Thursday 24 March 2016

Two Descriptions Of Zazen

(i) Focus attention on the present moment.
When you notice that you have been distracted by thought, gently return your attention to the present.
But do not suppress thoughts.

(ii) See what comes up.
Sit with it.
Do not add to it.

(i) implies that the present moment is just physical sensations whereas (ii) clarifies that it is also and primarily whatever comes up.

Dogen: "Neither trying to think nor trying not to think, just sitting with no deliberate thought..."

Focusing attention on the present moment and returning attention to the present moment sound like trying not to think. However, the present can include a thought as long as it is not thought about: thought as a noun but not as a verb. Sit with a memory or image but do not think about it.