No Words or Phrases — a talk by Leland Shields (September 18, 2026)
No Words or Phrases Leland Shields – September 18, 2026 Musō … went to Yishan and said, “I still have not clarified the matter of self. Master, please, directly point the way.” Yishan answered, “Our school has no words or phrases, and nothing to transmit to anyone.” “That may be so,’ responded Musō, “but be compassionate and at least teach me an expedient means.” “There are no expedient means,” declared Yishan, “nor is there any compassion.” From then on this is all that Yishan would say to Musō. Musō Soseki, trans. Thomas Yūhō...
read moreUsing the Mind to Seek the Mind — Isn’t That a Great Mistake? — a talk by Leland Shields (September 17, 2026)
Using the Mind to Seek the Mind — Isn’t That a Great Mistake? Leland Shields – September 17, 2026 (This is taken from a passage in…) Verse of the Faith-Mind …Using the mind to seek the mind — isn’t that a great mistake? (Attributed to Chien-Chih Seng-ts’an], d. 606) Case 37 of the Gateless Barrier: The Oak Tree in Front of the Garden A monk asked Chao-Chou in all earnestness, “What is the meaning of the patriarch’s coming from the West?” Chao-Chou said, “The oak tree in the front of the garden.” (Robert Aitken, The...
read moreThis Midsummer Retreat — a talk by Madelon Bolling (September 16, 2026)
This Midsummer Retreat Madelon Bolling – September 16, 2026 We used to do a midsummer retreat called “Ancient Bones.” They say it was discontinued because fewer and fewer people could attend at all. Even with allowances for our limitations, it had become too arduous for those of us with ancient bones. I bought pre-paid cremation services for my dad about five years ago and we scattered my brother-in-law’s ashes on the Fourth of July that year. We’re all of us facing death from the instant we are born. We can’t face away from...
read moreSeek Without Being Attached to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha — a talk by Leland Shields (September 15, 2026)
Seek Without Being Attached to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha Leland Shields – September 15, 2026 When Huangbo went to the buddha hall and made prostrations to the Buddha, [Xuan] the [novice] secretary joined him and said, “Seek without being attached to the buddha. Seek without being attached to the dharma. Seek without being attached to the sangha. Elder, why are you making prostrations?” In response, Huangbo slapped the novice secretary and said, “Seek without being attached to the buddha. Seek without being attached to the dharma. Seek without...
read moreThe Dharma Gate of Ease and Joy — a talk by Leland Shields (September 14, 2026)
The Dharma Gate of Ease and Joy Leland Shields – September 14, 2026 Zazen is not the practice of dhyāna: it is simply the dharma gate of ease and joy. It is the practice and verification of ultimate bodhi Dogen, “Zazen Universally Recommended,” TTS sutra books What I just read is from Dogen’s essay, “Zazen, Universally Recommended,” in our sutra books. My intention this talk is to give you nothing to figure out and nothing to think about, so we can all breathe, walk, mu, chant, eat, wash… The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism tells us that the...
read moreNot knowing — a talk by Leland Shields (September 13, 2026)
Not knowing Leland Shields – September 13, 2026 I’d like to start with a poem of Ryokan’s: Who calls my poems poems? My poems are not poems. Only when you know my poems are not poems can we together speak about poems. Translation Kazuaki Tanahashi, Sky Above, Great Wind; The Life and Poetry of Zen Master Ryokan, p. 20. Let’s put that together with Gateless Barrier case 40, “Guishan Kicks Over the Water Bottle.” When Guishan was with Baizhang’s assembly, he was cook of the monastery. Baizhang wanted to choose a founding teacher for Mount...
read moreImpermanence is Buddha-nature: A Talk by Madelon Bolling (August 9, 2026)
Impermanence is Buddha-nature Madelon Bolling, August 9, 2026 They never told us . . . “Impermanence is Buddha-nature.” Dogen “Death is like the moon in the sky. It doesn’t disappear. It only changes form.” Ryokan Case 55: Daowu’s Condolence Daowu and Jianyuan went to a house to pay condolences. Yuan tapped on the coffin and asked, “Living or Dead?” Daowu said, “Living I won’t say. Dead I won’t say.” Jianyuan said, “Why won’t you say? Daowu said, “Won’t say!...
read moreFour Noble Truths — a talk by Leland Shields (July 11, 2026)
Four Noble Truths Lee Shields, July 11, 2026 As the story goes, Buddha left a comfortable home when realizing the unavoidable fact of old age, sickness and death. He spent years in dedicated practice, alone and with others, at times dangerously denying himself food and water before choosing the middle way. Then taking a seat under the Bodhi tree, he remained, through all manner of delusions doing their best to unseat him. On the morning of the eighth day, the Venus star shattered the world he knew. Rising at last, he sought out his practice...
read moreAll Beings by Nature are Buddha: A Talk by Madelon Bolling (May 10, 2026)
All beings by nature are Buddha A Talk by Madelon Bolling, May 10, 2026 In the Book of Serenity, Tozan Zenji teaches us: Don’t try to seek yourself. Don’t try to figure out who you are. The “you” found in that way is far from the real you; it is not you anymore. But when I go on my way, wherever I turn, I meet myself. [#49] The Huayan school says, “Inner reality is complete, words are partial; when words are born, inner reality is lost.” [Book of Serenity, #49] One of the first instructions I received from Korean Zen master...
read moreHeshan’s Knowing How to Beat the Drum — a talk by Leland Shields (April, 2026)
Blue Cliff Record Case Forty-Four: Heshan Beats the Drum Leland Shields, April 12, 2026 [Heshan] said, “Cultivating study is called listening, ending study is called nearness; going beyond these two is really going beyond.” A [practitioner] came up and asked, “What is real going beyond?” [Heshan] said, “Knowing how to beat a drum.” The [practitioner] then asked, “What is absolute truth?” [Heshan] said, “Knowing how to beat a drum.” [The practitioner] then asked, “I do not question ‘mind itself is Buddha’—what about ‘not mind, not Buddha’?”...
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