Some time ago I was corresponding with a Catholic priest about something or other, and almost as an aside he drilled down on what my theology was. I replied “I’m a ‘liberal Buddhist,’ which is a subset of the tradition of ‘liberal religion.'” He replied how he was confused how a political position can be collapsed into a religious term. I replied that “liberal religion” is a term of art, which dates back several hundred years.... Read more
As it happens, it was on this day in 1394, the Zen priest Ekiho, abbot of Engakuji Rinzai temple in Kamakura successfully exorcised a pesky badger spirit who had been bewitching and otherwise annoying people in the vicinity. And people say priests aren’t worth much. While I admit not being fully schooled in the arts of exorcism, I was at least gifted with a manual for dealing with such things at my full ordination, along with some instruction.... Read more
Zazen Yojinki Points to Watch in Zazen A classic Zen meditation manual by Keizan Jokin Translated by Reiho Masunaga Lightly edited from his study, the Soto Approach to Zen Zazen clears up the human-being mind immediately and lets us dwell in our true essence. This is called showing one’s natural face and expressing one’s real self. It is freedom from body and mind and release from sitting and lying down. So think neither of good nor... Read more
The other day I was visiting with my friend Gyokei Yokoyama, the resident minister at the Long Beach Buddhist Church and a Soto Zen Buddhist priest. He shared a pile of copies of a pamphlet with me to distribute at the Zen groups I guide. The pamphlet was titled “Instructions for Chair Zazen.” It’s copyrighted by the Sotoshu Shumacho. No author is attributed, but a brief note credits Dogen’s Fukanzazengji (Universally Recommended Instructions for Zazen) and Keizan’s Zazen Yojinki (Advice... Read more
Okay, not really a “Buddhist” Hume. But, there are intriguing connections. And, at least worth noting today, his four hundred and seventh birthday. David Home was born the 26th of April, 1711 in Edinburgh. Later, he would change the spelling to Hume as that was how the name was pronounced. Hume came from a middle class family, his father an advocate. However, with his father’s death, finances were tight. A prodigy, he attended the... Read more
In some circles there is quite a lot of back and forth of late about who is a Buddhist. Specifically, what is it one must “believe” to be able to call themselves a Buddhist with integrity. While I am inclined to accept anyone who says they are a Buddhist at face value, I do think there are three assertions about reality that trace right back to the founder and which I believe are at the heart of the tradition.... Read more
Daniel Terragno is a Zen teacher within the Diamond Sangha. We are both successors of Dr John Tarrant within the Harada-Yasutani lineage. So, he’s my dharma sibling. While my own path has followed the currents of the ordained way within the Soto school, Daniel has dug deep into the great matter as a lay practitioner. He is not as well known here in the English speaking community as he should be. When I looked at Youtube I... Read more
Zazenkai Join us for a day of Zen meditation Saturday 28 April, 2018 9am to 5pm at the Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church in Costa Mesa, California Zazen, Practice Interviews, Liturgy, Dharma talk Liturgy led by Rev Yukinori Gyokei Yokoyma Dharma talk by Rev Claire Gesshin Greenwood Spiritual Practice/Koan interviews with Rev James Myoun Ford & Senior Dharma teacher Jan Seiryu Seymour-Ford There is no charge for this retreat, although there will be an opportunity to give dana to help defray the... Read more
This morning I attended services at the Long Beach Buddhist Church. The congregation was formed in 1951, bringing together people of Japanese descent who met across denominational lines during their internment in the Second World War. The church while an independent and nondenominational congregation is also officially registered as a temple with the Sotoshu, and all four of the ministers who have been called to serve have been Soto priests. The incumbent is my friend the Reverend... Read more
Thursday I was invited to talk about my experiences as a very long-time Zen practitioner at a survey of Buddhism class at the University of Southern California. As I understand these things normally you have to be at least fifty miles from your home in order to be considered an expert on something, and USC is only about twenty-three. However, as one has to cross the entire Los Angeles metroplex to get from Long Beach... Read more
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