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Zen Buddhism is an ancient tradition
that has its origins with the teachings of Buddha. A story is
told that he was asked to give a talk to a number of people.
Instead of speaking, he held up a flower. Tradition tells us
that this was the beginning of Zen. The simplicity, directness,
practicality, compassion and peace of this little story conveys
the spirit of Zen. Buddha's teaching is the same teaching given
at the Montreal Zen Center for more than twenty five years.
Vigilance is the path to life eternal, and thoughtlessness
the path to death. The vigilant do not die, the thoughtless are
as dead already.
-Buddha
The center of gravity of our practice is our everyday life.
Members are expected to have a regular practice at home. They
must also realize that the value of the practice is expressed
in their everyday lives with their families and friends, in their
activities at work, and in all other dealings that they have
with people. One of the more celebrated Zen sayings is: "Everyday
mind is the Way."
We do not look for any special spiritual experience, vision,
revelation or ecstasy. We can awaken; we can come to see that
we are not a thing, a body, a soul, a person, or even a spirit.
Fundamentally we are beyond all forms and ideas. This freedom
is called satori and satori, seeing into our true nature,
is the teaching of our tradition.
The Way may well be long and difficult. Along the Way we must
develop care and attention in everything that we do. The following
quotation, which stresses this need for care and attention, is
taken from a talk given by Zen master Dogen, a 12th Century Japanese
Zen Master. Although it was addressed to the monks working in
the monastery kitchen, it is equally applicable to all our activities:
"When washing the rice, remove any sand you find. In doing
so, do not lose a grain of rice. Pay full attention to your work
in preparing the meal; attend to every aspect yourself so that
it may turn out well. Clean the forks, ladles and all other utensils;
handle them with equal care and awareness, putting back everything
where it naturally belongs. Keep your mind on your work and do
not throw things around. When you prepare your food never view
the ingredients from some commonly held perspective, nor think
about them only with your emotions. Maintain an attitude that
tries to build great temples from ordinary greens, that expounds
the Buddha dharma through the most trivial activity. Handle even
a single leaf of a green in such a way that it manifests the
body of Buddha. This in turn allows the Buddha to manifest through
the leaf. This is a power which you cannot grasp with your rational
mind. It operates freely according to the situation, in a most
natural way. At the same time, this power functions in our lives
to clarify and settle activities and is beneficial to all living
beings. "
Local members can attend daily practice at the Center which
take place both in the mornings and the evenings.
The morning sittings start at 6:30 and continue until 7:30
from Monday to Friday.
On Monday and Tuesday evenings the sitting begins at 7:30 and
continues until 9:30. The two hours are divided into three 35
minute periods of zazen, with kinhin (walking meditation) in
between. On Wednesday evening the sitting begins at 7.30 and
continues until 9.00. In this case the one and half hours are
divided into three 25 minute periods of zazen, with walking meditation
in between the periods. The evenings all end with chanting and
prostrations.
During the evening sittings the teacher, Albert Low, gives
personal instruction (dokusan) to those who wish to have this
instruction.
Once each month, except for July and August, a sesshin is
held. "Sesshin", a Japanese word, which means roughly "one
mind" gives the members an opportunity to join together
for an intense period of zazen, a kind of retreat. These sesshins
last 2, 3 or 7 days. Albert Low presides over the seven day sesshins,
while the two and three day sesshins are presided over by assistant
teachers. The two-day sesshin is an introductory sesshin and
all who wish to attend sesshin must first have been to a two-day
sesshin. The sesshins are very intensive and silence is maintained
throughout the entire time.
To become a member one must attend an introductory workshop.
These are given by Albert Low and a senior student four
times a year (see the Calendar). Workshops
are followed by Beginners' Courses which are given on Thursday
evenings.
Q. What is the principle concern of the one wearing the Buddhist
robes?
A. Not to deceive himself.
- Joshu
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