I notice that today, the 8th of January, marks the beginning of the American Democratic party in 1828. While the mythic origins of the party are with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison’s Democratic-Republican Party, the actual history is much later. The party was gathered largely through the work of Martin Van Buren focused on Andrew Jackson’s election to the presidency; advancing the interests of slave states, supporting a strong executive, and most of all expansionism. The... Read more
CEASE FROM EVIL A Reflection on the First Precept of Zen Buddhism James Ishmael Ford Today we’re inaugurating a series of reflections on Zen’s precepts. From one angle we can consider them the moral or ethical container of our spiritual discipline. But, really, it’s more complicated than that. Different Zen communities approach the precepts in different ways and with different numbers. Five, ten, fifty-six, and more, as examples. As you may know Empty Moon is a hybrid... Read more
MIND AND NO MIND A Zen Talk for a New Year Edward Sanshin Oberholtzer Delivered at Empty Moon Zen New Year’s Zazenkai 31 December 2022 The case Damei (Daibai) asked Mazu (Baso), “What is Buddha?” Mazu said, “This very mind is Buddha.” Gateless Gate, Case 30 Sit with that for a moment while I cast my mind back to a January well over a decade ago when I was shuso during what we then called the winter ango... Read more
It’s the eve of the eve of a new year. At my age with little time to squander, nonetheless I have to say about 2022, goodbye, and good riddance. As we entered the year people wanted us all to notice that 2022 was the year the film Soylent Green took place in. As far as I know very, very few people found themselves eating people. However. For many, sadly, it was worse. To be clear I... Read more
Lovely and lyrical and as sharp as a Center of all centers, core of cores, almond self-enclosed and growing sweet – all this universe, to the furthest stars and beyond them, is your flesh, your fruit. Now you feel how nothing clings to you; your vast shell reaches into endless space, and there the rich, thick fluids rise and flow. Illuminated in your infinite peace, A billion stars go spinning through the night, blazing high above your... Read more
Cultivating Verification in One School Zen A New Shushōgi for Now Words of Eihei Dōgen Selected and arranged by Dōshō Port (Eihei Dogen was born on the 19th of January in 1200. He is known as the founder of the Japanese Soto school (Caodong in Chinese) and as one of the great spiritual writers of all time. It is believed he was the illegitimate child of an imperial councillor. His mother is believed to have died when... Read more
In many Eastern Orthodox circles today, the 26th of December, is the feast of James the Just. Me, I usually mark it out as a particularly special day. Although first I should note how his celebration actually is a movable feast. Catholics usually mark his life and ministry on the 3rd of May. The world-wide Anglican communion likes the 1st of May. While American Episcopalians, Lutherans, and some Orthodox prefer the 29th of October. Personally I... Read more
THE FOURTH CHRISTMAS SERMON A Zen Vision of a Christianity that Is and Might Be James Ishmael Ford Christmas Day. Today is Christmas Day. I rummaged through records of my quarter century of parish ministry and since, what now, seven full, and pushing on eight years preaching around and doing some consulting as I circle toward actual retirement. I reviewed what I’ve kept about Christmas. It appears I have three sermons, or, technically sermon subjects... Read more
My friend Sensei Robert Ertman sent me this obituary of the Christian Zen teacher, Sensei Barbara Shoshin Craig. It felt important to share this to a larger readership. The rise of the Zen Christian community is one of the most interesting of the many interesting things that have arisen in the meeting of Zen Buddhism and Christianity starting in the twentieth century. JIF Barbara Craig, RSM, a member of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas... Read more
“The autumn breeze of a single night of love is better than a hundred thousand years of sitting meditation.” Ikkyu (translated by John Stevens) Ikkyu Sojun is one of my favorite figures in the history of Zen. Ikkyu died on this day, the 21st of November, in 1481. He was eighty-seven years old. He was born in the suburbs of Kyoto in 1394, possibly an illegitimate child of the emperor and a courtier. At least these were the... Read more
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