Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

[Jainarayan]

I just ordered it based on a recommendation in another post here. I'll tell you why I'm interested (do you really care? ).

My meditation technique leaves something to be desired. That is, I need practice and fine-tuning. After I perform my so-called puja and aarti at my shrine... my puja and aarti simply consists of prayers and mantras, and offering light to the deities, then a round or two of japa... I've begun to sit quietly at the shrine, eyes closed, chin or dhyāna mudrā and Burmese posture (even on cushions my feet fall asleep ).

I try to clear my mind and think of nothing except letting whatever (divine) energy come to me like a lightning rod. I sit there trying to absorb the devas' energy and blessings. I've had fleeting experiences of it working. I've ordered a brass Sudarshana (Sri Vishnu) yantra to meditate japa on. The yantra's energy surrounds you. I'm thinking that even during zazen, which I'm striving for, I should feel the Lord's presence and energy.

Thoughts, comments from the group?

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, is a book by Shunryu Suzuki roshi, who's from the Soto tradition. So the style of meditation that he teaches is shikantaza, or just sitting. Shikantaza is considered an advanced meditation practice, where one has no focus, or no goal; one sits just to sit, because, as Dogen Zenji stated, just sitting in meditation is to be Buddha.

I'm not quite sure how well that would mesh with what you've described, but I think it would be worth a shot.

 

[Jainarayan]

OK, I gotcha. I can review the book at the store before I take it (on-line order, pick up in store). I think you told me once before that shikantaza was advanced.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Something that might be of more interest to you, for your purposes, would be to check out Tibetan deity yoga, which is more in line, I think, with what you are trying to accomplish.

 

[Jainarayan]

Is that Vajrayana? I Googled Tibetan deity yoga and it gave me Vajrayana.

Edit: Vajrayana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Deity yoga

Hevajra and Nairātmyā, surrounded by a retinue of eight ḍākinīs. Marpa transmission.


Main article: Iṣṭa-devatā
Deity yoga (Tibetan: lha'i rnal 'byor; Sanskrit: Devata) is the fundamental Vajrayana practice. It is a sadhana in which practitioners visualize themselves as a deity or yidam. Deity Yoga brings the meditator to the experience of being one with the deity:

Deity Yoga employs highly refined techniques of creative imagination, visualisation, and photism in order to self-identify with the divine form and qualities of a particular deity as the union of method or skilful means and wisdom. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama says, "In brief, the body of a Buddha is attained through meditating on it".[33]
​

By visualizing oneself and one's environment entirely as a projection of mind, it helps the practitioner to become familiar with the mind's ability and habit of projecting conceptual layers over all experience. This experience undermines a habitual belief that views of reality and self are solid and fixed. Deity yoga enables the practitioner to release, or 'purify' him or herself from spiritual obscurations (Sanskrit: klesha) and to practice compassion and wisdom simultaneously.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Yeah, Tibetan Buddhism is the largest school in the Vajrayana tradition.

 

[Jainarayan]

I found it and edited my post.

Excerpt:

It is a sadhana in which practitioners visualize themselves as a deity or yidam. Deity Yoga brings the meditator to the experience of being one with the deity:

Deity Yoga employs highly refined techniques of creative imagination, visualisation, and photism in order to self-identify with the divine form and qualities of a particular deity as the union of method or skilful means and wisdom.
​

And in this context, it is Sri Vishnu/Krishna whom I am meditating on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishta-deva_(Buddhism)

In Vajrayana Buddhism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta-devata (Sanskrit: इष्टदेवत&#2366[1][2][3][4] (Yidam in Tibetan) is a fully enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation, during a retreat or for life. The term is often translated into English as tutelary deity, meditation deity, or meditational deity. The Ishta-deva appears in the 'Inner' refuge formula of the Three Roots and is also the key element of Deity Yoga since the 'deity' in the yoga is the Ishta-deva.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

I found it and edited my post.

Excerpt:



And in this context, it is Sri Vishnu/Krishna whom I am meditating on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishta-deva_(Buddhism)

Does that sound a little more like what you're trying to achieve?

 

[Jainarayan]

Yes, it comes full circle to what the goal of japa is... union with and vision of God. So I've had this in my power all along to practice. The Sudarshana yantra representing Sri Vishnu, along with its mantra would be used in place of a mandala. Of course a murti could be used too, but the yantra is blessed and energized to invoke the deity. Can things possibly be this simple and "in your face"!? Occam's Razor.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Yes, it comes full circle to what the goal of japa is... union with and vision of God. So I've had this in my power all along to practice. The Sudarshana yantra representing Sri Vishnu, along with its mantra would be used in place of a mandala. Of course a murti could be used too, but the yantra is blessed and energized to invoke the deity. Can things possibly be this simple and "in your face"!? Occam's Razor.

Sometimes, they are. And, at least in this case, it's a good thing.

 

[SageTree]

All that said... it's still a fantastic book to read.

There are short chapters/teachings that can be digested slowly.

It's not such an 'over all impression' of a book...
That is, while its connected in a tradition,
each reading is worth it's own merit.

Anyone with an open mind, like yourself, that reads it will most certainly get something out of it.

:namaste

 

[SageTree]

Also... I second the deity yoga practice mentioned.

 

[Jainarayan]

I just cracked open Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind to see if it is what I want. I have two weeks to return it. So far it looks good. It's a transcription of Suzuki-roshi's talks. In the first few pages he makes comments that are very Bhagavad Gita-sounding (action in in-action and a few other tidbits). I'm looking forward to getting the yantra to use as a focus of meditation. I find a mālā distracting. And because I am not initiated I'm not required to use one. Non-initiates can simply chant their mantra as many times as desired (or not). Btw, this is the yantra I keep going on about. This one is 2-dimensional and will be in a stand, but some are 3-dimensional. There is a yantra for almost any deity.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

I'm curious about the 'magen david' (star of David). Is that a traditional Hindu symbol? How far back does it date in Hindu usage?

 

[SageTree]

Seems like two triangles would get 'figured out' pretty quickly, no?

Good question, Brother.

 

[Jainarayan]

I'm curious about the 'magen david' (star of David). Is that a traditional Hindu symbol? How far back does it date in Hindu usage?

This explains the different symbols Yantra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The AUM is what I would visually focus on. You can blink as necessary, but not look away from the focal point. You get that peripheral vision blurring and eventually the whole thing blurs out as you get deep into it. Thus I have heard (no, he did not just use that phrase ).

 

[godnotgod]

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, by Shunryu Suzuki
​

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few."
Shunryu Suzuki, founder, San Francisco Zen Center

You can download the entire book for free in .pdf format here:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...IewU2H&sig=AHIEtbQJ6mw3W-Ne5XVhbo18fRfgq6XY2g

When the page opens, do not click on 'Download Original'. It won't work. Instead, under the heading 'zenmind.pdf', upper left, click on 'File', then 'Print(PDF)'. You will be presented with a choice to 'Open With' or 'Save File'. Click on 'Save File' and then choose your favorite download location. I tested the link, and it is good. This book is a classic. Enjoy!

 

[Jainarayan]

Thanks, I already have the hardcopy, but this is good for the computer at work or the phone.