Does a Dog Have Buddha Nature?

Does a Dog Have Buddha Nature?

A Meditation Workshop With Zen Teacher
and Unitarian Universalist Minister
James Ishmael Ford

Sunday, November 4th at the
Barre Center for Buddhist Studies,
in Barre, Massachusetts

Koan study is the great gift of the Chan/Zen tradition to Buddhism and to world culture. This daylong includes some lecture exploring both the history of koan as a spiritual discipline, and an exploration with discussion of how to actually engage a koan as a spiritual practice. We will focus on one of Zen’s most famous koans, called variously, “Does a Dog Have Buddha Nature?” or, the “Mu Koan.” Of course the proof in the pudding of koan work is actual practice, so much of the day will focus on engaging the koan within seated and walking meditation as well as through lecture and conversation.

James Ford is a teacher in both the Soto and Harada-Yasutani Zen traditions, and is a senior guiding teacher of Boundless Way Zen, a network of meditation groups. James is also an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister currently serving the First Unitarian Society in Newton, MA. He is the author of Zen Master Who? A Guide to the People and Stories of Zen and editor of the forthcoming book Sitting With Mu: Essential Writings on Zen’s Most Famous Koan.

9:30am – 4:30pm, Sunday, November 4, 2007 Cost $75
To register (required) for this day-long, please visit the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies website or call 978-355-2347.