Optimal Practice and men left home—literally—and went to live in cloistered communities, often in remote lo- Recently a student who was doing an extended cations; this is still the prevailing model of Bud- Personal Term Intensive*, wrote, dhist practice in those countries except for Ja- pan. There is also in Southeast Asia an ongo- On the day we spoke, Day 40, I ing tradition of traveling monks and nuns who struggled with one of the more sticky never stay in the same place for more than a personality structures that I hold: that few days, ostensibly in order to prevent attach- of being a good father and a good ments to a place. husband....because of a conversation that took place that day, I faced one During the Meiji Restoration in Japan, Buddhist of the more difficult aspects of my clergy was forced up against a wall, faced with personality, that of falling short on my the very real potential for to be gut- Dad / husband duties on occasion. It ted or even destroyed. So certain concessions was hard not to naturally avoid the were made, and thereafter Buddhist clergy were energy of this belief and I struggled entitled to marry, were subject to military ser- with just allowing the feeling of it to be vice, subject to taxation, and otherwise consid- throughout the day. It was an indication ered ordinary citizens. of an area of continuing opportunity for growth. As Buddhist practice reached the West, how- ever, things began to shift. Whereas in the tra- The Buddha left a home and a family ditional Buddhist countries of the East—except to pursue great truth. And Jesus let for recent Japanese culture—the single model go of all, choosing crucifixion over Un- of the Buddhist practitioner was to leave home, Truth. I find it difficult though to let go never to see his or her family again, and enter of attachment to the great comfort and a monastic community, the earliest Buddhist love that my home and family provide. monks who came to the United States stayed And yet I also understand that there as guests in the homes of American families is abiding peace in a life of any form, and at their hosts’ request taught them , family or otherwise. Is there some way including in some instances, practice. It to reconcile the two? was perhaps this that led to the model, espe- cially in the 1960’s, of many young people gath- First, a look at some Buddhist history: ering around a to practice, but not as monks and nuns. As they grew older they The traditional way Buddhist practice has been often married, got jobs, and had children, and undertaken in India, Southeast Asia, Tibet, Chi- so the Western mode of practice became one na, and until relatively recently, Japan, is that of that included very few ordained practitioners but the monk or nun. [At Mountain Gate we have plenty of lay practitioners. It even became pos- dispensed with the term “nun” and male and fe- sible in some Buddhist centers for whole fami- male monastics are all called monks.] Women lies to live and practice. it had became clear

The Oak Tree in the Garden July/August 2017 page 1 that being a was not necessarily a years old even. His family was wealthy hindrance to practice, though it was challeng- and his wife and child would have ing to balance home and family and serious Zen been very well taken care of even if he practice. And in fact we have the words of the were not in the picture. And he was so great Zen master , recited at the consumed with the anguish of realizing beginning of every osesshin at Sogen-ji: that life is characterized by sickness, old age and death—and lots of challenge Practice in the midst of activity is worth in between—that he felt no choice but 10,000 times that of practice in quietude. to go into the jungle and search for answers in a community of spiritual Hakuin’s successor, Torei Enji, was a strong practitioners of the day. proponent of Advanced Practice and The Long Maturation—undergoing both extensive koan As for Christ, there is a British work as well as the long job of integrating the documentary that brings forth a great insights gleaned through practice into the daily deal of evidence that Jesus did not life of the practitioner. This is at least as essen- die on the cross, but that that “sponge tial—and possibly more so than experiencing of vinegar” was likely some sort of kensho or . drug that conked him out and made it appear that he had died. So then his Where best to work on The Long Maturation disciples were able to take him down than within household, family and job responsi- from the cross and carry him away. The blities? British documentary seemed to uncover potential proof as well that he left the There are significant advantages to that prac- Middle East—WITH Mary Magdelene— tice in the midst of activity, as , and lived the rest of this life as a married eminent Vipassana teacher, discovered on his man; he even seemed to have had a return to the United States following his five child. years as a forest monk in Thailand. Before his return it seemed to him that he had reached a Of course it makes good press to hold place of calm and peace in his daily life. But on these men up as examples of such reaching New York City and family he discov- total (and inaccurate) “unselfhood” that ered he had not at all let go of plenty of issues; they could have no families—sort of a he had simply not had the opportunity to face “purity” illusion that would elevate them them in his cloistered, mostly solitary life in the in the eyes of their followers. But true jungles of Southeast Asia. In fact, the point was accords with one’s karma, so strongly brought home to him that he went compassionately and wisely expressed. back to university and ultimately became a clini- cal psychologist in an effort both to work on his There are several famous, deeply realized lay on stuff as well as to help future students deal practitioners known to us these days from Chi- with theirs within the context of Vipassana prac- nese Buddhist history: In fact, the entire family tice. And he married, and he and his wife had a of Layman P’ang appears to have been deeply daughter. enlightened, including his wife, son and daugh- ter. Fu Daishi was another one. Mitra-roshi responded to the Term Intensive stu- dent as follows: And if that karma includes marriage, then it is expressed through the life of a First, about the Buddha. Still in this day householder, lived as an expression of in India there is the tradition of arranged deeper and deeper practice, which of marriages, and no doubt that was what course includes The Long Maturation he had—no choice in a bride, and at 16 in which we are working to integrate page 2 The Oak Tree in the Garden July/August 2017 insights gleaned through our zazen, into forth in front of you, not to mention many our moment by moment behavior. And other people in your line of vision. You you’ve just opened to a major insight! have the sounds of the neighborhood— Good for you! Clear evidence that your the kids playing on the temple grounds, practice is working! the occasional hiker peering into the and being asked not to enter. And what this means is to fully embody The tenzo of the day was first to sanzen the life of a husband and father, using morning and evening—and responsible that role as a true place of practice! for making sure the meals were on the table at the right moments, as well It is very interesting that the historical as answering the phone and dealing expression of “deep” practice—though with callers at the door all during the the “depth” is often quite questionable— day. The densu and assistant exited is of the monk in the monastery in the the zendo and led the zazenkai every far reaches of some remote temple away Sunday, interacting graciously with 80+ from society. That’s still the Chinese local folks before returning to version. What that reminds me of is in the zendo. And so forth. This is this: The traditional sesshin mode at the just a different version of your own Rochester Zen Center—at least when I life: Up early enough to keep the kids was training there, and of course it may entertained and quiet so your wife can well have changed—involved some get extra rest, going on family vacations significant sensory deprivation. You with whatever challenges that entails, faced the blank wall or blank divider in ditto, the work environment, doing the zendo; you kept your eyes down and those fully-entered-into single breaths did not interact with anyone other than— when you can, and zazen when you can and that, only in dokusan—the teacher; shoehorn it into your schedule. there were no mirrors anywhere, even in the bathrooms; none of the normal The overwhelming model for Zen bodily rituals such as shaving for men, practice in the West is that of the etc., were allowed; all the windows were householder fully immersed in the world. covered; and your work period was And THAT is the model expressed directed solely by a written description by the final picture in the Ox-Herding down to the last detail. Pictures: the fat, happy guy returning to the village “with bliss-bestowing hands,” Unfortunately, while people were able to fully integrated in society. go relatively deep relatively fast under those circumstances, after the week He could be married, have kids, or of sesshin ended you were suddenly not—there is no difference whatsoever. and precipitously thrust back into The bottom line is to use whatever society with all the responsibilities and circumstances come forth in your life environmental impact you were living to deepen your practice and open with. It was a jarring re-entry. Your more fully to the immaculate, deeply practice was quite difficult to maintain compassionate, wise person you always and deepen under such severely up- and-down training. v v v *Personal Term Intensives are a terrific way to But at Sōgen-ji, as you know, sesshin add in some deeper level practice—particularly is so much more integrated with daily if, like the person who wrote the question to Ro- life: facing into the room in the zendo so shi, you only have very rare opportunities to at- you have the keisaku moving back and tend sesshin. See the websites for details!

The Oak Tree in the Garden July/August 2017 p a g e 3 Ordination? dark blue, black or grey. Hair is quite short but it is not essential that the head be shaved. Although the predominant model of Zen prac- tice for most Americans is that of being a But beyond all, the focus is on 360 Degree house-holder, practicing when possible at a Practice—practice in all aspects of one’s life, and going to sesshin as of- from zazen on the cushion and sesshin, to truly ten as one’s circumstances allow, there are still working on The Long Maturation, in which in- those who feel a calling to become a monk. sights from practice are used to let go of the habit patterns of greed, anger and delusion in There are two main prerequisites for ordination an ongoing manner. This is not different from in the lineages of Mountain Gate and Hidden that of a house-holder deeply committed to Valley Zen Center: practice; it is only the outward form that is differ- ent. 1) There must be a long history of sincere and v v v deep commitment to ongoing practice, as ex- pressed through years of spiritual work guided by the teacher one has chosen to work with in Samu, Work-practice daily zazen plus frequent sesshin attendance. In other words there is an extended demonstra- This article is by Sozui-sensei tion of ongoing commitment to Zen practice. Wikipedia: Samu (作務) refers to work that is done with as a simple, practical 2) The aspirant must feel a deep, ongoing and spiritual practice. Samu, or work practice, sense of calling, a feeling of being drawn to the has been part of Zen training for hundreds of ordained life. And this sense must have been years. experienced for an extended period of time— years, really. Samu is the extension of meditation Although in Southeast Asia where the Thera- to its function. Without samu, Zen vadan form of Buddhism is practiced, a per- Buddhism would be a cult isolated from son may ordain for shorter or longer periods of daily life. -Robert Aitken Roshi time—and even multiple times, tokudoshiki [J.] (http://archive.li/Pkhds#selection-361.0-365.22) through Mountain Gate or Hidden Valley Zen Center is for life. Ordination is not at all about wearing a different type of meditation clothing in the zendo; there are other parameters that the ordained person must live within.

First and foremost, this is not about “business as usual” within one’s life expression. The work one does to support oneself if one is not living in a Buddhist temple, is expected to be work of a deeply compassionate nature such as be- ing a health care worker of some level—doctor, nurse, therapist, hospice worker, social worker or home health aid, or working in some organi- Harada-roshi doing samu at Sogen-ji. zation that helps to support the poor or disad- Master Hyakujo Ekai (720–814) was the Zen vantaged. Life is to be lived simply and humbly, Master famous for establishing the Zen mo- without any expressions of wealth: no jewelry, nastic rule. He was always very insistent on fancy homes or cars, or other high-end pos- working every day. When he was old he per- sessions. Clothing is simple, with plain colors: sisted in this, and the monks felt sorry for him page 4 The Oak Tree in the Garden July/August 2017 so they hid his tools. He said, “I have no virtue. mind in many different kinds of activities. How Why should others work for me?” And he do we maintain an awareness that is respect- refused to eat. He said, “A day of no work is a ful of the people and objects we interact with day of no eating.”(一日不做一日不食). during our working day? Can we learn from the lessons that reveal themselves to us, regard- Zen Master Hakuin said that meditation in the less of what form they come in and where they midst of activity is a thousand times superior to come from? Work practice enables us to test meditation in stillness. these questions, to see the mechanics of the way we hold ourselves in relation to the world If you consider quietude right and around us. We realize more and more how activity wrong, then this is seeking the we are not separate at all. Are we so fully and real aspect by destroying the worldly completely engaged in the task at hand, right aspect, seeking , the peace of now, that there is no more room for, and we extinction, apart from birth and death. are freed of, our usual habitual inner dialogue? When you like quiet and hate activity, There will be a shift from seeing work as a this is the time to apply effort. Suddenly means to an end. Work is the end in itself and when in the midst of activity, you topple the challenges, both physical and psychologi- the sense of quietude -that power cal, can teach us a great deal if we are willing surpasses quietistic meditation [seated to learn. meditation] by a million billion times. v v v — (Daie Sōkō) Taking the practice from the cushion into the world. Doing samu we obviously help maintain and When cutting carrots, run the place of practice that has been handed we just cut the carrots. down to us, that many people before us have When cleaning, we just clean. helped build, maintain, and improve. It is an When weeding , we just weed expression of gratitude and respect for what Nothing missing, nothing extra. we have been given and an acknowledgement —Sozui-sensei of our responsibility towards those to come after us, so that they too may have a place To clean the room means to be able to let go to practice and re-load their batteries. In this 24/7, and so the more smoothly we will deepen way samu can be an expression of our com- on the cushion. And the more we sit the easier mitment to the Buddha, the and the it becomes to be clear in our everyday life as well as a manifestation of generos- activities. ity. Doing something not to get something, but just giving. As Yunyan was sweeping the ground, Daowu said, “Too busy.” You all have heard many times about the im- portance of 360 degree practice—the integra- Yunyan said, “You should know there’s tion of our practice on the cushion into every- one who isn’t busy.” day life. From the simple movement of doing kinhin to accomplishing various tasks, if we do Daowu said, “If so, then there’s a practice mindfulness and forgetting ourselves second moon.” in everyday life, our practice on the cushion will go so much more smoothly. The two halves Yunyan held up the broom and said, truly complement and support each other. “Which moon is this?” —From The Book of Serenity, Case 21 At HVZC we have the opportunity to practice as quoted in Just This Is It: paying attention to what we are doing with our Dongshan and the Practice of Suchness, by Dan Leighton.

The Oak Tree in the Garden July/August 2017 p a g e 5 Sometimes people ask what the difference be- When we have no choice, we have an opportu- tween samu, work practice and our everyday nity to learn how to relate to what life brings to life work in society is. Actually, samu is the Jap- us. anese word for work practice so they are identi- cal. Here are just a few : - Working in silence, without unnecessary chat- ter, greatly supports this process. - In society people work to gain money so they can support themselves. In Zen, samu/work - In a practice setting we are constantly remind- practice is done to polish our Buddha Nature, to ed, guided and encouraged to work creatively give it life. on manifesting that purified state of mind in our work. We are supported by our fellow practitio- Samu is the chance to experience this ners, teachers and the schedule and remind- Buddha Nature directly: in our eyes, ed to be alert and mindful, letting go of ideas in our hands, in our feet...how can we of gain and loss, good and bad and cultivate become one with this reality? This is in action. Instead of focusing on our how we focus when we are working. own game, we are encouraged to stay focused How we work can be seen by a Zen on the actual truth of this very moment. master clearly, whether we are polishing our Buddha Nature or we are just Whereas doing work practice at home we don’t doing work only. The real experience is have that support. Once we have developed— necessary while doing samu. How can through samu at the Center—a clear sense of I meet my own life energy while doing how to practice off the cushion in the midst of this work? This is the question we need activity, then we can begin to implement it be- to look at while doing the work. Simply yond the structured environment of samu at the put, Buddha nature needs to shine in Center. our samu or it is just work. v v v —Shodo Harada Roshi HVZC’s New Car - During samu/work practice we offer ourselves to work for the benefit of all beings, not just our- Thanks especially to the efforts of Doshin and selves. Thus we cultivate and express the spirit Genshin, and to the help of others, the Center of a in activity. This for the has finally been able to replace the aging and benefit of all beings also helps support, main- badly deteriorating 1995 Suzuki Sidekick. The tain and improve our place of practice. Suzuki was donated many years ago and has provided many miles of transportation and When we make wholehearted offerings, we al- hauling—and has also experienced two ac- ways receive more than we have given. We re- cidents, one of which had damaged the front ceive our freedom, joy and our dignity. end. Our 2010 Toyota Rav4—with air condi- tioning!—is a most helpful replacement. - Work practice/samu helps us in purifying our own minds, going beyond personal gain and loss, good and bad, self and other.

- Not having too many personal goals and choices involved makes it easier to forget our- selves in our work, recognizing and letting go of habit patterns and cultivating samadhi in ac- tivity. Lack of choice can bring us directly into contact with the way we habitually ignore, shut down, manipulate or control our experience. page 6 The Oak Tree in the Garden July/August 2017 The Power of Attitude Then let them eat cake,’ said Marie Antoinette.” Civilizations rose and fell, wars erupted and “We cannot change our past. We can ended—even the dinosaurs had their day and not change the fact that people act in then their sudden end. a certain way. We can not change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is The Golden Age of Zen took place during the play on the one string we have, and that T’ang Dynasty in China, when beginning in the is our attitude.” sixth century there were a series of persecu- -—Charles R. Swindoll tions and suppressions of Buddhism. It culmi- nated in 845 with the final—of the T’ang Era but “I really changed my attitude, and that not of China in general—and most severe per- changed everything -- my general mind secution. Yet out of those periods of suffering state, my moment to moment joy in life, and upheaval arose many great Buddhist teach- and the people and activities I attract to ers: Chao-chou [J. Joshu Jushin], famous as my life. I was convinced I was going to the protagonist in the well known koan, “Does have to change some circumstances in Even a Dog Have the Buddha Nature?” lived my life, but I found that I really only had through it, dying in 897. Mazu [J. Baso Doit- to change my mind state.“ su] (709–788) preceded him in the T’ang Era, —from a Zen student as did Nanquan [J. Nansen Fugan] (c. 749 – c. 835) was Joshu’s teacher, and Yantou [J. Ganto In this world of today people are experiencing Zenkatsu], famous for his massive scream upon some of the most trying times of their lifetime. being skewered by bandits, was Joshu’s con- Upheaval is everywhere, seemingly random vio- temporary. There were other deeply enlighted lence erupting without warning and in places masters as well—men and women both. The normally considered safe; the terrorist incident most challenging and difficult times can bring at London Bridge is but one recent example. forth such people. Multiple worldwide political upsets are another. Then there’s the video of a road rage incident Why? Because when we are faced with ex- gone viral—vehicles totaled, including a pickup tremity it can force us to look beyond our usu- truck roll over after they were struck by the ve- al view and realize a deeper truth. Jacques hicle of the enraged perpetrator traveling on a Lusseyran had a profound opening when he many lane wide freeway. Just today the news reached the end of his rope after five months report of a commercial airliner that suddenly starving in the Nazi concentration camp started shaking badly en route to Malaysia af- Buchenwald. There are reports of Russian po- ter a big “boom” was heard from an engine; two litical prisoners in the notorious Gulag prisons previous airliners connected with Malaysia had in Russia doing the same. Their situations were disappeared so it must have been especially so extreme that they had three choices: give up unnerving to the passengers. The pilot twice and die, go crazy, or stretch beyond their nor- asked people to pray as he turned back for a mal assumptions and attitudes. severely shaking, two-hour flight to the airport from which they’d taken off. Places and events We can take our cues from these people—or- where people have in the past been able to as- dinary people like us. And we have the added sume safety are now targets of violence. Ev- advantage of access to Zen practice and its erywhere, people’s nerves are frayed. tools, and the guidance of teachers and senior students. If you are concerned with the poten- In the history of the world there have been tial for the chaos and violence rampant in the many eras when this level of violence and dis- world these days spilling over into your own life, regard for life, when this level of political and then head for the zazen cushion or chair and cultural upheaval occurred. “Nero fiddled while practice as if your life depends upon it! Be- Rome burned.” “‘The peasants have no bread? cause it does...

The Oak Tree in the Garden July/August 2017 page 7 July 12-19 7-Day Sesshin at Mountain Gate. October 6-13 7-Day Sesshin at Mountain Deadline for applications is July 1. Gate. Deadline for applications is September 25. July 28-31 Regaining Balance Retreat for Wives/Female Partners of Veterans with October 19 - Jukai [Receiving of the Pre- PTSD, at Mountain Gate. This is part of cepts] To receive the Buddhist Precepts is a free outreach program to help veterans’ an important watershed for Zen practitioners; spouses deal with their own stress from their it expresses a deeper level of commitment to partner’s post-traumatic stress symptoms by practice, including The Long Maturation ele- teaching them tools that can make a differ- ment of practice. It is common to take the Pre- ence. cepts again and again, as each time they sink deeper into one’s psyche and are more active July 28-30 Weekend Sesshin led by Sozui- in one’s daily life. Mitra-roshi will lead the cer- sensei emony.

August 12 All-Day Sitting led by Sozui-sensei October 20-22 Weekend Sesshin, led by Mitra-roshi; Mitra-roshi expects to be at HVZC August 19-26 TTZC will be using HVZC’s October 17-24; this will be her final visit to zendo, dining hall and hut. During this time. HVZC of 2017, but of course members are al- HVZC Sangha sittings will take place during that ways welcome to come to Mountain Gate for a time in the Kannon Room at the Kannon-do. visit or to attend sesshin. Help is always welcome before and after this event, as kitchen items need to be moved to the October 31 - November 7 7-Day Sesshin at Kannon-do to allow room for TTZC supplies in Mountain Gate. Deadline for applications is the main HVZC kitchen. October 25.

August 24-31 7-Day Sesshin at Mountain November 30 - December 8 Rohatsu Gate. Deadline for applications is August 10. Sesshin at Mountain Gate. Deadline for ap- plications is November 15. September 29-October 1 Weekend Sesshin led by Sozui-sensei December 8-10 Rohatsu Weekend Sesshin; deadline for applications is December 1. This September 27-October 1 Regaining Bal- is one of the most optimal times for sesshin ance Retreat for Women Veterans with in the Buddhist world, and temples and cen- Post-Traumatic Stress, at Mountain Gate; ters everywhere are holding Rohatsu sesshin these retreats are only for women veterans di- ending on December 8th, the day the Bud- agnosed with post-traumatic stress. They are dha glanced at the morning star after seven full not Zen sesshin, but are part of a free, nonsec- days and nights of deepening meditation, and tarian outreach program of Mountain Gate, as had his profound Awakening. That week of are the monthly Day of Mindfulness: Medita- concentrated zazen under the Bo tree—known tion & Writing for Women Veterans, Active these days as the Trea of Enlightenment—is the Duty, and Family Members. For more infor- model for sesshin in general and the traditional mation on this last offering please go to www. Rohatsu sesshin—which begins November 31st sanmonjizen.org and ends December 8th—in particular.

The Oak Tree in the Garden is published bimonthly by Hidden Valley Zen Center, P. O. Box 1355, San Marcos CA 92079-1355; subscriptions are $20 per year for hard copy. Digital copies can be down- loaded for free; log onto our websites at www.hvzc.org and www.sanmonjizen.org.

A monk in all earnestness asked Joshu, “What is the meaning of ’s coming from the West? Joshu answered, “The oak tree in the garden!”