April 12th Zen Retreat: Practicing Zen Koans in Relationship
On April 12, 2015, Three Treasures Sangha is hosting a day-long retreat (zazenkai) with Lee Shields. During the retreat, Lee will focus on practicing Zen koans in relationship. In his talk, Lee will show how two koans apply to how we can relate to the everyday here and now. You’ll see how every interaction is a koan story, a chance to recognize that there is no separation of self and other, and a chance to offer a genuine response in our encounters. Schedule 9:00am Opening, Five Remembrances,...
read moreBranching Moon Sesshin March 28 – April 4 with Jack Duffy Rōshi
Three Treasures Sangha is hosting a sesshin with Jack Duffy Rōshi at Mountain Lamp, a rural practice center near Bellingham, Washington, from March 28 – April 4. A sesshin is a week-long, intensive retreat in the Zen Buddhist tradition. Sesshin means to touch, receive, and convey the mind. During sesshin participants focus on their meditation, listen to talks, meet with the teacher, and perform jobs necessary to sustain the retreat. To touch the mind is to touch that which is not born and does not die;...
read moreThe Buddha Project – An Inter-Sangha Event with Anita Feng, May 1 & 2
By Madelon Bolling Zen is not a very popular tradition these days, and many sanghas are dwindling. Local leaders have begun offering inter-sangha events so that we might carry the Dharma forward through supporting one another. Here’s a unique opportunity to learn from a wonderful artist and teacher, Anita Feng, the resident teacher of Blue Heron Zen, a Korean Zen tradition. Her Dharma teaching flowers in encouraging creativity in others, something she has done both here and overseas. If you’ve ever wished to try sculpting and have...
read moreZenkai with Jack Duffy Roshi – February 14-15
Three Treasures Sangha is hosting a two-day retreat with Jack Duffy Roshi at Dharma Gate zendo on February 14-15th. 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. Bring your own lunch on Saturday. Breakfast will be served on Sunday. 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...
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...
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...
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...
read moreThis Sunday: Commemorative stone dedication, October 26
Please join us this Sunday, October 26, for a special ceremony to initiate an area on the grounds that honors our root teachers, Robert Aiken and Thich Nhat Hanh, and members of our sanghas who have passed on. We will start with a half hour of sitting from 10:00 to 10:30 A.M. and then walk outside to the commemorative area, where stones will be placed for late members of MCPS and TTS. Members of their families have been invited to join us for this ceremony. Friends and families will be welcome to say a few words about our loved ones who have...
read moreRegister now for Broken Raven sesshin, September 20-27
On September 20 we begin our 7-day sesshin – an intensive meditation retreat with Jack Duffy Roshi. Sesshin is a wonderful opportunity to deepen practice with seven days of silent meditation, teishos and dokusan (talks and individual meetings) with Jack. In sesshin, we pick up practice early in the morning, and carry it with us in formal sitting, chanting, eating, and rest periods through the day. The ritual is all designed to support practice in all activities without distraction. If you haven’t done sesshin with TTS before and want more...
read moreZazenkai, June 8: Even Prior to Heaven and Earth
Please join us on Sunday June 8 at Dharma Gate for a one-day zenkai with Madelon from 9am to 3pm. There will be an informal lunch, with soup, as well as brad & cheese for sandwiches, provided; please bring other sandwich fixings or other food to share. We will consider hints given in Daio Kokushi’s verse On Zen, settling in to the deep attraction that practice holds even in the presence of the contradictions of daily experience. The schedule will be as follows: 9:00 Opening, Five Remembrances, Zazen 9:35 Pointers: selected lines of...
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