude. - Understanding the significance of zazen and study in modern daily life so that we can find the middle way between progress and peace of mind. We live with a tension between chasing after or escaping from things and avoiding taking any action at all in order to remain calm. Shikantaza teaches us how to take the necessary wise and compassionate action without fanning the flames of our delusion. Deep study of Dogen Zenji’s teachings as a means of truly understanding the practice of shikantaza, especially during sesshin. It would be easy to think that we need to sit zazen in order to understand Dogen's writings and what Okumura Roshi is teaching us about them, but that's backwards. We study Dogen's writings -- including engaging in genzo-e -- as an antidote to the "Zen sickness" described in the "Zazenshin" fascicle of his Shobogenzo. That danger can come with doing a lot of sitting with gaining mind—searching for a peak experience or some personal benefit. The point of genzo-e and other study is to understand that, in Kodo Sawaki’s words, “Zazen is good for nothing.” Study is a support for zazen rather than the other way around. As Sawaki Roshi often said, "All Buddhist scriptures are only footnotes to zazen." Beneficial action, Dogen wrote, “is the whole of Dharma; it benefits both self and others widely.” It’s not only the way to lead others, but also the way for us to be free ourselves from the three poisons of greed, anger and ignorance. We act skillfully within and outside of the sangha to benefit all kinds of beings, paying attention to both the immediate and the distant future. Beneficial action is one of the Four All-Embracing Actions found in the Shishobo fascicle of the Shobogenzo, which provides helpful teachings in guiding others on the bodhisattva path. Read more about our: Forms Ceremonies |
Materials by and about the founders of our style
Kodo Sawaki 16 June, 1880 - 21 December, 1965
Kosho Uchiyama 1912 - 13 March, 1998
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