Nonthinking: Issho Fujita

By: Issho Fujita

When we refer to the qualities of…beyond thinking…we mean that sitting posture is (itself) beyond thinking and has no thought…not that we ourselves are. We will never be beyond thinking…as long as we live. What we can do is sit with the faith that zazen posture itself is Buddha, that zazen posture itself is beyond thinking.

We tend to think that we are sitting zazen. This is not the case. The entire universe is sitting zazen.

Note: Issho Fujita is a Soto Zen teacher who was the Abbott of Valley Zendo in western Massachusetts and the Director of Soto Zen International Center in Japan. This quote is taken from a talk given by Josho Pat Phelan.