See The World In A Moment

Dainin Katagiri Roshi was a Soto Zen Master who died at the young age of 62 in 1990. This quote, “See The World In A Moment,” is from his treatment of time in the Zen tradition in his book, “Each Moment Is the Universe.”

Katagiri Roshi was the leader of a sesshin (a Zen retreat consisting of sitting, walking, eating, sleeping, and interviews with the Zen master) I participated in at the San Francisco Zen Center in the summer of 1972. Little did I know that this was shortly after the death of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, founder of Zen Center and the person mostly responsible for bringing Soto Zen to the West.

Tricycle Daily Dharma April 11, 2013

See the World in a Moment

Zen Meditation Practices Instructions with Dainin Katagiri Roshi

Dainin Katagiri Roshi – Zen Meditation Practices

It is very important to see your life not only from the narrow view of your egoistic telescope but also from the broad view of the universal telescope called egolessness. This is why we have to practice. Right in the middle of the stream of time, we have to open our eyes there and see the total picture of time. Through spiritual practice we can go beyond our egoistic point of view. We can touch the core of time, see the whole world in a moment, and understand time in deep relationship with all beings. 

– Dainin Katagiri, “Time Revisited”

My experience at the sesshin was phenomenal! By the sixth day, I was able to just sit like a redwood tree in the forest. I had just recently become acquainted with  the wonderful redwood trees in Muir Woods and images of them just sitting there throughout the years fascinated me.

What are your thoughts about seeing the world in a moment of time? Please share.

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Each Moment Is the Universe: Zen and the Way of Being Time
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