Mushotoku: No Gaining Mind

Zen concept of mushotoku or "no gaining mind" is defined. Offers a guided step-by-step meditation based on mushotoku and develops an experiential understanding of practice based on the intuited wisdom of non-interference, non-action, with a period of silence and ending with the sound of the bell.

Transcript

The notion of mushotoku or no gaining mind guides Zen practice.

I'll say a few words about mushotoku followed by a few minutes of silent time and we'll end with the sound of the bell.

Let's check in with the body and the mind.

Simply scan the body slowly and gently without lingering on any spot for more than a moment or two.

See that you're comfortable and relaxed.

Gently adjust your posture and feel a sense of bodily ease.

Feel that you've settled into your seat.

Now check the mind.

Is there any sense of anticipation or expectation for something special to happen?

Any wish to change something?

Is there any sense or feeling of grasping for something or of wanting to get rid of anything?

If you see something,

Simply watch it as if from a distance.

Recognize that there is no need to change anything.

Just seeing it is enough.

This sense of neutral,

Non-judgmental and non-reactive observation allows your intuitive wisdom to work without any interference or any need for action.

Our tendency to do something,

To exert an effort,

To change something comes from old habit formations that can operate in a very subtle,

Almost unnoticeable way.

By just sitting with mushotoku,

No gaining mind,

We are creating the space to just observe.

So simply watch whatever arises.

It may be lingers and eventually dissolves into the silence that they rose from and into the present awareness of just sitting.

This neutral quality of just sitting with no gaining mind and simply watching can bring into awareness a sense of ease and stillness.

This sense of ease and stillness is ever-present and has always been with us beyond any effort on our part.

This is the natural intuitive wisdom of not doing that brings these feelings of ease and stillness into awareness without any effort.

Be aware that this sense of ease is already inherent to our being even before you sat down,

Before you made attempt to exert any effort.

This is the natural intuitive wisdom of not doing that brings these feelings of ease and stillness into awareness without any effort.

This is the natural intuitive wisdom of not doing that brings these feelings of ease and stillness into awareness without any effort.

This is the natural intuitive wisdom of not doing that brings these feelings of ease and stillness into awareness without any effort.

This is the natural intuitive wisdom of not doing that brings these feelings of ease and stillness into awareness without any effort.

This is the natural intuitive wisdom of not doing that brings these feelings of ease and stillness into awareness without any effort.

This is the natural intuitive wisdom of not doing that brings these feelings of ease and stillness into awareness without any effort.

This is the natural intuitive wisdom of not doing that brings these feelings of ease and stillness into awareness without any effort.

This is the natural intuitive wisdom of not doing that brings these feelings of ease and stillness into awareness without any effort.

Thank you.

Thank you for your presence here and especially for your practice.

Reviews

Thank you Seiso for your guidance on this subject which for me is one fo the most challenging aspects of my .practice. I will be coming back to it again and again. 🙏

Thank you, this is a great little guided piece that I found to be a helpful companion to my own Silent Illumination practice.

A relaxing and, if you choose, a deep and meaningful, quick meditation.

Thank you, Sensei 🙏I appreciate the gentle guidance and inquiry offered in this teaching. It is a joy to ‘just sit’ and practice with you. 💛

Thank you for you clear, caring instructions. This was a very meaning time sitting for me this morning.

Wonderful to sit in goaless practice. We are fine just as we are. Thank you 🙏

Simple. I am enjoying these instructive meditations 🙏

Essential information for practice for beginners and advanced meditators alike.

Wonderful meditation practice. Silent observance while life happens around us. Even here in my own environment it isn't completely free from noise. "No gaining mind." Every time I sit, it is a practice. Sometimes my mind is extra chatty, other times my mind is able to pull back and simply observe. And yet another time, maybe my dog or the neighbor's dog barks or some other noise drifts in. No matter what I continue to sit in meditation. In my younger days I would judge each session as "good" or "not-so-good". And now I accept each meditation session as it is. I really enjoyed this. Thank you. 🙏

Helpful as always. This clarifies further the idea of no goal in meditation; no place to get to; nothing to do.

Delighted with the simplicity and explanation of the practice

While I was gently observing but not clinging to distractions, and remaining focused, my wife tried rather vehemently getting our dogs to go outside in the rain, another distraction! That, is practice. Thank you.

I very much appreciate the simplicity of your presentations. Thank you.

A simple and beautiful meditation.

I like this concept and your delivery. I have returned to the practice fout times this week, to try to stay with your words without my mind wandering. I have a question: is my striving to resist mind stories and distractions counter mushotoku? Speaking of distractions, I did notice your sirens the first time (I assumed you lived in a busy urban environment) but did not register them the second or third time, yet after reading the reviews, picked up on the again this morning. That was until everything was drowned out by a pair of kookaburras cackling maniacally right outside the window! They are so loud and hysterical-sounding you can't help but laugh. It's pre-dawn - they should be still asleep!

Nice introduction, lovely silent time. Thank you for sharing! 😊

Thank you Seiso Have a beautiful day Namaste

A great mindful pause, thank you

Nice presence and peaceful introduction to sitting.

Excellent meditation (from the perspective of a novice meditator). I really enjoyed the unexpected background noises, it was really helpful to emphasize the practice for me.