Purpose of this blog

Here is my contribution to the world. "The Zen Teaching of 'Homeless' Kodo" by Uchyiama Roshi went out of print a while back. Luckily I was able get a copy through the San Francisco Zen Center. I'm pretty sure it was their last copy.

Kodo Sawaki is the type of teacher whose teachings are desperately needed in today's world of "drippy" Buddhism. He taught people Buddhism by teaching them how to sit Zazen and by telling them to throw away anything they might want to attach to it.

No offence to any other sects of Buddhism out there, but Shikantaza is the only practice in the scope of Buddhism that makes any sense. Think about it for a second. We really have NO idea what the Buddha really said. None of us where there nor was anybody who has ever written anything about Buddhism. But we do know one thing; he sat in kekkafuza. You don't even need to be able to speak to transmit that. This is probably how Bodhidharma transmitted the teaching to China. I seriously doubt he spoke Chinese and was able to verbally relay any teachings at all. He taught by showing people what he did physically. This was probably the only teaching tool he had.

It is this teaching that I think Dogen was trying to relay and the one Sawaki Roshi attempted to reignite several centuries later.

The book is layed out in such a manner that one doesn't need to read it in any type of sequence. Uchiyama presents a quote from Sawaki then gives his own commentary on the quote. This really gives a wonderful view of the student-teacher relationship. I'll try to post at least one quote/commentary on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday,Friday, and Saturday. I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best.

I may post a comment myself from time to time, but I really have nothing of any value to say,so I'll spare you.

Enjoy.

Al