6. Long Sitting (1)
⑤ How did I end up going to the U.S.?
“Sunim, can you help me?”
Sunim A, who shared a room with me, asked for my help.
“I want to try sitting in full lotus for a long time, and I think it would really help if you could sit with me…”
“Oh… okay. I’m not very good at it either, but I’ll stay with you as much as I can.”
I had been diligently participating in FoQi, chanting in the Buddha Hall all day, but it was hard to refuse the request.
(During FoQi, one is supposed to focus on FoQi and follow the schedule—but at that moment, things just turned out this way.)
Sunim A said she had already made an appointment with Ven. XianShun, who often helped people attempt long sitting.
On the appointed day, we quietly stepped out of the Buddha hall and went to the full-lotus room—Sunim A, tense and determined, and me, feeling pretty easygoing (since I wasn’t the main person!).
Ven. XianShun was already there. She greeted us with a warm smile, and we each took our seats.
After about an hour, Sunim A must have started to feel pain.
I kept encouraging her—“You can do it, you can do it”—doing my best in the role she had asked of me. But she ended up releasing her legs earlier than expected. In hindsight, she seemed so determined that the tension itself may have overwhelmed her even before she began.
Since Sunim A had stopped, I thought my role was finished and was about to stand up.
But at that moment—
“If you can sit longer, you should keep going.”
Ven. XianShun stopped me.
“Pardon? Um… well… then… should I…?”
Why did I have to hear that right then?!
I resettled my legs, Sunim A left the room, and Ven. XianShun looked at me with a bright smile.
'Okay… this feels kind of off — to me, at least.'
Before FoQi began, my personal record was about three hours—rolling around on the floor toward the end. I had been thinking, During my three months at Wei Mountain Temple, maybe someday I’ll get a chance to break that record…
But it felt like that 'someday' had arrived without any warning.
I returned Ven. XianShun’s bright smile with an even brighter one.
Not knowing at all what was about to happen next…
FoQi at WMT, November 2019.(To be continued)
(If you are going to attempt to do long sits, please consult a Sangha who’s experienced.
We don’t suggest you do this on your own.)