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Current Schedule
All sittings are at 515 S. Prospect, Champaign (NW corner of Green and
Prospect).
Weekdays:
(Monday-Friday): 6:00 to 6:50 a.m.
Tuesdays: 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.
Class at 8:00 p.m.
Thursdays: 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.
Dokusan available
Saturdays: 8:00 to 9:00 a.m.
Unstructured, sit or do slow kinhin as you wish
Sunday Mornings: (dokusan available)
8:45. Samu
(cleaning/set up)
9:00 Service
9:20 Zazen & Kinhin
(sitting and walking meditiation)
10:00 Introduction for newcomers
11:00 Dharma talk
You are welcome to join Sundays sittings at the beginning of any sitting
period. An introduction to Zen practice is available during the 10:00 a.m.
sitting period. This schedule is approximate; please arrive early. Please
wait until the beginning of walking meditation and enter the zendo at that
time. During sesshin, the regular schedule is suspended.
Phone Schedule
Out-of-towners can reach Elihu at these times:
Mondays: 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Tuesdays: 7:20 to 7:55 p.m.
Thursdays: 7:20 to 8:00 p.m.
The Center is closed the day before and the day after sesshin, all phone
interviews are also canceled on those days.
Phone, Web & E-Mail
Phone - (217)355-8835
Web Site - http://www.prairiezen.org
E-Mail - pzc@prairiezen.org
Website Articles
For your information, our website has Dharma talks and other material not
included in newsletters. Please visit at your leisure. |
"Other people's practice
is none of your business"
Schedule of Upcoming
Events
April 11th - Buddha's Birthday Service, 9:00 a.m.
April 17th - All-Day Sitting, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
April 17th - PZC Board Meeting, 4:00 p.m.
April 24th - Spring Clean-Up
May 9th - Mother's Day Service, 9:00 a.m.
May 26th to 31st - Sesshin
Tuesday Night Class -
Dharma in Film
This class began on January
27 and explores Dharma practice themes expressed in films. The class is in 2 parts - one week the film
is viewed at Rob Ore’s home and the
second week we sit in the zendo at 7:30 p.m. and then explore the
themes of the film. Rob’s address is 2508 Bedford Drive in Champaign.
March 30 Film (R. Ore’s)
April 6 No class
April 13 Zendo
April 20 Film (R. Ore’s)
April 27 Zendo
May 4 Last film (R. Ore’s)
May 11 Zendo
Bequest Supports Appreciated
The Prairie Zen Center can be included among your bequests if you wish to
include us in your will and financial arrangements. These bequests can be
for general financial needs or specify how the bequest will be used, such
as capital improvement and specific projects, outreach programs and so
forth. If you wish more information about this way to support practice,
please contact Elihu or the Treasurer, Rob Ore.
Thank You.
Acknowledgement of
Contributions
If you
contributed more than $40 to the Zen Center in 2003 and have not received
a letter of acknowledgement but would like to, please write to Rob Ore at
acct@prairiezen.org or our post office box and include your mailing
address. Thank you to all for your generous gifts last year. |
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First Pure Precept: Non-Harming
(edited Dharma talk by Elihu Genmyo Smith)
Each of us is fully embodying this truth that we are, that is our life.
Zazen is complete and whole. It doesn't need extras, like Dharma talks,
explanations, or all sorts of other things. Life as is is complete and
whole. Nevertheless, all sorts of supports enable us to be just this that
we are. So I will say a few words this morning as supports and
encouragement.
The Three Pure Precepts are non-harming, doing good, doing good for
others. Sometimes the first is translated, "refrain from evil", or "not
doing evil". You could translate it that way except that with the word
"evil” we have all sorts of connotations and denotations which can mislead
us so that the Pure Precept becomes an entanglement of more thoughts and
beliefs to which we attach. So I say "non-harming", maintaining
"non-harming", which is maintaining who we truly are. Just doing zazen,
all precepts are taken care of. No need to talk about anything. All the
Paramitas are taken care of right here. And yet, being just this moment,
we discover all sorts of emotion-thought that we are caught up in, notions
of self and others arising. So I will talk on "non-harming".
Usually, we understand the precept of non-harming as referring to "self"
harming others. This is one side. Just as important is to see the side of
the precept related to the belief of harm coming to “self,” what we
believe can harm us. Despite the fact that we are non-harming, we believe
“my self” can be harmed. We don't see how holding to that belief in and of
itself harms. Holding to beliefs about how and what will be harmed, this
precept of non-harming is not maintained. It is not a matter of theory or
concept. Fear is inherent in holding these beliefs, in the seeming
naturalness of these bodily beliefs. It is only the beliefs and reactions
that cut off the Awakened Way. This precept enables us to notice what we
are believing and how we are reacting – and to make the appropriate effort
of practice, experiencing, of being exactly this life we are, this
Buddha-functioning.
Some aspects of harming are easy to see. "I will be harmed if I get ill."
Sometimes it is easy to say, "too much pain, too much cold," without
looking closely if it is really too much. We may think these seem
self-evident. And yet even in what seems self-evident there is an aspect
of non-harming to clarify and practice. Yes, we get old, get weak and pain
arises. All sorts of physically or emotionally painful circumstances
arise. In fact, it is guaranteed in being human, being conditioned.
Illness is difficult, pain hurts, sometimes terribly so. It is hard to
inhabit, to tolerate. And yet, if we look, we can see what we have added
on, we believe, notions of how the circumstances and conditions harm us
over and above the actual pain. What is the harm of illness? What is the
harm of pain? Look closely. This is not a matter of saying, "no, I
shouldn't believe that I am harmed." Just the opposite. It is a matter of
seeing and really embodying the belief moment, noticing and opening bodily
up to experiencing. Over and above the ache of hunger, is it “I am harmed
if I am hungry?" Is it "I am harmed when muscles ache, when sick?"
Emotional circumstances also get mixed with ideas of harm. "I am harmed by
them speaking that way about me, disagreeing." "I am harmed when he
doesn't like me, when she thinks she is smarter." Noticing and
experiencing, maintaining non-harming, does not stop acting and responding
to any circumstances. However, it shines a light on the harm and fear that
we create, add on and react to in the midst of the circumstances, the
so-called harm to our "self" by others. Believing harm, that much we are
cut off from life. Some of this is self-evident, easily seen, some is more
subtle.
One of my teachers, Soen Nakagawa Roshi, was Abbot of Ryutaku-ji, a
monastery in Japan. Nevertheless, he still did sesshin with Harada Roshi,
clarifying his practice. In fact, he was criticized by some people; "Why
are you going for sesshin to another Roshi? You are Abbot, you have
monks.” Nevertheless, he would go, as well as do private retreats as a
hermit. Always polishing, clarifying his practice. During or after one of
these sesshin he “had” a "great" enlightenment. Several months after that,
he told his monks the following, which I will paraphrase. Soen Roshi often
went to Tokyo and elsewhere to lead zazen meetings. On the train, there
was an elderly woman who, whenever she saw him, would come over and talk
about all sorts of things. She would chatter on endlessly, tell him about
her family, all the gossip, and so on. He didn't particularly look forward
to this. He would sit there, be very nice and polite about it, but, to put
words in his mouth, "Ah well, I'll put up with her." You all know about
this sort of thing. I am sure there are people you meet who go on and on
about whatever. Though one may say “emptiness of all forms, oneness of
multitude of dharmas,” this remains conceptual, even if you try to “act”
it out – it is not actualized as your life. And though you are polite and
even friendly, there is a trace of annoyance. After this enlightenment
experience, Soen Roshi said he noticed that when he encountered the old
woman he was delighted to see her. When she started talking, there was not
even a trace of annoyance. In fact, just the opposite: he felt enormous
love for her just as she was. Circumstances and conditions did not change;
she did not change, and he did not do anything different, and yet, just of
itself, something was completely transformed. Being just this moment
compassion. This is non-harming – nothing in the universe that is not our
self. There is nothing that can harm us, there is nothing that can be
harmed; this compassion and love that is who we are naturally manifests.
The verse on this precept of non-harming is clear, “It is the dwelling
place of all the Buddhas, Dharma and precepts, the very source of all the
Buddhas, Dharma and precepts.” What is this? Life is our opportunity to
clarify and actualize this.
I bring this matter up not to add any new rules, but to point out that
maintaining non-harming is being who we are. When my teacher Maezumi Roshi
gave Jukai (precepts), he asked over and over, “will you maintain this
well? Will you really maintain this well?” Maintaining is not adding
something new. It is being who we are, what life is. Unfortunately,
self-centeredness keeps us from maintaining this well. This is our ongoing
practice effort, our life effort, to maintain well this all inclusive Pure
Precept that is the source and dwelling of our life. Clarifying this
enables us to see a little bit when traces of beliefs about “what can harm
us” arise. Of course, we also notice thoughts/beliefs about all the things
in the universe, people, beings and events that we don't like, that we
want to do something about, we want to “harm.” Actions involving physical
“harm” seem easy to see. But even with thought/mind reactions, it is vital
to notice harming of so-called others. Notice our anger, upset with
persons, events, the condition of this body-mind. These various aspects of
harming are sides of the same thing. We want to harm when we feel we are
harmed, when fear arises. If we feel harmed, there is a trace of wanting
to harm, believing harm. This is not a matter of blame or judgment. It is
a perspective to notice beliefs, since only in holding to beliefs and
thoughts do we cut off from this life that we are right now.
Harming may arise in our sitting or in all sorts of circumstances.
Sitting, practicing, we notice the thoughts/beliefs that arise which we
pursue, cling or attach to. We each have our own way of functioning and
therefore need to practice with this as is appropriate for this body-mind
functioning we are. All the precepts are like this. The whole practice is
like this. This zazen is being this body-mind-world that we are, our own
practice is this experiencing. And it is more than adequate to fill our
life, to sustain and nourish us. Yet, it is easy to miss because most of
what we learn in our culture encourages us to believe harming and being
harmed, evil done to us and who we need to do things to. Yes, events
result in hurt. But almost imperceptibly, along with pain, comes this side
of emotion-thought, "I am being harmed." This is our practice opportunity.
We maintain non-harming by noticing as we are caught up in it. Noticing as
we are caught up is the opportunity of experiencing, to be bodily this moment. My
teacher Joko Beck has an expression, "Stop and pop."
"Stop" is noticing being caught up in or holding to emotion-thought;
noticing is the "stop" of the moment.
And "pop" into this moment; open into this body-mind moment,
bodily experiencing. Having a
nice phrase is of value when it leads to our practice effort of this moment.
Zazen is that opportunity for all of us sitting here, nurturing life, to
inhabit this compassionate life that we are, being just this moment.
I bring this up to encourage us in our practice effort, during formal
sitting, walking, and throughout the day. Clarifying what we do, this is
the opportunity of being together - to embody this life that we are, this
moment.
Thank you.
© 2004 Elihu Genmyo Smith
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