Into the Dark of the Year
By Madelon Bolling This piece was originally given by Madelon as a dharma talk at the Three Treasures Sangha zazenkai on December 14, 2014. The days are shorter now. It seems appropriate as we enter the dark of the year that we reflect on the lives of relatively unknown predecessors on the Way. Women and laypersons have always had an interest in seeing into self-nature, and they too influenced the course of Zen study significantly. Yet traditionally only monastics have been remembered and celebrated, and those were predominantly men. Not that women weren’t also monastics: they just weren’t...
Read MoreAutumn appeal
“We have to seek God in error and forgetfulness and foolishness.” — Meister Eckhart I remember attending my first sesshin with Aitken Roshi in Hawaii as a younger man. I was drawn to be there because, well, it was Hawaii, but mostly because of Aitken’s encouragement, and my own deep questions about violence, injustice and suffering. However, after a few days I was sure I had made a great error. The rituals and chants were alien to me. The long hours of sitting wracked my body. The daily Dharma talks were incomprehensible. I had to forget everything I thought I knew about religion...
Read MoreLay Practice: A Dharma Talk
By Lee Shields We are together involved in a great movement that is very personal to each of us, and is also playing out in countries around the world as we speak. Each of us is experimenting with the adaptation of an ancient monastic tradition to our busy lay lives. Even those of us who live or have lived in retreat settings for periods of time I suspect adapt in the interface with our modern world. Speaking for myself, I have no doubt already that this practice of silent meditation, whether done formally on a cushion here together, at home alone or with family, or in the act of doing my...
Read MoreZazenkai, November 9, Engaging Lay Practice
This Sunday, at Dharma Gate, please join Three Treasures Sangha for a zazenkai, day of sitting & a dharma talk. The schedule will be: 9:00 Opening, Five Remembrances, Zazen 9:35 Zazen: Offering of selected lines of a reading from Dogen 10:30 Introductory words by Lee and/or Madelon, and discussion, Kinhin 11:30 Zazen 12:30 Informal lunch (Soup, bread & cheese provided. Please bring sandwich fixings or other food to share.) 1:30 Sutras 2:00 Zazen, Interviews 2:50 Closing, Great Vows
Read MoreBuddha Twirls a Flower: Or, Buddha Albert Einstein, and George Carlin walk into a bar
By Lee Shields The Gateless Barrier, Case 6: Once, in ancient times, when the World-Honored One was at Mount Grdbrakuta, s/he twirled a flower before her assembled disciples. All were silent. Only Mahakasyapa broke into a smile. The World-Honored One said, “I have the eye treasury of right Dharma, the subtle mind of nirvana, the true form of no-form, and the flawless gate of the teaching. It is not established upon words and phrases. It is special transmission outside tradition. I now entrust this to Mahakasyapa. This is an utterly simple story; in another context we could weave many...
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