How do I know when to start shikantaza?

Post Reply
mddrill
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:27 am

How do I know when to start shikantaza?

Post by mddrill »

Ive been practicing meditation for about 9 months now. how do I know when ive developed enough concentration to stop following the breath and begin shikantaza?
DGA
Former staff member
Posts: 9466
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 5:04 pm

Re: How do I know when to start shikantaza?

Post by DGA »

Has your teacher given you instruction in shikantaza?

Have you been encouraged to begin this practice by your teacher?
User avatar
Astus
Former staff member
Posts: 8881
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:22 pm
Location: Budapest

Re: How do I know when to start shikantaza?

Post by Astus »

Shikantaza does not depend on how long you can concentrate on your breath. Just sitting means just sitting, nothing complicated.

"Shikantaza means “just sitting” in Japanese, and to just sit means that we really only sit without doing anything else. This is a really simple practice; we do nothing but sit in the zazen posture breathing easily, keeping the eyes open, staying awake, and letting go. That’s all we do in zazen; we do nothing else." (Shohaku Okumura: Zazen Instruction)
1 Myriad dharmas are only mind.
Mind is unobtainable.
What is there to seek?

2 If the Buddha-Nature is seen,
there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.

3 Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —
this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.

4 With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,
the six paramitas and myriad means
are complete within that essence.


1 Huangbo, T2012Ap381c1 2 Nirvana Sutra, T374p521b3; tr. Yamamoto 3 Mazu, X1321p3b23; tr. J. Jia 4 Yongjia, T2014p395c14; tr. from "The Sword of Wisdom"
Anders
Posts: 1440
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:39 pm

Re: How do I know when to start shikantaza?

Post by Anders »

mddrill wrote:Ive been practicing meditation for about 9 months now. how do I know when ive developed enough concentration to stop following the breath and begin shikantaza?
I don't think there is a fixed rule. Either way, to master Shamatha is excellent practise and something that will stand you in good stead.

It also looks like you have an excellent attitude of making sure you have the requisites of one stage before moving to the next, rather than jumping straight into whatever is the most advanced and crossing fingers that the not-very-advanced parts of the mind will keep up.

The best way really is to find a qualified guide and have him or her assess your state. The advantage of this is not only that such a person can tell you what you're ready for, but also that through mutual cooperation the two of you will be able to tailor the practise in a way that suits your affinities far better than you can do on your own.

Another advantage is that you'll likely be secondguessing what you're doing a lot less, because your practise has the seal and affirmation of your guide.

Basically, there are a lot of good reasons to find one. And with this practise, we need all the supports and straight paths we can get.
"Even if my body should be burnt to death in the fires of hell
I would endure it for myriad lifetimes
As your companion in practice"

--- Gandavyuha Sutra
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: How do I know when to start shikantaza?

Post by Jesse »

Zazen can be started anytime.. like astus said.. it is literally 'just sitting' nothing less complicated than that, and that's exactly why it's so hard for most people.

in my experience, posture doesn't matter so much.. it's the just sitting, just being, letting go, relaxing.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Greg_the_poet
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 4:06 pm

Re: How do I know when to start shikantaza?

Post by Greg_the_poet »

There are no stages in Soto Zen
thigle
Posts: 126
Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:46 pm
Location: Salzburg
Contact:

Re: How do I know when to start shikantaza?

Post by thigle »

mddrill wrote:Ive been practicing meditation for about 9 months now. how do I know when ive developed enough concentration to stop following the breath and begin shikantaza?
You do not need "concentration" to simply sit, you need to understand the uncontrived difference between "practicing" simply sitting and simply sitting.
Post Reply

Return to “Soto”