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TheTinyBookof

StoppingandLooking
byVen.ShikaiZuikoosho
aSeriesofThreeDharmaTalks
Zazenji,February1996

Talk1:Samatha

Goodmorning.

Well,hereyouaresittingintheZendoatZazenji,doingourpractice.Shojonoshu:realizedpractice.Thepracticeof
alignmentwithwhatistruethroughopeningtoexperienceasitiswithoutmanipulationorstrategy.Anzansenseisays:"The
rootpracticeisAwarenessitself."

Dogenzenjisaysthatthispracticeisthepracticeofshikantaza.Whichmeans,"sittingexertssitting"oreven"sitting
strikessitting"or"sittingasBANG!"Anzansensei:says,

Zendoesnotoffersomelittletechniquethatonecando.Itdoesnotoffersomeshiningbaublethatonecan
playwith.Itdemands,instead,everythingthatyouareinordertoreceivewhatZenoffers...Ourpracticeisnot
aboutmeditationitisaboutrealization...

OurpracticeistherealizationofAwareSpace,ofAwakeAwareness,ofBuddhawhichhasbeendirectlyandintimately
TransmittedfromTeachertostudent,fromBuddhatoBuddha.Buddhistmeditationontheotherhand,ismeditationdoneby
Buddhists...anditisveryimportantthatwedonotstrayintothis.

Anzansenseioftensays,"Itisimportantthatweunderstandourpractice.Ifwemisunderstandourpractice,wewillpractice
ourmisunderstandings."

Allformsofmeditationcanbedividedintotwotypes:SamathaandVipasyana.TheRatnamegasutra(CloudofJewelssutra)
(DiscourseLikeaCloudofJewels)definesthesequitesimply."Samathaisconcentration.Vipasyanaisanalysisofdetailsof
experience."

Mostmeditationsaresamatha.Literally:"abidingincalm."Thecreationofstatesofconcentration,statesofcalm.Dogen
zenjicalledthis"selftranquillization"

Vipasyanaisobservingoranalysingexperiences,understandingthroughlookingdeeply.

Buddhistmeditationcaninvolveeither,butusuallyboth,withsamathabeingcultivatedasabasisforvipasyana.In
Kamalashila'sStagesofMeditationitsays,"Havingpacifieddistractiontowardsexternalobjects,oneabidesinamental
stateofsupplenessanddelightsininternalfocusing."

TheSuppleness,althoughitsoundsattractive,ismentalspacefoldingintoitself,foldinginlikeacontortionist.Nowthisis
whatwedoallthetime,notjustwhenwearesitting.Thisiswhenattentionmovesintoandfocusesonobjectsof
attention.

"Havingthisstateofcalmandabidingtherein,oneinvestigatesitsSuchness.Thisiscalledvipasyana."

Nowfocusinginandinterpretinganyparticularstateofmindasbeingmoremeaningfulortruethananyotherstateis
dangerous:becauseallstatescomeandgo.Andapproachingpracticeasagradualcultivationofparticularstates,acquiring
thisandgettingridofthat,isanapproacheasilyco optedbyselfimage.

JamgonKongtrulLodroThayeinhisTreasuryofKnowledgesaysthatsamathaisliketheoilinalamp,vipasyanaislikethe
flame.Thus,firstonecultivatessamathaandthengivesrisetovipasyanaAnothertakeonthismetaphorwhichcuts
throughthegradualistapproachimplicitinthis,wastoldtomebyAnzansensei.Hesaidthatsamathaisthethinshellof
glassprotectingtheflameofinsightfromthewindofhabitualtendencies.Theycanandshouldbepracticedtogether.A
littlesamathaisjustbeingsincere,steady.Mostly,oneshouldjustlookclearlyatwhat'sgoingonInChinesesamathaand
vipasyanaarecalledshiandguanandinJapaneseshiandkan.

Inbothcasestheymeanstoppingandlooking.

Nowtheymaysoundthesameastheshikaninshikantazabutthey'renot.Andthisisimportant.Theyaredifferent
characters,differentmeanings,differentpractice.

ChineseTiantaiMasterZhiyiwhodiedin598C.E.presentedaverycomprehensivebodyofworkonshikan.Thiswasin
Chinese,theMoHoShiGuaninJapaneseMajaShiKan.AndthistheSenseitranslatesintoEnglishasTheBigBookof
StoppingandLooking.

ZhiyiwaslateracclaimedastheFourthAncestoroftheTiantaischool.SevenhundredyearslaterDogenzenjireceived
TransmissionfromRujingatTiantongsiquiteclosetowhereZhiyi'smonasterywaslocated.Thisapproachisofinterestto
usbecauseitispervasiveinFarEastAsianDharmaandasayoungTendaimonkDogenpracticedshi kanonMt.Heiei(along
withsuchMikkyopracticesasgoma).

Zhiyisawsamathaandvipasyana,shiandkanasthetwowingsofabirdinflight.Inotherwordstheyshouldbepracticed
together,eachinformingtheother.

Shikantaza,ontheotherhand,istheskythebirdfliesin.

Nowsamathaisastrategyofavoidance,afocusingandnarrowingofattention.Ourpracticeisopeningattention,attending
notonlytowhatariseswithinattentionbuttotheverystructuresthatseemtolimitandnarrowattentionSelfimageis
alwayspracticingalowgradekindofsamathafocusingonhopeandfear,thoughtsandfeelings,andblablabla.

Highgradeorqualitysamathawouldsimplyresultinbeingzonedout,azombie,likeakidplayingSuperMarioBrothers.

Shikantazaisoutofthereachofmostofuswhenwebegintopracticebecauseitistherealizedpracticeofungraspability.

Shikantaza,ontheotherhand,istheskythebirdfliesin.

Nowsamathaisastrategyofavoidance,afocusingandnarrowingofattention.Ourpracticeisopeningattention,attending
notonlytowhatariseswithinattentionbuttotheverystructuresthatseemtolimitandnarrowattentionSelfimageis
alwayspracticingalowgradekindofsamathafocusingonhopeandfear,thoughtsandfeelings,andblablabla.

Highgradeorqualitysamathawouldsimplyresultinbeingzonedout,azombie,likeakidplayingSuperMarioBrothers.

Shikantazaisoutofthereachofmostofuswhenwebegintopracticebecauseitistherealizedpracticeofungraspability.
SomeelementsofsamathaandvipasyanaorshikanmightconstitutesomeofthebabystepswemightwalkonthisPathless
PathoftheBuddhasandAwakenedAncestors.Theymightbelikethoselittleblowupplasticwaterwingswestickonkids
whentheyventureintothewadingpool.Now,wemighthavetowearthematfirstwhenweareflungintotheOceanof
RealitytransmittedtousthroughtheTeachings,but,astheSenseisays,therealizationofthispracticeisto"drowninthat
Ocean".

Well,myadviceistoknowthatyou'rewearingthem,knowhowtobalancethem,anddon'tworryaboutitifyougeta
puncture.

[Pause]

Thankyouforlistening.

Talk2:Vipasyana

Goodmorning.

Canyousmelltheincenseintheair?Canyoufeelthebreezefromthefanonyourcheek,onyourear?Canyoufeeltheleft
handrestingintherighthand?Canyouseetheseeing?Canyouhearthehearing?Canyoufeelthespacearoundyouas
bodymindexertsitselfinthepostureofzazen?

AreyoudrowningintheOceanofRealityorareyouclutchingontoalittlebundleofthoughtsandfeelingsanddescriptions
ofwhat'sgoingon?Letitgo...andjustdrown.
DrowningintheOceanofRealitymeansbeingRealityitself,withoutseparation,withoutstancesorstrategy.Thisisthe
practiceofreality.

Whateverwehaveunderstoodthroughthispractice,wemustpracticeit.Throughthis,wemightbegintounderstand
somethingofshojonoshu:realizedpractice.

Now,perhapsourunderstandingwasthesmallestgap,thesmallesthole,appearingforjustamomentinthemidstofour
usualness.Perhaps,itwasthehissingofairleakingfromthelittleplasticwaterwingswehaveusedaswehavebeen
bobbingaboutonthesurfaceofthatVastOcean.

Thepracticeofsamatha:calmingorconcentration,inisolationfromvipasyanainsight,looking,isanattempttohold
ourselvesstillinthemidstofthewaves,thecomingandgoingofexperiencesthatourlives,inescapably,are.Samathais
attemptingtocontrolourthoughts,feelings,statesthroughfocusingonthebreath,orwhateverkindoftechniqueorobject
ourlittlesamathatechniquehasinvolved.

Vipasyana,inisolationfromreally,stably,facingourlivesastheyare,putsusjustasoutofbalanceasatrancestate
would.Now,byvipasyana,Iamnotreferringtoapracticecommonlyreferredtoasvipassana.Thesearedifferent.
VipassanaisaBurmeserevivalofBuddhistmeditationthatreallyonlyhasahistorystretchingbackaround150years.While,
inmanyways,vipassanaissimilartofoundationalelementsofourpracticeofzazen,inparticulartheemphasison
mindfulness,itisnotthesame.Vipassanaisconcernedwithattendingtodetailsofexperience.

Inourpractice,thesubtlestructuresofattentionandthepresumptionoflocatedness,directionalityandsoonallmust
comeintoquestion,mustbeexposedthroughdirectinsight.

Now,itiscertainlynotmyintentiontocritiqueTheravadinvipassana.Someofwhatwediscusshereaboutsamathaand
vipasyanawillhowevernodoubtapply.VipasyanaisasMasterZhiyidescribes,"observing,examining,introspecting."

Samathahastraditionallybeencomparedtoplacingastoneontopofaweed,suppressingtheweed.Theproblemwith
suppressionisthatwejustsavethenastinessforlater.Thestonewillbeontopoftheweedbuteventuallytherewillbe
littletendrils,littlepalebits,thatwillsneakoutfromaroundtheedgesofthestone.Andwhenthestoneisremovedthe
weedwillspringupagain.Vipasyanahasbeencomparedtodigginguptherootoftheweed.

However,insteadofdirectinsightintothegroundlessness,theOpenness,theluminosityofexperiencerevealingthatthere
isnowherefortheweedtoberooted,oftenvipasyanabecomesastrategy.

TheAnzansenseitoldmealittlestoryaboutourstoriesusingthismetaphor:

Topullouttheweedwebegintomapoutaplanofattack.Wemapoutadiagramofwinchesandpullies,cables
andpackhorses,scaffolding,andacafeteriafortheworkers.Webecomesoinvolvedinplanninghowtodeal
withthedisputesbetweenmanagementandlabourandsoproudofthecraftsmanshipwithwhichwehave
drawnsuchstraightlinesonourblueprintthatweforgetabouttheweed.

Orwelookattheweed.Wecountitsleaves.Wemeasuretheangle.Wenotehowstheylieinrelationshipto
eachother.or...wecountthem...addupthenumbers,reducethemtoasingledigit,addittotheoriginal
number,doubleit,thensubtract76.9...Andbuyalotteryticketwiththeresults.

AndasImyselfhavewitnessed,sometimesweplucktheleavesfromtheweed,wrapthemupeversonicelyin
raffia...beautifullittlebundles...andwavethemaroundourheadstowardoffbadjuju.

Often,vipasyanadevolvesintoawayofprovidingourselveswithastorythatcanexplainawayourconfusion.Nowifwe
haveagoodenoughstory,wecanfeelwise.Ifourstoryismaudlinenough,wecanfeelkindly,compassionate,or
even...spiritual.Insomecases,vipasyanahasbeencalled"lookingdeeply"when,really,itmeanslookingawayandlooking
towardsandlisteningtoourstory.

Thestorymightbethatallisdukkhaandnothingmatters.Oritmightbethatwhatiscalled"I"is"amereimputationupona
nominaldesignatewhichinactualityistheassemblageoftheskandhas,ayatanas,andnidanas. Itmightbethat...
everyoneisBuddha,sosmile,smile,smile.

Whatever.

even...spiritual.Insomecases,vipasyanahasbeencalled"lookingdeeply"when,really,itmeanslookingawayandlooking
towardsandlisteningtoourstory.

Thestorymightbethatallisdukkhaandnothingmatters.Oritmightbethatwhatiscalled"I"is"amereimputationupona
nominaldesignatewhichinactualityistheassemblageoftheskandhas,ayatanas,andnidanas. Itmightbethat...
everyoneisBuddha,sosmile,smile,smile.

Whatever.

Directinsightispracticedwiththewholebodymind,balancedandopen.Insightis,infact,thisexposure.Now,thesamatha
partwouldbedoingthisagainandagainandagainineachmoment.Inparticular,whenwejustdon'tfeellikeit.Selfimage
isalwayspracticinglowgradesamatha,focusingonhopeandfear,aface,shadowsandlights,theflowersintheikebana,
thebreathingofthepersonbesideyou.Aswell,selfimageisalsoalwayspracticinglowgradevipasyana:tryingtoexplain
itselftoitself,tofindjustificationandresolution.Tomakeitallfit.Tomakeamoreperfectstoryline.

Thispractice,theone,ofcourse,you'redoingrightnow,isthepracticeofyourselfasyouare.Itissimplyattendingto
whatisgoingonseeingwhatyousee,andhearingwhatyouhear.Thispracticeisattendingtotheprocessofexperiencing
assuch.Itisdirectlyexperiencingwhatyouareexperiencing.Thisiswhatwemustunderstand.

Thankyouforlistening.

Talk3:Balance

Goodmorning.Traditionallysamathaandvipasyanahavebeencomparedtothetwowingsofabird.AsTientaimasterZhiyi
saidsome1300yearsago,thebirdneedstohavebothwingsinbalancesothatitcanflyproperly.Theessenceofour
practiceistoalignourselveswithwhatistrueaboutexperiencesandexperiencing.Thisisshojonoshu,realizedpractice.It
isthepracticeofAwareSpace,astaughtbyZenMasterAnzanHoshin.Thisisthevastskyinwhichthebirdsoars.

Statesofsamathaorfocusingarisewithinyourpractice.Whenyoufallintothemforwhateverreason,youdon'trecognize
concentrationasconcentration,focusingasfocusing,astateasastate,andyourpracticeisoutofbalance.Asyoulearn
torecognizeconcentrationstates,statesofsamatha...youcanapplywhatyouhavebeentaughttobalancethemout.
Thecounterbalancetosamatha,traditionally,hasbeenvipasyanaorinsight,clearseeingorlooking.

Themomentofrecognizingthatyouhavefallenintofocusingonathoughtoronsomequalityofconcentrationisamoment
ofvipasyana.Inthenextmoment,thisrecognitioncanbecomeanopinion,ajudgement.Vipasyanahasthenbecomeoutof
balanceandisnowthepropagation(orprapanca)ofastateorastance.

Wereallyjustcan'tseemtohelpourselves.Weneedtomakeabigdealoutofeverything.Iguesswe'rejustalldrama
queens.Propagationorprapancaissuchahabitforus.TheSenseiwastellingmesomethingabouttheSanskritword
"prapanca."Itseemsthat"panca"means"five."Soprapancameanssomethinglike"goingonaboutitfivetimesaslongasis
necessary."

Sojuststop!...Andlook!Remember,thatinourpractice,thepracticeofAwarenessitself,samathaandvipasyanaarenot
strategies.Thepointistoseehowyouaredenseormoreopen,orconcentratedandfocused,orseeingclearly.Andto
opentothebasicclaritywhichisalwaysalreadyavailablepastallstrategies.Inyourpracticethismeansseeingclearlythe
mechanismsofthemovementsofattention.

[Pause]

Inthebeginningyoucan'tdothatbecauseyousimplydon'tknowhow.MostofthethingsthatUsualmind,themindthat
doesn'tdothispractice,hastriedoutbeforearevariousandsundry,tawdrybitsofsamatha.Therearemanyconcentration
practicesthatarerecipesforthecreationofdensestatesfocusingonthebreath,amantra,anobjectsuchasacandle
visualizationsaffirmations...Theycomeinmanydisguises.Beliefsystemsbeliefinahigherself,spiritguides,spiritanimals,
channelingandsoforthTheycomeasdescriptionssuchas"beingopentothelight".Theycomeasdancing,asdrumming,
asmarching,aschanting.asecstaticstates.Andpeoplelikethem...becausetheysuittheprojectofselfimage.Andthat
projectistoproducesuchadensestatethatselfimageisnotawareofitself.

Selfimagegetssocaughtupinthestate,anditsdescriptionsof,andstorylinesabout,thestatestorylinessuchasbeing
"spiritual",being"intune",being"inharmony",being"atpeace"...thatitisoblivioustoitself.Selfimageisabletoblockout,
momentarily,itsusualrepertoireofdoomandgloomstorylines,wishfulthinkingandfantasies,pettyconcerns,claustrophobic
anxieties.Itisalsooblivioustoseeing,hearing,tasting,touching,feeling,smelling...therestofyouractuallife.

Nowthissoundsabitlikefallinginloveor....patriotism...anightatthedisco...agooddayatthefootballgame...doesn'tit?
Thecoinoftradeintherealmofselfimagethen,isbasicallysamatha.Andit'sacounterfeitcoin.Itwon'tbuyyou
anything.Notonlywillitnotbuyyouanything,itrobsyou.Itrobsyouofyourlife.

Theothersideofthatcoinisvipasyana.Whenselfimagegrabsontoitandstuffsitintoitsbankof"thingies",itbecomes
merelyadescriptionof"howthingsare".

Ratherthanactualinsightorclearseeingorlookingintotherealityofthismomentofexperiencing,itisadescription.Itis
counterfeitaswell.Youcan'tbuyandsellReality.Youcan'tmakeadealwithit.Youcannotinvestinitorsaveit.Itisfree,
allpervasive,andrich.Noneofthestrategiesofpovertythatareintrinsictoselfimagehaveanythingatalltodowithit.

Vipasyana,whenitismisunderstood,isaperfectsubjectforthemanipulationsandgraspingofselfimage.Selfimageuses
theconceptofinsightorclearseeingtomanufactureforitselfanicebundleofmisunderstandingsabout"understanding"
whatZenpracticeisorwhattheActualNatureofexperiencingisorhowwellorbadlyitisdoing.Ratherthanactually
experiencingyourmomenttomomentexperiencing,youareexperiencingyourideas,thoughts,storylines,aboutyour
experiencing.Youhavefallenintoastancetowards,andstrategyabout,yourpractice.

Now,thisisn'taproblem.Itisn'taproblembecauseatsomepoint,aslongasyoucontinuetodothispractice,youwillsee
themovementofattentionintostancesandstrategies.(Andifyoudon't,aPracticeAdvisorwillpointitouttoyou.Ifthey
don't,theSenseiwillhaveourjobs.)

Inyourpractice,youwillexperienceamomentofvipasyanaorclearseeing,orlooking.Youcan'thelpit.Becausedespite
yourcounterfeitcoins,you'reallbasicallyhonest.

Itseemsthatforusualmindthatthenoticingofanythingatallisdonethroughfocusing,throughakindofsamathaor
fixation.Inthispracticeyouwillhavelearnedtorecognizethenarrownessofthatanditwillstrikeyouasunnecessary.
Evenuncomfortable.Butwhenyounoticethefixation,youloosenitabitbutwindupwithjustasubtlerkindofsamatha.

However,throughmindfulness,throughattendingtothenarrowingofattention,youeventuallywearawaythetendencyto
fixateortotellyourselvesandeachotherstoriesaboutwhat'sgoingon.Samathaandvipasyana,concentrationandinsight,
focussingandattending,stoppingandlooking,havebalancedeachotherout.Infact,ifeithersamathaorvipasyanaare

yourcounterfeitcoins,you'reallbasicallyhonest.

Itseemsthatforusualmindthatthenoticingofanythingatallisdonethroughfocusing,throughakindofsamathaor
fixation.Inthispracticeyouwillhavelearnedtorecognizethenarrownessofthatanditwillstrikeyouasunnecessary.
Evenuncomfortable.Butwhenyounoticethefixation,youloosenitabitbutwindupwithjustasubtlerkindofsamatha.

However,throughmindfulness,throughattendingtothenarrowingofattention,youeventuallywearawaythetendencyto
fixateortotellyourselvesandeachotherstoriesaboutwhat'sgoingon.Samathaandvipasyana,concentrationandinsight,
focussingandattending,stoppingandlooking,havebalancedeachotherout.Infact,ifeithersamathaorvipasyanaare
noticeablypresentinshojonoshuorrealizedpractice,ourpracticeisoutofbalance.

Themainthingisnottostrugglewithit,totrytofixit,tosalvagesomething.Inthispractice,youcanjustthrowthebaby
outwiththebathwater.Justthrowit,throwyourself,throweverything,intotheOceanofReality.Releasewhateverhas
beennoticedintotheOceanofReality.

Throughmomenttomomentattendingtothebalanceofbody,breath,speechandmind,weareabletoattendopenlyto
experiencing.Throughmomenttomomentattendingtothepresencingofbodymindweareabletorecognizebalancepoint.
Kneesonthezabuton,yourbumonthezafu,hipsopen,thespineelegantlyrising,headbalancedonthespine,eyesopen,
seeing,hearing,tasting,touching,feeling,breathingin,breathingout,recognizingthepresencingofbalance
point...centred...whole...

AsDongshanLiangjiewroteintheHokyoZanmai,Thetruecentresubtlyholdstherhythmandsongtogether.

Thetruecentreisnotsomethingfixed.Itisnotevensomethingstable.ThetruecentreisReality.Thetruepracticeis
exposure,opening.

Thankyouforlistening.

1999 2004WhiteWindZenCommunity.Allrightsreserved.

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