Welcome.
I'll be talking about the multiple functions and meanings of the three bells sounded at the beginning of a round of zazen in the Sorozen Buddhist tradition.
At the most basic level,
It is a signal that starts a round of zazen.
But why three bells?
Well,
On a symbolic level,
Three rings can be said to represent the three treasures or the three gems of Buddhism,
Buddha,
Dharma,
And Sangha.
The historical Buddha,
Shakyamuni,
Was a real person,
Just like each one of us.
Buddha means awake mind.
Dogen,
The founder of the Sorozen school,
Teaches that whole being is the Buddha nature.
Whole being includes all of us.
No one is excluded.
In that regard,
We have the same mind as Buddha.
When we sit,
We are expressing our innate Buddha nature.
Dharma,
The second treasure,
Refers to the teachings or the way of Zen.
The teachings come through our study,
Our relationship with the teacher,
And most importantly,
Through the direct experience of our practice,
Which the bell is reminding us that we are just about to begin.
The third treasure,
Sangha,
Refers to the community of spiritual friends that come together as a group for study and practice,
And also for fellowship,
Which is very important.
For example,
Folks from all around the world come together for a shared group study and practice right here on Insight Timer on Wednesdays at midday and on Friday mornings at 7 a.
M.
Eastern Standard Time.
Shared group practice is mutually supportive,
Empowering,
And helps us to deepen our practice and realization.
On another level,
The three bells also serve a practice-supporting function through a process called the Samadhi of the bell.
Samadhi is a Sanskrit word that means absorption,
And it serves as an entry into Zazen.
Here's how we practice it.
When you hear the bell,
See if you can hear it not just with your ears,
But with your whole being.
Feel the bell with your whole body.
This helps to be aware of the whole body just sitting,
Grounded in the present moment.
Each ringing of the bell helps to maintain the sense of presence and grounding as the final bell dissolves into sublime silence and contributes to a feeling of deep presence.
When practicing the Samadhi of the bell,
However,
It's not unusual to be pulled away from a full awareness of the bell ring into a thought or a preoccupation with an object of the senses or some concern.
That's fine,
And it's only natural.
However,
As soon as you notice this happening without judgment,
Simply return to the sound,
The present moment,
And the sense of the whole body just sitting within the sound of the bell.
Let's give it a try.
Okay,
So let's begin a brief but more extended round of sitting in Zazen.
I'll ring the bell again three times,
But with a modification.
Since the only time to practice the Samadhi of the bell is at the beginning of a round of sitting,
We really don't have many opportunities for practice and refinement.
So I'll repeat the three bell rings periodically while we practice.
At the end,
I'll signal the end of practice with one ring of the bell.
So please check your posture.
Your spine is erect but not stiff.
Your shoulders are relaxed.
Your chin is tucked in a little bit.
Your eyes are open about halfway with a soft gaze about a 45 degree angle to the floor.
Your breathing is natural and normal,
Flowing by itself.
Thank you for your presence and for your practice.
When practicing at home,
If you're using a physical bell,
Leave about five seconds between each ring and do the third ring a bit softer.
If you're using the Insight Timer,
Set the rings about five seconds apart,
Find a bell sound that suits you,
And set the volume at a comfortable level.
And please just keep practicing no matter what.
It's so very important,
Not just for your own realization and peace of mind,
But also for the benefit of everyone who you come in contact with.
Thank you.
