In Today's Talk, we continue our dance with the 信心銘, called the Xinxinming in Chinese and the Shinjinmei in Japanese, and by a variety of names in English Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: February 3rd-4th, 2023 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Shinjinmei (II) »
CELEBRATING THIS EVER NEW YEAR! Today's Talk will be the first in a series reflecting on: THE SONG OF TRUST MIND (信心銘 Shinjinmei), A Key to Zazen Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Jan 6-7th, 2022 - OUR (NEW YEAR!) MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Shinjinmei (I) »
Our Dharma Talks this time will feature Rev. Kokuu and Rev. Jinkan, presenting their first Teachings upon and in celebration of their Dharma Transmission in our Lineage. Other Talks will feature our newest ordained priests, Koushi, Onkai and Nengei, as their "debut" offering of a Talk to our Sangha. Readings for Talks are based on passages from Menzan Zuiho Osho's Jijuyu Zanmai (自受用三昧 - "The Self-Receiving-Employing Samadhi") Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Tree...
Today's Talk will reflect on Master Keizan's "Middle Way, Beyond Hope to Attain" and "No Entering, No Emerging Samadhi" Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Nov. 4-5th, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - DAYLIGHT SAVINGS in EUROPE»
Today's Talk will reflect on Mirror Mind by Master Menzan from his Jijuyu-Zanmai Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Oct. 7th-8th, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Menzan in the Mirror»
Our Zazenkai is in Special Celebration and Welcome of the Commencement of our 2022 ANGO & JUKAI Season! Today's talk will reflect on redemption, Icchantikas and 'Broken Ladles' Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Sept. 2nd-3rd, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Commencing JUKAI & ANGO! »...
Our talk today is on ''Sankon Zazen Setsu: Three Kinds of Zazen Practitioners' by Keizan Zenji. Which is better, Soto or Rinzai, Shikantaza or Koan Instrospection? Both! Neither! In fact, the medicine depends on the needs of the patient. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Aug 5-6, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf Zazenkai - Keizan's Sankon Zazen Setsu »...
Today's talk is on a seemingly arcane bit of Buddhist Teachings, positioned well to aid us in living.Dharma Position is mentioned in the Lotus Sutra, "The Dharmas Dwell in their Dharma Position". It is an important teaching of Japanese Tendai Buddhism, from which Master Dogen first came, and seems to have been cherished by Dogen in his Zen teaching as well. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: July 1-2nd, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - ...
Today, a final visit with the Vimalakirti Sutra. We end our series of talks on the Vimalakirti Sutra with the following visit to Buddha, from (mostly) Chapter 12 Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: June 3rd-4th, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Farewell, Vimalakirti »
Today we will again walk through the Door of the Vimalakirti Sutra. Here, at Gate 9, we again find many very excellent responses by a bunch of very wise Bodhisattvas (after all, they are big time Bodhisattvas, so not amateurs! ) Does the lay person Vimalakirti truly "best" them at the end? Here are some good examples of what the Bodhisattvas said... Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: May 6-7th, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Dharma-Do...
Today's Talk will reflect on a rather strange and bewildering portion of the Vimalakirti Sutra This time, we will look at a very strange, seemingly two-faced passage from Chapter 8 of the Vimalakirti Sutra ... but is that what it really means? Hmmmm ... Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: March 4-5, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Wisdom Amid Confusion »...
Today's Talk will reflect on Living Beings within Chapter 7 of the Vimalakirti Sutra. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: February 4th-5th, 2022 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI»
Today's Talk will reflect on more magical happenings from the Vimalakirti Sutra. Pull up a chair for a little reading of a magical tale, as Vimalakirti arranges the furniture ... Chapter 6: BEYOND COMPREHENSION Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Our 2021-2022 NEW YEAR's EVE 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI- CELEBRATING A NEW THIS MOMENT! »...
Today's Talk will reflect on more Wondrous Passages from the Vimalakirti Sutra. Vimalakirti continues his undefeated record, taking on all contenders ... in Round 4: the Bodhisattvas Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: November 5th-6th, 2021 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Vimalakirti Sutra Series »...
Today's Talk will reflect on Further Passages from the Vimalakirti Sutra, chapter III (the Arhats) ... We will see further examples of how this tale seeks to blend an idealized view of the Bodhisattva with life on earth, in this complicated world. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: {Oct. 1st-2nd, 2021 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Dedicated to Reiyu Payen} »...
Today's Talk will reflect on passages from the Vimalakirti Sutra. One of the most popular Asian classics for roughly two thousand years, the Vimalakirti Sutra stands out because unlike most sutras, its central figure is not a Buddha but a wealthy townsman, who, in his mastery of doctrine and practice, epitomizes the ideal lay practitioner. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: September 2021 Zazenkai Talk (Commencement of 2021 ANGO & JUKAI Season) ...
We will continue our series of reflections on the Heart Sutra (Hannya Shingyo). Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: March 5th-6th OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI »
Our Talk this week will look at the mysterious 'missing parts' of the Heart Sutra (Hannya Shingyo 般若心経), as the first in a series of monthly reflections on ... the Heart Sutra! The Tibetan version of the Heart Sutra contains the following verses that we do not usually chant. Why? And what do they mean? Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: February 2021 Zazenkai Talk (The 'Missing' Heart Sutra) »...
OUR NEW YEARS TALK will be based on the Poems and Teachings of Daichi Zenji (1290-1366) who became a monk under 寒巌義尹 Kangan Giin (1217-1300) who was himself a disciple of Dogen Zenji. After Kangan's death Daichi visited various teachers and later practiced with Keizan Zenji for seven years. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Jan 1st 2021 Our NEW YEAR 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI- COME CELEBRATE A NEW THIS MOMENT! »...
We will look today at one passage of Master Dogen's Shobogenzo Uji (Being-Time), rapping and riffing on a famous Koan. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Nov 6-7 2020 OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI- Book Tour Kickoff/DAYLIGHT SAVINGS »
The VERSE OF ATONEMENT All harmful acts, words and thoughts, ever committed by me since of old, On account of beginningless greed, anger and ignorance, Born of my body, mouth and mind, Now I atone for them all The FOUR VOWS To save all sentient beings, though beings numberless To transform all delusions, though delusions inexhaustible To perceive Reality, though Reality is boundless To attain the Enlightened Way, a Way non-attainable Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on ...
Our Zazenkai is in Special Celebration and Welcome of the Commencement of our 2020 ANGO & JUKAI Season Today's Talk will reflect on our "Dedication of Merit" Recital. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Sept 4th-5th, 2020 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - Commencing Jukai & Ango! »...
Our Talk today will be on a few Cases of the Book of Serenity. Koan 86: "Rinzai's Great Enlightenment" Koan 87: "Sozan's With or Without" Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: July 31th-August 1st, 2020 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI »
Our Zazenkai is in Special Celebration and Welcome of the Commencement of our 2019 ANGO & JUKAI Season Today's Talk will reflect on "ANGO: NOW & THEN" - What is Ango in our day and time, for householders in the modern West? Is it Ango as the Buddha, Dogen and all the Ancestors Practiced? Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: Sept 6th-7th, 2019 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI - COMMENCING JUKAI & ANGO! »...
Our Talk today will be on a few Cases of the Book of Serenity that we recently danced in our "No Words" Book Club : Case 81 - Gensha Comes to the Province Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: SPECIAL SUNDAY Aug 4-5th - Our MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI (No Zazenkai Fri-Sat) »
Rev. Sekishi's talk on Building a House and the Four Seals: the four characteristics (or "seals") are sometimes seen as a sort of "litmus test" to see if a teaching reflects true Buddha Dharma. But they can also be viewed as part of the core teachings of Buddhism: All compounded things are impermanent All emotions are Dukkha All phenomena are empty; they are without inherent (or "self") existence Nirvana is beyond extremes / concepts / description Further reading and discussion for this talk are...
Rev. Kyonin's talk on the Outline of Practice of Master Bodhidharma (also known as the Treatise on the Two Entrances and Four Practices/ 二入四行論) (Translated by Red Pine) MANY roads lead to the Path, but basically there are only two: reason and practice. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: June 7th-8th, 2019 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI! - featuring Kyonin! »...
Today's Talk is by Rev. Shokai, who will speaks on Vesak and the Buddha's Birthday. Further reading and discussion for this talk are available on the Treeleaf forum: May 3rd-4th, 2019 - OUR MONTHLY 4-hour Treeleaf ZAZENKAI! - featuring Shokai! »
Today's Talk will look at a variety of STORIES and ISSUES IN THE NEWS today. Recently, there has been much discussion in the Buddhist world about "leaving politics at the door" of the Buddhist Sangha, where we encounter a way beyond opinions and debates. Generally, I very much agree. Zazen is beyond "right left and middle," and points to something beyond mere worldly concerns. However, I also believe that Buddhist teachings and values do guide us in certain directions in daily life, and toward c...
I am going to say something that might be missed or not emphasized enough in many explanations of Shikantaza Zazen. (I apologize to any teachers who do in fact say this). In Shikantaza, trains of thought and stormy emotions might come. and we are told to release the thoughts, become untangled, returning to the posture or breath or 'open awareness,' the stillness and silence free of thoughts. Then, when more thoughts come, we just repeat. That is correct. However... Further reading and discussion...
