I read recently that all religions have a creation story. That gave me pause because at first I was thinking, “Well, in Buddhism there isn’t really a story about a turtle on a rock smoking a cigarette or anything like that.” But then I remembered our story that answers this basic human question, best asked on a clear night in the woods, gazing into infinity. Where did we come from? This reflection dovetailed synchronicity-like with something I stumbled upon over... Read more

“We have not sent down the Qur’an to you to be (an occasion) for your distress…” (from the Qur’an, Surah 20). Some fearful folks might be burning this holy book today, a book that has guided many a wise people and civilization. Very sad.  I’m afraid that as we enter this post-peak oil period of globalization, there will be a lot of hatred and intolerance. Our belief in how special we are will be confronted with many ugly truths –... Read more

                      After I was the tenzo (Zen cook) for a practice period, I noticed that my judgments of the food served during sesshin dropped off. I knew how hard it was to get a meal to the practitioners and I was grateful for whatever arrived in the zendo.  So I confess to having some conflicted feelings about giving a book a negative review. I know how hard it is to... Read more

 This was just posted on one of the teacher listserves. Click here for the text that accompanies it. Read more

Thanks to Al’s suggestion in the comments to my last post, I listened to my old friend, Jisho Warner, speak about enlightenment on my drive to work this morning. Jisho makes a number of important points in a subtle and clearly-thought-through manner. She is a master of the fine distinction. Click here for her talk. Jisho says that the notion of enlightenment that is popular in classical Zen literature – one great experience that forever transforms everything – is naive... Read more

I enjoyed the comments to my last post about Zen priests (whoops, “practitioners,” I mean) although I never expected so many on that topic. Go figure.  The issue of enlightenment (or kensho or satori or my personal favorite, verification) experiences has been kicked around again over on Brad Warner’s Hardcore blog (with many hundreds of comments), James Ford’s Monkey Mind and beyond.  Brad tends to kick such things down. James tends to kick them up. I’m with my buddy James... Read more

I’ve been reflecting on a couple dharma things lately. One is sex and dharma because I’ve been reading an advance copy of Brad Warner’s new book, Sex, Sin and Zen: A Buddhist Exploration of Sex from Celibacy to Polyamory and Everything in Between, but the book isn’t out until after Labor Day so I’ll save my thoughts on that for a while.  The other is about this thing called a “Zen priest,” prompted in part by my recent anniversary (see... Read more

Twenty-six years since I underwent home-leaving with Katagiri-roshi.  Like a summer cloud.  Beautiful evening here. Half moon playing with the clouds. Before turning in, I think of this old poem by Dogen: Evening quiet a fish of brocade scales reaches bottom then goes this way then that way; arrow notch splits. Read more

Above is a ragged wild fox looking for hand outs at the border. Really. My son and I saw him or her on the way into Canada in June, hanging around the line of cars waiting to go through Customs. Speaking of which, that old ragged fox koan is up for me again. It is such a wonderfully rich koan with many levels, a delightful play of freedom and bondage, liberation and karma.  Here’s the story in case you, dear... Read more

I was at a retirement party earlier for one of my old bosses and a really good leader with almost 40 years working in the schools. I’ll miss him and I’m happy that he and his wife get to have some time together now doing what they most enjoy – sailing.  Looking around the room, I found myself thinking, “Gee, most of these people are so old.”  Then I realized that they were mostly my age, give or take a... Read more