THIS MONTH’S DHARMA TALK

Buddhist Way to Practice Meditation - Zen in Motion

In this issue, I would like to share with you another one of the bodhisattva's six practices. The six practices are charity, precepts, endurance, endeavor, meditation and wisdom. Let us review what we learned in the last issue. The Buddhist way of endeavor is to try not too hard in a single flash but rather, to try constantly like the flowing water. Do you remember that? This time, I will write about the practice of meditation.

Meditation. We sometimes sing a song named "Right Meditation" at the beginning of Sunday services, don’t we? And, we actually meditate in silence during shodaigyo practice held once a month: before and after chanting Namu-Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo. Yes, I'm sure that you think the meditation is like zen meditation where you quietly sit still for a while. However, as a matter of fact, there are two types of meditation in Buddhism which are: "Motionless Zen" which means meditation without motion and "Zen in Motion" which means meditation in motion.

Motionless Zen is just like what we do before and after chanting Namu-Myohorengekyo at the shodaigyo practice. I would like to explain to you how to meditate more effectively. When you practice Motionless Zen, you sit on the floor or chair, straighten your back, as if you are being pulled from above by a string connected to the top of your head, and relax your shoulder. Make a circular shape using both of your hands in Hokkaijoin style (put your left hand on your right hand and your thumbs touch each other slightly) and place your hands in the Hokkaijoin style on your lap. Close your eyes lightly. Then, this is the most important point of meditation. Take a deep breath, hold it and exhale very slowly. Just try to visualize your breathing as you inhale and exhale. That's the way to teach yourself to focus on the meditation. And, try to gather your spirit (KI-?) in the bottom part of your stomach. For beginners, you should practice this in a silent environment because in such an environment, nothing will bother you and you are able to concentrate easily. If you are getting used to doing that and you are able to concentrate easily during the meditation, then, you can try to do it in noisy places. In any noisy environment, if you still can concentrate in meditation, your spirit has become stronger and you will be able to control yourself from disturbances under any circumstances. This is the basics of Motionless Zen. Chanting Namu-Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo is also a Motionless Zen. It's a little easier than meditating in silence because you can just concentrate on chanting and the chanting helps you concentrate and breathe regularly.

Next, there is a more difficult way of meditation which is called "Zen in Motion". This is even more difficult than Motionless Zen in a noisy environment. In short, while you are doing daily activities, such as walking, eating, working, etc, although your body is moving, your mind is in meditation. In any circumstance, if your mind is calm and stable, and is not influenced by any emotional feelings such as anger, greed or hatred, you will always be able to judge things and matters correctly. This is easy to say but very hard to do. Therefore, beginners need the support of chanting Namu-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo to prevent them from getting caught up or distracted by emotions. Just chant Namu-Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo even once in your mind or with your voice to prevent you from getting panicked or overcome by such emotions. However, as you know, we, humans, are emotional beings, aren't we? So, you may fail to stay in Zen in Motion state sometimes, or most of the times. But, that's okay. This is a practice of a bodhisattva. The process is more important than the result. So, just as I said last time about the Buddhist way of endeavor, don't try too hard. You can try it one step a day and keep trying it. That's the practice of meditation.

We have leaned so far five practices of the bodhisattva in this newsletters.

The practice of charity, not "give and take" but "give and give". Then, you will naturally be able to receive something much greater than you have given even though you do not expect anything back.

The practice of precepts. We have only one precept which is to chant Namu-Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo. Then, you will naturally know what is right and what is wrong.

The practice of endurance is to change yourself rather than trying to change others. Your real enemy is inside of you, not anywhere else.

The practice of endeavor is not overdoing too hard like a quick flaming but try a step a day constantly like water flowing in a small stream. The water of small stream eventually flows into the great ocean.

And, we learned the practice of meditation in this issue. As you are already aware, all these practices are related to each other. Try "Zen in Motion" in your daily life. If your mind is able to be in meditation, you can be generous to others, judge all things and matters correctly, change yourself and try to be constant like the flowing water. Don't worry even if you think you have failed. Just chant Namu-Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo and try it again. "Namu" means that "I devote myself to". "Myohorengekyo" means the name of the Lotus Sutra which is the highest teaching of the Buddha Shakyamuni. The Buddha Shakyamuni's highest teaching will give you power to overcome hardships. Believe it and try it.

Next issue, I would like to share with you the last of the six practices, the practice of wisdom. (Rev. Imai)