Breath Counting

June 18, 2009 Will Simpson

"Breath Counting" number 79 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

When I first start actually regularly sitting, and not just reading and thinking about Zen, breath counting was my practice. I was surprised at how difficult and subtle a practice breath counting was.

Counting the breaths helped me with composure and centering. It felt like a beginners practice and as a beginner I benefited from counting breaths. I was never successful at staying with breath counting for any length of time over two or three cycles of ten breaths.

Once I met my teacher and started working with him, he set me on a koan path and we never talked of breath counting.

Coming back to breath counting this morning, I notice I have built up some zazen composure and was able to stay with counting my breath for the entire sitting period. Only drifted off a few times but only for a single breath before catching those sneaky thoughts as they tempt me to follow them rather than my breath. Good stuff this breath watching. I see what competes with and overlays my luminous mind.

Breath counting for me is 'breath in', 'breath out' while saying quietly to myself 'one', then repeat with 'two', and 'three' and so on. Keep eyes open and feel the sensations of the breath on the nose, throat, chest and abdomen. Listen carefully for the thoughts that will surly creep in. Don't entertain them and keep counting the breaths.

This could be said to be the beginners beginning practice as counting breaths is richer and deeper than how I've described it. It is surprising where it leads. Eventually the counting stop and the breathing continues.

For a richer understanding of Zen breath practice, check out Dosho Mike Port's blog post "Snow and Breath". In the post Mike points to breath.

With practice, one can get pretty competent counting the breath and stay with the experience of breath for long periods.
Dainin Katagiri said "Zazen is not to follow the breath."
Dogen said only to "breathe softly through the nose" in his zazen recommendations for everyone.
Rujing, Dogen's teacher said "Breath enters and reaches the tanden [hara], and yet there is no place from which it comes. Therefore, it is neither long nor short. Breath emerges from the tanden [hara], and yet there is nowhere it goes. Therefore it is neither short nor long."
Dosho Mike Port said "...breath is not inside or outside. Breath is right in the midst of the functioning of zazen. You think that by zazen you will become the breath. At that time, breath is already outside. When you feel breath by zazen you feel breath inside. But this isn’t real breath. Next moment it disappears. Real breath is blooming from moment to moment, not in the idea, but in the midst of the process of zazen."
Will says "counting your breath starts you on the path to what Katagiri, Dogen, Rujing and Port describe." Dive in and join the fun!

Any error or confusion created by my commentary on
Miniatures of a Zen Master
is solely a reflection of my own delusion and ignorance.
Any merit generated by this activity is solely the result of
Aitken Roshi's clear teaching and is dedicated to
all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas throughout space and time.

Shin-jin Datsu Raku

June 17, 2009 Will Simpson

"Shin-jin Datsu Raku" number 78 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Shin-jin Datsu Raku is "body and mind fall away." What are this body and mind being fallen away. These refer to attachments, distractions and the neuronal gossip of life in our bodys with our own minds. Three quotes to help clearify. One attributed to the Buddha, one to Aitken Roshi and one by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche via Tricycle's Daily Dharma email newsletter.

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The Buddha said, “Luminous is this mind, brightly shining, but it is colored by attachments that visit it. This unlearned people do not really understand, and so do not cultivate the mind. Luminous is this mind, brightly shining, and it is free of the attachments that visit it. This the noble follower of the way really understands; so for them there is cultivation of the mind.”

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Aitken Roshi said, “It may seem to us that there are things more important than counting the breaths, breathing Mu or the salient point of a particular koan. But in fact all these thing are simply distractions.”

____

"The neuronal gossip that keeps you from seeing your mind in its fullness doesn’t really change the fundamental nature of your mind. Thoughts like “I’m ugly,” “I’m stupid,” or “I’m boring” are nothing more than a kind of biological mud, temporarily obscuring the brilliant qualities of Buddha nature, or natural mind."

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Oh! Time for breakfast.

Put God on the Shelf

June 16, 2009 Will Simpson

"Put God on the Shelf" number 77 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

What can we do about this question of God? The question of God in Zen is like the question of a supernova in proctology. Put ideas of God aside. Without saying God or no God, doubt is resolved by being intimate, dancing with life, practicing the never ending practice.

Yesterday, we looked at a small part of Dogen's Genjokoan. "To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things." In a recent podcast, Jay Rinsen Weik gave some practical instructions on how to study the self and work with what comes up.

"Well, the interesting thing is, that where that difficulty is, when you're honest, is the edge of our practice. That's where the edge is for you."
- Rinsen

Looking at the specifics of the edge of what we can accept is the way deeper into the practice. We don't want to hear that. We want everything to comfortable and familiar. We know that coasting is antithesis of practice. And yet, we don't hear enough encouragement to do this edge practice. For me and probably others, there is a strong pulling towards the results of a deeper more energetic practice and a deep confusion about the practical mechanics of the transitions needed to move towards a deeper practice.

Well folks, here is the skinny. When I get frustrated by the clutter at home and blame my life partner, when her TV watching habit annoys me, when all the undone chores of home-ownership weight me down, these define the current edge of the comfortable and small me. This is my work, my way into a deeper practice. Going off to some long retreat is not the way into a deeper practice. Doing retreats from time to time can help me be prepared to plunge deeper, but it is only when I get to that edge and step into what has been named difficult, only then will I actually penetrate deeper.

Thank you Rinsen. May all beings be happy. May all beings be safe.

Zazen for the Mentally Unstable

June 15, 2009 Will Simpson

"Zazen for the Mentally Unstable" number 76 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Zenkei Shibayama Roshi said, "Zazen is for the person whose mental health is especially vigorous." In other words zazen is not for wimps. Anyone who has done a traditional sesshin can confirm this.

Yesterday I went to a talk by Reverend Zensho Roberson, a priest in the Soto Zen Order of Buddhist Contemplatives from St. Maries, Idaho. Beautiful. The short zazen period was impressive in its stillness. The room was crowded and there was a wide level of sitting experience. Kinhin was a bit awkward but it worked. Next time I'll record the talk and maybe suggest we chant "On Opening the Dharma" and do "Great Vows" at the end. We were a bit informal but it worked. Thank you to the cosmos!

Zensho Roberson talked eloquently and concretely about Dogen's instruction from the Genjokoan.

To study the buddha way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be actualized by myriad things. When actualized by myriad things, your body and mind as well as the bodies and minds of others drop away. No trace of realization remains, and this no-trace continues endlessly.

There is a ton to work with just in these few sentences.

I found a surprisingly geeky resource for studying the Genjokoan. Eight English translation of the Genjokoan all together in a single document. What is especially geeky about this setup is that for each stanza in each translation there is on the right direct links to the same stanza in all of the other translations. So any stanza can be easily and quickly be compared and contrasted with any other translation. Super cool.

The Attitude toward Dr. Suzuki

June 14, 2009 Will Simpson

"The Attitude toward Dr. Suzuki" number 75 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

Dr. Suzuki (1870-1966) was a scholar and lay-student of Shaku Soen. He was a prolific writer and translator. He influenced many of the important characters of the 50's and 60's. Here I'll do some name dropping. Carl Jung, John Cage, Erich Fromm, Huston Smith, Gary Snyder, Frederick Franck, Thomas Merton, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Alan Watts and our friend Robert Aitken.

Dr. Suzuki was not without his detractors. Some felt his empasis on satori and kensho as being the end all of Zen was wrong. Together they just mark the beginning, "if that."

In today's miniature, Maezumi Roshi is quoted as often saying, "I never passed my first koan."

I love this juxtaposition of the emphasis on satori and Maezumi's "I never passed my first koan." I would rather be a mature practitioner than pass all the koans, achieve satori and have kensho experiences. None of these are required.

And yet satori happens. My practice is mine and will be what ever it is.

What Happens after Death

June 13, 2009 Will Simpson

"What Happens after Death" number 74 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

What happens after death? We don't really know, but we'll find out soon enough. Does this answer satisfy? Maybe.

There is the phenomenal side of our death. The circumstance of our death will be whatever it is. Most of the time we don't wonder about how we will die, what the process will be. We only wonder about after...

What about before? Why is that we don't wonder and worry about before our birth? Won't after life be just like before life? While we might be, to varying degrees, anxious about our death, we are not at all anxious about our birth? In fact, I've never before this considered that my birthing might have been an anxiety producing event. Imagine, being before conception and consider 'what happens in life?' Where does this get you?

Confused and uncertain? Good!

Today I added a link that opened up a small collection of audio talks by my teacher, Jack Duffy. These were recorded at various sesshins. Have a listen and if there are questions or problems, let me know.

My Damned Mother

June 12, 2009 Will Simpson

"My Damned Mother" number 73 of 200 from Robert Aitken's book Miniatures of a Zen Master.

In this miniature, Aitken Roshi points out how our self-righteousness prevents us from experiencing the support our circumstances present for zazen. There are two things going on here.

First, biggest problem is self-righteousness or the desire to be the right self or the thought that it is right and true that I am or have a self. This is the first mistake, the root cause of suffering and delusion. All other hindrances follow.

Second, we take for granted the vast circumstances that have come to gather in order for us to be. To have the opportunity to practice is the greatest blessing.

This is a video response to a hecklers assertion that Atheists find life meaningless and have nothing to celebrate. At the end of this short video Neil deGrasse Tyson gives a wonderful and impassioned answer to what everyone can celebrate. Even me.