Bliss Featured The Bliss of Retreat Meets the Horror of the Hamas Assault I also see that my father-in-law sent a text message mid-retreat saying, "Love, joy, and peace should be the mantra of the world, but it falls on deaf ears."
Paid-members only Record of Going Easy Unless You Know Bitter Suffering, You Won't Know Zhaozhou's Cypress Tree
Katagiri Roshi Dainin Katagiri Roshi: A Conversation I remember when Tenshin Reb Anderson came and gave Katagiri Roshi’s eulogy, he said, ‘And he knew how to shut up.’ And I thought, ‘Well, Reb did know him’ because he really did know how to shut up.”
Members only Ten Line Kannon Confusing an Interpretation for the Real Thing: On What the Ten Line Kannon is Not
Record of Going Easy Belly Laugh and Special Experiences Warning: Although the koan below seems like a meeting of old friends, a proverbial dip into the warm mud bath at the Zen Spa, there are thorns in the mud. As you might expect.
Record of Going Easy Eyes Asked Eyebrows... In sorrow we grieve together. In laughter, we find the same joy.
Throw Yourself Into the House of Buddha Featured Throw Yourself Into the House of Buddha: The Life and Zen Teachings of Tangen Harada Roshi Now, fortunately, even those who didn't train directly with Roshi-sama can get a taste of his teaching of uncompromising compassion - of vital importance for Zen today.
Nyogen Senzaki Rays of Silvery Light: Hakuin's "Song of Zazen" Paraphrased By Nyogen Senzaki In the infinite sky of Samadhi, the moon of the Tathagata's four wisdoms is shining, yet its rays of silvery light are the reflections of your true self.
Special Experiences Do Special Experiences Mean Anything? We're in a strange moment in Zen in the West where, in at least nine of ten zendos, all "experiences" are lumped together and dismissed.
Soto Zen Buddhism Soto Zen's Dirty Little Secret This was first published at Wild Fox Zen on Patheos, but didn't come along with the transfer, so I'm reposting now.
Soto Zen Buddhist Association Suspending the Soto Zen Buddhist Association Given the sad state of affairs of the SZBA and how they tragically trivialize the Great Way of Buddha, I’m happy to be on the outside of this organization.
Awakening Featured Gnawing Through Qiánfēng’s Three Illnesses and Two Lights "... You will see the infinite compassion contained in Qiánfēng’s instructions...."
On 19 Ways of Looking at a Wang Wei Poem This post is a follow-up to my recent post, Sitting, Looking for the Time When the Clouds Arise - my translation of a poem by the great Wang Wei. Below you'll find a lightly edited repost of another piece about Wang Wei, published on my Patheos site a