I trained in a very traditional Rinzai zen style. I sat in half lotus for many years until I couldn’t tolerate the lack of circulation and pain in the bad knee I’ve had since childhood. Straightness and immobility was a requirement of practice. Nobody sat in a chair.

 

By Angel Roberto Puente

I practice at a zendo led by a Jesuit priest (mostly on Zoom).

He’s a Roshi in the lineage of Taisan Maezumi Roshi. At 91 years of age, he still leads retreats, and has named many successors but continues being unique in that he advocates an American Zen.

I recently was at an all day sitting in the zendo in New York. In his talk, Roshi mentioned that he had just come back from Ireland. The teacher he had authorized there had gone to Japan and brought back all the rituals and ways of leading a retreat. After the retreat Roshi had one question for her, “Where’s the Irish zen?”

That is the question for all meditators in all lineages. What is the best way of formatting the teachings for us? As Buddhism spread across the world, every culture adapted it’s practice to the prevalent culture. Will we do the same? Or will we continue to imitate other cultures slavishly?

The first American to translate the Heart Sutra to English was disavowed by his teacher, who insisted he follow the Japanese ways.

He had received permission to teach in a limited capacity by his teacher in Japan but didn’t have “dharma transmission” because he didn’t complete the koan training. He had more than 18 years of training in monasteries in Japan, was a priest and had documented his awakening in a book. After he was disavowed, he started a new lineage, was called Roshi (old teacher) and named successors.

I trained in a very traditional Rinzai zen style. I sat in half lotus for many years until I couldn’t tolerate the lack of circulation and pain in the bad knee I’ve had since childhood. Straightness and immobility was a requirement of practice.

Nobody sat in a chair.

At that one day, sitting in New York, most were newcomers. Some sat on cushions, others on chairs. Most couldn’t sit still, others fell asleep. But it didn’t make any difference; they all felt welcome. A great camaraderie developed while we shared the lunch we had all contributed toward.

People asked questions of those that demonstrated more experience in sitting. The Roshi had already told the participants to sit in the way that was most comfortable for them, to place their hands in any way and to not feel obligated to imitate anyone. By the end of the day people’s sitting got better spontaneously.

I have no doubt that true progress in practice is corporeal, embodied. Attention, breathing, relaxation, posture, stillness are all part of a whole that works seamlessly. They are all contained in our body, and it takes time and effort to develop them into a coordinated action.

Having a fixed unchangeable scenario into which everyone who wants to participate must fit is cultural imitation. It’s not our way. Imagine a skating rink where everyone who’s let in has to skate without falling; or a pool where only swimmers are allowed. It sounds silly but I’ve seen this attitude with sitting in zen and in other traditions.

One teacher I have followed demands that people be able to sit still for an hour. If they can’t, they are sent outside the room to sit in another area.

I’m sold on the idea of less or no rituals, the exploration of sitting accommodations on or off a cushion, and of how to place the hands. And of letting people’s curiosity lead them to refining the practice, by a natural sharing of experience with more advanced practitioners. I’ve seen how it works.

At a retreat I went to in December of 2023, this sharing also took place. Participants would ask questions about sitting and try out different ways.

At the last all day sitting, a lady who was near me commented on how straight and still I sat. When I told her that sitting like that made it easier to extend the sitting to daily life, her eyes lit up. “Oh, that would be good,” she said. I saw her effort to improve right away.

That’s how we do it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Pixabay

Editor: Dana Gornall

 

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How I Found Zen…Here, There, and Back Again: A Tale Of Unnecessary Journeys & Discovery

Yes, Zen Buddhism is a Religious Practice {A Rebuttal to Zen Isn’t Buddhism}

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