Separate and Not Separate Are Consistent – Leland Shields, May 10, 2020, Zoom Zenkai
In the apparent but misleading dichotomy of practice, there is one breath, all else falling away. Yet in one breath, there is context – fast, chest heaving after running for a bus; ragged, with congestion; tortured, when in respiratory distress. Each is one breath. We cannot deny this breath, that is only obscured by our descriptions. In these days, we cannot deny this breath is connected to all things, through the illness of exposure, or through the health arising from our shared care through isolation and hygiene. I am not the first to observe that the contagion of pandemic baldly exposes...
Read MoreZenkai (June 14, 2020) with Madelon Bolling
TTS will hold the June 14, 2020 Zenkai remotely (by Zoom). If you are able, please join all or part of this opportunity for intensive practice with others. 8:15 Samu – cleaning your space or home 8:45 Gathering on Zoom 8:55 Be seated 9:00 (5 Remembrances), Zazen, Kinhin 10:00 (Dai-O Kokushi) Dharma talk (Shiku Seigan Mon)* 10: 40 Zazen, Kinhin (11:15 Interviews available) 12:00 (audio and video on) Break to get food 12:10 Informal Zoom lunch together (Meal chants before & after) 12:45 Clean up 1:10 Be seated 1:15 Zazen, Kinhin...
Read More“No Body” Breaks a Toe A Talk by Leland Shields, January 12, 2020
A nun was walking along a path, chanting the Heart Sutra. She accidentally kicked a stone, broke her toe and shouted out in pain. As she did so, the line in the Heart Sutra came to mind, “no body.” With this, body and mind dropped away. The related passage from the Heart Sutra is this one: Therefore in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, perception, mental reaction, consciousness; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind, no color, sound, scent, taste, touch, thought; no seeing and so on to no thinking; no ignorance and also no ending of ignorance, and so on to no old age and death and...
Read MoreThe Indestructible Dharma-body, a Talk by Madelon Bolling (October 13, 2019)
Blue Cliff Record, Case 82: A monk asked Ta-lung, “The body of form and color perishes. What is the indestructible Dharma-body?” Ta-lung said, “The mountain flowers bloom like brocade; the river between the hills runs blue as indigo.” The body of form and color perishes. Asking why is a complete waste of energy. There is nothing to be done about it. Going to my sitting spot in the morning for a half-hour or so makes total sense, though I cannot say why. Seems to be the only thing to do at the moment. Like the first touch of morning light on the underside of leaves—it is as inexorable and as...
Read MoreTwo-Day Zen Retreat with Jack Duffy (June 8-9, 2019)
Three Treasures Sangha is hosting a two-day retreat with Jack Duffy Roshi at Dharma Gate zendo on June 8-9. Jack Duffy will give a talk each day and hold dokusan (practice-related interviews). Everyone is welcome even if you haven’t attended a Three Treasures Sangha retreat. If you’re looking for other opportunities to sit Zen with Three Treasures, check out our Calendar. For more information about this or other retreats, contact ttssangha@gmail.com. SCHEDULE Saturday, June 8th 8:15am — Work period 9:00am —...
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