Left to right, Madelon, Lee
Voice of the Bird, A Talk by Madelon Bolling (April 4, 2024)
Voice of the Bird for sesshin, April 2024. Asan of Shinano lived in Japan in the eighteenth century. She was a sincere student who meditated assiduously. One morning, drifting in and out of sleep and struggling to stay present to her koan, she heard a rooster crow. Her mind suddenly opened, and she exclaimed: The fields, the mountains, the flowers, and my body, too, are the voice of the bird. What is left that could be said to hear? [From Dongshan’s Five Ranks (Bolleter), p.101.] PSC Chinese Zen master Seng-Tsan noted in the...
read moreA Rich Man Wandering Among the Poor, A Talk by Leland Shields (April 3, 2024)
All beings by nature are Buddha, as ice by nature is water. Apart from water there is no ice; apart from beings, no Buddha. How sad that people ignore the near and search for truth afar: like someone in the midst of water crying out in thirst; like a child of a wealthy home wandering among the poor. (Hakuin, “Song of Zazen”) Hakuin begins “The Song of Zazen” with a clear statement: all beings are Buddha. As clear as it is, when in doubt we can still equivocate – who or what is Buddha after all? Aren’t we supposed to slay any...
read moreNot the Wind, Not the Flag, A Talk by Leland Shields (April 2, 2024)
Case 29 of the Gateless Barrier: Hui-neng: “Not the Wind; Not the Flag” Two monks were arguing about the temple flag waving in the wind. One said, “The flag moves.” The other said, “The wind moves.” They argued back and forth but could not agree. The Sixth Ancestor said, “Gentlemen! It is not the wind that moves; it is not the flag that moves; it is your mind that moves.” The two monks were struck with awe. Aitken, Robert. The Gateless Barrier: The Wu-Men Kuan (Mumonkan) (p. 228). Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Kindle Edition. Step back. Watch...
read moreRelinquish Yourself – A Talk by Leland Shields (April 1, 2024)
Daito Kokushi’s Admonition Oh you [monastics] who are in this mountain monastery, remember you are gathered here for the sake of religion, and not for the sake of clothes and food. As long as you have shoulders you will have clothes to wear. As long as you have a mouth you will have food to eat. Be ever mindful throughout the [twenty-four] hours of the day, to apply yourself to the Unthinkable. Time passes like an arrow, never let your mind be disturbed by worldly cares. Ever, ever be on the look out…Oh [monastics], be diligent, be diligent....
read moreWhat Are We Really, A Talk by Madelon Bolling
What are we, really? The Sixth Patriarch, Hui-neng said, Good friends! You already possess the prajna wisdom of enlightenment! . . . Buddha nature isn’t different for the ignorant and the wise . . . (Platform Sutra, section 12) Now, how can that be? You mean, we ignorant folk have the prajna wisdom of enlightenment? Already? Kodo Sawaki said, Zazen is becoming a Buddha while you are a deluded person. So what does that look like? In an online message, Henry Shukman once referred to “A sense of being held by all experience.” By becoming...
read moreNothing extra, nothing left out – a talk by Leland Shields
Blue Cliff Record, Case 12: Tung Shan’s Three Pounds of Hemp A monk asked Tung-Shan, “What is Buddha?” Tung Shan said, “Three pounds of hemp.” Thomas Cleary, BCR 12 Blue Cliff Record, case 19: Chu Ti’s One Finger Ch’an Whenever anything was asked, Master Chu Ti would just raise one finger. Thomas Cleary, BCR 19 Blue Cliff Record case 27: Yun Men’s The Body Exposed, The Golden Wind A monk asked Yun Men, “How is it when the tree withers and the leaves fall?” Yun Men said, “Body exposed in the golden wind.” Thomas Cleary, BCR 27 On most retreat...
read moreThe Teachings of a Whole Lifetime – A Talk by Madelon Bolling (February 11, 2024)
A monk asked Yun Men, “What are the teachings of a whole lifetime?” Yun Men said, “An appropriate statement.” (Blue Cliff Record, Case 14) * * * There is a reality even prior to Heaven and Earth. Indeed it has no form, much less a name . Eyes fail to see it: it has no voice for ears to detect. . . . It is Dharma, truly beyond form and sound. It is Tao, having nothing to do with words. (Dai-O Kokushi: On Zen) * * * None of us can fix this world....
read moreLiving or Dead — a talk by Leland Shields (November 12, 2023)
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! Won’t say!” During their return trip, Jianyuan said, “Heshang, please tell me right away. If you don’t, I’ll hit you.” Daowu said, “You may hit me if you like, but I won’t say. ...
read moreThe Zen of One Flavor, a talk by Leland Shields (September 16, 2023)
A monk was taking his leave. Kuei-tsung asked, “Where are you going?” The monk said, “I’m going here and there to study the Zen of the Five flavors.” Kuei-tsung said, “Other places may teach the Zen of the Five flavors; here I have only the Zen of one flavor.” “And what is the Zen of one flavor?” said the monk. Kuei-tsung hit him. “I understand, I understand.” “Then tell me, tell me.” Just as the monk opened his mouth, Kuei-tsung hit him again. Ikkyū and the Crazy Cloud Anthology, “From Wu Teng Hui Yuan,” p. 100. I have some admiration...
read moreBe Yourself, a talk by Madelon Bolling (September 16, 2023)
Nanyue Polishes a Tile Nanyue Huairang asked Mazu Daoyi, “Worthy monk, why do you sit in meditation?” Mazu replied, “I wish to become a buddha.” Huairang picked up a tile and started to rub it against a stone in front of Mazu’s hermitage. Finally Mazu asked him what he was doing. Huairang replied, “Polishing it to make a mirror.” “How can you make a tile into a mirror by polishing it?’ asked Mazu. “How can you become a buddha by sitting in meditation?” responded...
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