stirling

Yes, Dogen IS saying something, absolutely. He is saying: "When you actualize your practice it happens here... NOW." Realization of enlightenment doesn't happen in the past or future, it happens when you drop all of your doing and find sudden presence in this moment by sitting". Awaken, and actualize the practice NOW. The dream of watching the world is the same as the dream of becoming engrossed watching television. The moment you become engaged in the story of what you watch you are lost. There is watching phenomena arise and pass, impermanent, not being caught up in the story of the mind. There is simple presence, and the emptiness of self/time/space. This happens all the time... it is just waiting for you to notice. Take a deep breath and let it out from your mouth slowly as you read this sentence. Maybe it is happening now as you read these words?

Yes. Good. I like "awareneness" or "beingness" as descriptors. What he means here is that one can take observation of what this all is and reduce it, and reduce it again until one arrives at a final simple conclusion - there is just awareness shining back. This is too complicated, IMHO. It's all really simple. No places, relationships, activities, or placement. This moment just is, and there is a simple awareness of that which belongs to no-one and no-thing - pervades the field of phenomena. Arriving at this simple understanding is hard for us humans, especially those of us with the burden of education. It took me years to realized what a handicap it was for me. Practice is just being, without contrived concepts about how to go about it. You can find practices with massive to-do lists, but they all eventually point to this simple being. The Zen you got mixed up in so long ago is all about this simple "being" right from the start... the Theravada that interests you much less so, though they point at the same understanding.

Your answer implies success. I'm sure you found it. The "nada" sound is very similar to tinnitus too - I find them complementary.

it’s an excellent question to examine carefully. It is in fact everywhere in the field experience, and nowhere at all. You aren’t really doing Shikantaza until this is something that you can see properly. This is why Shikantaza is not different from enlightened mind. Everything is Mind. You are liberating all phenomena in the moment that labeling them stops.

In Buddhism at least there are two classes of enlightenment: That which you might encounter in a living being, and that of those that have extinguished the karma of birth and death (those that are "dead"). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_(Buddhism)#Nirvana_with_and_without_remainder_of_fuel

Probably. Still.

I wouldn't voluntarily submit to an assisted process labelled "dying" without a clear idea of what that means in context. When you have more information about the process or intent, please share here what that might entail.

I can see how you could take exception, and apologize if I have offended you - but why don't we go ahead and use it as you suggest? Would you be open to explaining what you mean by that?

So, Hare Krishnas, yes? A quick google says that leaving your body seems to refer to a death practice. Are you dying? Enlightenment wouldn't require that you leave your body, but would show you that "you" are not your body.

Let me put it this way: Most of us are quite convinced that Santa Claus isn't likely to be visiting this December because we now understand that it was just a story our parents told us. That knowledge is true no matter WHAT events take place in our day to day life, regardless of how difficult they are. So it is with understanding of the Dao. I stand by what I said above 100%. "Self" is a pernicious delusion that is at the heart of our suffering. Once that delusion is understood it is always present, regardless of how one behaves. The knowledge does not create a perfect "person", but does alter one's behavior substantially. Justification is a different issue. What we are talking about here is "spiritual bypassing" - using real or imagined "enlightenment" as some justification that all behaviors are "perfect" is delusion. Gnostic knowledge does not excuse bad behavior. This sort of teacher is deficient in compassion training. Any teacher that acts in a questionable manner would call it out immediately and correct themselves, or submit to correction at whatever level necessary. Again - it doesn't mean that they aren't enlightened necessarily. It takes many years after "awakening" to drop the most pernicious aspects of "self". Some things never go away. Some will never be teachers, and it isn't important that they ever are. An understanding of the Dao is always present, even when anger arises, and a master with no "self" may witness anger arise in the body, but not experience that as "self", or "mine". It's just plain human and kind to open up to those you see struggling, even a "master", if you have a close enough relationship. What could be learned about the teacher's process in examining their feelings and thoughts about a sticky issue? If this person really knows that all appearances are ultimately "empty", possibly a lot.

What tradition is this? What is the ultimate intention for this practice?

What matters is whether the teacher has attachment or aversion to smoking or drinking. Chogyam Trungpa was a famously heavy drinker, but only a fool would question the depth of his understanding or teachings. His book "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism" is a stark but kind bitchslap that many people could use. Ultimately the fabric of this "universe" is a mirror for each of us, showing us our attachments, aversions and where we are stuck in our solidified ideas about how things have to be. For some, it will takesa smoking, drinking teacher to wake us up and see that what we are seeking is deeper than the facade of the human that might be presenting the teachings.

Masters are NOT administrators.

The most realized teachers are calm, kind, thoughtful, and humorous. They are unperturbed by almost any NORMAL life circumstances. Having said all of that, they are earth-bound, live in human bodies. They are experiencing what we would call "enlightenment with residue", that residue being the human story they still experience. The Buddha and Jesus still got angry for short spells as any "enlightened" master you meet on this planet will. I personally think it is good to see someone you respect handle a difficult situation with aplomb, even when the first thing they say is, "Shit!". Emotions should come and go like rain, or the tide, or the sunset. They are manifestations of impermanence that don't ultimately belong to a person. Where there is an hour, or a day of non-stop fretting and worry watching such a teacher closely or offering to help is not only human, but the reply should be illuminating.