This is the anniversary of Zen teacher Issan Dorsey’s death on the 6th of September, 1990. I’ve written appreciations a number of times, often expanding over the years on something started a long time ago. Here, after my brief bio of the roshi, with permission I include Ken Ireland’s appreciation of Issan first delivered at Maitri Hospice, which Issan founded, on the twentieth anniversary of Issan’s death.   Tommy Dorsey, Jr, was born on the 7th of... Read more

    A Definition of the Koan Zhongfeng Mingben Translated by Ruth Fuller Sasaki The koans [kungans] may be compared to the case records of the public law court. Whether or not the ruler succeeds in bringing order to his realm depends in essence upon the existence of law. Kung (ko), or “public,” is the single track followed by all sages and worthy men alike, the highest principle which serves as a road for the whole world. An (an), or... Read more

      A Fervent and Necessary Arrangement. A Dharma talk Case 29, Blue Cliff Record   James Ishmael Ford The Case   A monk said to Dasui, “When the thousands of universes are altogether and utterly destroyed in the kalpa fire — I wonder whether this perishes or not.” “This perishes,” said Dasui. “If so,” persisted the monk, “does it follow the other?” “It follows the other,” said Dasui. Blue Cliff Record, Case 29 This story is also collected... Read more

    Thinking of my brother. He would have been seventy-four today. Instead he never saw fifty. We grew up cheek by jowl. Our family was always on the move. In our formative years we only had each other. As we grew up I wanted to be a priest. Christian, Buddhist, that was a matter not as clear He was cool and wanted to have a good time. Pot and acid at first. But his true loves turned out to... Read more

The McLeod Ganj Psalter RSV, Week 2 Ken Ireland (Ken was Ivy League and Jesuit trained, and for some years a member of the Society of Jesus. He currently lives in Dharamshala. Ken’s a long time Zen practitioner and a friend. He’s taken an interest in my current deep dive into the Psalms project, and it inspired a poem cycle. This is the second of the cycle, first published at Ken’s Buddha SJ blog and shared here by permission.) Songs... Read more

    Edgar Rice Burroughs was born on this day, the 1st of September, in 1875. He died in 1950. I was two years old. A decade later, or close to it, a friend and I were rummaging through some boxes of magazines and books looking for old copies of my father’s stash of Playboys. I’ve recounted before how instead I found a cache of Ace paperback editions of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novels. I repeat it because the story is... Read more

      CHAN: ITS MEANING FOR MODERN CIVILIZATION Shin’ichi Hisamatsu Chan means Emancipation and Construction As to the question, “What is Chan?” if one is to be brief, it may perhaps suffice to utter just one word or, indeed, to utter no word at all. If, however, one is to elaborate, it may be said that no amount of elaboration can ever prove to be exhaustive. The intention here, however, is to be as simple and as plain as... Read more

    The 30th of August the ever delightful Episcopal Church celebrates a feast in honor of the life and ministry of Charles Chapman Grafton. I wrote about him a couple of years ago. And it feels time to revisit… Born a Boston brahman in 1830, Grafton was educated at Philips Academy and Harvard College. Originally he had prepared for the law, but theological interests overcame, and he read theology with William Whittingham, Tractarian and Episcopal bishop of Maryland. Beginning... Read more

    On the evening of the 26th of August, 2022, in Long Beach, California, I was honored to give Mo Myokan Weinhardt and Tom Daimon Wardle denkai transmission within my Zen lineages. This is the first step of transmission within our Zen sangha. The new Dharma Holders are authorized to gather and lead communities of practice, function as spiritual directors, and give Zen’s sixteen precepts. The only reservation to their authorizations is that they may not authorize teachers, themselves.... Read more

    Blood, that wears treason in his face, Villain complete in parson’s gown, How much he is at court in grace For stealing Ormond and the crown! Since loyalty does no man good, Let’s steal the King, and outdo Blood! John Wilmot, History of Insipids Thomas Blood died on this day, the 24th of August, 1680. He’d been in a coma for two days. He was born in 1618 in County Clare, in the Kingdom of Ireland. His father... Read more