By Bob Zeglovitch
I’ve begun working with some of the members of our sangha who are newer to Zen, giving some guidance on traditional Soto Zen meditation practice. In connection with this effort, I’m going to write a series of posts to capture some of the unique elements of this style. I’m hoping these posts will be of interest to others as well. My goal is to highlight one aspect of the practice in each post, although it may turn out that certain aspects deserve more than one post. I’ll do my best to keep the posts relatively short. This practice is subtle and deep. I don’t pretend that my entries will be fully comprehensive or an “authoritative word” on the matter! This posting is an introduction--I’ll move into the details of the practice in future entries.
There are many varieties of Buddhist meditation. It is perhaps an obvious point but it is worth saying anyway--they are not all the same practice! The core meditation practice in Soto Zen is shikantaza, or “just sitting.” This is sometimes referred to as a “methodless method.” The classic Zen texts on just sitting contain much commentary, with a lot of beautiful poetic language, but not too much detail on how the practice should be done. This is likely purposeful, because just sitting is not a step-by-step practice where you “get better.” You might say that it is more direct, more “immediate”. You are not concentrating or focusing on a particular object of your awareness, blocking out thoughts or the “outside world”, working with images, or reflecting on anything. You are not engaging in thinking (and yet thoughts may come and go). You are not trying to make anything happen or go away. But you are not indifferent or drifting off. You are “just sitting” with vital awareness of the totality of the ever unfolding present moment, together with the universe.
Of course, most of us come to meditation for a reason, trying to improve or to get something for ourselves. Our current cultural milieu supports this—I’m thinking in particular of the mindfulness movement and its emphasis on the clinical benefits of meditation. And we invariably want to know, “am I doing it right?” So the practice of just sitting presents us with some challenges and requires a major shift in perspective. Further, while this is not a goal oriented practice, we take care to avoid complacency or an attitude of “anything goes.”
For starters, you might just allow yourself to be curious about what it means to “just sit”. In Dogen’s seminal text Fukanzazengi (Universal Instructions for Zazen), he states: “This zazen [meditation] I speak of is not learning meditation. It is simply the dharma-gate of repose and bliss, the practice-realization of totally culminated enlightenment.” Can you allow yourself to sit like this right now, without trying to figure the meaning out or trying to achieve anything and regardless of what feelings of deficiency or lack you may have? Going forward we’ll try to flesh this out a bit. The complete text of Fukanzazengi is found on the Chants/Foundational Texts page of this website.
A historical note: The founder of the Soto lineage in Japan (referred to as Caodong in China, where it originated) was Eihei Dogen (1200-1253). Dogen’s great awakening, realized while practicing just sitting, took place in China, where he was studying under Tiantong Rujing (1163-1228). Another key figure in the lineage is Hongzhi Zhengue (1091-1157), a prior abbott at Rujing’s temple. Hongzhi taught the practice of “silent illumination”, which is essentially another name for shikantaza/just sitting. The just sitting practice has roots that go way back in the tradition of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China. Elements can be found in the writings of the eighth-century Chinese master Shitou Xiqiang (700-790) (the author of the Harmony of Difference and Equality) and his successor, Yaoshan Weiyan (745-820). (The text of the Harmony of Difference and Equality is found on the Chants/Foundational Texts page of this website). And the origins go back even further. We may return to some of these masters and their writing in future posts.