Good evening!
When we sit solid and steadfast, we are in mahâ assâsa, the great repose (lit. great exhalation), like sitting singly on the Great Courageous One (Buddha) Peak.
Ango (安居), safe satisfactory stay, is staying in safety and comfort in a monastery, resting peacefully, renouncing all relations and transcending all concerns.
It derived from u-ango (雨安居), the rain (Pali: vassa, Skt.: varsa) retreat, in India – three months in retreat to avoid harming living beings and damaging life systems.
Even though we live in our busy world, whenever we sit, we settle in the great repose, appreciating the triple treasure of the awakened, dharma, and sańgha.
We can enjoy the triple unrivaled of unparalleled freedom, unconditioned peace, and unsurpassed awakening. These are goals of all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
5/25/12
Reference:
A monk asked Bai-zhan (Hyakujo:百丈), “What is the unusual special matter?”
Bai-zhan replied, “Sitting singly on the Great Courageous One Peak (= Mt. Bai-zhan) (dokuza daiyûhô: 独坐大雄峰).”
The Blue Cliff Record, Case 26
Note: Sitting singly apparently means sitting alone, but rather becoming one piece (with the whole world) in sitting (stopping karmas) – unified with the universal truth (nothing unusual and special, but normal, simple) – turning the truth wheel or the dharma wheel in the normal daily life.
Bai-zhan Huai-hai (百丈懷海(720-814) lived with sitting and samu (作務：lit. doing duty) even he was over 90. When monks hid tools fearing him working hard despite his old age, he didn’t take food, saying, “A day of no working, a day of no eating.” (一日不作一日不食) Sitting and samu are like two wings or wheels for a bird or a cart to function fully.
Mt. Baizhan, where he lived in sitting and samu and wherefrom he was called.
Its waterfall video: