Oh why, oh why won’t the idol deliver? That phrase is from an astute Viner student. And by the way, if you think that Zen work cannot be done via online processes, think again. I see it every day. Click here for more information. But back to the “idol” in question – the idol is whatever we’re worshiping and relying on to magically fulfill us. It could be a relationship, exercise, money, job, or some material possession. Or it could... Read more
This morning after zazen, we offered incense and the recitation of the Heart Sutra to Daicho Hayashi-roshi (or Kaigai Daicho Zenji) the teacher of Katagiri-roshi and so my dharma grandfather. It is his memorial day today. Hayashi-roshi died not knowing the impact that his life and teaching would have through Katagiri-roshi and those many that he impacted indirectly. Here’s a post from 2008 where I give some of the detail of his life. Hayashi Roshi’s dharma name was Kaigai Daicho,... Read more
Blue depths ten thousand ages old, the moon in an empty realm; You’ll only know it when you scoop it up two or three times. – One Peace 同安 I stumbled on this lovely one last night – empty and full; deep and blue. From the beginning this way and yet “knowing” comes in scooping the light of the moon. The poem is in the notes to Dogen’s Buddha Nature, explaining this passage: “The words spoken by the Sixth Ancestor,... Read more
In Vine of Obstacles practice meetings, a passage from The Connected Discourses of the Buddha has been coming up for me frequently as I meet with Viner students. After stumbling to find the right quote in my unreliable memory, I finally did a search to find a deity of stunning beauty questioning the Buddha like this: “How, dear sir, did you cross the flood?” “By not halting, friend, and by not straining I crossed the... Read more
In the Vine of Obstacles: Support for Online Zen Training, the first focus for study practice is Dogen’s “Guidelines for Practicing the Way.” Dogen makes ten points here, starting with the importance of clear intention, practicing for the sake of buddhadharma, and the importance of studying with a “true” teacher. Click here for a Wild Fox blog post about following a teacher, practicing yourself, following yourself from a couple years ago. In the Vine work, several people have gotten “true”... Read more
What good is Zen? What can we expect from our practice? Is Zen about transformation? We do expect a lot, of course, and that’s normal and healthy. When we tie ourselves up in knots of pseudo-no-gain, hiding our gaining ideas even from ourselves, we betray our simple humanity. Our gaining ideas are dreams, or course, and are equally the real deal. As are all the sights, sounds, smell, tastes and touches of this dream life. Yes, dream life. Sometimes even... Read more
Online Zen training? What would the old guys say about that? I don’t know. The “Zen Center” model, though, is less than sixty years old, so I hope the innovators of that model – especially the guys in the front row (priests left to right, Katagiri, not sure who, Suzuki, Maezumi, and probably Chino) – would see online Zen as a natural extension of what they were trying to do, making Zen accessible to those interested and capable. The Vine... Read more
I’ve been enjoying the run-up to the full moon. Both of the last two nights, the almost-full moon played with the clouds so full of life and beauty. The April full moon, as you may know, is the pink moon – and isn’t exactly pink. The moon in Zen-ese, as you may know, is often used as a metaphor for enlightenment. Ah, the soft light of illumination. And it also isn’t what it might seem. For me, it’s a good... Read more
Most Zen practitioners today do what I call “home-based practice” rather than monastic or center-based practice. This is one of the big differences between the past and the contemporary world that Zen training must address to be relevant and powerful. A couple thoughts about this today thanks to a gHangout meeting with Steve. First, I’ve found it helpful to think about home-based practice more like hermit practice than monastic practice. Here’s one important difference – in monastic practice, we can... Read more
I’m back from sesshin in Omaha. “Pay Attention, Be Kind, Remember that the World is Vast and Wide” was the theme of the talk I gave there on Sunday. I’ll get the recording up here soon. Today the bombings in Boston are up for me. On another “day after.” “Pay Attention, Be Kind, Remember that the World is Vast and Wide” is all I’ve got to say. That’s my prayer today for one and all. Read more
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