Vine of Obstacles Zen

Dogen

The Single Most Important Thing to Keep in Mind When Studying Dogen Zenji

He was more blissfully awake than us.

Paid-members only

Kensho

"And All That We Had Gathered Fell Away": Anne Hopkins Aitken's Kensho

In This Body, In This Lifetime Featured

Soto Zen Women Wake Up: A Review of "In This Body, In This Lifetime"

Awakening Stories of Japanese Soto Zen Women

Members only

Post-kensho training

Falling Through No-Wall and Waking Up: Muso Soseki and Nurturing the Sacred Womb

Three Lingering Contaminations

The Most Excellent Peace: Yunyan's Verse on the "Three Lingering Contaminations"

In all the mountains and rivers under heaven,  this is the most excellent peace.

Shake Out Your Sleeves And Go

"Shake Out Your Sleeves And Go" is Now Alive and Kicking

Dear Ghost Subscriber, I've started a new thing over at Substack - Shake Out Your Sleeves And Go. It'll include my translations of The Record of Going Easy, commentaries, and interviews with Zen teachers of the koan persuasion. Welcome to Shake Out Your Sleeves And GoAnd

Paid-members only

Post-kensho training

"Dongshan's Three Lingering Contaminations" in Post-Awakening Training

One School Zen Featured

Zen: One School, One Mind Workshop

Registration Now Open for ZEN: ONE SCHOOL, ONE MIND A Special Practice Weekend with Dosho Port Roshi and Meido Moore Roshi

Members only

Turning the light around

Linji Turns the Light

Turning the light around

How Can We Carry the Jewel Close to Our Heart?

If you are not clear about this, turn the light around to illuminate, and then you'll know with great relief that the luminous jewel is what you are.

Paid-members only

Record of Going Easy

On Completing the Translation of the Record of Going Easy

Members only

The Platform Sutra

On the Edge with The Platform Sutra

The Platform Sutra

The Key Barrier to Practicing Awakening

We must meet the barrier with that same direct, simple, subtlety.

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The Platform Sutra

The Oh-So-Subtle Point of Zen and Its Significance

Paid-members only

What To Do When It Comes At You All At Once

The Platform Sutra Featured

Peace Isn't Luck: Then What is The Way?

"You say that there is no gradual progress, and yet Shakyamuni Buddha predicted my unsurpassed, perfect awakening. How can I get there?"

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The Platform Sutra

What is Awakening? Wandering Playfully in Samadhi

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Renunciation

The World is a Burning House: More on Renouncing Worldly Affairs

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Zhiyi

Are You Ready for Urgent Practice? Twenty-five Considerations

Paid-members only

Koan

Shushan’s Long-Life Stupa: Improbable! Impossible!

Renunciation Featured

Renunciation Day: The Dreamlike Illusion is a Sham

To practice Zen deeply a person must swim up the cultural stream.

Members only

Koan

Ow! The Rest of the One Finger

Solo retreat

This Entire Ten-Direction World is the Eye of a Practitioner: A Photo Essay from Solo Retreat

"This entire ten-direction world is the original self’s radiant light."

Members only

Koan

Speak Truth Now!

Vine of Obstacles Zen

The Dynamic Way of Vine of Obstacles Zen: Zazen, Study, and Engagement (Upcoming Talk Series)

"We welcome you to attend the talks that we will give for our Vine of Obstacles Zen students and guests on the three essentials of our practice."