Kinhin

Going straight like the vertical thread in a piece of cloth

Sample Article

Reverend Issho Fujita, was born April 18, 1954 in Niihama City, Ehima, Japan. After becoming inspired by the practice of Shikantaza, in the tradition of Kodo Sawaki and Kosho Uchiyama, he left his graduate school studies in child psychology, and entered Antaiji Temple, where at age 29, he became ordained into zen priesthood. Eleven years ago he came to America, to assume responsibilities at Valley Zendo , in Charlemont Massachusetts, where he resides, with his wife, Naomi, and their two daughters, Saki and Masumi. In the following pictorial essay, Reverend Fujita explains some of the important aspects of walking meditation in relation to his sitting practice of Shikantaza.
According to the Soto tradition, we do Kinhin practice between sitting sessions as taught by Zen master Dogen, as he learned from his Chinese teacher Ju-Ching. "Ju-Ching often walked back and forth between the east and the west in the Ta-kuang-ming-tsang Hall to demonstrate this to Dogen." (Hokyo-ki annotated translation) It's always done as a continuation of sitting meditation. It gives you a way to refresh the mind and body, without interrupting the stillness of sitting practice. We sit for fifty minutes, then do Kinhin for ten minutes-sitting walking, sitting. People who practice this, believe that the Buddha walked this way. In some of the scriptures there's a description of the Buddha walking slowly, and mindfully, in the woods after sitting. What we cultivate in sitting, we apply in walking, through motion. The sitting meditation continues, in another form. Sometimes it's said that zazen is walking. We can also apply this to more complicated practices such as cooking, sweeping, or cleaning. Whatever it is that we are doing, it's done with the quality of zazen. "Just" (Shikan) is a key word, as in Shikantaza, we "'just sit", in Kinhin we "'just walk." Being one with what we are doing, we walk for the sake of walking. We don't focus on any particular object.
The walking includes many things, such as the sensation of your feet touching the floor, spatial orientation, along with awareness of your posture. We cannot sit forever. It's a bridge between sitting still, and moving in daily activity, and helps bring meditation into everyday life. Kinhin looks like it's between walking, and standing still. We walk very, very slow, within the speed of the breath. In breath, out breath. We listen to the breathing, and move the body according to this rhythm, breathing naturally.
Ju-ching taught with compassion: when you get up from the sitting posture and walk, you must practice the method of one breath per half a step. This means: as you move your foot, let it not exceed half a step, and be sure to pace yourself to the length of one breath. (Hokyo-ki annotated)

Ju-Ching said: 'If you wish to rise from the sitting posture and walk (in meditation) do not walk in circles, but in a straight line. If you wish to turn around after twenty or thirty steps make sure to turn right not left. When you move your feet, move the right foot first, then the left.' (Hokyo-ki annotated translation)

The hand position has a similar value as in sitting. You need to remain alert so you can maintain this form with the hands. The left hand is a soft fist with the right hand open on top. When sitting, the left is on top of the right, the as you come up, you turn over with the hands up, softly your chest. Some people have a small space, but it's very close to the body. So you don't have to change the relation between your right and left hand. As in sitting the thumbs are very softly touching. The eye position is also similar as when sitting, with the eye half open and looking down, at a forty-five degree angle. The upright position is key for both sitting and walking. The eyes are with the shoulders, and the nose with the navel. The lower body slowly moves forward.
As in sitting, when you walk there is no boundary. You open up, and are not trapped in your own body or agenda. You are walking together with the air, the floor, the room, and the whole world. As you walk you are naturally discovering this. It is not a result of your effort, but a natural bi- product of just walking. It's not something you try to create or manufacture, it's a gift from the Dharma. If it's to have meaning, it needs to be a gift from the practice, rather than trying to manufacture it. According to Dogen when people sit everybody sits, when people do Kinhin, everybody does Kinhin.

When arising from the cushion you bow twice, turning clockwise, to the right, with the right shoulder toward the center of the room. It's a ninety degree turn from the wall position. We make the hand position, take a couple of breaths, and then start with one breath, with one step, because the breath is slow. If you are standing still, your breath is relaxed and slow. We breathe and move as if the air is reaching the soles of our feet. The body is empty, like bamboo. We walk slow with grace and a dignity. Lifting the foot slightly, we touch the heel first, and then shift the weight to the tip of the foot while breathing out. The foot gradually touches the floor, and then pushes into the floor firmly. For a short moment you are standing still, because the out breath is continuous for a short while. When the inhale begins, you then move the other foot. With ringing of the bell, the feet are brought to a parallel position, we then bow. We keep walking back to the cushion, bow twice, and sit. This bow is known as gassho.

Meditation Pathways 2000

To contact Valley Zendo, and Reverend Issho Fujita please Call 413-339-4000, or write 263 Warner Hill Road, Charlemont, MA 01339 USA

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