Not Five Reflections
If people truly wish to accomplish the truth, that is, to realize not only balance of the autonomic nervous system but the supreme integral awakening of Gautama Buddha under the bodhi tree, what is really important?
According to Master Dogen’s fundamental teaching, what is really important is not to recite the five reflections of go-kan-no-ge, but to practice Zazen, dropping off body and mind.
When I was in Japan Gudo always recommended me not to think but just to do. But from Alexander work in England I understood that whatever I do, I do on the basis of my unreliable feeling.
So from Alexander work I learned the opposite principle: not to do but to think.
Then finally I could understand Master Dogen’s teaching to sit in the full lotus posture bodily, mentally, and as body and mind dropping off.
Therefore my understanding of Fukan-zazen-gi is that Master Dogen first instructs us to do something -- to sit upright in the full lotus posture in the traditional manner. Then, once the physical act of sitting upright has been regulated, and the body has been deprived of oxygen once and swayed left and right, Master Dogen instructs us to think.
Not to think about, not an an intellectual reflection, as in go-kan-no-ge. But to think. To think the target. In other words, to make in Zazen a mental effort, going against the stream of habitual thought, to think the target that inaccurate thinking and unreliable feeling cannot hit.
Thus, physically sitting in the full lotus posture and thinking the target that we cannot hit, we open ourselves to the possibility of the target hitting us, which Master Dogen called body and mind dropping off.
I think that the new rule of Gudo’s blog is no long comments but just short questions. Knowingly to break the rule might be too arrogant, so I will post this on my own blog.
According to Master Dogen’s fundamental teaching, what is really important is not to recite the five reflections of go-kan-no-ge, but to practice Zazen, dropping off body and mind.
When I was in Japan Gudo always recommended me not to think but just to do. But from Alexander work in England I understood that whatever I do, I do on the basis of my unreliable feeling.
So from Alexander work I learned the opposite principle: not to do but to think.
Then finally I could understand Master Dogen’s teaching to sit in the full lotus posture bodily, mentally, and as body and mind dropping off.
Therefore my understanding of Fukan-zazen-gi is that Master Dogen first instructs us to do something -- to sit upright in the full lotus posture in the traditional manner. Then, once the physical act of sitting upright has been regulated, and the body has been deprived of oxygen once and swayed left and right, Master Dogen instructs us to think.
Not to think about, not an an intellectual reflection, as in go-kan-no-ge. But to think. To think the target. In other words, to make in Zazen a mental effort, going against the stream of habitual thought, to think the target that inaccurate thinking and unreliable feeling cannot hit.
Thus, physically sitting in the full lotus posture and thinking the target that we cannot hit, we open ourselves to the possibility of the target hitting us, which Master Dogen called body and mind dropping off.
I think that the new rule of Gudo’s blog is no long comments but just short questions. Knowingly to break the rule might be too arrogant, so I will post this on my own blog.
posted by Mike Cross at 11:47 AM
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