Buddhist Resources for Memorial Services For an overview, you might read the Wikipedia article on Buddhist Funerals.   Resources “When Blossoms Fall: A Zen Guide for Death & Dying” a resource from the San Francisco Zen Center “Funeral Information: Guide to Planning a Buddhist Funeral” a resource from the Fresno Bestuin Buddhist Temple “Guide to a Proper Buddhist Funeral:” a resource from the Malaysian Buddhist Cooperative. At Home Memorial Service: A Personal 49 Day Dedication a resource from... Read more

    Every once in a while it’s important to come up with a brief list of books about important subjects. None is more important to me than Zen. And now with the publication this week of a new and absolutely wonderful illustrated guide to Zen in the Soto tradition by Seigaku Amato, it seems a perfect moment to do so. Here I hope is a list of a handful of books that can give the reader a very good... Read more

          The Fat Man and the Ox Glenn Taylor Webb What do these two images have to do with anything? The answer: everything. They illustrate means and ends in a forceful way. Their source is the famous Zen parable of the Ten Ox-herding Pictures, which I consider the key to understanding just about everything I think I know about birth, life, death and what they actually may mean. The fat jolly man who appears at the... Read more

  Practicing With Householder Koans Dharma Talk given on March 19, 2021 at the Empty Moon Zen Inaugural Zoom Sesshin by the Rev. Janine Seitetsu Larsen Senior Dharma Teacher with the Empty Moon Zen Sangha, and Resident Priest with Bright Cloud Zen practice groups of Seattle & Woodinville, WA   It is good to be with you today, this first full day of our Empty Moon Zen Spring Sesshin. Zen retreats like this, even on Zoom, and no matter if... Read more

  YOUR BEST SEASON A Zen Meditation on Spring Edward Sanshin Oberholtzer Delivered on March 20th, 2012 at Empty Moon Zen‘s Inaugural Zoom Sesshin   Good evening, my name is Edward Keido Sanshin Oberholtzer. I’m the resident priest here at the Joseph Priestley Zen Sangha in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. We’re an affiliate of Empty Moon Zen. “Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York.” And it has been a winter of our discontent, perhaps... Read more

  THE ZEN PRACTICE OF KOAN INTROSPECTION A Dharma Talk at Empty Moon Zen‘s Inaugural Zoom Sesshin 20 March 2021 Maureen Myokan Weinhardt Senior Dharma Teacher Empty Moon Zen   The Case Elder Ting asked Lin Chi, “What is the great meaning of the Buddhist Teaching?” Chi came down off his meditation seat, grabbed and held Ting, gave him a slap, and then pushed him away. Ting stood there motionless. A monk standing by said, “Elder Ting, why do you... Read more

      Every once in a while I feel it important to pause and to assess where my heart is, what I believe, what guides me, what sustains me, and what pushes me forward. Hoping, possibly, this current edition of my confession might be of some small help to others on the intimate way. My Confession. James Ishmael Ford When I was a youth I wanted to know God. Desperately. With all my heart. I even prayed that if God... Read more

  I’ve captured these mostly for our small community, but it occurred to me that others might find these videos helpful, as well. I include links to the communities producing the videos. Also, if this subject is of interest, an invaluable resource for Soto Zen liturgy in English is the Soto Zen Scriptures for Daily Service & Practice. Thanks to Sensei Sanshin Oberholtzer, here’s a brief script for the Eiheiji style basic morning service. clappers once clappers once clappers once Doan... Read more

        I have been practicing well past fifty years. My skin is wrinkling. My hair is a different color than it was in my youth and maturity. I’m shorter than I was. And I need to go to the bathroom when I need to go to the bathroom. Admittedly, I still am not worried about buying green bananas. But I know that day is right around the corner. I’m in a new season. And there are new... Read more

    I’ve been thinking of late about Zen and the intimate way in the West. It goes in bunches of directions depending on one’s perspective and the perspective of one’s teachers. In Japanese Zen one spends time in the monastery, usually between one and three years, and usually then trundle off to the family temple and a life as a parish minister. Some stay and dig in. In Soto schools they pay less attention to the moments of clarity,... Read more