In Fukanzazengi Dogen says as follows - “... put the right hand above the left foot, and place the left hand on the right palm. The thumbs meet and support each other”. (- the Nishijima-Cross translation, - appended to Vol. I of the Shobogenzo)
I recall asking Nakagawa Kyudo Roshi about the mudra, - whether the thumbs should be touching, - he said “Not touching”.
I don’t think there should be any difference between “Soto” and “Rinzai” regarding this matter. In Rinzai they allow another form too, mainly for beginners or young monks perhaps, - but this is irrelevant. - The posture of Zazen is the same, - there is no difference. This is not the issue.
- I used to care very little about the position of the hands. There was a time I would just drop them disregarding the mudra. This was until Harada Shodo Roshi of Sogen ji (Rinzai sect, where I was staying then) instructed me to do otherwise. Still quite clearly I did not care much about that. Like many. Obviously, in my view, the posture is something you forget about during Zazen. Still this post is about something else.
- I could not sit [Zazen that is] for quite some time. Due to a bodily weakness since about the beginning of the millennium. I could sit a bit for some periods but generally could not. - I used to like nothing better, but wtf. Anyway, - unlike my absence of interest (very reasonably, generally, though) earlier, - I now think the mudra is wonderful. This is quite relevant to what I said at the beginning. But this is not so if the thumbs lean against each other. Supporting each other as Dogen says. They ought to be as if pulled toward each other, - doubtly touching, doubtly not touching. No support. This is just based on how I feel but I don’t doubt that. - Dogen, I guess, - wanted to present a piece of instructions in reasonable simplicity and relating to the point I am writing about here might have not been in accord with that. Or perhaps otherwise, - I don’t know, - but I do believe the fact stands anyway. - The feeling is different, - it is not the same, - if the thumbs don’t support each other they might practically fall and not stay in place as they should for the perfect mudra, - since naturally one’s main interest in Zazen does not focus continually on the position of the hands, - but regarding the mudra itself and what it ought to reflect and manifest in expression of the universal harmony - thinking of it ideally as the best form suitable for the Buddhist meditation, - it seems there is only one way for it to be, - as if holding something - precious perhaps, - where the flow off both hands would unite and harmonize. Allowing the thumbs to support each other is a bit of a lazy feeling. No offence to Sawaki Roshi of course. (whose pictures are not in accord with what I say, but I am quite confident he would agree if he read this piece) Anyway, Master Dogen’s place is not diminished of course by what I say, - and the essence of Zazen does not rely of course on any millimeter of the posture being meticulously measured and examined in a materialistic manner as if it was everything. The posture is important but understanding and experience are not a mere derivative of its physical accuracy. There is what goes beyond, - and we are not forever dependent on the initial tools we use, - and our attention must naturally at some time let go of these and move on, otherwise our Zazen too (Rinzai or Soto) will go nowhere. So far.
I recall asking Nakagawa Kyudo Roshi about the mudra, - whether the thumbs should be touching, - he said “Not touching”.
I don’t think there should be any difference between “Soto” and “Rinzai” regarding this matter. In Rinzai they allow another form too, mainly for beginners or young monks perhaps, - but this is irrelevant. - The posture of Zazen is the same, - there is no difference. This is not the issue.
- I used to care very little about the position of the hands. There was a time I would just drop them disregarding the mudra. This was until Harada Shodo Roshi of Sogen ji (Rinzai sect, where I was staying then) instructed me to do otherwise. Still quite clearly I did not care much about that. Like many. Obviously, in my view, the posture is something you forget about during Zazen. Still this post is about something else.
- I could not sit [Zazen that is] for quite some time. Due to a bodily weakness since about the beginning of the millennium. I could sit a bit for some periods but generally could not. - I used to like nothing better, but wtf. Anyway, - unlike my absence of interest (very reasonably, generally, though) earlier, - I now think the mudra is wonderful. This is quite relevant to what I said at the beginning. But this is not so if the thumbs lean against each other. Supporting each other as Dogen says. They ought to be as if pulled toward each other, - doubtly touching, doubtly not touching. No support. This is just based on how I feel but I don’t doubt that. - Dogen, I guess, - wanted to present a piece of instructions in reasonable simplicity and relating to the point I am writing about here might have not been in accord with that. Or perhaps otherwise, - I don’t know, - but I do believe the fact stands anyway. - The feeling is different, - it is not the same, - if the thumbs don’t support each other they might practically fall and not stay in place as they should for the perfect mudra, - since naturally one’s main interest in Zazen does not focus continually on the position of the hands, - but regarding the mudra itself and what it ought to reflect and manifest in expression of the universal harmony - thinking of it ideally as the best form suitable for the Buddhist meditation, - it seems there is only one way for it to be, - as if holding something - precious perhaps, - where the flow off both hands would unite and harmonize. Allowing the thumbs to support each other is a bit of a lazy feeling. No offence to Sawaki Roshi of course. (whose pictures are not in accord with what I say, but I am quite confident he would agree if he read this piece) Anyway, Master Dogen’s place is not diminished of course by what I say, - and the essence of Zazen does not rely of course on any millimeter of the posture being meticulously measured and examined in a materialistic manner as if it was everything. The posture is important but understanding and experience are not a mere derivative of its physical accuracy. There is what goes beyond, - and we are not forever dependent on the initial tools we use, - and our attention must naturally at some time let go of these and move on, otherwise our Zazen too (Rinzai or Soto) will go nowhere. So far.
