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**Izzy** · 11-26-2010, 04:46 AM

Hi OMG,

Maybe Zen found me... or we met together... don't know... but I practice Soto Zen which main concern is sitting meditation known as Zazen and Shikantaza. If you feel meditation at the core of your needs so to develop mindfulness and Right View, I highly recommend the Soto Zen tradition.

Soto shares some Mahayana literature but has been set appart form any sort of idealism, mainly the one of the Bodhisattva. Our main Ancestor is Dogen Zenji and many of our ceremonies we perform at the dojo are around his teachings like the Bendowa, Genjo Koan and the Eight Satoris. Also we have some other teachings left by earlier Ancestors like "The Sandokai" written by Sekito Kisen; Seng Ts-an's On The Faith of Mind and the writings of Bodhidharma at the foundations of Zen understanding and the Ten Bulls which are a the guidelines to develop mindfulness in accordance to Zen.

Particularly, the Soto School with which I practice, founded by Taizan Maetzumi Roshi, works with the main teachings of the Buddha; the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path with Zazen and Shikantaza as the core practice. We are not entangled with Rebirth and Kamma issues; we consider them as non fundamental concepts for the practice of sitting meditation; but we do not deny them.

More less this is about the tradition I have embraced.

Here are members that hold different traditions so you can have a wide perspective of what the historical Buddha taught.

A wonderfull book, in my opinion, is Zen Flesh, Zen Bones by Paul Reps. This book is not a particular opinion of an assumed enlightened Roshi but is a wonderfull collection of the foremost wonderfull Zen literature that brings you the chance to develop your own insight. This book comments the 10 Bulls in a beautiful way... so I would like to share the first one with you anytime you maybe are at the search into what the Buddha taught:

The Search for the Bull

In the pasture of this world, I endlessly push
aside the tall grasses in search of the Bull.

Following unnamed rivers, lost upon the interpenetrating
paths of distant mountains,
my strength failing and my vitality exhausted,
I can not find the Bull.

I only hear the locusts chirring through the
forest at night.

Comment: The Bull never have been lost. What need is there to search? Only because of separation from my true nature, I fail to find him. In the confusion of the senses I lose even his tracks. Far from home, I see many crossroads, but which way is the right I know not. Greed and fear, good and bad entangle me.

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones,
Paul Reps

The relationship of a Zen teacher and a Zen student is just that... I is strange and uncommon to see a Roshi telling you what to do and where to go. So for people needed to have a very personal guidance Zen is not good.

11-26-2010, 04:46 AM	#5
Izzy Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 652 Senior Member	Hi OMG, Maybe Zen found me... or we met together... don't know... but I practice Soto Zen which main concern is sitting meditation known as Zazen and Shikantaza. If you feel meditation at the core of your needs so to develop mindfulness and Right View, I highly recommend the Soto Zen tradition. Soto shares some Mahayana literature but has been set appart form any sort of idealism, mainly the one of the Bodhisattva. Our main Ancestor is Dogen Zenji and many of our ceremonies we perform at the dojo are around his teachings like the Bendowa, Genjo Koan and the Eight Satoris. Also we have some other teachings left by earlier Ancestors like "The Sandokai" written by Sekito Kisen; Seng Ts-an's On The Faith of Mind and the writings of Bodhidharma at the foundations of Zen understanding and the Ten Bulls which are a the guidelines to develop mindfulness in accordance to Zen. Particularly, the Soto School with which I practice, founded by Taizan Maetzumi Roshi, works with the main teachings of the Buddha; the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path with Zazen and Shikantaza as the core practice. We are not entangled with Rebirth and Kamma issues; we consider them as non fundamental concepts for the practice of sitting meditation; but we do not deny them. More less this is about the tradition I have embraced. Here are members that hold different traditions so you can have a wide perspective of what the historical Buddha taught. A wonderfull book, in my opinion, is Zen Flesh, Zen Bones by Paul Reps. This book is not a particular opinion of an assumed enlightened Roshi but is a wonderfull collection of the foremost wonderfull Zen literature that brings you the chance to develop your own insight. This book comments the 10 Bulls in a beautiful way... so I would like to share the first one with you anytime you maybe are at the search into what the Buddha taught: The Search for the Bull In the pasture of this world, I endlessly push aside the tall grasses in search of the Bull. Following unnamed rivers, lost upon the interpenetrating paths of distant mountains, my strength failing and my vitality exhausted, I can not find the Bull. I only hear the locusts chirring through the forest at night. Comment: The Bull never have been lost. What need is there to search? Only because of separation from my true nature, I fail to find him. In the confusion of the senses I lose even his tracks. Far from home, I see many crossroads, but which way is the right I know not. Greed and fear, good and bad entangle me. Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, Paul Reps The relationship of a Zen teacher and a Zen student is just that... I is strange and uncommon to see a Roshi telling you what to do and where to go. So for people needed to have a very personal guidance Zen is not good.
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