Friday, September 01, 2006

Shikantaza

The first method to be introduced is perhaps one of the most straightforward yet challenging. Drawn from the Soto (T'sao Dong Ch'an) lineage of the Zen tradition (founded by Dogen Zenji in the 1200s), Shikantaza (or mo-chao) is the art of 'just sitting' with the mind in a state of non-thought, a state Dogen found was distinct from not-thinking. The foundation of the process is that enlightenment is not a goal to be strived towards but a constant and integral state of being which the execution of pure mindfulness and non-attachment shall reveal.

A few chapters of the Zen master's most notable work, the Shobogenzo, are directly applicable here. The translation of the zazengi along with notes and introduction may be found here. I dug up a more practical guide to the practice given by a master Sheng-yen from an old Ch'an newsletter which may be found here.

Try it out at your leisure and look out for the e-mail regarding the time of the meeting.
Until then...

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