Dogen Sangha Blog

  by Gudo NISHIJIMA

Japanese / German

Sunday, December 16, 2007

How shoul we face the death?

Dear Nishijima Roshi,
When this topic was raised in the blog some time ago I learnt that according to the different meditations of the Tendai School of form and formlessness there also exisits Nirodha Samapatti, which is described as follows:

Finally there is the last meditation, complete withdrawal or Attainment of Cessation (Nirodha Samapatti); In this state of ‘mindlessness’ (acittaka), close to that of coma and death, the practitioner has minimal heartbeat, respiration & body heat, and does not respond to external stimulus.

Did Dogen ever mention this condition of meditation and is there anything similar to this known in the Soto-Tradition?

Thank you very much and friendly regards
Regina Oberndorfer

(From Gudo)

Dear Zushi San,

Thank you very much for your question, but, as I said before, I do not have so much interest in Tendai Sect theory. Because every Buddhist Sect has their own special theory, which has so enormously big volume, therefore if someone wants to study only one theory of Buddhist sect, usually he has to spent his whole life to study it. Therefore I have concentrated my whole efforts for studying only Master Dogen's Buddhist thoughts throughout my life, and so I would like to have your permission.

Gudo Wafu Nishijima
big volume, therefore if we want to clarify only one theory of a concrete

1 Comments:

Blogger Kurt said...

Dear Nishijima Roshi,
I only saw your answer today and like to thank you for it.
Best regards
Regina

8:02 PM, December 24, 2007  

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